VI
EN
In July, amidst a period of extreme crisis, I received 10 days of unauthorized leave from my boss. 10 days for a mental revolution to regain balance after a long period of freefall in both my work and personal life.
In my mind, Con Dao was a destination for spiritual tourism. Over 80% of people came here to "buy divine favors," to pray for wealth and fame. It was a place completely unsuitable for someone who preferred tranquility or dreamt of mountains and rivers like me. But instead of choosing peaceful things, I came to Con Dao. Completely different from my initial intention of relaxing, I came here as a volunteer – a sea turtle conservation volunteer.
In the early days on the island, I often felt frustrated and questioned myself about why I had made such a foolish choice. Why wander the beaches for nights on end, watching for... turtles to lay eggs? Why go from one exhaustion to another? Was this really the energy-rejuvenating trip I needed at this time?
I want to go back!
But it wasn't until much later, after I had been back on the mainland for long enough, that I realized those days on the island were the most peaceful and tranquil days I had ever experienced.
My memories of Con Dao are of stormy July days, with torrential rain. There was a team of volunteers who tirelessly wandered the beach every night, digging through the sand, carefully tending to each turtle egg and placing it in its nest. In Con Dao, there are many people like me, or even more quietly dedicated, who are working day and night to make life better. Being here has made me realize that nature never rejects humanity, but it is also ready to retaliate if we go beyond its limits.
More than any other place I've visited, Con Dao possesses a pristine, almost untouched beauty of an island unspoiled by tourism. I could hear the breath of history as I set foot in its various locations. I was captivated by the vegetation, with over 370 species of trees, more than 100 species of vines, and 30 different types of orchids scattered across the island.
Bay Canh is a small island belonging to Con Dao, home to the highest density of sea turtles coming ashore to lay eggs in Vietnam. On the afternoon of my first day here to take on turtle conservation work, as I stood before the sunset on the large beach, I smiled. A sweet smile because I knew everything would be healed. Raising my hand to shield my eyes from the last rays of the setting sun, I felt happiness spreading through my fingertips, feeling my heart being revived with each breath.
The sunset in Con Dao is incredibly beautiful. A captivating beauty, capable of transforming into a powerful force that amuses my heart, leaving me mesmerized and my heart racing. So beautiful it can be imprinted in the deepest recesses of my soul. I felt as if my soul was hypnotized the moment I reached out to touch the sun that day. It felt like I possessed it, yet it was nothingness. It seemed nothingness, yet it lay nestled in my hand, a hand scarred by the passage of time.
One stormy night, the sea was rough, and I hid from the team guarding the turtles on the beach. Sitting alone in the dimly lit ranger station, relying on the faint light of a flashlight, I hastily scribbled a few lines in my small notebook:
In my twenties, I stood here.
Between heaven and earth lies the passage of youth.
In the midst of the sacred island, the waves murmur day and night.
A gentle caress to revive the soul once more…
Mentioning Con Dao brings back memories of city-worships, of venturing to the remote islands and losing one's soul there. I remember the midday sun at Dam Trau beach, the sunset at Shark Point, the morning on the boat to Bay Canh, the starry sky at the ranger station, the swing under the banyan tree – where a simple turn of the head would encompass the entire ocean. I remember every person I met on that trip, every trash bag I picked up, every turtle I cherished… I cherish every moment that makes Con Dao so peaceful. A place where all the colors of the earth and sky intertwine. A place where the heart truly returns to its pristine state. A place where the soul is dried and then warmed by the sunset.
For me, every journey or every farewell carries its own unique value. Like being here, succeeding in using nature to heal my soul and realizing a truth: Making everything around me beautiful is making my own life more beautiful.
