He was charmed upon his first arrival in Vietnam. The landscape, the nature and especially the people are exactly as his father described when he was 15. He loves the country, the people, the culture and everything pertaining to Vietnam. He is Nelson Rodriguez, First Cultural Secretary of the Venezuelan embassy in Hanoi. First time visitors to Mr. Rodriguez’s apartment can hardly believe it’s the residence of a foreigner. All decorative items come from Vietnamese daily life: funny water puppets, brocade pictures and Buddha statues. Mr. Rodriguez says Vietnam shares a close bond with Venezuela: “We consider Vietnamese people our brothers and sisters. Despite the geographical distance, I heard about Vietnam and the anti-American war there when I was 15.”
The Venezuelan diplomat admires President HCM and General Vo Nguyen Giap, who he says, have made a legendary and peace loving Vietnam. He’s passionate about poet Nguyen Du and his “Tale of Kieu”, the greatest poem in Vietnamese history. A portrait of President HCM is hung on the wall of his office, which is filled with Vietnamese books. “President HCM is very close to the people. We call him poet HCM and have written many songs and books about him. Another typical image of Vietnam is General Vo Nguyen Giap, who has attracted the attention of many foreign scholars and intellectuals”, Rodriguez said. 

Picking lotus at Hanoi's West Lake (Source: ITC News)

Over the past 3 years, Mr. Rodriguez has traveled to almost every corner of Vietnam to explore local people’s life styles, traditions and customs. He noted down all he saw on the way. He says Vietnam is dynamic but never loses its identity: “For me, Vietnam is a country with many things to tell about. Vietnamese people have preserved and upheld their culture. I feel a little jealous because Vietnam has grown very fast in all fields in a short period of time. You should be proud of this”.
What Nelson Rodriguez has seen and learnt inspired him to write a book about Vietnam. The draft is expected to be finished soon and Rodriguez hopes it will help to promote Vietnam to a wider community. He elaborates: “I’m lucky to be in Vietnam. I have collected a large volume of material about your country to write this book.”
Rodriguez says he finds it interesting to watch the endless flow of traffic and hear the cry of street vendors in the morning. He cooks for himself and really likes going to the market. “The markets are an amazing world that I want to explore. I may not buy anything but I love to see the people, hear the noise and sense the exciting atmosphere. It’s really fun. The market mirrors the Vietnamese people”, Rodriguez added. When asked what he likes most in Vietnam, the answer is: everything. During his leisure time, Rodriguez often invites friends to his house for a drink and to show off his latest souvenirs. His favorite songs are about Vietnam, particularly about President HCM. For him, Vietnam is a second homeland.     

Lan Anh