Your Very Next Step newsletter for March April 2025
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”
– Lao Tzu
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
– Lao Tzu
This edition of YVNS comes to you from Springfield, Virginia
http://www.yourverynextstep.com/2025/04/30/your-very-next-step-newsletter-for-march-april-2025
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*** In this issue travel and adventure news; volunteer conservation and wilderness opportunities; travel, adventure and conservation jobs.
*** Where am I?
Springfield, Virginia
*** Ned’s upcoming travel, maybe, perhaps
14-18 May 2025 Waikoloa, Kona Coast, Hawaii
13-22 June 2025 Harwich, Mass.
25-29 June 2025 Omaha, Nebraska
12 Sept – 26 Sept 2025 Paris/Lyon/Avignon/Aix-en-Provence/Marseille, France
*** Musings from China from a first-time visitor
By Huyền Cung:
(Ned’s introduction: I asked my friend Huyền Cung to share with the YVNS network her impressions from her first visit to China. Huyền is from Hanoi, and it was her trip out of Vietnam. Her comments are not those of a tourist, because she was not in Beijing for vacation, but rather as an observant and astute woman who has a fascinating perspective.)
I was only in China for a few days for some activities—not traveling far, nor going the very center of Beijing. I say this to emphasize that it wasn’t a travel trip. I went there, completed my work, and came back. So, this piece is just a brief reflection and may not be comprehensive about China.
Interestingly and luckily, our trip to the airport to leave for China coincided with Xi Jinping’s arrival in Vietnam. And when we returned to Vietnam, just as we landed at Nội Bài, he was taking off. Lucky us, no traffic jams!
Of course, Xi Jinping himself wasn’t the focus, but the ongoing tensions between China and the U.S. led some of my friends to ask what I felt like China at that particular moment.
I won’t offer any political opinions. Instead, I’ll share my impressions of the people and the culture, through the lens of a first-time visitor. Even after being back in Hanoi for several days, I still carry a pleasant feeling about Beijing, especially their working style, which seemed incredibly diligent.
We stayed in an area that wasn’t the city’s central hub, but it was home to a well-known university and large office buildings. At first, I found the city quite lonely: too many high-rises, too many cars on the road and in parking lots, but not much close interaction between people like in Hanoi.
In other words, the hustle and bustle of human life in Beijing—at least in the area I stayed in—felt “sealed away” inside buildings or cars.
It reminded me of the short story “The Man in a Case” ( Человек в футляре) , who like a character hunched over, hidden under a long trench coat, hat pulled low, gloves on. What I saw and felt was a strange sense of quiet, even during morning rush hour, with long traffic jams like in Hanoi.
Beijing residents even maintain that quietness in the way they speak—soft, calm voices. I also noticed how courteous Beijing men were: holding doors, pointing out where to grab items, letting others pass, it felt genuine.
This gallantry wasn’t limited to tourist spots or service venues where people pay for kindness. It extended to everyday places like eateries and corner stores, where people’s helpfulness seemed instinctive. (Just in Beijing though—Shenzhen was a different story.)
I was deeply impressed by how hard people in Beijing worked. Everyone I encountered seemed constantly busy, with little pause. Around the university and office areas, it was hard to find cafés with seating. Most places were strictly takeaway. It seems they don’t have much of a sit-down café culture.
On the day, after walking ourselves sore, we finally found a café with seats. Ironically, which was a tiny spot where most of the customers were delivery drivers taking a quick break while waiting for orders.
Although China gives me the impression that it’s like a larger version of Vietnam, there are still noticeable differences. I was deeply impressed by the constant movement and work of people from all walks of life that I witnessed.
Friends have told me that Japan, Korea, and China are packed with robots—many jobs have already been automated. But in Beijing, whether there were robots or not, I still saw people working hard. I rarely witnessed anyone just lounging around.
In Hanoi, when wandering around the shops and supermarkets along the streets, I occasionally see security guards or staff standing or sitting idly, even when customers are struggling to park their motorbikes or carry their bags. In Beijing, I didn’t see a single employee or worker sitting down during their shift, unless their job specifically required it.
When it comes to simple daily meals, like in Vietnam, workers and office folks in Beijing eat at self-serve restaurants. What stood out was the incredible diversity in each place. From the outside, they all looked similar. But once inside, the flavors, spices, and ingredients reflected distinct ethnic and regional influences. Some spots had mild seasoning; others smelled strongly of chili oil the moment you stepped near the door, dishes dripping in spices and rich oils.
I can clearly feel the cultural diversity in China, especially in terms of cuisine. They respect regional and local characteristics, celebrating diverse identities.
However, this diversity is only apparent in the food; in terms of religious culture, it’s not as varied , or at least, I didn’t sense it during my time in Beijing.
When it comes to religion and belief systems, I have to tread carefully. But honestly, I find Vietnamese religious culture far more open and integrative than that of the Chinese.
Despite historical border conflicts that make many Vietnamese wary of China, it’s undeniable that Chinese culture and philosophy have deeply influenced Vietnamese thought and tradition.
Just look at Hanoi’s major heritage sites—many prominently feature Chinese historical and religious figures, visited daily by Vietnamese and international tourists alike.
For example:
The Temple of Literature honors Confucius.
Ngọc Sơn Temple honors Văn Xương Đế Quân.
Trấn Quốc Pagoda honors Guan Gong.
It’s not just Chinese figures either, Hanoi’s St. Joseph’s Cathedral is openly included in tourist guides and on Google Maps.
Vietnamese culture also embraces indigenous beliefs like the Four Palaces (Tứ Phủ) and the Trần Dynasty deities in temples.
The density of spiritual and religious destinations in Hanoi far exceeds that of Beijing.
This speaks to the rich spiritual and cultural tapestry in Vietnam, and our openness to religious and cultural diversity.
We stayed in China for nearly a week, and during those few days, the weather shifted strangely. For two of our days in Beijing, the city experienced unusually strong winds, reportedly the strongest in nearly a decade.
Chinese people tend to prefer spicy food and warm drinks, no matter the weather. Our hotel didn’t have a fridge. Drinks at convenience stores and supermarkets were only mildly cool. There was always hot tea available in the hotel lobby. The only place we could find ice-cold drinks was McDonald’s.
We couldn’t afford a direct flight back to Hanoi and had to stop in Shenzhen.
While in Beijing, I hoped to explore bookstores to see what kinds of books they sold. But we never had the time—we were either too busy although not too far from the city center (just 20 km away).
I wandered around the university and office areas, but saw no bookstores. I rarely saw people pausing for small talk—let alone reading books in public spaces. Someone explained to me that many people in China read online—on their computers or phones—or they read in libraries.
But in Shenzhen, someone told me this city is China’s version of “Silicon Valley.” It’s known for its technological development—though I didn’t have the time to verify this myself.
However, during our flight, I noticed a few middle-aged passengers reading physical books. At the airport, while waiting in a KFC, I saw a few younger people with paperback books too.
Then we found a bookstore right inside the airport. I curiously opened a few titles, even though I couldn’t read the text.
In recent years, many young people I’ve met have expressed a desire to study, work, and even settle in China.
Unlike the older generation—our parents’ age—who often hold critical or skeptical views about China, Gen Z tends to be more open, fair-minded, and pragmatic.
(Ned says: I really appreciate Huyền’s stories. She has a unique perspective and a wonderful way with words. Hopefully she’ll have more to tell us about in future editions of YVNS. Thank you, Huyền!)
*** Rail Tail of the Month
April 2025
Mississippi’s Longleaf Trace: April 2025 Trail of the Month
By Agueda Pacheco Flores
https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2025/april/11/mississippis-longleaf-trace/
March 2025
Kansas’ Prairie Spirit Trail State Park: March 2025 Trail of the Month
By Amy S. Eckert
https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2025/march/04/kansas-prairie-spirit-trail-state-park/
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Rhode Island Volunteer Photographer, The Nature Conservancy, Various locations in Rhode Island
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/volunteer/rhode-island-photographer/
2.) Volunteer Opportunities a the National Mall, Washington, DC
https://nationalmall.org/become-a-volunteer
3.) City Kids Program Volunteer, City Kids Wilderness Project, Washington, DC / Jackson Hole, Wyoming
https://citykidsdc.org/about/volunteer-opportunities/
4.) Trail work, (05/11/2025 – 05/17/2025) (4 positions remaining), Bears Ears National Monument, Southeastern UT
Give back to Bears Ears National Monument as we reroute a portion of the Peavine Trail for better usage. This is a high-elevation project: ~8,300+ ft.
https://wildernessvolunteers.org/wv-project/dark-canyon-wilderness/
*** Travel/Outdoor/Conservation job opportunities:
1.) Forest Wildlife Specialist, Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society, Knoxville, Tennessee
2). Yellowstone Lake Kayak Guide, Yellowstone Hiking Guides, Cameron, MT
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=a717075f3f654e5c
3). Outdoor Field Instructor, Experience Learning, Circleville, West Virginia
https://experience-learning.org/our-vision/employment-opportunities/#1615322510016-cc7614ed-57da
4). Summer Camp Instructor, Durango, San Juan Mountains Association
https://sjma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Camp-Staff-Position-description.docx.pdf
5). Camp Counselor, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, West Palm Beach, Fla.
https://zooshiring.com/jobs/camp-counselor-west-palm-beach
6). Line Cook, Under Canvas, Bryce Canyon, Utah
https://www.occupationwild.com/under-canvas-line-cook-bc
7). Outdoor Program Coordinator, The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education
Wilmington, NC
https://ncoae.org/career/director-of-outdoor-program-logistics/
8). Community Learning Facilitator, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, United States
https://zooshiring.com/jobs/community-learning-facilitator-chicago
9). Assistant Trails Coordinator, Connecticut Forest & Park Association, Rockfall, CT
https://www.trailskills.org/jobs/assistant-trails-coordinator-2
10). Executive Director, Friends of the Clearwater, Moscow, Idaho
https://www.friendsoftheclearwater.org/2025/03/21/hiring-ed-2025/
11). Outdoor Science Leader (Moscow Adventure Club)
The AmeriCorps, Moscow School District, Moscow, ID
https://pcei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025-MAC-OSL-450-hr-3-mo-Position-Description.pdf
*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.
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Your Very Next Step
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Ha’ina ‘ia mai ana ka’puana
(And So The Story Is Told)
-Traditional ending to Hawaiian songs