Tag Archives: Drew Coyne

Roundup: Shorebirds, Costumes, Paul & Joanne …

Posted on April 14, 2022 | 1 comment

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Shorebirds are nesting at Compo Beach.

As usual, Parks & Rec is on the case.

Department staff has staked out an area near the site, keeping people away from the fragile birds and their eggs. A sign offers information about the threatened wildlife.

Stay away! It’s their beach too.

In fact, they were here first.

(Photo/Matt Murray)

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Speaking of shorebirds: A week from tomorrow is Earth Day. But the big events at Sherwood Island State Park are Saturday, April 23.

Friends of Sherwood Island offer several events. They include:

Friends’ Garden Team Activities (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Friends’ table on East Beach across from the Nature Center).

🌱Bring a reusable water bottle; get a “Protect Our Wildlife” sticker (while supplies last).

🌱Tour the Dunes Restoration project site; plant a stem of American Beach Grass.

🌱Learn about native plant species planted for wildlife at the park; get a list for planting at home.

“Why Reducing Food Waste is Critical to a Sustainable Future” (9:30 to 11 a.m.).Host: Pippa Bell Ader, Sustainable Westport Zero Food Waste Challenge. Ongoing at the Friends’ table outside the Main Pavilion.

“Walk Through Sherwood Island’s History (From 12,000 Years Ago)” (noon to 1:30 p.m.). Host: Cece Saunders, owner of Historical Perspectives in Westport. Guided walk. Meet at the Friends’ table outside the Main Pavilion.

“Salt Marshes and Marsh Migration at Sherwood Island” (12:30 to 2 p.m.) Host: Michele Sorensen, environmental educator, captain of the Friends’ garden team. Guided walk; also pick up plastic waste on the marsh. Gloves and bags provided. Meet at the Friends’ table on East Beach across from the Nature Center.

“Environmental Role of Trees at the Park” (2 to 3:30 p.m.) Host: Louis Pietig, Friends’ of Sherwood Island Advisory Council member. Guided walk. Meet at the Friends’ table outside the Main Pavilion.

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Did you miss VersoFest? Or do you just want to relive last weekend’s Westport Library first-in-any-library-anywhere music and media festival?

Click below for a short highlight video. Jerri Graham and Verso Studios’ vivid photos will bring it to life. And get you psyched for the 2023 show, already in the planning stages.

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The curtain came down on “The Descendants” last weekend. But the final act came later.

Staples Players’ talented costume crew — the behind-the-scenes students and parents led by Christie Stanger, who designed and created so many wonderful outfits — had a great idea: bling out a young audience member’s own clothes to look just like the costume of one of the Descendants!

This lucky, randomly chosen winner had her jean jacket and leggings made to look just like Evie’s. She also got a bunch of cool Evie-like accessories. She even got to meet Evie after the show.

Thanks for spreading joy, Costume Crew!

Lucky winner holds her Evie costume.

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Speaking of entertainment: Not much gets by Fred Cantor.

The other night he watched “The Drowning Pool.” The 1975 noir film starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward streamed on TCM.

At the end — yes, Fred watched the credits — he saw that it was “A Coleytown Production.”

Digging further, he found that “Coleytown Productions Inc.” is a California corporation formed in 1969. It dissolved in 2014. Joanne Woodward was the CEO.

Other copyrights held by Coleytown Productions included 2 other Paul Newman films: “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” and “Pocket Money.”

Screenshot from “The Drowning Pool.” (Photo/Fred Cantor)

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The other day, “06880” noted that Drew Coyne was named Connecticut’s Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year.

Now the highly lauded and popular Staples High School social studies instructor is vying for national Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year honors.

Every nominee for the $10,000 demonstrates “a commitment to engaging students in historical learning through the innovative use of primary sources, implementation of active learning strategies to foster historical thinking skills, and participation in the National History Day Contest.” The winner will be announced in June.

Drew Coyne

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After 7 years of providing a dedicated gluten-free, organic, non-GMO-certified commercial kitchen, C&K Community Kitchen no longer maintains its gluten-free status. It still “enthusiastically stands on its devout organic, non-GMO foundation.”

Questions? Contact Sarah Kerstin Gross (candkcommunitykitchen@gmail.com), or call 203-226-0531.

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Dale Najarian is the Westport Book Shop’s latest guest exhibitor.

The Westport artist is showing several abstract landscapes on wood panels. She works in several mediums, including watercolor, acrylics, mixed media and oils. She also has a passion for photography.

Najarian earned a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. She worked for over 15 years as a graphic designer and art director at design firms and advertising agencies in New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

She serves on the advisory board for the Norwalk Art Space, the executive board of the Artists Collective of Westport, and is a board member and project manager for #UNLOADusa.org, a nonprofit organization using arts to talk about gun violence in America. She is also an active member of the Greenwich Arts Council and the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.

Dale Najarian at the Westport Book Shop.

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Longtime Saugatuck Co-op resident Johanna Straczek died peacefully last month, at 96. Her family says she “lived a full and vibrant life.”

She started her own accounting firm and worked daily at a front desk, even after selling the company years ago.

“Always dressed with taste and seldom without a signature chapeau, her slight but powerful presence graced our town with a genuine air of European culture,” her obituary says.

Born in Austria in 1925, Johanna learned multiple languages and studied opera in Vienna before coming to the US. She attended Sacred Heart University, sharpening her business acumen.

She became a fellow of the National Tax Institute, was a longtime Rotarian, and member of several tax associations.

As treasurer of the Saugatuck Co-Op on Bridge Street, where she lived, she is remembered for her dedication volunteer work, and her soprano voice that she gifted at holiday parties (especially “Stille Nacht/Silent Night”).

Johanna is survived by her sister, Vera Romatko and brother Carlo Romatko. She was predeceased by her husband John and sister, Nadia Romatko Krower.

A celebration of her life is set for April 20 (Unitarian Church, 11 a.m.).

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The other day, David Ader searched for wild mushrooms at the Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum.

Instead he found this tree. He writes: “What you see are fresh scratches from a claw. Given where they were on the tree, I assume it was a small bear. The claw marks are very different from, say, a deer rubbing antlers, which would be higher up.”

He has not seen the bear this year. He is, however, “hopeful.”

(Photo/David Ader)

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And finally … Bridgeport’s Sound on Sound Festival features some big names September 24 and 25. Among them: Dave Matthews, the Lumineers, Stevie Nicks and Brandi Carlile,

The biggest might be Ringo Starr. He kicks things off September 23.

That’s quite a coup. You know he don’t come easy. (Hat tip: Mark Yurkiw)

1 Comment

Posted in Arts, Beach, Entertainment, Environment, Library, Local business, Obituaries

Tagged Dale Najarian, Drew Coyne, Friends of Sherwood Island, Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman, Staples Players, VersoFest

Drew Coyne Makes History

Posted on April 9, 2022 | 3 comments

When he began teaching US History Honors, Drew Coyne had never heard of National History Day.

After 7 years participating in National History Day, he is now Connecticut’s Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year.

Some may think of National History Day as a high school project covering a few weeks each year. But as part of the US History Honors curriculum, Coyne and his colleagues weave the competition into their full-year curriculum.

In the fall, students begin exploring various topics and interests that correspond with each year’s theme (this year students focus on “Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences”).

Drew Coyne

After topics are narrowed, students conduct in-depth primary and secondary research. By the spring, student projects are showcased on a variety of mediums: exhibits, essays, performances, documentaries and websites. Each project pushes students to synthesize and analyze information, while developing connections between the past and present.

It’s a challenging, intellectual process. And though Coyne is the teacher, he knows the greatest success comes because it’s a student-driven process.

Coyne’s students have found success by digging deeper into history, going beyond typical topics like “Washington at Valley Forge” or “Lincoln at Gettysburg.” He encourages them to explore under-covered chapters in American history, then find overlooked or under-researched figures and events.

That’s just the start. Students conduct extensive scholarly research, arrange interviews, follow leads, and adapt as they grapple with new ideas.

This year, 2 students were interested in the women’s rights movement that shaped the United States in the mid-20th century. Along the way, they learned about Phyllis Schlafly. They studied how she aligned traditional housewives with conservative politicians and evangelical Christians to stymy ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Students then explored Schlafly’s legacy, including how it has shaped contemporary female political figures, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Talia Varsano and Annika Reddy with “Cold War Debate, Diiplomacy, and the Creation of the Polio Vaccine: Successes, Failures, and Consequencs.” (Missing: Tessa Tobias)

Coyne was thrilled by their work – but urged them to also engage with multiple perspectives on the topic to formulate their argument. Soon enough — after struggling to hear back from a number of leads — the girls proudly gave Coyne the news: Gloria Steinem’s office was on board for an interview.

Another group focused on Nancy Ward, a Cherokee leader who advocated for peaceful coexistence with European Americans, then later in life fought for retention of tribal lands. When the students learned a musical (“Nanyehi – The Story of Nancy Ward”) was being developed about her life, they connected with Becky Hobbs, the 5th-granddaughter of Nancy Ward. Hobbs told the NHD team about her work composing, playwriting, and directing the music — while also shedding a unique light onto Ward’s diplomatic legacy. In addition, the students connected with Nick Sweet, the co-director of the musical, who further advanced the students’ understanding of the topic.

A third group is exploring the development of the Salk and Sabin vaccines. Students uncovered the debate and scientific diplomacy that existed between American and Soviet scientists as they fought to eradicate polio, despite the Cold War raging at the time. Six decades later, relations between the two nations are again tense – and once again, a virus is on the loose. Coyne’s students are working to tie all those strands together.

Avery Mueller and Sam Petrosino with ““The Annexation of Hawaii: Debate, Diplomacy, and the Creation of an Imperial United States: Successes, Failures, and Consequences.”

Coyne and his colleagues have had many successes — even during a pandemic. Last year, 18 students took 13 out of 27 places at the Connecticut History Day state contest, including 3 first-place finishes. Zack Brody then placed 3rd at the national event, for his research into cigarette advertising and its long-term implications. Jeffrey Pogue earned a George Washington History Prize for his 10-minute performance on Thomas Paine. Sebastian Miller also won the award for Outstanding Entry Related to Communication in History.

This year there were 15 awards at the regional contest, including sweeps in 4 categories. The statewide event is April 30. Regional winners include:

Group Exhibit: 1st place, “Cold War Debate, Diplomacy and the Creation of the Polio Vaccine (Talia Varsano, Annika Reddy, Tessa Tobias); 2nd place, “Debate and Diplomacy of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act” (Lucie Nivaud, Isabella Rivel, Kaya Law); 3rd place, “Dr. Ralph Bunche: Debate and Diplomacy in the Partition of Israel (Defne Merih Anya Nair).

Individual Exhibit: 1st place, “1939-41: Should the US Enter World War II?” (Dagny Dahl); 2nd place, “The Canadian Caper” (Benjamin Rimm); 3rd place, “Racism in America’s Abortion Debate” (Iva Radman).

Group Website: “The Panther 21” (Maia Freeman, Scarlett Gerber); 2nd place, “The US-Soviet Cultural Agreement of 1958” (Tessa Cassell, Jolie Gefen, Elise Eisenberger); 3rd place, “Why Abortion is a Never-Ending Debate” (Catherine Hassell, Adela Ardrey).

Individual Website: 1st place, “The Peaceful End of the Apartheid Era” (Samantha Sheldon); 2nd place, “Minamata’s Fight for Justice” (Lucia Wang); 3rd place, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” (Matthew Delman).

There were 2 winners in the Group Documentary category: 1st place, “Nixon’s Visit to China” (Maxim Piterbarg, Curtis Sullivan) and 3rd place, “James Brown: A Civil Rights Musical Diplomat” (Paige Miller, Emma Schorr, Carley McGarry — judges were very impressed that the students found and interviewed James Brown’s daughter.)

Coyne began his Westport teaching career at Coleytown and Bedford Middle Schools. He credits his colleagues, the Westport Public Schools, and of course his students, for helping him become Connecticut’s Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year.

Emma Schorr, Carley McGarry and Paige Miller show off their documentary on “James Brown – A Civil Rights Diplomat: Debates, Successes, Failures, and Consequences.”

3 Comments

Posted in Education, Staples HS

Tagged Drew Coyne, Staples High School social studies department

Historic Day For Staples Students

Posted on May 6, 2021 | 2 comments

Sam Cooke may not have known much about history.

But Staples High School students sure do.

Working in teams and individually, 18 of them took 13 out of 27 places at the recent Connecticut History Day state contest. As any math student knows, that’s nearly 50% of the total.

There were 3 first place winners, in 9 categories. And the Westport students swept all 3 places in the “Senior Individual Exhibit” category. This year’s theme was “Communication.”

Historical footnote: Two students earned Special Prizes.

First place winners included:

Ishan Prasad: “Movies for the Masses: Bollywood and the Forging of a National Identity in India, 1950-1965”
William Jin and Michael Nealon: “America’s Key to Understanding: How Uncle Tom’s Cabin Communicated Abolitionist Ideals and Changed the Lives of Millions”
Hannah Fiarman: “The Freedom Rides: Communicating Injustices in Interstate Travel for a Key Understanding of Crucial Change”

Placing second were Nikos Ninios, who researched the Daughters of the Confederacy; Lily Klau and Olivia Stubbs (“Barbie: More Than Just a Doll”); Zachary Brody (cigarette advertising in the 20th century); Jeffrey Pogue (Thomas Paine) and Sarp Gurdogan (The Chicago Defender newspaper).

Finishing third: Franca Strandell, Camille Vynerib and Juliet Tracey (Frank Capra and World War II propoganda); Rebecca Schussheim (Ida Tarbell); Franky Lockenour (Ms. Magazine); Coco Kaska and Karlie Saed (freedom songs in the civil rights movement), and Matthew Gatto (the Pentagon Papers).

Sebastian Miller was awarded a special prize for understanding military history for his project on the Civil War Balloon Corps, while Pogue’s won the George Washington Leadership in History award for “Thomas Paine: The Most Influential Man in America.”

Pogue’s project exemplifies the depth and creativity of the Stapleites. Entering in the Solo Performance category, the sophomore devised a 10-minute mini-play, set in a tavern — immediately following Paine’s funeral. Pogue played all 4 characters: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Benjamin Rush and John Adams (not a Paine fan). Each gives a tribute to the revolutionary pamphleteer.

Click below to view Pogue’s presentation. You won’t be disappointed. And you’ll learn a lot.

Congratulations to the insightful, clever and hard-working Staples students — and their superb teachers: Drew Coyne, Nell-Ann Lynch, Cathy Schager and Kelly Zrenda.

PS: Pogue submitted his entry by video, because of COVID. But when he and his fellow History Day winners head to the national competition this fall, he’ll perform live.

A US championship? That would be historic!

2 Comments

Posted in Education, Media, Staples HS, Teenagers

Tagged "HIstory Day in Connecticut", Drew Coyne, Jeffrey Pogue, Staples High School social studies department

Happy 218th Birthday, Horace Staples!

Posted on January 31, 2019 | 17 comments

Horace Staples was born on January 31, 1801.

More than 80 years later — by then the wealthiest man in Westport — he founded a high school. He had grown tired of watching pupils go off to Bridgeport or Norwalk for their educations. Staples’ High School — that was the correct punctuation — opened in 1884. The first class (consisting of just 6 girls) graduated 2 years later.

For as long as Horace Staples was alive, the quickly growing high school celebrated every January 31 as Founder’s Day. He joined in the festivities, and viewed with pride his students’ presentations and orations.

Horace Staples

A typical ceremony began with an opening hymn, scriptures, a prayer and the 112nd Psalm. There was a reading on “A Liberal Education”; a piano solo and song; a debate on the topic “Resolved: that civilized nations are justified in seizing and occupying lands inhabited by savages”; a declamation on Paul Revere’s Ride; addresses thanking Horace Staples; his response; another hymn, and final remarks.

Horace Staples attended many Founder’s Days. He died on March 6, 1897 — age 96. He had outlived all his wives and children, and was both the best-known and oldest citizen in town.

Founders Day foundered after his death. But 3 years ago, Rho Kappa — the Staples High School (current punctuation) honor society — resurrected the celebration.

There are exhibits of life in the 1880s. The library hosts a speaker.

And every year, Horace Staples — or a reasonable facsimile thereof — roams the halls, popping into classrooms to talk about “his” school, and its 135-year history.

Here are some photos of today’s Founder’s Day. If Horace bears a close resemblance to the world’s leading expert on Westport’s crown jewel — the guy who a decade ago wrote a 377-page book called Staples High School: 120 Years of A+ Education (and today runs a blog called “o688o”) — well, that’s just one more memorable moment in the long, illustrious history that all began with Horace Staples’ birth, 218 years ago today.

Before the opening bell, Horace Staples visited with social studies teachers. Here he chats about his high school with Drew Coyne.

Among the classes Horace Staples visited was Current Issues: American Media and Politics. It’s a new addition to the curriculum. If it was taught when Staples’ High School opened, pupils would have discussed the administration of President Chester Alan Arthur.

Horace visited himself in the library.

Horace Staples also spent time hanging with students in the cafeteria. He reminded them that until 1923, everyone had to bring their own lunch to school. And — with the temperature in single digits — he noted that for many years, all students had to walk to school. Some came from as far as Wilton.

17 Comments

Posted in Education, Staples HS, Teenagers

Tagged Drew Coyne, Horace Staples, Staples High School Founder's Day, Staples High School Rho Kappa honor society

“If These Walls Could Talk…” For Drew Coyne, They Do.

Posted on December 17, 2018 | 14 comments

The best teachers model their passions.

English teachers read and write. Culinary teachers cook. Phys. ed. instructors work out.

Drew Coyne

Drew Coyne teaches US History Honors at Staples High School. He’s been nominated for Westport Teacher of the Year. His students adore him.

He’s tough, but fair. He makes learning interesting.

And he walks the talk — inside the classroom, and out.

Drew grew up in an 1850s house in upstate New York. His partner Matt O’Connell was raised in a Boston suburb. In September 2017, they started searching for a house to buy. They wanted something historic.

They came close to purchasing in Greens Farms. Then they found an even better property on the Old Post Road in Fairfield — part of that town’s Historic District.

The owners were Paul and Barb Winsor. Paul was George Harrison’s gardener. But that wasn’t what made it amazing.

It was built in 1837 by the Turney family. They owned land by Fairfield beach, and grew peaches.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church took it over. For nearly 100 years, it served as a parsonage.

In 1936, the church sold the property to the Hermenze family. Four years later, they sold it to Donald and Ann Robbins. The price was $8,000. The Robbinses raised 5 children there.

175 Old Post Road — back in the day.

Drew loved his new home. Walking the halls, he felt compelled to know who walked them before him. And he wondered what stories the walls could tell.

Like any great history teacher, he researched the past. The Fairfield Museum had little information. The church did not have much either.

But searching online, Drew found an obituary for Ann Robbins. It included the names of her surviving children. One — Ann’s daughter Nan Hotchkiss– lived in Fairfield.

Drew called. She’s in her mid-80s now, but was delighted to hear from him. She asked many questions about the house. It obviously meant a lot to her.

So Drew invited her to come see for herself.

Thrilled, she asked if she could bring 2 brothers, and her younger sister. Oh, and also her son’s daughter, who is in her 40s.

The visit — a couple of weekends ago — was wonderful. The former residents walked all around the house, touching things and remembering tiny details like the smell of gingerbread cookies, tricycle races and Nan’s basement “jewelry shop.”

3 generations of owners. Standing at left: Matt O’Connell and Drew Coyne. From the top of the stairs down: Barb Winsor, Carol Robbins, Pat Robbins, Bruce Robbins, Henry Robbins, Anne (Nan) Jackson. Larry Robbins Skyped in with his wife Deirdre.

They pointed to nicks in the wood, and told Drew and Matt how they got there.

“Those are the subtle things we’d never notice,” Drew says. “But they meant so much to the family. They give warmth and beauty, and enhanced my view of our house.”

One of Nan’s brothers lives out of state, and could not make it to Fairfield. So his siblings walked around with an iPad, showing him the 19th century house via 21st century Skype. He added his own memories.

The Robbins children, with their parents, Donald and Ann.

Barb Winsor — who Drew and Matt bought the house from — also came that weekend.

So the couple heard stories about the house, all the way from 1940 to today.

Drew says, “We saw layer upon layer of history. We heard about victory gardens in World War II, and the noise from the Post Road when that was the only highway around.”

As she was leaving, Nan said, “It’s so nice to come home.”

That’s a feeling Drew Coyne has every day, when he walks through the door of the house that is now his. And that he now understands, better than ever.

“This was a great Christmas gift that Matt and I could give them,” he says.

“And a great gift that they gave us, too.”

175 Old Post Road, last winter.

14 Comments

Posted in Looking back, People, Real estate, Staples HS

Tagged Drew Coyne, Hermenze family, Old Post Road Fairfield

Do Know Much About History

Posted on June 27, 2018 | 9 comments

Sure, STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math — gets lots of education headlines.

But history is alive and well in Westport schools too.

Two Staples High students recently finished 8th in the nation.

Meanwhile, 4 Bedford Middle Schoolers landed in the national top 4.

Stapleites Shea Curran and Kate Enquist were students this past year in Drew Coyne’s sophomore US History Honors course. He asked his students to find a National History Day topic on the theme of conflict and compromise.

Initially, Shea admits, “Kate and I were not really looking forward to NHD. We imagined it was filled with history nerds and crazy parents.”

But as they searched for ideas, they found an article on Westport’s Nike missile sites on (ta da!) “06880.” They got hooked — and realized history can be interesting, exciting (and cool).

Nike missiles on display.

They spent months researching the topic, using old newspapers and other material — some of it previously classified. They also interviewed people who were there.

The process was not easy, Kate says. But it was rewarding.

Shea and Kate were amazed to learn that missiles were once stored on the current site of Bedford Middle School. They were stunned to discover how close the US came to nuclear war.

The project “opened our eyes to today’s society,” Shea says. “We realize the importance of civilians being able to voice their concerns, suggestions or opinions.”

During the Cold War, she notes, “if civilians did not speak up, the results of the Nike missile sites would be much different.”

Shea Curran and Kate Enquist

The entire National History Day experience has sparked Kate’s interest in government and history. She’ll volunteer in those areas this summer, and will take AP Government in the fall.

(To view Shea and Kate’s project online, click here.)

At the junior level, Bedford’s Jason Chiu-Skow, Jordan Chiu-Skow, Johann Kobelitsch and Lyah Muktavaram worked since October — during their lunches — with teacher Caroline Davis. They also spent hours together after school, and on weekend.

Their topic was “How the Treaty of Versailles Ended the Great War.” They chose it because they realized that compromise is not always fair.

The Bedford Middle School National History Day team, at the national competition.

As part of their project, the Bedford students learned how to do research, present a convincing argument, answer judges’ questions, and work as a team.

They finished 3rd in Fairfield County, then first in Connecticut, before earning 4th place at the national competition (which also included Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Singapore, South Korea and South Asia).

The National History Day winners will be honored — and their exhibits shown — at a reception on July 14 in Connecticut’s Old Sate House.

There certainly is a lot of history there.

9 Comments

Posted in Education, History, Staples HS, Teenagers

Tagged Caroline Davis, Drew Coyne, National History Day, Nike missile site, Treaty of Versailles

Charlie Colasurdo’s Vietnam

Posted on April 27, 2016 | 11 comments

Charlie Colasurdo is a Staples High School sophomore. He’s a longtime Wakeman Town Farm volunteer, online features editor for the school newspaper Inklings, and a talented photographer.

Last week I posted a story on Nora Kubach, a Staples grad finishing up a film about Americans whose fathers were killed in action there, and children of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong who died in the same war.

Charlie read it, and emailed me — from Vietnam.

That’s where he was spending April break. I invited him to share his unique vacation with “06880” readers when he returned. Here’s what he wrote — along with photographs he took.

I was incredibly fortunate and excited to spend 10 days in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam. Because I visited a family of expats who had lived there for 5 years, I got to explore and experience Saigon in a very nontraditional way, and to photographically document the people, places and rich culture that the city boasts.

Charlie Colasurdo, and Ho Chi Minh.

Just weeks before I left, I watched “Last Days in Vietnam” in Mr. Drew Coyne’s US History Honors class. The movie showed Saigon at the end of the war, as Americans and their South Vietnamese allies were evacuating from the besieged city. Mr. Coyne and I agreed that revisiting those scenes on the historic avenues of Saigon was an excellent way to connect my trip to what I learned in Westport.

I found the city itself to be stunning — a unique juxtaposition of traditional Chinese, colonial French, and high-rise, modern architecture sprawling over several districts, or “quậns.”

The streets are overrun with motorbikes (almost 6 million!), which makes for interesting street crossing!

Venturing away from the more touristy areas of downtown, we took self-guided walking tours of the crisscrossing alleyways of Chợ Lớn, Saigon’s Chinatown. It’s where the majority of the working-class Saigonese live, away from the noisy main streets. Tucked away down these narrow alleys, vibrant markets sell everything from towers of just-picked coconut, purple basil and mint, and freshly picked mangoes to still-swimming fish to sweet sticky rice balls, which you can buy for 20,000 dong apiece (90 cents). It was a far cry from the Westport Farmers’ Market!

Learning about the Vietnam War from the comfort of Westport, I was never able to get a complete idea of its scale and effects on a country 9,000 miles away. The War Remnants Museum was a necessary but difficult stop, featuring disturbing photo galleries of the atrocities of the war (or as it is referred to there, the “American War”). Despite this one reminder of a darker time, the Vietnamese people I encountered were cheerful and friendly to me as an American, and clearly desired to move on towards a brighter future.

Another highlight of the trip was a photography tour of Saigon’s hidden gems with Tanya Olander, who created the fantastic daily photoblog “Somewhere in Saigon,” featuring street photography throughout the city. My favorite stop was at Tao Dan Park’s “Bird Café,” where Vietnamese hang up songbirds in ornate cages and enjoy the morning songs with a coffee or cigarette.

While there, I discovered how much more a vacation could offer than sitting on a beach or skiing down a mountain. In Saigon I was able to eat like a local, ride motorbikes through the city’s narrow alleys, and meet wonderfully interesting and colorful people, like the market vendors who had very little, and yet nearly always wore smiles.