As someone with exceptionally tight muscles and an aversion to most spa treatments, I nearly hightailed it out of there, afraid for my body and my mental wellbeing.
But, never one to shy away from adventure, I pushed aside any discomfort and stepped behind the closest curtain. In a space containing nothing more than a padded table and locker, I received my first instructions. She spoke little English, but I knew what she asked, thanks to the common language of gesturing. With no means of covering, I cringed, striving to use my limbs to shield my nudity until I realized the most comforting fact.
Here, every masseuse is blind. Tourists flock to Southeast Asia to experience the plethora of and exceptionally inexpensive spa treatments available.
All proved affordable. All proved relaxing. But the experience I most remember? The most unique spa treatment available in Southeast Asia? A blind massage in Ho Chi Minh City. It is well known that people with disabilities, regardless of city or country, consistently have higher rates of unemployment and, when combined with increased medical expenses, poverty.
Seeing individuals stuck in this cycle of needing additional finances with no means of obtaining it, The Blind Association for Ho Chi Minh City turned to massage. Because the practice centers on touch rather than sight, it became the perfect opportunity for both employment and subsequently, a more stable income.
