Community Service: Vietnam 2011

Saying farewell is never easy. Our time in the village has flown by faster than we had expected. This morning we visited each of the three houses where we had a closing ceremony, to exchange our gratitude and to say goodbye to the families and friends we have made during our stay. Each visit was filled with moving speeches and thoughtful words. Tears were shed but gleeful laughter also filled the atmosphere. We will miss everything about Tinh Hoa- from our neighbor’s morning greetings to the beautiful rice paddies that we bike through everyday. The cultural idiosyncrasies that once fascinated us have become mundane – a sign that we had integrated well into the community.

Our last night in the village was filled with songs and gifts as the Youth Union group threw us a lively farewell party. The next morning we woke up early to catch the sunrise at the beach. Although our imprints in the sand of Tinh Hoa will be washed away by the morning tides, the stories we left behind will continue to be retold again and again. Perhaps farewell is not the appropriate word in this context. Rather, tam biet, which literally means a temporary separation, is more precise in conveying our transition. We hope our students will return to Tinh Hoa one day to visit the houses they helped to build and to catch up on the lives they have changed.

Next, we we’re off to Hanoi and Halong Bay.  In Hanoi we explored van mieu, a historical site of the first university of Vietnam. We also attended a lively water puppet show and re-familiarized ourselves with western foods once again. We spent our last days touring the beautiful Halong Bay, known for its numerous islands. There, we explored caves, kayaked through lagoons and dove into the warm water of the bay.  We ate the freshest seafood, relaxed, and sunbathed on the deck to reward ourselves after three weeks of community service and hard work. We were in awe of the bay’s beauty.

We are sad to say goodbye to the places we visited and to the many people we befriended. So long Vietnam!

-Cuong and Eileen

July 15-19th

Imagine it’s the proverbial “hump-day” (or Wednesday) of the most exhausting, sweatiest, and intensive work week of your life.  Now imagine you travel to Hoi An,  a picturesque small town known for its historical architecture, great tasting Western and Vietnamese cuisine, and the most affordable tailored-clothing capitol the world in order to take a well deserved break.  In some ways, this was what we got to experience and the timing could not have been better as we have approached the midway point of our time here in Vietnam. On our weekend’s excursion, rest and relaxation was in order. We made the most of it for three days before heading back to village life of Tinh Hoa and dedicating our energy and rejuvenated spirits to the completion of the three compassion houses.

Recognized by UNESCO for the past 12 years as a World Heritage Site, the old town of Hoi An is a well preserved 15^th – 19^th century trading port, displaying blends of foreign and local architecture.

While beautifully colored buildings satisfied our visual senses, we also quenched our thirst with delectable local fruit blends. Remember that we have been eating nothing but Vietnamese food for the past 2 weeks.  Although the Vietnamese food is delicious, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to mix up our menu in Hoi An!  Our students enjoyed pizza, club sandwiches, fajitas, hamburgers, and just about everything else that provided just a touch of home.

We participated in a Vietnamese cuisine cooking class.  Who knew we were capable of making the most amazing Vietnamese mixed salad!? With this Putney group, everything is possible!

The short three day weekend was packed with many activities.  Educational and fun adventures that the students participated in include: exploring the Cham ruins in My Son, visiting Buddhist temples, having tailored clothes made for them, and resting up for the work that is to be completed in the final week.

For the first time in the 6 years of Putney’s Community Service program in Vietnam, the 2011 students were invited to a Vietnamese wedding party.  The lucky groom is a former member of the local Youth Union, an organization created in 1931 to provide services to local communities.  We were very honored to have been invited and we even got up on stage to dedicate a song to the newlyweds… we sang a lovely version of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing.  Some of us who knew the lyrics sang it loudly and beautifully to assist those of us who gave it ‘ole the Putney try.  (Note: no tomatoes were thrown on stage

Work-site updates:

Wow, it is hard to believe that the final work week is already upon us.  When we last left off, we were hard at work installing the roof fixtures and supporting units as well as plastering the exposed brick walls and pouring foundations for the floors.  Just yesterday, we put on the first few coats of primer and our painting work is set to begin soon.  As co-leaders, we are amazed at how quickly the students have learned to build houses, implementing local methods and materials.  But it isn’t just us; the families and construction workers are full of gratitude and praise for all of our students.  It is clear that our students have formed very close bonds with the local children and families from the worksites.

Site 1

Site 2

Site 3

Stay tuned for the next blog when will share our last days  in Tinh Hoa and the conclusion of our work on the three compassion houses.

Signing off,
Cuong and Eileen

Student’s Corner:

~The Royal Blog Post of Will & Kate~

Our honeymoon has been going swimmingly since we arrived several weeks ago!  Last weekend we joined some friendly commoners for a weekend excursion to Hoi An- the tailoring capital of Vietnam.  The charming old city welcomed us with open arms and was the perfect respite from our weeks of service.  We unloaded some hard-earned (taxpayer) cash in the quaint stores that lined Hoi An’s quiet boulevards and dined to our delight on some upscale international cuisine (meat lovers pizza).  Though sad to see our sojourn come to a close, we were eager to return to our familiar hamlet, full of anticipation for the social event of the season.  Yes, a wedding (you all know how much we love those)!  A kindly youth union member extended us an invitation to attend his wedding reception, which we graciously accepted.  The bride glowed (literally) in a bright orange embellished gown.  She swept into the room with a presence only exceeded by one bride previously. Me.  We dined, sang and made merry with the local folk before retiring at an early hour in order to preserve our energy and politesse.  Since then, service has continued as usual.  Tomorrow is our final day in the hamlet that we’ve come to love as we do Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.  As we continue our travels, remain alert for further updates on this diplomatic tour.

Yours,
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge [MA] and DC
aka Katy & William

July 9-14^th:

Do you find yourself giving a motivational speech to your toilet in order for it to flush completely?  Does the shower head shoot in all directions but the top of your noggin and your toes get wet first before any other parts of your body? Have you started giving nicknames to the hand-sized spiders in your room? Have you ever sweat profusely even while sitting still? Do your clothes smell of mildew even after several washes? Do you always have uninvited guests (i.e, flies!) at mealtime? If you’ve answered YES to these as well as other similarly serious questions, you know that your comfort level has definitely been challenged.  Welcome to life in a Vietnamese village!  Like a NKOTB reunion tour, these Putney students are hanging tough.

Part of the goal for our community service program in Vietnam is to not only expand the cultural horizons of our students, but to also provide them with the opportunity to see life in perspective. It is no doubt that their experience in the village is a drastic contrast to their lives back home. But the group has responded and adapted very well. No complaints!

In many ways, Vietnam is still a developing country. The per person annual GDP is approximately $1,100. The wealth discrepancy between the rich and the poor is very wide. Many families in the village live below the poverty line. Some travel around with beat-up bikes supported by pieces of wood. Other people have only several outfits that they don year round. Many are unemployed so they find creative entrepreneurial ways to get by, or they rely on the assistance and support of the community.  These are some of the conditions that characterize the families whose houses we are building, in addition to the fact that they have never owned a home of their own. Yet despite their destitute conditions, the families have been unconditionally generous to our group because they are grateful for their help rebuilding their lives. The students’ dedication to assisting others captures the spirit of community service that Putney’s Community Service program in Vietnam celebrates. We are proud of the bonds that our students have formed with the local people; nothing epitomizes this better than the friendship bracelets that they have exchanged with one another.

During our first weekend excursion, our students also had an opportunity to give back and to think about the meaning of life.  We visited the Quang Ngai orphanage where we hung out with the Vietnamese children there for some time. Many of the children at the orphanage have been living there since they were infants.  As expected they were shy and a little hesitant to interact with our students. However, our students were able to break the ice and pretty soon their joyful laughter filled the courtyard of the orphanage. The language barrier did not stop our students from finding ways to interact with the children. They organized a friendly game of soccer, as well as a session of drawing and coloring, hand games, and reading. Although it was a short stay, we made the most of it by offering our companionship. It was a sad farewell but we also left with bright smiles and fond memories.

A trip to Vietnam is not complete without visiting a Buddhist temple because Buddhism, the dominant religion of Vietnam, has shaped the social and cultural traditions of the country.  During our visit to the temple last weekend, our students’ philosophical perspective was broadened with the learned the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism: life is full of suffering, suffering is caused by desires, desires can be eliminated; you end desires by following the Eight-Fold Path. In Buddhism, the goal is to end Samsara, the cycle of life. They reflected on these concepts and the meaning of Samsara while walking through the serene temple ground to observe the various stages of Historical Buddha life. The statues of the Buddha and the Boddhisatva, and the stupa were definitely impressive!

We highly encourage our students to travel and explore Vietnam with an open mind. Saying NO to new and different experiences is something we hope not to hear from our students. We want them to challenge their comfort level and fears which may open up new doors and adventures. Last weekend, many students faced their fears of the dark and claustrophobia by exploring the Dam Thoai underground bomb shelter tunnels. The tunnels were created during the French resistance and used as a hospital/first aid station during the Vietnam-American War.  A majority of the Putney gang braved the imaginary danger by completing the exhilarating trek. Impressed by the narrow and sophisticated set-up of the tunnels, many students could not believe that people actually took refuge there for many days on end. This is just another example of the perseverance that characterizes Vietnamese people in general.

Back in Tinh Hoa, foundations were created and the walls were raised, brick by brick.  This week, the roof supports were fitted and the foundations will be complete by week’s end. Our students improved the aesthetic appearance of the house by cementing over the brick structure. They have become “plaster master,” to borrow Site 2’s term. As co-leaders, we are most proud of their collective courage and immeasurable fortitude to work alongside the families and the construction workers, partaking in every step to complete three compassion houses by next week. Trust and friendship within the group from each work-site is developing as fast as these houses are being created.

At the end of the day, we can’t help but feel fortunate for our lives back home and the opportunity to have this amazing experience. The concept of accumulating good karma is important to Vietnamese people and it is achieved by doing good deeds. The community service that our students are undertaking is one of but many examples of ways to practice good karma.  While achieving enlightenment may take at several lifetimes, one can say that the community service we are doing is a stepping-stone to nirvana.

More to come about our weekend excursion to Hoi An, a quaint and ancient town on the South China sea coast!

Signing off,
Cuong and Eileen

Students’ Corner:

Xin chao!

What a weekend we had! Full with lots of fun and activities.

On Friday afternoon, we welcomed in the weekend with an optional Shabbat service at our local coffeehouse. More than half the group crowded around a table and shared blessings over pomegranate juice, bread, and candles. Afterward, we all enjoyed some of our favorite coffee–lots of sugar and cream. We enjoyed dinner at a restaurant near the ocean and hung out on the roof for the rest of our night.

Saturday morning started out with a visit to the local orphanage where we brought and played with toys and coloring books. Many of the children were shy but enjoyed our company even if it was only for a short amount of time. Following the orphanage, we headed to a huge supermarket and went wild with shopping for cheap, yummy treats. Some of the best are chocolate filled, koala-shaped animal crackers and Chocopies. Although these foods are good, all of us still have moments where all we can talk about is the food we enjoy at home and how much we miss eating it!

After the market, we had lunch at a nice, cool restaurant and enjoyed a very rare glass of ice water. We miss cold water but at least we have sugar cane juice to revive us after a hot day at the worksite! With lunch filling our bellies, we continued on to a Buddhist Temple high on a hill. We traveled the grounds and lit incense. The statues and memorials that we saw amazed us. They were also a nice background to our numerous pictures that are catalog worthy (our new project is to get one of our group’s photos on the cover of Putney’s catalog and we are having fun creating cover-perfect moments!). Towards the end of our visit, it started raining so we relaxed on hammocks underneath a tarp as we waited for the storm to pass. The day was concluded with a refreshing swim in the ocean and a nourishing meal.

Sunday began with a quick exploration of a local market where we were laughed at for being too tall for the tarps that were hanging! We again experienced the extreme differences in height when we ventured underground into the tunnels that were once used by the resistance fighters of French Colonialism as well as during the American War. Most of us found it quite unbelievable that people ever lived in these tunnels for weeks at a time because there was no light and plenty of bat and snake sightings. In order to cool off from our tunneling, we headed to a nearby beach that was a little bit rockier than we prefer. The sun was shining bright and most of us enjoyed gaining new tans. We relaxed for hours with a break to eat lunch and swim. The place had many hammocks which we of course put to full use. We shared stories, played cards, and further strengthened what we lovingly call our “group dynamic.”

In the upcoming week, we are looking forward to more work hours (and of course play time with the kids). All the houses are well on their way to becoming new homes for the families we are helping. Next weekend we will venture to Hoi An and continue our adventures and fun.

Signing off,
Room 104 (Annie, Lillian, and Julia)

July 4^th- July 8th:

After a restful first night’s sleep in the village, we awoke to the calls of the chickens and ducks next door. A group headed out for a morning jog along the track next to the beach to enjoy the morning scenery and to watch Tinh Hoa wake up. We passed by a group of fishermen who had just returned from the sea and watched them unload their catch as we jogged by. In the distance, a group of people were taking a morning swim while others were exercising in the sand. People on motorbikes greeted us with hellos both in English and Vietnamese. The lovely beach and friendly people have welcomed us warmly and we are excited to live in the village for the next three weeks. We hope to immerse  ourselves into the culture and environment so that we no longer stand out as travelers from abroad, but rather, as neighbors to the people who inhabit this quaint and beautiful village.

Learning the history of a locale is important to our understanding of its current state. The province of Quang Ngai has definitely experienced many important historical transitions and traumas that have shaped what it is today. Once a territory of the Chams Kingdom, it was gradually annexed by the Vietnamese people when the Tran kings started to expand southward from what is now present day Hanoi in the 15th century.  In the early 19^th century a “Great Wall” was built that extends over 127 kilometers and stretches from northern Quang Ngai to the south to divide the “civilized” Vietnamese from the “barbaric” ethnic minorities who occupied the hinterland areas in the mountains and beyond. As an area, and most definitely as a region, Quang Ngai encountered many different uprisings and wars that were instigated by both internal and external forces. Resistance to French Colonialism was replaced by military activities and bomb raids during the Vietnam-American War.

The most recent of these traumas was the My Lai massacre of March 16^th 1968 where a reported number of over five hundred civilians were murdered within four hours. When photos of the massacre surfaced in the American media one year later, it quickly became the symbol that drove the many anti-war movements in the United States To many Americans the My Lai massacre became emblematic of what was wrong with American involvement in Vietnam. For the Vietnamese people, it represents one of many tragedies in the history of the country, but it is one that is not significant enough to commemorate nationally. However, it holds a different significance for the local people, the survivors and the members of their families. It is evident that many people are still emotionally haunted by the tragedy but, more significantly, they have moved on from this historical incident. Peace and reconciliation preoccupy their mind and it is for this reason that the My Lai Museum was built. It is a place to commemorate those who died in the unfortunate and tragic event and it is also a symbol of post-war peace and a reminder of the tragedies of war.

Our visit to the My Lai Museum not only further enriched our historical knowledge of the area and of Vietnam as a whole, but it provided our group with a deeper context and meaning for our community service work in the village.  The exhibitions in the museum re-captured the experiences of that horrific day while our stroll along the rice fields where the massacre occurred allowed us to temporarily re-live the gruesome activities that took place. Uneasiness and an inability to understand the events continue to occupy the minds of many visitors, including ours. Yet, there is absolutely no sense of animosity in the air in the town, or anywhere in Vietnam for that matter. Instead, we are constantly greeted with warm, sincere smiles and enthusiastic “hello” everywhere we go. The villagers are genuinely grateful for our presence and the important work that we are undertaking. We are also grateful for this rare opportunity to experience their traditions and cultures – one that will greatly change our worlds where words are ineffable. Reconciliation has multiple nuances and it takes on different forms and expressions. The construction of the “compassion houses”, or nha tinh nghia in Vietnamese, is just one of them. But, it is one that speaks volume about the cultural, social and political bridges that are created by Putney students each year.

Our students began work on the three compassion houses on Tuesday. Each one of them was eager to start digging and to get their hands dirty. Their expectations are being achieved and their hard work is being rewarded.

The students are divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was lucky to able to witness the demolition of the old house (a first for Putney Vietnam programs!) and to participate in the cleaning of the aftermath so as to make new space for where they will construct a brand new house.

This week we worked on the foundation of the houses and the construction of the walls. Our students transferred bricks to the worksites, shoveled sand to make the floors, and learned to mix cement. They became experts at layering bricks! At the beginning of the week the students were challenged by the sun but by now they are protected from the shades of the walls they have constructed.

Beyond the worksites, we are slowly being integrated into the families for whom we are building the houses for through games and foods. The presence of the students naturally attracts the local children who eagerly wait for their return each morning. Once reunited they play games, sing, and teach each other expressions in English and Vietnamese. Their laughter echoes throughout the worksite and brings a smile to the Vietnamese construction workers and the neighbors who curiously crowd around to watch them work. Each one is full of compliments of our students’ worth ethics.

The gifting and sharing of food is an expression of love or an offering of friendship in many cultures. Both are definitely true in the case of Vietnam. Our students are spoiled by their worksite families and neighbors who give them different foods and fruits to try during their breaks. Among them are banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes) and mangosteens, lychees, rumbutans and dragon fruits, to name but a few.

The group at work-site 3 was invited to attend the celebration of a death anniversary by one of their work-site neighbors. While it is customary to observe death anniversaries of deceased family members, it is an big honor to receive an invitation.  The students feasted with the family members and the village notables. They were introduced to many local dishes that included blood pudding, pig’s ear salad, and minced pork on lemon grass. It was indeed an interesting cultural experience for them.

At the end of each workday we reward our hard labor with a trip to the beach to swim or play soccer with the local children. The cool water of the ocean definitely helps to massage away our exhausted muscles after a long day of work.  So far our life in the village has been great and we are adjusting well to everything it has to offer. The students not only get to learn about the history of the area and to live like a local, but they are also get to make history with the community service work they are doing in the village. Their presence has been the talk of the town and it will continue to be as long as the houses they are building remain standing.

We have a few excursions coming up; visiting Quang Ngai City, spending time at a monastery on a hill top between Quang Ngai and Tinh Hoa, exploring tunnels left over from the war, and more!

Signing off,
Cuong and Eileen

June 1 – 3, 2011

Our time in Ho Chi Minh City was short but packed with fun before we moved onto Quang Ngai. On the itinerary: scavenger hunt at Ben Thanh market, War Remnants Museum, the Zoo!, special birthday surprise with bowling. It all started with our ride to the hotel from the airport. Looking out the bus window, we are all thinking aloud, “How does one cross the streets here?!?!”… Good question.  We quickly referenced our ocean pals. For this blog, we’ll tentatively call it the “the School of Putney”, a working title. Like a school of fish in the sea, we united, in sheer numbers, in order to gain size while we crossed the land of a million motorbikes.

I am happy to report that we made our way safely from our hotel to the famous Ben Thanh Market. Here, we provided each group with 200,000 dong (approximately 10usd) for a scavenger hunt. The goal was to learn about the art of negotiating prices with the local vendors while looking for 5 items: something wooden, something shiny, something colorful, something edible, and something wearable. Later at dinner, each group presented their findings (all very creative!) and the deals they received. The negotiating skills are to be praised!

Not only was July 1st the beginning of our epic journey, it also marked Zoe’s birthday!… we celebrated with cake and a card from her new Putney family.  Then we went bowling, of course.

For our last day in the city, we visited the War Remnants Museum, which gave context to our work here in Vietnam. We balanced the seriousness of visiting such a place with some good times at the Zoo. The students bought carrots to feed the elephants, heard the lion’s majestic roars through the intense Saigon traffic, walked through the Botanical garden, and admired the delicate colors of the local flora.

Afterward, they further expanded their knowledge of Vietnam’s past at the History Museum where they looked at Dong Son drums, vestiges of the Cham ruins and pre-historic artifacts such as potteries, tombs, and various jewelry. Their historical perspective of Vietnam is now enriched to prepare them for the cultural adventures that await in the coming weeks!

So, how should one end a day of flights and a long bus ride? Maybe like this…

From concrete motorbike chaos to the beaches of Quang Ngai: so begins our summer of Community Service in Vietnam!

In the following days, we will meet the families of the compassion houses and begin our work. We will also find time to explore areas of the beautiful coastal beaches of Quang Ngai. The students are in wonderful spirits, the forecast is sunny with a whole lot of fun on the way, and there’s already a team of early birds taking up running, beach jogging, and biking to stay healthy and fit for the hard work that lies ahead.

Bye for now!
Cuong and Eileen

We’ve received word from the leaders that the group has arrived safely in Ho Chi Minh City.  All is well and they are getting settled at their residence.

We know that parents love to keep up to date on their kids’ activities during our programs.  While we expect that most of our participants will take the time to be in touch occasionally, we have found that it is helpful to parents for our leaders to post periodic updates on this blog.  Obviously, blog posts will not provide detailed information about your child, but they will let you know about some of the group’s activities, projects, and excursions.

The frequency of blog posts varies from program to program depending on internet access (which can be limited), and each group’s itinerary and busy schedule of activities.  Please rest assured that we can reach leaders at any time and that we will discuss any important issues concerning your child directly them and with you.  As you know, you can reach us by phone at our office during business hours, and on our emergency line 24/7 if necessary.

We suggest that you subscribe to the blog during your first visit so that you will receive e-mail notifications at the end of the day if a new update has been posted that day.  To subscribe, enter your email address under ‘Subscribe to this blog!’ form on the right-hand column of the blog.

Have a fantastic summer!