BHS Vietnam Trip 2016

Day 9 - Back to Saigon

bhs_vietnam — Fri, 1 Apr 2016 02:24:00 GMT

Day 8

Today was our last day in Vinh Long. We started the day with breakfast at the local restaurant across the street. Afterwards we took a boat along the river. We saw the local floating markets. We then stopped at a tea restaurant on an island, where we had refreshing jasmine tea with homemade honey and cumquats. The restaurant also made their own snake wine. It is bottled with snakes, scorpions and other exotic bugs.

Next we walked to craft centre that made puffed rice, coconut candy and rice paper. We watched the locals make these treats and got to sample the candy. While we were tasting the candy they allowed to hold their pet python. This a scary yet exciting experience. (We took lots of good photos!!!!).

We boarded the boat again and it took us to another island for lunch. Lunch consisted of fried fish, fried pumpkin flowers, curried chicken, noodles, baguette and of course rice. After we got on the bus and drove 2.5 hours back to Saigon. In the afternoon we had time to relax and swim in the pool.

For dinner we went to a non-profit organization restaurant that provides education for youth in South East Asia; training them for positions in the hospitality industry. Following dinner, we boarded the bus again to go to a night market. After an hour of shopping we went back to the hotel and went straight to bed after another amazing day in Vietnam!!!

Jessica and Ella

Day 8 - Goodbye

bhs_vietnam — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 00:33:00 GMT

Day 8

Today was our last few hours on the project which was bitter sweet. Once we reached the worksite after breakfast and getting ourselves together for the day, we started organizing the bricks, sand, and the rocks in different groups. Once we got into the swing of things, we worked as hard as we could and pulled together to get as much done as possible since it was our last day. Throughout the morning we were treated with traditional fruits, drinks, presents from the family and also we talked with the villagers. There was a lot of smiles, laughs, hugs and kisses- it was so sweet.

As a group, we are very proud of our progress on the house. We built the foundation by bending wires and connecting them together. We mixed cement and built up the wall of bricks which helped show progress on the project. Our teamwork helped us all cooperate swiftly and move faster with each other. The teachers worked as hard as always to help us get the jobs done.

Then came the goodbyes that we all dreaded. The mother of the family thanked us after we gave them house warming gifts such as a fan and a crock pot and also for our work we’d done throughout the past 5 days. We took many pictures with the villagers and the family and even shed some tears, even Mr. Nicholls! Many of us gave gifts and clothes to the family as they were appreciative of everything they were given.

After showering and a bit of relaxation we took a boat ride to an island to go eat lunch at a local restaurant and make local cuisine. Not many of us were fond of the meal but it’s still good to try new things. After laying out on the hammocks and taking lots of pictures we met back at the restaurant for cooking. After flying kites once again we relaxed on the hammocks, and then took the boat back to the hotel. From there we didn’t do too much as we had a tiring day and got some much needed rest.

Around 7pm we made our way to a different local restaurant across from the hotel. Getting here we came across an extravagant set up with great food, and after dinner we sang karaoke. Which was difficult for us to write this blog because they were singing terribly and it was pretty cringe worthy. Overall today was full of compassion, laughter, and tears (Mr. Nicholls), it was a great last full day in Vinh Long.

Jessie P and Olivia T

Day 7 - Boat race

bhs_vietnam — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:28:00 GMT

Day 7

Today we originally supposed to be our last day of work however we decided to split the work days into two. On the worksite we learned how to laydown brick. This was a very hard task at first but eventually we all managed to pick up on it very fast on the task. In order to lay the bricks down we have cement station, for this station we have people wheel barrowing all the materials from one end of the road to where the house is. At the station we mixed sand, rock and cement powder and we then created a crater to add the water in order to make it thick. Then the brick layers would use this to stick the bricks together. They made about three layers high. The local villagers thought that everyone’s work was very impressive considering it was a first time for most of the people building. At another station there were people cutting, straightening, and bending wire. This task seems easy now but at the beginning it was found very difficult. By the end of the wire bending task everyone had blisters. We all had left the building site around 11:30 and said goodbye to the local villagers and telling them we will see them tomorrow.

We then got back to the hotel and had a chance to take our showers and clean up and then went to lunch at the usual local restaurant. Today’s lunch had consisted of steamed prawn, shrimp pancakes, potato soup, pork sausage rolls and of course French fries! Lunch finished at 1:30 but our afternoon activities did not start until an hour later. So we were given the option to walk to the local supermarket to buy more things. Both of us took the opportunity to walk and shop for something to do. We bought things like fresh fruit, candy and soda. After our supermarket adventure we went to learn how to row a sampan boat on the river and even race each other from flag to flag. Fortunately we had the fastest rowing team and won two races in a row! We were the overall winners of the entire race day and won ice cream and lollipops which tasted very good after a hot days of work.

After dinner we had attended a talent show in which we had to make a movie about how important Vietnam was to us. We were split into 4 groups and among those 4 groups, group 2 won. Unfortunately Ali and I were in group 3 and 4. However we all won prices which were dried fruit and Oreos. Second place which was group 4 (Ali’s group) won green tea and chocolate which were fun to try.

We are excited to return to the work site tomorrow to finish off our last day. We are sad to say goodbye to the locals that we are helping with because we have bonded with them and their children. (especially their dogs) We are also super excited to visit the candy factory tomorrow and try new things! Now were off to bed and are ready to start a new day. Night!

Ali and Lauryn

Day 6 - Primary school

bhs_vietnam — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 01:03:00 GMT

Day 6- Visiting the School

After receiving a wake-up call at 6:00 am, the students prepared themselves for the busy day ahead. At 7:00 am they gathered in the hotel lobby in order to cross over to the restaurant where they ate breakfast which would provide them with enough energy to power through the day and get as much work done as possible.

Upon arrival at the local village the students left their belongings at the house that they were building and commenced with their set tasks. Multiple jobs were delegated simultaneously to increase efficiency. One group was transferring rocks, dirt and cement to the house while others were mixing concrete and making the metal columns which would provide support.

During the breaks the local villagers provided refreshments to the students such as watermelon and coconut. In addition, some of the children, including the girl who was to live in the new house, delivered the students and teachers gifts in the form of lotus flowers and water hyacinth flowers. The students negotiated with the teachers for an extra hour in the morning instead of the afternoon allowing them to have a shower around lunchtime so the students would not visit the school children in an inadequate condition.

Due to the extra hour of working, the students had lunch at around 1:30 pm. The students were pleased with the westernized lunch for the day as it provided them a break from the Vietnamese food. After lunch, the students quickly gathered candy to reward the children and their belongings.

Following the arrival at the school, the students were greeted by a year group of around 60 ten to eleven year olds with a Vietnamese song. Some of the students sung back to them with the song ‘Kia Con Buom Vang’ which they had prepared the night before. Then students separated into 4 groups to teach classes consisting of Art, English, Maths and games. For Art, most of the students helped the children draw pictures and/or make paper planes and paper snowflakes. For Maths, the students instructed the children to answer basic Maths questions and they were rewarded with candy. Most of the students taught the children numbers up to 10 in English and the alphabet. Games including ‘Duck Duck Goose’, ‘Octopus’, traditional Vietnamese games as well as dancing to songs like the Macarena. Both the students and the school children were sad to see each other go and some of the children requested the signatures of the students.

The students returned to the hotel and received a much needed 1h45 minute break. Dinner was served at the local restaurant which was yet again another westernized meal which the students thoroughly enjoyed. After dinner, the students once again separated into preparing for the talent show activities of making videos and doing traditional Vietnamese dance and song.

Cani and Isabella

Day 5 - Ceramics factory

bhs_vietnam — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 00:55:00 GMT

The day started with a 6am wakeup call. After a delicious breakfast, we set off to the worksite for another morning of hard work. We were split up into multiple teams, some people were bending and straightening wires, others were mixing the cement for the foundation of the house with the help of the third team who was transporting all the materials to and from the working area. The wire straightening and bending was a task that took endurance and patience but was made easier with the addition of the entertaining and friendly children that we had met the day before. They were happy to see us again and it was gratifying to see them so excited even in their situation. Nearby was the second group shoveling up the stones, sand and cement mix into the wheelbarrows back and forth again to the worksite where the final group was. This group’s task was to mix the cement with sand, gravel and water and to pour it into the holes in the ground we had made the day before for the foundation, where it would be smoothed out. This was arguably the hardest task of the day. However, today was not a full day of work as we only worked for four hours in the morning. The workday ended at 11 and everyone had an hour to freshen up before lunch.

For lunch we went to a different location then the normal hotel, by ferry. It was called Anbinh Island. To start the meal we were served Vietnamese spring rolls that the waitresses made in front of us. The outside was made of rice paper and the inside had fish, lettuce, cucumber and mint. Afterwards, they served us a wide variety of other dishes that included shellfish, noodles and soup, with a dessert of Vietnamese fruit which included “Vu Sua”, a sort of milky apple, and “Man”, which is more of a watery red apple.

After lunch, we took the ferry to another island where the ceramic factory was located. It was interesting because we got to make our own ceramics but it was also very hot because of the lack of windows and the huge oven used to bake the other ceramics. We spent about an hour there, split into four groups of five, and got to make our own ceramics. If we wanted to, we could take the pottery home as a souvenir. It was also sad, however, as our tour guide informed us that the biggest pots were only worth around four U.S. cents and the workers only made about three dollars a day. Each of the pots would have cost around 150 dollars in Bermuda and it showed us how lucky we are.

In transition from the ceramics factory, we went to our final stop of the trip, a fruit farm on another island. Once there, we walked through the island to reach the farm where we ate more of the “Vu Sua” and they also offered us sugar cane. We also relaxed in hammocks that were on the island and were served Vietnamese tea. The fresh fruit was delicious and it was a great experience.

Then everyone returned back to the hotel and ate at the usual local restaurant to eat a filling dinner. Once everyone finished their meals, we were split into groups and got into different tasks. Two of the groups learned “Kia con buom vang” the local song about the yellow butterfly which all of the young children know about and the other two groups got to work on a video. We can’t wait for tomorrow, Happy Easter!

Marcus and Grace

Day 4 - Project begins

bhs_vietnam — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 00:03:00 GMT

Today we went on a 3 hour drive down to the Vinh Long City. On our way there we stopped by the supermarket where we found very interesting local candy. On our way we saw cotton trees which we learnt was part of the name Saigon. The landscape was very tropical surrounded by the rivers and the rice fields. We crossed the Meakong Delta which comes down from Tibet all the way down to Vietnam. We also stopped at the Long Dinh Chau Thann Tien Giang café where there was a pond full of catfish with bridges and the architecture was very occidental looking.

Once we finally arrived to the new hotel we had lunch, across the street, where we had pork noodles, fried rice, and deep fried shrimp and curdle fish. Then, couple of hours to spare where we took cold showers and settled down. We then explored the local markets where many different things were sold; such as, fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken and clothes. The fish was still alive and the frogs were decapitated (YUMMY!). They also sold snakes which some of us held and we saw the cutest puppies.

We then went back to the hotel where we had half an hour to get ready for dinner back across the street. Dinner consisted of: spicy pork, fried and steamed rice, fish balls and bok choi soup, barbecued whole fish, salad and for dessert was coffee, cherry, coconuts and beats jelly which had a very funny texture.

After dinner we came back to the hotel where we came into the stadium and made conical hats. These are the traditional Vietnamese hats which are made out of bamboo, palm leaves, wood and plastic. We were all divided into groups where a local lady helped us make the hats. In order to make the hat you had to have a frame and wrap the bamboo sticks around it. After this you would place the palm leaves strips under the bottom piece of bamboo. Then you put a second layer on the bottom of the frame. The next step was to sew with plastic string, the layers of palm leaves together from the top to bottom of the hat. Once this was completed you removed the conical hat from off the frame and tied a chin strap. This is so the hat will not blow away in the wind. The local villagers can only make 5 hats a day taking them 10 hours a day and then gain a 5$ profit. They had given their time to create 25 hats for us to keep. We gave them 2$ per hat. They were really grateful for the donations and wished us all well on our project tomorrow.

Aglae and Tessa,

Friday March 25^th 2016

Today was our first day of work in Vinh Long. We started out by having a very interesting breakfast which consisted of mainly fruit, rice, noodles and our personal favorite… French fries! We finally got to try the famous ban mi (also known as a baguette) which was very delicious.

We then made our way to the neighborhood where we began to work on the house. The family that we were building for consisted of a mother, a father, three sons and a daughter who greeted us with open arms. We could tell that the family was very hard working as they helped us with our struggles throughout the entire day. The original house consisted of two wooden walls and thin metal roof which looked quite unsafe and unappealing for a family of six.

We were split into two groups of ten. The first working group was taught how to bend and cut metal using simple tools crafted by the locals. Some were made to cut and measure the wire which was then straightened by others and finally bent the ends. Although this work was hard it was very demanding skill wise and many wrists and arms were hurting afterwards. The second group dug four square trenches, sixty cm in depth, along the left side of the land where the house is planned to be built. While one person used a shovel to dig down into the very hard clay material, others scooped up the dirt and placed it in a pile in the center of the land.

Lunch was very intriguing as nothing was as it seemed. The tofu nuggets were thought to be chicken until a very large bite proved us wrong. We also had the pleasure of trying cooked grapes and homemade Vietnamese ketchup. We also discovered that quale eggs taste exactly like regular ones.

After lunch the groups switched jobs and continued their hard work. Although we were all very tired from the mornings work, we powered through it and got a lot done. We also had the chance to meet some of the local children and tried to talk with them however their English was very limited and a lot of the children were quite shy. There were also many small puppies that the villagers owned which were very very cute!

We finished off the stressful, long day with fresh coconut. Many people tried it and had varying opinions but the experience overall was one to remember. We left the village today with smiles on our faces and a feeling of accomplishment.

Alana and Olivia H

March 26, 2016

Photos: Images

bhs_vietnam — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 17:30:00 GMT

End of Day 1 at the service project.

Day 3 - The fish market

bhs_vietnam — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 01:38:00 GMT

Aglae and Tessa,

Friday March 25^th 2016

Day 2 - The Vietnam War

bhs_vietnam — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 22:44:00 GMT

March 24, 2016

As the sun was rising over the Saigon River, the students received a wake-up call from Ms. Cook at 5:30 am. It was the start of the first day of their adventures in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. After tantalizing their taste-buds on the exotic variety of fruits and other breakfast foods, the students embarked on a 2 hour journey to the Cu Chi tunnels, the Original Vietnam war fields. The tunnels are composed of three different levels. The first level of tunnels is 3 meters deep, the second level of tunnels is 6 meters deep and the third level of tunnels is 9-10 meters deep. The tunnels were used by the Viet Cong (VC) during the war as an underground civilization with bunkers for dining, cooking, meeting and health care. They would live in these tunnels for years at a time and they got the opportunity to go inside them on the first level. It’s difficult to imagine how the Viet Cong lived an entire life in a 1 meter by 1 meter tunnel as the students struggled to make their way through only 20 meters of the tunnels! Also they got to see weapons from both sides of the War. They got to see the spiked bamboo traps that the Viet Cong used and also a tank used by the United States soldiers during the war. They also got to have photos taken going down into the tunnel, which proved to be problematic for some as Jessica’s sunglasses dropped into the tunnel entrance and Aglae slipped down into the tunnel entrance after losing her footing.

As they left the Cu Chi tunnels, on the bus they watched a short documentary about the Vietnam war and the fighting that occurred in the Cu Chi tunnels in particular. They then went back into Ho Chi Minh City to eat lunch. They ate lunch at Hoi An and all enjoyed the experience of trying new food. After lunch they went to the Vietnam War Remnants Museum for an hour to see the various displays. It offered an alternate and interesting perspective on the Vietnam war and the American involvement in assisting the Saigon government against the Viet Cong. Through this they all learned something new about the Vietnam war and they all gained a better appreciation for living in our peaceful society of Bermuda. After this they went on the bus to see the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon and stopped briefly at the Saigon Central Post Office that was built by Gustave Eiffel.

After this they went back to the hotel for a short break from the heat. Some went swimming in the rooftop pool while others chose to simply relax. After they all freshened up, they headed to dinner at Vietnam House, trying new Vietnamese cuisine for the second time today. After finishing dinner they headed to the Ben Thanh Night Market to do some bargaining and shopping for various different items such as clothes and souvenirs. All in all, so far they are infatuated with the interesting Vietnamese culture and are excited to experience more in days to come.

Emma and Shanyce

Day 1 - The City that never sleeps!

bhs_vietnam — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 11:04:00 GMT

Upon boarding the brand new American Airlines 1443 flight, we settled down into our seats only to encounter severe turbulence and screaming from the back seats. After achieving a cruising altitude of 38,000 feet, nerves settled and the stewardesses ventured up and down serving water and juice and BHS settled down to sleep.

Once landed, we took the air train to a pickup point where we were transported to the hotel. One student (to be left unnamed) managed to leave their phone in the airport and Mrs. Clifford went back and, fortunately, managed to locate the misplaced device.

After students planned their lesson for the primary school in Vietnam, we all went to the local shopping mall and perused the many shopping facilities. We then had dinner in the Olive Garden where we were treated to mountainous volumes of soup and salad.

The day ended when we traipsed back to the hotel and settled down for the night.