Hello again from Vietnam!

After our first weekend getaway to the beach we returned to Binh Thanh village, worked through the heat and rain, and made some real progress on the houses! We shuffled up the work groups so that each student would get the chance to work on more than one home and also experience the environment at different parts of the village. We had the privilege of attending (and being the honored guests of) two different parties celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the parents and grandparents of two of our Youth Union hosts. The gatherings were festive and lively with tasty home cooked food and very loud but upbeat music. And oh man have we been forming friendships! It is amazing just how much we have bonded with our Vietnamese peers, across the barriers of both culture and language, in just two short weeks.

After a long second week of work we were ready to unwind with our next weekend getaway, so we made the two-hour trip to Hoi An, a beautiful coastal city which serves as a cultural hub and popular destination for shopping and sightseeing. There, we walked around the Old Town historic district, browsed the craft and souvenir selection at local shops, and since most of us were ready for a change from our daily diet of spring rolls, rice, and noodles, we ate more than our fill of Western food. It was a relaxing and refreshing getaway which allowed us to reset and prepare for our last week of work. Talk to you soon!

– Vi & Ryan