First day of build
By: Maddy and Tallen
Today was the first day of the build we were able to meet the family and also experience the wonderful scenery. While walking over an hour to the house location, we were able to witness a breathtaking view of the mountains, rice fields and picturesque roadside villages. We witnessed many farmers working in the field which is eponymous with beautiful Vietnam. We stoped for a rest break where some students played kinja – similar to hackie sack at home but with a shuttlecock made with feathers. Others watched kindergarten children singing in the playground and were rewarded with many smiles and laughs. After a long journey up hill, we were greeted by the family we were going to build the house for. They were so thankful and happy to see us. We learnt about their story and saw their current dwelling and really understood the meaning of what it means to live in poverty. As three generations of the family live together, they have to carefully distribute their money and resources very carefully. By us building this house for them, the family are able to use the money that they have been saving for a house towards other important needs, such as medical care for the 80 year old grandmother in the family and school for their two younger daughters.
To start the build we initially had to set up the frame of the whole house. This was a challenge for all of us, as many us have never done this particular task before. With all our strength, team work and determination, we finally were able to set up the frame and begin this huge day. The main task that was to be completed was cutting up bamboo for flooring and the roof. This job was extremely enjoyable as we were all able to use a machete to complete this process, working in pairs and getting into a rhythm to accomplish the job. Although these tasks were tiring after a while, all of us powered through with enthusiasm. During the process of building, the group became a lot closer and were able to bond through this experience.
The whole day had many surprises in store. One thing that really amazed us was the mobility of the Vietnamese builders and how there were able to do their job almost like Spider-Man. They were able to climb up extreme heights without any protection and just in thongs, something that we would never think of doing. Their courage on the build inspired us to work even harder to master the new skills of bamboo floor making and roof weaving. Before we all returned back to our homestay, we visited the previous build of last year’s Vietnam yellow group. We were extremely surprised to see how professional and sturdy this house looked and were overjoyed by the gratitude the family had for our school. The mother took us around the back of the house to see the cow that Vietnam Yellow (2016) had bought the family and to our surprise, this cow had a 2 month old calf. Our guide explained to us that live animals in Vietnam are extremely valuable and that the cow had a huge economic impact on the family.
Overall, our whole day was inspirational and challenging, but fun. Although it was tiring we are extremely excited for the coming days and are proud of what we have accomplished so far.
