URBAN DOMAIN 2024

Temples- day 13

By

Today we had the pleasure of waking up to brilliant sunshine, mountains of purple hue with a cool flowing river beside our hotel. VangVieng is a sleepy town amidst some stunning landscapes. After a day of intense physical activity yesterday we were anticipating our long bus ride where we could relax and recuperate our energy. We were on our way to our last stop Luang Prabang.

Our travels took us through magnificent mountain ranges and we listened to our guide Joy recount what life would be like to live in a mountain village. As young as 5 or 6 years old children would have to help on farms which would be basically subsistence living. If they have the opportunity to go to school it would be walking about an hour each way and school in Laos, in remote areas would only be until the end of primary school.
This level of poverty is distinct to that of the street children in Phnom Penh; at least in the mountains there is community, connectedness and purpose of working together.

As the grown ups on the bus ponder the complexities of life we appreciate your children more: their courage, their intellect and their wonder in grappling with the vast differences of culture that face them each day of this trip. They know now in stark reality what they have, what is important and we have no doubt that they will come home with new perspectives of life beyond Australia, and yes many of them now know how to wash and fend for themselves.

It has been our pleasure to travel alongside your children on this journey, to see this world through their youthful eyes and wonder with them. Each stop along the way as we see small shops on the roadside selling their wares and charging us a pittance for toilet facilities your children have another think about Laos or Cambodia as they realise the significant differences in lives simply by where you are born. They have seen poverty, people with meagre belongings who still smile, live and love. They have eaten bowls of steaming noodles in broth sometimes with hot chillies and we have encouraged veggies too!

Each young adult in our group has embraced their own challenges in travel, in stepping outside their comfort zone. They have discovered new friendships and achieved personal bests in each day with smiles and enthusiasm. They were even positive after our 8 hour bus ride, which is amazing in itself.

Their should and will be photos attached to this blog but that is in a story which has a camera, a river, a canoe and a waterproof bag…..we think you can join the dots.
So in short, photos will be posted tomorrow.

From Deane, Clare and Mary

Vietname Orange Day 13

By

Teachers get their Hue

 

National Teachers’ Day in Vietnam is a big deal. Temporary florists flood the streets and local students take the opportunity to show their appreciation for their much valued teachers by buying them flowers. Vietnam Orange students showed their gratitude in a similar Hue by buying hand-crafted cards and writing heartfelt thank you messages on them. The students were definitely not prompted by our considerate guide, Suny… but seriously, the three of us were so touched by the messages and we feel very lucky to have such a grateful and united group to travel with.
  
This group of students have embraced every aspect of the Big Experience so far and the student-teacher relationships have flourished in this environment. Conversations have been in-depth and stimulating and the students are keen to fire out questions to broaden their understanding of the similarites and differences between Australia and Vietnam. We have learnt a lot about each other through activities such as brick lines, card games, charades, joke telling, singing on the bus, puns, and meals. These good times will come to end soon but the memories will stay with us for ever. As teachers, we are fortunate to travel with such a kind, respectable, interested, and considerate group of Year 9s and they are representing their families and the St Leonard’s community beautifully.

Today involved a cyclo ride from our hotel to the old Imperial Palace. Hue was the centre of the Ngyuen Dynasty from 1803-1945. A lot of the old buildings had unfortunately been destroyed during the American War but the ones that were left, including the 10km wall, the main gates, and the concubine houses provided a sense of what life was like during the feudal system days.
   
   
   
   
The second activity for the day was a river cruise to a buddhist pagoda where a small group of monks still live. This pagoda is famous for being the home of a particular monk who, in 1963, set himself alight as a protest against the persecution of buddhist monks. Buddhism is now an accepted religion among Vietnamese and there are many pagodas spread throughout the country.

   
   
   
   

We dined like royality tonight, at a themed restaurant where King Aaron and Queen Imogen ruled over the rest of us. The 9 course meal was accompanied by traditional live music and some interesting garnishes. It was difficult to maintain 19th century conversation so we reverted to our usual Hues and joked about our day.

Mr Hyde, Mr Hill, Miss Southey

Vietnam Red-day 13: A day in Hue

By

 Today we spent the whole day on an adventurous bike tour around Hue. This morning we rode down streets that were lined with flower stalls for teachers day. It is an important day for the Vietnamese and the people buy flowers for their teachers and former teachers. As we ventured into the countryside, we saw the change from urban city to countryside villages. We visited Thien Mu Pagoda where we saw the car of Quang Duc, the monk that chose to set himself alight, in protest of the prosecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnam government in 1963. Next we rode to a Buddhist pagoda where monks live and practise the religion. We sat down to eat a vegetarian Vietnamese meal, which is eaten by the monks. After our meal we had a short lesson in meditation, but very few of us could reach the lotus position. Next we arrived at the Hue colosseum, a small arena where the King used to be entertained by elephant and tiger fighting, the elephant won on most occasions. With a small snack break to get some ice-creams, we made our way to the French bunker located on a hill facing towards the Perfume river. The views were amazing and we could see mountain ranges in the distance. After many challenging hills we arrived back in the city, to find ourselves in the midst of peak hour traffic. The intersections looked intimidating, but with caution and patience we were able to cross safely. We are sure we will all be stiff and sore tomorrow! After we arrived, we had a quick swim in the rooftop pool located on the 11TH FLOOR. We could see the whole of Hue from the water. At 6:30pm we followed Hai to a street full of restaurants and enjoyed a lovely free choice of dinner. We are having the best time and don’t want to leave Vietnam, but we are excited to see everyone back home soon! 
Issy and Charlotte   
  

  
  

  
  

   

Vietnam Yellow: Day 13 – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City

By

Today was mostly spent travelling to the airport, flying south to Ho Chi Minh City and making our way slowly through the traffic to our hotel. There was time for a walk and a chance to practise bargaining skills at the market before dinner and an early night. Tomorrow will be a full day.  

  
 
      
  
 

    
  

China – Day 14 – Yangshou

By

Welcome to your next blog instalment of our journeys on the China BE trip.

After we had finished breakfast we embarked on a walk to the Farmers Market to get a feel of what kinds of foods the local Chinese people would be buying and selling in Yangshou. There was a plethora of vegetables and fruits on display that ranged from the familiar to the absolutely astounding. The smell of the produce was overwhelming and wonderfull at the same time. After we had finished looking at the vegetables and fruits we walked into another section of the large building. This section housed livestock and recently slaughtered and butchered meat. It was challenging for us to see so many animals in cages destined to became someones dinner. The smell here, unlike the aforementioned section of the market, was completely different and had some of our stomachs churning. It was a breath of fresh air, quite literally, when we finished the tour and left the building.


With the images of the market fresh in our minds, we journeyed to the countryside (15 minutes away) for our spicy lesson in authentic Chinese cuisine. Our creations consisted of pork dumplings, egg pork pockets, eggplant stir fry, lettuce stir fry and a stir fry of pork with carrots. We had to learn to use such equipment as a wok and a bamboo steamer. After a quick presentation by one of the local english speaking master chefs we were put to work to make our own lunches. First were the dumplings, we had to make the delicious mixture of pork, mushroom, spring onion and spices before placing them into the dumpling pastry. We all intricately folded our delicate artistry and sent them to the bamboo steamers. The next few dishes consisted of a beautiful relationship between local spices and fresh vegetables all tossed together until the crisp flavours melted together and danced upon our tongues.


  
  
  

  
  
  

 

Our next adventure of the day involved a leisurely ride along the Dragon River on floaty bamboo rafts. We took some sick pics and raced down raging rapids before it started to pour with rain. Truly an experience, water below us and water above us. The breathtaking views of the Southern Chinese mountains distracted us from our increasingly wet feet.


  
  
  
  

 

After a quick rest at our luxurious hotel we left for another educational outing to go experience the ancient art of cormorants diving gracefully to retrieve fish from the Li river. Unfortunately we were unable to see anything very spectacular as the water levels had risen from the recent unrelenting rains making the fish harder to see or catch.

As it was quite late after the cormorant fishing show we were given 45 minutes to find our own dinner in groups amongst the bustling West Street. As we have been in China for many days now and have tasted an array of many different regional Chinese foods, most of us settled into familiar territory and ate either KFC or pizza. It was a nice finish to a fulfilling day 🙂

– Shaya Zehtab-Jadid and Michael Terjung

Vietnam Orange Day 12

By

Learning the Hue

  
Today we left one beautiful town (Hoi An) and headed to another beautiful town (Hue). On the Hue, we stopped at the magnificent Marble Mountain for abseiling. Some of us knew the techniques to find an easy Hue down while others had to overcome some mental barriers before the right Hue was accomplished. After lunch, a comfortable bus took us to our next destination. On the bus we got a chance to reflect on things that we have learnt about Vietnam…

Thiago Claus: I’ve learnt that in the villages of the Mekong Delta, people are very inventive and never throw anything out before making full use of it.
Matt Newman: I’ve learnt that no matter what the circumstances are, Vietnamese people always seem to be happy and grateful for what they have. 
Bailey Allen: I’ve learnt that the Vietnamese people are very forgiving, despite events such as the American War.
Amy Lyon: I’ve learnt that the majority of Vietnamese people are always willing to put others before themselves, even if it causes them discomfort. 
Rhys Siebert: I’ve learnt the value of money and how little influence it has on the happiness of the Vietnamese.
Nick Adshead: I’ve learnt that there is no shame in living or celebrating a simple life.

  

Aaron Herlinger: I’ve learnt that Vietnamese people show an appreciation for what they have, however little that may be.
Jack Keenan: I’ve learnt some implications of capitalism on a developing country, such as the homogeneity of the retail industry and the competition that results.
Meg Cairns: I’ve learnt what sustainable living can look like. For example, the many uses of the coconut tree: 

 


Max Bruten: I’ve learnt how after a 17-year war that determined the political stance of the country (communism -> socialism), Vietnam is still very much a capitalist country. For example, the irony of being able to barter and purchase a communist t-shirt intrigued me.
Jay Mautone: I’ve learnt that communities in the developing world are grateful for the smaller things in life, whereas back in Melbourne we tend to take these for granted.
Imogen O’Leary Quereshi: I’ve learnt how difficult it is to navigate Vietnamese traffic, where the laws appear quite relaxed.

  

Jessi Esplan: I’ve learnt that the Deo family show their appreciation differently to typical Australians. They were quiet and modest in their gratitude for their new house as opposed to being over-the-top with their facial expressions and excitement.

  

Grace Viglione: I’ve learnt that we shouldn’t complain about what we don’t have, and should appreciate all that we do. For example, the quality of our housing, access to fresh water, and a clean environment are all things I’ve previously taken for granted.
Duncan McKenzie: I’ve learnt that there is always a happy side to dark and challenging situations. Although the orphanage was confronting, it was still good to play with the children and put a smile on their faces.

  

Noah Jaffrey: I’ve learnt that you don’t need to understand the same language to share happiness. When I was with seven-year-old Tung in the village, I didn’t understand what he was saying but we still communicated on a deep level.
Ry’annah Hack: I’ve learnt how universal a smile is. Whenever I walked down the street and smiled, someone would smile back.
Elise Kervin: I’ve learnt that when many Vietnamese shopkeepers find out we’re from Australia, they immediately think of kangaroos and then ask if we’re from Melbourne or Sydney as if they’re the only two cities. Before I came here, I knew about the war, some food and the conical hats, so it’s probably quite similar.
Rose Jowett Smith: I’ve learnt that when you’re walking down the street, the Vietnamese pedestrians are very friendly and say “xin chao.” I don’t really notice the equivalent in Australia. It’s really nice to experience such friendliness.
Mr Hyde: I’ve learnt that Vietnam is a beautiful and diverse country. The people, the food, the cities, the rural areas, the market places. The beauty and diversity must be (and certainly has been by this group) fully embraced to harness an uplifting experience.
Mr Hill: I’ve learnt that people who have very little are often the most happy and content. Also, wherever kids from different places meet they laugh the same way and always find a game to play together.
Miss Southey: I’ve learnt that we often hold a misconception that because a country is, relative to Australia, poor in terms of finances and infrastructure, it must follow that they are poor in every way. Vietnamese people are so rich in cultural and social values. They are resilient, intelligent, and ingenuitive, making them far from poor.