URBAN DOMAIN 2024

Vietnam Orange Day 11

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Savvy Street Skillzz

Picture this: You are in Southland shopping centre on an average Sunday afternoon. You walk in to your favourite shop looking to buy a pretty floral pair of shorts. “How much?” you ask. “Thirty dollars,” the shop assistant replies. You look from the shorts to her and decide that this price is more than you are willing to pay. “Twenty?” you ask. She shakes her head, “no, I need this money, it’s already student discount. Happy hour, it’s very cheap, 100% silk!” You know you want to buy them, but not for thirty dollars! You start towards the exit knowingly and as you expect, she calls out after you offering a lower price. “Twenty eight”- you keep walking – “twenty five – good price!” you turn and accept her offer graciously.

Although it may seem odd put into this context, bartering is a prevalent part of Vietnamese life. It was a very new and interesting experience for us to learn and has taken a few tries for us to master the skills.

Imagine if: The little man turns green and you begin to make your way across the road. You take your first step onto the asphalt and a massive truck screeches past, blaring its horn while you jump back in fright. One motor bike swerves in front of you and another behind. There is so much maddening noise. What you’re sure are Vietnamese swear words are shouted at you from a moving car. Now you’re feeling a little confused – you’re sure the light was green. You check and it is – this is just what a green light in Vietnam is like.

Of course, what you may not know is that in Vietnam, even when the light is red, cars can still go through (well, that’s what it seems like anyway). Crossing the road is a truly terrifying experience and despite what you might expect, is still equally as scary every time. But after a while the honks of the horns and the squeals of tyres become a normal part of life.

  
The bike ride today was relaxing (at times). Mr Hill didn’t push us off, so we would say it was pretty successful. Although Rose used the only bike with training wheels, she didn’t fall off and we were all very proud. In all seriousness though, he was a huge help to some of the less confident riders by being encouraging and supportive even when we got a little bit lost. We rode through rice fields and busy streets and it was so stinking hot. But despite the heat, the beautiful beach we arrived at was definitely worth the ride. 

   


   

  

  

Vietnam has presented us with many new challenges and cultures that take a while to become accustomed to. So far, the trip has been eye opening. Through sharing rooms with new people we have been able to learn lots of things that we have in common with our peers that have brought us closer together. 

We’re having an amazing time here and we don’t exactly want to come home just yet, but it has made us realise just how much we take for granted the help you give us back home. 

Love and miss you all,

Rose and Elise 🙂 xxx ooo

Vietnam Yellow: Day 11 Hoi An

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Today we went for a bike ride to the beach, had lunch, went back to the tailor’s for a fitting and then had some relaxing time by the pool – time to reflect on a favourite meal, activity or purchase made on the trip thus far. 

  After a few hours of abseiling on a large mountain known for its marble I purchased a small marble bowl for 60,000 Vietnamese Dong which is roughly $4 Australian. I purchased the bowl as a reminder of the day and the area we were in just out of Da Nang. 

Connor 

 My favourite activity so far was the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue. It was a completely new experience and I really enjoyed the view and talking to mates.

Pat
  Hoi An has been one of my favourite towns so far. It is much quieter than the big cities. But what I like even more is the old architecture, all of the buildings are really old (more than 100 years old.) It is also nice and cool because of the big river that runs through the centre. So far Big Experience has been very good.

-Will

We are on day 11 and are staying in Hoi An at the Van Loi hotel. Hoi An has been my favourite town so far. I remember a few places from when I was here last time and all of the memories are coming back. I love Hoi An as it is a great town for shopping and free time. I also love the food as it is a mix of both Aussi and Vietnamese food, which mixes it up a bit. I am loving the big experience and don’t want it to end. Miss you mum, dad, Katie and Charlie!
-James Reid
  
After a few days in the busy cities, Hoi An was a great change of scenery. It’s an amazing town with many old and beautiful buildings. As it is a very popular tourist destination there are many interesting things to buy and see. The food here is of a high standard and very reasonably priced. The same can be said for the tailor shops, I’ll be returning with a nice new shirt! I’m enjoying the big experience a lot and can’t wait to see more.

-Magnus
  
So far the most interesting things in Hoi An, other than the architecture, have been the stalls. Most specifically bartering and making the prices reasonable. In Hoi An I have had two very interesting experiences – the first was when I wanted to buy an item and was offered an insanely high price. I stated the price I wanted and then the girl selling it asked me to “open my heart, open my wallet”. I’m going to be honest, that was a selling point for me as it was so shockingly hilarious. 

-Parker 
  
Since arriving in Hoi An one night ago, we have walked around the French-influenced architecture, eaten at decently priced restaurants with good service and food, got shirts and chinos tailored and bought Vietnamese knock-offs of nearly everything, including hats, watches and t-shirts. It is a lot quieter here than in any other city, with less scooter traffic and wider streets. It is a recognised world-heritage site and is a popular tourist destination, with lots of people of European ethnicity visiting. Because it is such a popular tourist destination, everything is more expensive, but the price can always be brought down by bartering with the locals, who are sometimes very persistent in their pricing. So far the Big Experience has been really fun and I am really enjoying it.

 -Tom N 

  
So far the most fun things we’ve done in Hoi An have been abseiling and bike riding. Yesterday we went abseiling after climbing up almost 500 stairs. We got to abseil down into 15 metre high cave, which was fun because it was a small slope then a sudden drop, and we also went down a 25 metre cliff. Today we went bike riding which was a great experience because I enjoy riding my bike and have not had a chance to in ages. So far the BE has been an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait for what’s coming up.

-Taliesin G M

   
 After feeling not too good, I was overjoyed to find that this morning all of my symptoms had disappeared. Hoi An is a beautiful place but I was feeling a bit homesick until the bike ride of this morning, which reminded me of my rides along beach road. Now that I am happy and healthy I am ready to continue our journey.

-James Saint-John
       
We are now only 7 days away from home and I’ve enjoyed every bit of this experience so far. My favourite part since the village has been the abseiling that took place near Hoi An and we got to abseil down a 25m cliff and 15m down into a cave. I was so excited but I was definitely not as terrified as I thought I would be. The feeling of jumping from the top of the cave was exhilarating but the hundreds of steps we had to climb wasn’t as exciting. I’m enjoying this trip and making the most of it while it still lasts. P.S. Mum, Dad and Sara can’t wait to see you soon 

Sofie
  
We are now in Hoi An and have had lots of fun getting tailored clothes. I’m getting a blue and a white long sleeve top. I am also getting a pair of chinos. I am really looking forward to going to Ho Chi Minh City.

-Andrew
  
My favourite part of this trip so far had been the Mai Chau home stay. It was truly something that I had never experienced before and was a new feeling of joy and goodwill! I also liked the community feeling of the village which really brought the group closer! The Big Experience is an experience of a lifetime!

-Meghna

P.S Love you Mum, Dad and Bro!
  
I think that most of the experiences that I have had whilst in Vietnam have all been great. I really enjoyed Mai Chau and the people that I met there. Hanoi was really interesting with its lack of road rules and its culture. Hue, while we were only there for 20 hours, was very beautiful and the pagoda that we visited was very cool to see. We are currently in Hoi An and I have gotten a smart casual shirt made up, as well as, a pair of brown chinos. I am really enjoying this trip.

-Tom T

P.S. I miss you Mum, Dad and Charlotte.
  
My favourite thing I have bought on the trip is my big gore-tex jacket. It is something that I hope will last for a long time to come. It is a big red and black jacket with a small jumper inside. The food here is incredible and there is such a vast variety of different foods to eat and street vendors offer things you would never see in Australia. 

Harry
  
One of my favourite experiences so far was the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue. It was very comfortable and great fun. We stopped off at the supermarket beforehand to buy snacks and breakfast to get us through the trip.  

James C. 
   
Vietnam is beautiful. The culture here is amazing. Already there have been so many things worth writing about, however my favourite thing has been the tailors who have created a garment for me that I LOVE! All the little trinkets in shops are sweet and so cool. It is hard to know what to buy and what not to. The Vietnamese are so different. They are so welcoming and kind. It is such a great place. I am having such a good time. 

Hi parents and. Bro!

Meg
  
Today and yesterday we went to the tailors and decided what we wanted to get made. I,m really happy with my jumpsuit and can’t wait to wear it. I also really enjoyed the bike ride down to the beach today. 

P.S. Hope everyone is well back home. 

Faye
  
On this trip we have had the chance to experience amazing things such as abseiling, eat lots of Vietnamese food and buy many unique items. My favourite objects that I have bought are a movie poster, genie pants and the jumpsuit that I am getting tailored. Prices are very cheap here and I don’t know how I will get used to Melbourne prices again. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone very soon. 

Anna

Going to the tailors was such an awesome experience as the women were so professional and there was such a beautiful range of materials. I had one blurry image of an outfit and from that came two absolutely stunning pieces of clothing. 

Elise 

  
Hoi An has been amazing so far,even with the heat and busy traffic! A highlight for me was abseiling, where we made two descents of 25 and 15 meters. Admittedly it was quite scary, but afterwards I had quite an adrenaline rush.

Nicole

   
   

  

Vietnam red- day 11

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It is hard to believe we are over half way into the trip. Today the group enjoyed our last day in Hoi An and tomorrow we move on to Hue. This morning during a reflection activity we asked the group to consider and respond to two questions:

What have I learnt about Vietnam? 

What have I learnt about myself? 

Here are some of their reflections…
 “I have learnt that I love trying new things and having new experiences.”

-Hannah

“I have learnt that being overseas I always become more appreciative of the place I come from and the family I have.”

-Jorja

“I have learnt that I am more resilient, mentally and physically than I previously thought.”

-Oliver
  
“I have realised that I am capable of more things than I thought I was capable of. I have learnt I am able to relate to my peers.”

-Joe

“I have learnt that Vietnam is very family orientated and that the people take care of the community.”

-Elyse

“I have learnt a lot about Vietnam. I have learnt about the community (through the orphanage and villages). I have learnt that we share values and are connected through communication, helpfulness, celebrations and other things.” 

-Ned
  “I have learnt that some people are still suffering from the war while I barely heard about it when I lived in America. I also learnt that even with all the noise here, I am still more peaceful than when I am in Australia.”

-Brock

“I thought it would be very difficult to spend three weeks without social networking but we are 11 days in and I couldn’t care less.”

-Tanner

“I have learnt that the country has suffered a lot, but everyone is still happy and welcoming.”

-Alessia
  
“I have learnt a lot about how resilient and independent I can be when having to look after myself.”

-Tom 

“I have learnt that I should be more grateful about living in Australia and going to a school like St Leonard’s. I have learnt that you don’t need technology to have a fun and happy life.”

-Theo

“I have learnt that Vietnamese people (especially along the Mekong Delta) help each other a lot. There is a much stronger sense of community here than at home.”

-Polly

   ” I have learnt that people here have a different relationship with animals than we do. They generally don’t keep animals as pets. All their animals have a purpose like being killed for food, or being used with crops.”

-Ben
“I have learnt that Vietnamese villages are sustainable. People can produce everything they need themselves such as growing fruit, vegetables and livestock, and making their own tools such as the tool that removes the coconuts from the trees.”

-Marvin
“I have learnt that Vietnam is a cultural and varied country. It is dense and busy, but also peaceful and quiet.”

-Alec
  
  “I found the orphanage a very confronting places there are many kids there with disabilities that have been caused by agent orange, something that was used in the war. It was very confronting because it still affects people in Vietnam today.”

-Charlotte

“I have realised how lucky I am. We have seen a lot of poverty and even just to have a warm, safe home and clean tap water is something that a lot of people don’t have.”

-Issy

  
 

Temples Day 11 Laos – ລາວ Vangvieng ວັງວຽງ

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So… leaving Cambodia was very sad because of all the amazing places and experiences we had with the beautiful Khmer people. The two days coming up to the flight to Laos were very chilled back, with lots of swimming in Kep and exploring the French ruins in Bokor National Park, but even then we were given free time to roam around the casino ruins and really reflect on the killing fields. Then on the day we were due to leave Cambodia, we needed to take a three and a half hour bus ride back to Phnom Penh. When we got to the airport we had to wait an hour and twenty minutes to check in our baggage, before leaving later on the our flight.

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Landing in Laos was quiet exciting considering the fact that everyone has been so focused on Cambodia. But when we all walked out of the baggage claim in Vientiane and seeing the big banner that said “group St Leonard’s” with our new tour guide, Mr Joy standing in front of it with the biggest smile on his face. When we got on the bus and headed towards the hotel, it was very dark and we couldn’t see a lot of the beautiful country that is Laos.  Waking up in the hotel and opening up our curtains we got our first glimpse of Laos. We then hopped back on the magnificent bus to take a short site seeing trip around the city. We saw the 18th century temple of Wat Si Saket, where the group took part in a ritual, which involved walking around the temple 3 times while holding an orange flower and incense. It was a great experience to take part in the ritual. We then all continued onto the Independence Victory gate, which we climbed with great determination to the top and had a 360 birds eye view of Vientiane, the capital city. Then it was back on the fabulous bus for a 4 hour trip to Vangvieng, a small town that is very popular with tourist.

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Looking at the two counties in comparison to each other, Laos seems like a more stable and cleaner country. It seems like this not only because the people are more organised in their way of doing things, but more care is taken of the environment and how the land is used. In contrast, Cambodia is a country that has suffered multiple wars and this has impacted on the country more strongly. We are all doing well and really looking forward to what tomorrow holds for us.

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Holly Huljak and Felix Drescher

China – Day 12 – Longsheng to Guilin

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We woke up bright and early this morning to the scenic views of the Longsheng mountains. The hotel felt like a warm cosy cabin as we ate a western style breakfast such as toast, pancakes and muffins. The group was happy about the change from the rice we eat everyday. We got our gear on and headed for a hike through the rice fields. It was great to feel the fresh vibrant air on the walk instead of the cool air blowing inside a bus. We made our way down a lush area with many trees and bushes of all kinds including the main source of produce rice.


When we got to our destination we found an ancient house to be explored. It belonged to an elderly women whose family had moved to the city. She was keen to stay in the village so she opened her house up as a museum for foreigners to visit so that they could learn more about the  on the traditional lifestyle. The house was built by Mr. Hou Yongsheng and his son and it is over 150 years old.It is one of the seven ancient houses in the Longji Village. It is now named the Ecological Museum of Longsheng. This was an eye opening experience to see how many live in a different part of the world. We learned things about how they live on the second floor so dangerous animals such as tigers can’t attack them. We briefly meet the women who was so gentle and shy. We started our trek back up the mountain as the foggy sky started to clear so we took in more of the scenery on the way back.


After the walk we headed down the mountain towards to the smaller bus which took on us down the twisty part of the journey. We then transferred to our big bus and continued our trip back to Guilin only to find a landslide blocking the path. This meant we needed to take a different route which was a little longer and delayed some of our Guilin adventures. When we arrived in Guilin we dumped our bags into our rooms quickly in order to have our late lunch as soon as possible. The groups was happy as this meal, like breakfast, was western style in the form of pizza. As we filed in and all order our pizzas or other food items our lovely tour guide Joe decided to pay for all our food which was a generous gift.


 

Next we had a circle-time talk about what we had gained from the trip so far and what activities we thought worked best. The group seemed to think that one activity that worked well was when we had the opportunity to socialise and bond as a group in Longsheng. We also enjoyed the spontaneous moments that occurred during the trip like joining in with the locals when they are welcoming people to join them in their traditional dance.

We had a quick nap before setting off for a enjoyable walk to see Guilin at night, looking at the many elegant bridges and structures in the lake. It was lovely to just take-in the scenery and shoot some nice photographs. We finally had dinner in a restaurant above a market with many of the tried and tested dishes our trip group likes including sweet and sour pork, spring rolls and dumplings. To summarise today was an incredible day giving us opportunities to see how the people lived in the village 150 years ago, to explore more of the stunning scenes of Longsheng and to see Guilin by night.


  
  
  

 

– Callum Ferguson and Paul Bourke

Vietnam Orange Day 10

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Made In Hoi An  
For some, it was an early start to have a splash in the hotel pool. For others, it was a relaxing wake up to be greeted by a delicious buffet breakfast. Our tummies were full and gave us the energy for the stroll into this ancient town. 

We found ourselves at the river which runs through the town for a peaceful boat ride. We saw the beautiful scenic views of luscious green fields and the beautiful water which surrounds this magical place. On the river, we saw big nets that would be lowered into the water to catch fish. After every hour, they would be lifted out of the water to check if they had been successful. 
   
   We took a short walk to a traditional Chinese temple that had been built in the 17th century to worship Buddha, Happy Buddha, Laughing Buddha. After spending some valuable time in this historical venue, we continued walking to our next destination. The Japanese Bridge was a spectacular sight. It was a wooden bridge which has a temple inside to worship. This bridge was constructed in 17th century to separate the Japanese sector from the Chinese sector.  

 

It was time for lunch. We were starving and ready for a fan to cool us down. We were able to choose where we ate. This was nice because it gave us the freedom and responsibility to choose something we wanted. 

After lunch, those who had ordered clothing at the tailor were able to go back for the first fittings. We were all pleased with the results and couldn’t wait until it was fully finished and we could take it home. Free time followed this event which allowed us to explore the streets and practise our bargaining skills. After an hour some went back to the hotel for some refreshing drinks by the pool, while others stayed behind to continue shopping or for another fitting at the tailor. 
   
 Our final activity of the day was an incredible experience. We were given the opportunity to participate in a cooking class. We prepared our meals and then ate them at dinner. The first dish we crafted was marinated chicken. We got to choose some spices and other garnishes which complemented the dish very nicely. For our last dish we made fried pork spring rolls. The meat was prepared earlier so all we had to do was put it in the rice paper and wrap it into the correct shape. These dishes were extraordinary and very fun to make. The restaurant provided us with some other selections to go with what we had already made. 

   
         We ended the night by visiting a night market outside the restaurant. There were stalls filled with unique items and there were lots of opportunities to buy what you wanted. Some of the stalls were filled with beautiful lanterns that radiated all over the night sky. We are definitely looking forward to the adventures to come. 

Jessi and Matt xx