URBAN DOMAIN 2024
Vietnam Monkeys Day 17
For some, our day began with a cultural dance class by the lake. For the rest of us, we enjoyed a nice sleep in until we met the rest of the group at 8:25am to walk to the Hoa Lo Prison. At the prison, we dove into the historical background of life in the cell. The prison was built by the French to hold Vietnamese political prisoners in the 1800s. Once Vietnam gained control over their country during the war, the prison was then used to hold American pilots that were shot down over Hanoi. Unlike the Vietnamese, the Americans were treated very well here and that’s where the nickname ‘Hanoi Hilton’ originated from.
After a very fascinating visit to the prison, we made our way back to the hotel to pack our bags and check out one final time. To finish our community service, we enjoyed a lunch at KOTO which is a non-profit restaurant founded on the idea of ‘Know one, Teach one.’ Essentially it trains disadvantaged teenagers living on the streets to work in the hospitality industry, giving them lifelong skills, which enables them to live out of poverty. It also teaches them how to manage a budget. We all enjoyed our last Vietnamese lunch together and celebrated our final moments in Vietnam.
From the restaurant we made our way to Hanoi Airport where we checked in and said goodbye to Hoang, our fabulous tour guide whom we will miss dearly! We are really sad to leave this wonderful country with its rich culture and delicious foods, but are looking forward to seeing our families once again.
By Courtney H. and Jolanda B.
Fireflies: a post that went AWOL in the Mekong…
I’ve just realised that a beautifully written reflection by Tom Madarevic & Cohan Houniet never made it up onto the blog. Please enjoy it below.
The day began once again in the early hours of the morning, as the raucous cries of roosters woke us from our slumber. Though we were extremely tired from the previous day’s work, everyone was eager to return to the building site and resume the construction of the house for the village people. After a delicious breakfast of pork-noodle soup and bread followed by local bananas, we prepared ourselves for another exhausting day of building.
As an alternative to the boat ride, our chosen mode of transport today was the village bicycles. Taking the necessary safety precautions, we donned our bike helmets and set off into the picturesque network of streams that comprise the Mekong delta. The pleasant ride through nearby villages put us in good spirits for the continuation of the build.
Today’s task consisted of mixing cement, positioning scaffolding, brick laying and moving tiles to the building site. The external walls were almost complete and construction of the internal walls commenced, which gave us an idea of the layout of the house. The local builders seemed amused as we struggled to move building materials, dancing around obstructions that we clumsily placed in their way. Despite our blatant inexperience, the builders were always willing to assist us and even make jokes at each others’ expense for our enjoyment. By helping and accepting us, the locals ensured that our building experience was both efficient and enjoyable.
Tom M & Cohen
They are on the BUS!!!
Dear all,
The Fireflies and Monkeys are getting on the bus as I write this – They should be back at school at around 11.15 AM.
Fireflies and Monkeys have landed
Dear all,
The plane has just landed and they are about to disembark. We are expecting them to arrive back at St Leonards’ just before 11.30 am this morning.