URBAN DOMAIN 2024

Vietnam Grey – Day 10: Hoi An, the beach, a birthday

November 15, 2017

By Matt T and Rhys

At 8:00am, our first morning at the Belle Maison Resort, we were greeted by a vast selection of both Western and Vietnamese food and culture. By common agreement of the students and teachers in Vietnam Grey, the breakfast was categorised as ‘by far the best breakfast yet’! There was a vast selection of food ranging from more Western-style dishes (eggs, bacon etc.) to Vietnamese dishes and even passionfruit juice!

At 9:00am, the next item on the itinerary was a joyous bike ride which, as unexpected as it sounds, raised the bar even higher after the buffet breakfast. The ride with started off with us cycling through the dense roads of Hoi An. We observed the thickly populated streets of Hoi An, learning and remembered our route. As we journeyed toward the beach, it was noted that there was a large change in the decreasing population density and the scenery. In the more suburban areas of Hoi An, there is greater population generally, more tourists and less locals around. Our bike ride toward the beach was one to remember.

Once we arrived at the beach, everyone was stunned and soaked up the phenomenal view across the horizon. Everyone sat down on a balcony overlooking the ocean to give their aching legs relief. Upon a well-deserved rest, people started ordering their meal whilst staring at the spectacle. Later on, we all went down to the sand to play beach cricket and dip our feet into the water. Shortly after, the food arrived and was enjoyed with an astonishing view. Following this, the students rode back admiring the same view, only with a few added cows.

For the first time this trip, we were awarded with a much needed swim in the resort pool. This swim was very refreshing and enjoyable for all the students. Also, as it was Jasmine’s birthday the hotel kindly offered a cake to celebrate the experience. Happy 15^th birthday Jasmine! The adventurous day was ended with an opportunity to enjoy a nice dinner in the streets of Hoi An and/or shop for a few items, in a small group of three or four, This day was ended with a feeling of satisfaction and joyfulness.

Hi Mum and Dad. I am having a great time in Vietnam and have learnt lots of new qualities. I hope to see you soon. Matt.

Hello family, I look forward to seeing you soon. I am having an amazing time here. Rhys

Australia – Day 10: Njanjma Rangers Day 2

November 14, 2017

By lsu

We were up and ready by 7:00AM today.

Like yesterday, the boys and girls were split into two groups. The boys went with the male rangers to learn how to make spears and how to hunt, while the girls went with the female rangers to learn how to collect plants to weave baskets. In order to make the spears, the fire needs to be prepared, some of the guys worked on the fire while the rest of us worked with the rangers to make the spears.

The spears consists of the body and the tip. For the body part of the spear, we used beach mangrove wood and for the top of spears they always use the iron wood. The iron wood it needs to be very sharp as spears are often used for hunting. We also did different designs for the head of the spear which has different uses. The spear is held together by a tool called a Burndok and when people throw it, it makes the spears more accurate in hitting the target. On the end of the spear, there is a hole which is part of the Burndok and slots into the tool to assist in throwing the spear. For the Burndok, the rangers used the knife to cut the wood into the shape of a club with a hook on the end.

In order to stick the iron wood and beach mangrove wood together, we used a traditional form of Aboriginal glue known as bee’s wax. The rangers also mentioned to us that the wax can be mixed with other ingredients to make a sweet paste which can be eaten as a treat. When the bee’s wax sticks to the spear, we will burn it in the fire to make it hard so it moulds around the spear and the spear won’t fall apart.

We then decorated the spears by painting them with original colours made from certain rocks and charcoal. The group then organised a competition where we shot targets with our newly made spears… we were trying to find then who was the best at Spear throwing! We also created a kun (Kangaroo) and crocodile cardboard cutouts to use as our targets. It was a great experience for us boys. It just showed us just how much effort is needed to make such basic tools that are very powerful and how simple things can make the biggest difference.

After learning how to hunt and craft spears, we had our lunch and headed back to Gunbalunya. We learnt more about what the Rangers are trying to do to help protect this ecosystem. One example of this is when they place camera traps to monitor what was going on in the ecosystem.

Just before we left, the rangers introduced some traditional Aboriginal instruments – clap sticks and the didgeridoo. Everyone tried the didgeridoo and had a great time!

A big thank you to the Njanjma rangers for hosting such a special day.

Love,

Sam and Benjamin on behalf of the Australia Group ðŸ¹

China Day 10 – Huilin Community Centre, Xi’an

November 14, 2017

By ascott

At the Huilin Community Centre we got to see what the mentally disabled people experience in China. They all seemed happy to participate in the activities we did such as singing, dancing, games and craft. They performed a song for us and we performed the Australian National Anthem; this was followed by more performances from other people at the Community Centre as well as a performance by Liana, Louise and Yvette. After this we sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in both English and Chinese with people at the Community Centre. We then did some dancing, games and ended with doing some of the Chinese crafts such as beading and paper cutting. The people at the Community Centre enjoy going to it as they are surrounded by friends and people who want them to be independent and have a good life. The staff even provide homes and carers for the people who live too far away. I thought this was a good experience to see how happy they were to be living there, not worrying about their disabilities.

After we said goodbye to the people at the Huilin Community centre, we headed to the train station and navigated our way to the Wild Goose Pagoda by subway. The teachers picked Ruby, Kevin and Lilly to find our way to get there. The subway in Xi’an was very crowded, and the train had barely any seats, so they could fit more people. There were safety doors so booth could jump onto the rails and they were always on time. This is very different to the Melbourne trains, as they’re not on time and not very crowded. This would be because the population is much smaller in Melbourne than in Xi’an.

We were then relieved to be exempted from the bustle of the subway and were able to take a bus to the city wall of Xi’an. The city wall was a relic of the city’s ancient past and a window to the history of China. Our tour guide Charles enlightened us with a saying:

“If you want to see 100 years of Chinese history go to Shanghai, if you want to see 600 years of China go to Beijing, if you want to see over 2000 years of China, go to Xi’an.”

At the walls our imaginations were put to work as we visualised hordes of invaders rushing against the formidable gate, fended off by the arrows and solid defences of the city in order to protect the treasures and wonders inside. This was our first glimpse into the history of Xi’an as the ancient capital of the first Emperor of China, QinShi Huangdi.

From the city wall there was a short walk back to our hotel in order to freshen up before dinner. For dinner, our constant stream of Chinese food was halted with a meal of pizza!
Prior to our meal we were selective over our choice of pizza whether it be with pineapple or vegeterian, however once the pizza was placed before our eyes, the type and flavour was voided insignificant as we wolfed down pizza along the length of the table. Ten pizzas were soon lined up and were even sooner devoured by the hungry mouths of 20 growing teenagers, calling for more pizzas for the table.

After our delicious meal we proceeded once again to the Muslim Quarter, a region of bargains and shopping. Hundreds of counterfeit goods and figurines galore. The sounds of bargaining rang through the shopping mall, cries of outrage and exclamations of joy. It can be fair to say that after an hour and a half of shopping our wallets were considerably lighter and arms laden with bags full of souvenirs and gifts.

This was the end of our action packed day, and another part of our journey completed, laying the foundations for the experiences to come.

By Joanna and Stephen

Happy birthday Heather!:) – Laura

TLC Temples – Day 9

November 14, 2017

By chyde

At the halfway point of our trip we arose to the rolling fog moving through the hills towering above the Mekong river. This peaceful picture was deeply contrasted by the our “unique” accomodation- for many of us it certainly was an eye opening experience. We soon made our way past the Main street of Pak Beng and let the simplicity of small town life wash over us. As we boarded the long boats once again, an air of excitement captured us all. We said our last farewell as we sailed away and heard a definite response from the town goats.

After around three hours of scenic cruising along the Mekong we arrived at a small Laotian village where we learned about and had a glimpse of daily life for the local people. It was a visit of mixed emotion as the people showed us warmth and kindness but unfortunately suffered from poverty. Some of us had the opportunity to enter a home of a local villager. We were reminded of how fortunate we are to have our quality of life. This experience reminded us of our work in Maejon village- helping us think about more than just the individual and showcasing, once again, that happiness is not based in our material possessions.

We continued onwards down the Mekong towards the Pak Oui caves. Our guide, Joy, explained to us that the caves are a deeply religious place for Buddhists in the region and discussed the practice of placing Buddha’s within its mist coated walls. We disembarked our boat on a makeshift walkway barely centimetres from the river lapping below. Once inside we explored the caves and Joy told some of us our fortunes.

After this intriguing venture we re-embarked the boat and enjoyed a meal of predominantly fried food and the gorgeous green mountains surrounding us as we sailed by. For the next hour we relaxed and wrote post cards to our loved ones. However, it’s best not to get your hopes up – as it’s not likely that they will reach you before we do!
Finally it came time to part with our vessel and join the hustle and bustle of Luang Prabang. After a much needed stop to the laundromat, we enjoyed dinner on the banks of the Mekong. We then sojourned to splash some cash or kip at the night market and looked at all the fresh produce for sale, such as mangoes. Surrounded by the clatter of business and nightlife, we ended our day on a happy note.

Ashley P. Josh B.

Day 10 – Bike Rides, Tailoring and Silver fitting

November 14, 2017

By nburke

We started off by waking up to another day in the beautiful town of Hoi An. With a nice buffet breakfast, we were all ready to start off our day venturing around Hoi An on bicycles – which we found is how many people travel in Hoi An. Although leaving the city was no easy feat, we soon entered the rural area’s of Hoi An. As we were riding our bikes down to the beach we observed all the different landscapes that we wouldn’t see back in Melbourne. We all noticed the wet pavements and affected areas remaining from the flooding that occurred last week due to the typhoon. We also saw the rice paddy fields which were home to many cows that made our bike paths quite difficult with those massive moving obstacles in the way! Our tour guide also informed us how the fresh produce in Hoi An is important because of the chemical free produce that is being grown. On our way to the beach we saw many developing sites and the true and ‘un-touristy’ Hoi An. We passed through villages with no English tourist signs and homelike temples. This way we knew we were in the truly authentic side of the city.

Once we arrived to the beach we sat down and enjoyed our ice cream whilst looking at the sights. We found that the beach water was similar to Bali’s water; strong, murky and with very heavy surf. The beach was unsupervised which showed how different the two countries of Vietnam and Australia view beach safety rules. After the bike ride, our day finally started to slow down. We had spare time to go shopping and have lunch. We all split up into different groups and wandered back into the main streets of Hoi An – this time seeing it during a week day. We all did some shopping before we went to the tailors. As soon as we got to the tailors we tried on our clothes for a second fitting and as a pleasant surprise for most of us, they fit perfectly! Our group was amazed at how fast the tailors made our new clothes in the space of 24 hours.

We all then went off to lunch and most of us ended up eating back to our western food because we have had so much Vietnamese food, and decided to try some Pizza’s to have a better appreciation of the Vietnamese food here. After a well deserved lunch we proceeded to finish our final shopping of straw bags, imitation shirts and banana hats (You’ll know them when we bring them back!). When we got back to meet at the hotel, all of us ran back up to the rooms for a cooling dip in the pool. The water was definitely what we needed after a hot, sunny day. After we all had nice warm showers we headed out to a custom silver jewellery shop were many people got custom jewellery ranging from rings, bracelets and necklaces. After that we headed out for a nice dinner at the Banana Leaf Restaurant which included a wonderful view of the riverside and the traditional Hoi An Longboats. Another great day in the city of Hoi An!

Cam C-A and Romane R

Ps Happy Birthday Rachel! Lots of Love. – Eva and Romane

Vietnam Grey – Day 9: Leaving Ho Chi Minh, Abseiling, Hoi An

November 14, 2017

By jricketson

By Chelsea and Kate

Today we woke up early for our journey to Hoi An. After we ate our breakfast at our hotel, The Blue Diamond, we travelled together to the local airport. The flight was a short hour and a quarter to Da Nang Airport. Here in Da Nang the climate is significantly different from Ho Chi Minh, in that it is less humid. Stepping off the plane at first, our eyes were immediately drawn to the scenic mountains that lined the horizon. We found that Da Nang more picturesque than Ho Chi Minh and is less populated.

First, we drove to Marble Mountain. The mountain itself was covered in dense tropical vegetation and multiple pagodas which were nestled into the mountainside and overgrown with a tangle of forest vines. Popular handmade marble sculptures sourced from the mountain were found lining the streets. At the top of the mountain we enjoyed banh mi, a traditional Vietnamese baguette, and fresh fruit. After lunch, we began to learn the basics for abseiling. Abseiling was an undeniably challenging experience. This is not an everyday activity. Our group abseiled down two cliffs; one was inside a cave, and the other with a view of the South China Sea. It was definitely a challenge for all of us, but it was worth the nerves.

After abseiling, we travelled by bus to Hoi An and arrived at our favourite hotel yet, the Belle Maison Hadana Hoi An Resort and Spa. We were greeted at the door and enjoyed a complimentary apple and cinnamon iced tea. The lobby is influenced by Japanese décor and is furnished with red lounges and lanterns. The guest rooms are built around a pool, restaurant and bar. To finish the day, we took a leisurely stroll through the old town. We observed the influence of French colonialism in the architecture during our walk to the tailor in the evening. Bicycles, hotel names and architecture all added to the sense of a little France in the midst of Asia.

At the tailor, we were greeted by numerous ladies who kindly showed us their array of fabrics and designs. Many of us were measured for new suits, dresses, skirts or jumpsuits. Tomorrow, we will revisit the tailor for our first fitting of our new personal designs. To finish off the day, we separated into groups of 3-5 people to enjoy our own choice of dinner. Many dined on traditional Vietnamese cuisine but some were tempted by the opportunity for a taste of home. Italian, Greek and American food were also sampled.

Today was a great way to start our new adventures in the beautiful city of Hoi An!

Kate: Hey fam, I hope you are all well and safe I miss you all very much. See you in a week. Lots of love, Kate xxoxoxoox

Chelsea: Hi everyone at home, missing you all and hope you’re not having too much fun without me. Hope camp was good and can’t wait to see all of you in a week. Love, Chelsea xoxo