Week One: Jet Lag and Motorbikes

Xin Chao from Hanoi, Vietnam!

I've almost reached the end of my first week here in Vietnam, and it's been quite the whirlwind adventure. It's hard to layout my first impressions because so many were thrown at me at once. As soon as I got off the plane, I felt the warm, humid air of Vietnamese "winter." Fortunately, I (and my skin) love the tropical weather. After a short car ride, I arrived at Peace House 2, located on the edge of Hanoi. The place is small (only housing about 15 volunteers) and cozy. The first volunteers I met represented a large array of countries, mostly in Europe. All were friendly and inviting. The only downside I've discovered sleeping here at night is the fact that I have no window, and the mosquitoes. I awoke the first day not having any clue what time it was and with a leg covered in large bites. The dark mornings did not help much with the jet lag, and adjusting took a little while (especially with the 11 hour time difference!), but I've since overcome that obstacle. The mosquitoes, on the other hand, are something I may never conquer, unfortunately.

When my roommate, Gabriela, arrived I spent some time exploring the area around the house. The thing that hit me the hardest was the large amount of motorbikes, and the task of crossing the road. Although Jordan gave me some experience with crossing without pedestrian walkways, nothing could prepare me for maneuvering around the masses of motorbikes. I learned that it is illegal to run across the street which, of course, was my first instinct. I did eventually learn that if you walk confidently the motorbikes will just move around you. After adjusting to that first challenge, I then had to move onto the dreaded buses.

On Friday, I learned how to travel to my volunteer organization by public transportation. Before then, I had already heard horror stories from the other volunteers, and so was quite frightened of what I would encounter. Fortunately, I did not have an awful experience my first time. The worst part, it seems, is the crowding and the fact that the bus never fully stops at the bus stop. As long as I'm alert, I don't think I'll run into many issues.

When I arrived at my volunteer organization, I was very pleased with what I saw. The group is called To He after a traditional children's toy. They set up a store in Hanoi to raise funds for disabled Vietnamese children. Everything in the store features pictures made by the children, and made in shop. The schools that this organization works with teach kids with a wide range of disabilities, including (but not exclusive to) autism, down syndrome, physical deformities, and those suffering from the effects of Agent Orange. I've been given the task of filming these schools in order to make a short documentary, helping write a new text book, and proof-reading proposals. It's a lot of work to take on in 4 weeks, especially with my low level of experience in these subjects. I hope that I can make some sort of impact, however, over these next few weeks.