Today was our first volunteer experience here in Ho Chi Minh and it was definitely an trying experience. The volunteers started the day with an early breakfast and walked over to the most beautiful orphanage/pagoda. We walked in blindly and were quickly given small cutting boards, blunt knives, a stool only a few inches tall, and bags of food to begin preparing. Lainie and I were told to start on a seemingly never-ending bag of water spinach and began tearing small pieces for a stew. An hour of cutting and tearing passed before we realized how long it had been and finally straightened out our backs - ouch. After we cooked the ingredients into a porridge-like meal, it was time for a short break.
We walked out into the courtyard and began exploring the pagoda. The entire structure was painted a bright yellow that contrasted the blue sky beautifully, and the gold accents glinted with the sunlight - breathtaking. The many speakers continually played a chant/song that lulled in the background of my thoughts and gave the experience an aura of calm. Inside the pagoda we padded around with bare feet and I were awed by the hundreds of different Buddha statues - big and small - that lined the walls and filled the middle of the space. We climbed the four floors of the pagoda as the chanting hummed on, and I haven't felt as relaxed or as safe yet as I did in that structure. It was peaceful and almost hopeful as places of worship go.
When we stepped back into the orphanage part of the building we were greeted by smiling faces of Vietnamese children at the age of 2 or 3. Before today, we were told that we would be cooking for and feeding many disabled children, so these smiling faces were not what I was expecting to see. But, as we walked down the corridor towards more rooms of kids, I was caught off-guard yet again. In these rooms sat the disabled children that we were told about. We saw the same curved legs, enlarged heads, and half-limbs as the pictures showed in the War Remnants Museum: telltale signs that we were seeing Agent Orange affect generations of Vietnamese people. A large pang of guilt hit as I realized not only were these kids in pain, but that this pain was brought on by us. Suddenly, I wanted to go back into the kitchen; to cook more for these children; and to give them as much as I could, no matter the physical pain I felt. I wish we could all feel this feeling in order to realize the effects our actions have on others, especially in war.
As our break ended we were given bowls of food and spoons, as well as a child to help feed. As I walked over to the young-adult in orange who was strapped into a high-chair, my heart was beating out of my chest. Am I prepared or qualified for this? Why do I feel scared? I didn't want to inflict any more pain or discomfort on this girl than she was already feeling, in fact, I wanted to make it go away. As I spoon-fed her a yogurt cup with a smile on my face, I couldn't help but be thankful for the abilities that I have mentally and physically. I will never forget this feeling of extreme gratitude.
Leaving the orphanage, I still felt as though I had not done enough, but knew that I had done all that I could. We will go back tomorrow and Wednesday to help the same kids, and then will do the same for a local hospital on Thursday and Friday. I'm looking forward to another sobering experience before Lainie and I travel on our own, and will try to make a habit of thinking about this day every morning of my very blessed life.
With a changing perspective,
Lilly
Sunday, January 26, 2020
The First Week
If I were asked to describe this first week in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in a couple of words, I would use words like surreal and dreamlike. This past week has flown by in a blur of colorful places and faces, not to mention heaps of new information about many different cultures. I've met new friends from around the world - Canada, UK, France, Italy, Belgium and more - and have visited some of the most beautiful spots that this city has to offer. The following is the past week at a glance:
Lainie and I took off from O'Hare airport around 11 a.m. Chicago time. I was stuck in the middle seat with Lainie on my right (the window seat) and a stranger on my left...wonderful. Lains fell asleep before the plane took off, so I watched her head bob for a while before my trusted pair of "plane pills" - Xanax and Dramamine - worked their magic and allowed for sleep to take me, too. We landed in Seoul, South Korea, 14 LONG hours later.
Our layover in Seoul was only 3 hours so we stretched out our stiff muscles, grabbed a coffee, and people-watched in Incheon International Airport. These few hours were our first taste of the language barrier that we would soon face. Even doing a simple act such as ordering a coffee seemed to be slightly challenging for us. I hoped that it would get better. We took off from Seoul at around 6 p.m., South Korea time, with a 5 hour (ish) flight ahead of us. Sleep came very easily this time around because of the time change; I was out directly after we took off.
The amount of people inside Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City was nothing compared to the zoo that waited for us outside. It took a while to find our bags but eventually, we rolled our way into the sticky heat of Vietnam and found our pick-up from the volunteer company amidst the crowds that waited for other passengers. Thinking back, this chaos was probably due to incoming family members for Tet, the lunar new year, which was January 25th. When we arrived at the volunteer accommodation (about midnight)), we were shown our beds and went straight to sleep.
Our orientation/culture week was led by our new friend, Vi, who works for the volunteer company, and consisted of seeing many of the tourist sites, as well as a Vietnamese cooking and language lesson. On Monday, Vi took the new group of volunteers - 5 of us: Lainie, Anna (France), Theresa (Canada), Jane (Canada), and myself - to the local college to hold our lesson on the volunteer accommodation, the Vietnamese culture, and the language necessities. Tuesday began with a trip to the Jade Emperor Pagoda, then to the Independence/Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon Central Post Office, the Ben Thanh Market, and finally, to the Vietnam War Remnants Museum. The following day we visited a local "wet market" which allowed us to see where the locals go to do their daily grocery shopping. During our Vietnamese cooking class we tried our hand at making fresh summer rolls and spring rolls, as well as a traditional corn dessert. On Thursday, we took a bus to the Cu Chi Tunnels where we experienced the conditions of the Vietnamese during the war, including the underground tunnels and the daily life. Friday began as a rest day and ended in a New Years Eve celebration that is only slightly similar to our own. Here, each family lays out a spread of flowers, fruits, water, rice wine, fake money and gold, and burn incense with prayers to invite their ancestors to come celebrate. All of these offerings will lead to an abundant and joyful year ahead. Lainie and I both fell asleep before midnight and were not fazed by the fireworks that went off.
The next day the five of us took a guided trip down the Mekong Delta in which we visited the islands around the delta, explored a beautiful pagoda, tried coconut candies from a local factory, and were pushed down a small river in a canoe. It was a fun and long day. Yesterday, we taxied to District 1 (the main city center) where we walked the streets and fell into a spa for a quick massage and manicure. These spas are extremely common here and are almost as frequent as coffee shops which, amazingly, are almost every other shop. The spas, coffee shops, restaurants, and markets are all extremely inexpensive!
A bit about the volunteer program:
Lainie and I are volunteering in Ho Chi Minh City and in Bali, Indonesia, through a program called International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). This program allows volunteers from all over the world to choose a program that they'd be interested in participating in, as well as a place that they'd like to volunteer in. Thus, we were able to choose the places that we wanted to visit and then the work that we found most interesting. In Ho Chi Minh, we signed up for the "Food Outreach" Program which allows us to cook meals for the impoverished and disabled individuals of the city and surrounding areas. We start this work on Monday and I am very excited to get my hands dirty and feel like I am making a difference.
Looking back throughout this week, I cannot see a difference within myself, but I can see a difference in my relationship with my sister. It has been really fun to hear some of the answers that she has to people's questions and to learn more about her. I think that we are already growing closer and I'm hoping I'll continue to adopt even a small portion of her personable and motherly nature.
-Lilly
Lainie and I took off from O'Hare airport around 11 a.m. Chicago time. I was stuck in the middle seat with Lainie on my right (the window seat) and a stranger on my left...wonderful. Lains fell asleep before the plane took off, so I watched her head bob for a while before my trusted pair of "plane pills" - Xanax and Dramamine - worked their magic and allowed for sleep to take me, too. We landed in Seoul, South Korea, 14 LONG hours later.
Our layover in Seoul was only 3 hours so we stretched out our stiff muscles, grabbed a coffee, and people-watched in Incheon International Airport. These few hours were our first taste of the language barrier that we would soon face. Even doing a simple act such as ordering a coffee seemed to be slightly challenging for us. I hoped that it would get better. We took off from Seoul at around 6 p.m., South Korea time, with a 5 hour (ish) flight ahead of us. Sleep came very easily this time around because of the time change; I was out directly after we took off.
The amount of people inside Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City was nothing compared to the zoo that waited for us outside. It took a while to find our bags but eventually, we rolled our way into the sticky heat of Vietnam and found our pick-up from the volunteer company amidst the crowds that waited for other passengers. Thinking back, this chaos was probably due to incoming family members for Tet, the lunar new year, which was January 25th. When we arrived at the volunteer accommodation (about midnight)), we were shown our beds and went straight to sleep.
Our orientation/culture week was led by our new friend, Vi, who works for the volunteer company, and consisted of seeing many of the tourist sites, as well as a Vietnamese cooking and language lesson. On Monday, Vi took the new group of volunteers - 5 of us: Lainie, Anna (France), Theresa (Canada), Jane (Canada), and myself - to the local college to hold our lesson on the volunteer accommodation, the Vietnamese culture, and the language necessities. Tuesday began with a trip to the Jade Emperor Pagoda, then to the Independence/Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon Central Post Office, the Ben Thanh Market, and finally, to the Vietnam War Remnants Museum. The following day we visited a local "wet market" which allowed us to see where the locals go to do their daily grocery shopping. During our Vietnamese cooking class we tried our hand at making fresh summer rolls and spring rolls, as well as a traditional corn dessert. On Thursday, we took a bus to the Cu Chi Tunnels where we experienced the conditions of the Vietnamese during the war, including the underground tunnels and the daily life. Friday began as a rest day and ended in a New Years Eve celebration that is only slightly similar to our own. Here, each family lays out a spread of flowers, fruits, water, rice wine, fake money and gold, and burn incense with prayers to invite their ancestors to come celebrate. All of these offerings will lead to an abundant and joyful year ahead. Lainie and I both fell asleep before midnight and were not fazed by the fireworks that went off.
The next day the five of us took a guided trip down the Mekong Delta in which we visited the islands around the delta, explored a beautiful pagoda, tried coconut candies from a local factory, and were pushed down a small river in a canoe. It was a fun and long day. Yesterday, we taxied to District 1 (the main city center) where we walked the streets and fell into a spa for a quick massage and manicure. These spas are extremely common here and are almost as frequent as coffee shops which, amazingly, are almost every other shop. The spas, coffee shops, restaurants, and markets are all extremely inexpensive!
A bit about the volunteer program:
Lainie and I are volunteering in Ho Chi Minh City and in Bali, Indonesia, through a program called International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). This program allows volunteers from all over the world to choose a program that they'd be interested in participating in, as well as a place that they'd like to volunteer in. Thus, we were able to choose the places that we wanted to visit and then the work that we found most interesting. In Ho Chi Minh, we signed up for the "Food Outreach" Program which allows us to cook meals for the impoverished and disabled individuals of the city and surrounding areas. We start this work on Monday and I am very excited to get my hands dirty and feel like I am making a difference.
Looking back throughout this week, I cannot see a difference within myself, but I can see a difference in my relationship with my sister. It has been really fun to hear some of the answers that she has to people's questions and to learn more about her. I think that we are already growing closer and I'm hoping I'll continue to adopt even a small portion of her personable and motherly nature.
-Lilly
Friday, January 17, 2020
Dodging Dengue
*Pinch* Ow.
As I sit in the travel clinic at the Glenbrook hospital and receive my final vaccination, my mind can't help but wander to the long list of diseases that was presented to me during my initial consultation with student health at Iowa. The doctor there was a dream; and I really do mean that! He eased my nerves with a calming voice and jokes about the serious topics that we were covering: the many diseases and risks that my sister, Lainie, and I would face on our wild adventure. Similarly, he eased my mother's tensions as she shot him question after question on speaker-phone during our appointment! Clearly, my mother and I were on edge, even before we read the lengthy index of ailments. But now, I sit on the paper sheet of a medical table just a little more at ease knowing that I'll be dodging (fingers crossed!) a few more diseases than just dengue.
My four-month winter break consisted of lots of relaxing, but even more preparation for the trip of a lifetime. For one, frequent doctor visits were necessary in order to make sure all bases were covered. These included everything from a dentist appointment to the travel consultations where they prescribed me Malarone for Malaria prevention, and Azithromycin for the lovely traveler's diarrhea!! The prep continued with trips to stores like REI and TJmaxx for supplies such as a water bottle with a built-in filter and extremely lightweight, breathable clothing for the intense humidity.
More preparation ensued yesterday and today as Lainie and I began soaking our clothes in Permethrin, a strong insecticide, and then packing them into our suitcases as strategically as possible - we both have trouble with over-packing. Eventually, we rolled and shoved everything into our bags and could finally breathe a bit easier. This was the last piece of the puzzle.
If it weren't for friends and family coming to say goodbye and good luck, I don't think this experience would baffle me as much as it currently is. It seems surreal that I will not be going back to school this semester to struggle through classes that have no impact on the rest of my life. For once, I feel like I am actually doing something of substance, and that feels really damn good. I used to kick myself for not taking the time to travel before starting college, but now I can't imagine this semester any other way. I know what I will be missing at school, and I am not grieving over it. On top of that, I am more than ready to learn loads about myself and create a more balanced life in all areas. This adventure is the definition of a growing experience!
Our first destination, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is 13 hours ahead of Chicago time, and I've thought about jet-lag a little more than necessary in the last couple days. I had decided on pulling an all-nighter before our 11 a.m. flight in an effort to combat the worst part of flying. But, my eyes are now drooping, my body is aching, and I think I'm hallucinating. Maybe I'll get a couple hours of shut-eye before I have to deal with the bustling O'Hare airport. After all, tomorrow is a BIG day!
Signing off,
Lilly
As I sit in the travel clinic at the Glenbrook hospital and receive my final vaccination, my mind can't help but wander to the long list of diseases that was presented to me during my initial consultation with student health at Iowa. The doctor there was a dream; and I really do mean that! He eased my nerves with a calming voice and jokes about the serious topics that we were covering: the many diseases and risks that my sister, Lainie, and I would face on our wild adventure. Similarly, he eased my mother's tensions as she shot him question after question on speaker-phone during our appointment! Clearly, my mother and I were on edge, even before we read the lengthy index of ailments. But now, I sit on the paper sheet of a medical table just a little more at ease knowing that I'll be dodging (fingers crossed!) a few more diseases than just dengue.
My four-month winter break consisted of lots of relaxing, but even more preparation for the trip of a lifetime. For one, frequent doctor visits were necessary in order to make sure all bases were covered. These included everything from a dentist appointment to the travel consultations where they prescribed me Malarone for Malaria prevention, and Azithromycin for the lovely traveler's diarrhea!! The prep continued with trips to stores like REI and TJmaxx for supplies such as a water bottle with a built-in filter and extremely lightweight, breathable clothing for the intense humidity.
More preparation ensued yesterday and today as Lainie and I began soaking our clothes in Permethrin, a strong insecticide, and then packing them into our suitcases as strategically as possible - we both have trouble with over-packing. Eventually, we rolled and shoved everything into our bags and could finally breathe a bit easier. This was the last piece of the puzzle.
If it weren't for friends and family coming to say goodbye and good luck, I don't think this experience would baffle me as much as it currently is. It seems surreal that I will not be going back to school this semester to struggle through classes that have no impact on the rest of my life. For once, I feel like I am actually doing something of substance, and that feels really damn good. I used to kick myself for not taking the time to travel before starting college, but now I can't imagine this semester any other way. I know what I will be missing at school, and I am not grieving over it. On top of that, I am more than ready to learn loads about myself and create a more balanced life in all areas. This adventure is the definition of a growing experience!
Our first destination, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is 13 hours ahead of Chicago time, and I've thought about jet-lag a little more than necessary in the last couple days. I had decided on pulling an all-nighter before our 11 a.m. flight in an effort to combat the worst part of flying. But, my eyes are now drooping, my body is aching, and I think I'm hallucinating. Maybe I'll get a couple hours of shut-eye before I have to deal with the bustling O'Hare airport. After all, tomorrow is a BIG day!
Signing off,
Lilly
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