CSDS, Vietnam - Life is beautiful

CSDS goodbye present

After one week of being back home I can now better reflect on my last 3 weeks in Vietnam. I didn't have much expectations to be honest or at least I tried to not raised any. When I was preparing everything for my trip I read the volunteer guide that the organization sent me. In this guide I had all the information, from what I should take, a bit of Vietnamese history and also a little bit of what we should expect of being a volunteer.

Happy beautyful little girl

After reading all of it I thought "yeah I am not going there and change anyone's life!!" and it's true we don't change anyone's life by spending a few months with them and in my case even less because I was going to be there for just 2 weeks. When I started to think about it I wondered if it made sense to go for just 2 weeks... I was troubled with these thoughts for a while. But then, what does it matter if it's just for 2 weeks, 2 days or 2 hours... you can actually impact someone's life just by spending 2 minutes with them. We don't make a big change people's life but we definitely can have a little impact. And that my friends... that is exactly how I felt every day that I spend with the children or with the students in the community classes. Yes I didn't do anything special, I just played with kids tried to entertain them and I also only spoke english with the students, what does it matter?? I help the little ones go through the afternoon with a bit more fun and I helped the students to know even if just 1 more word or that Portugal exists and where in the map. Is this too little? Probably but... Well it felt like a lot to me. So looking back there is nothing that  would change about this experience. The CSDS staff was the most helpful and gentle that I could ask. I met very interesting people that do an amazing job to help their community, people passioned about their work, people that actually care. They do an amazing work with the little resources they have.

I learned through these weeks that life is beautiful, you help by giving whatever you have (english knowledge or just passion for children) and you get it all back. You get it all back by having just one little girl coming to play with you every time she sees you or just having students saying that they enjoyed the class and they wished you could stay longer.

At this moment I am writing with tears in my eyes. I really connected with the children I met, I loved the time I spent there and everyone I met. I just wished I could have stayed longer. But duty called.

Another learning is that, it is very good to travel alone. You meet a lot of people and you are a lot more open to talk with different people. You meet a lot of people that turn up to be really weird but that is fun too.

So I will probably repeat this experience... Maybe I will go back... who knows.

Day #23 - Goodbye Vietnam

Goodbye Hanoi @ Hoan Kiem Lake

It is my last day in Vietnam, so much has happened in the last three weeks that is impossible to describe, tell everything that I have seen, listened and felt.

Last night @ volunteers house

After finishing my volunteer experience I left the volunteers house and came to an hotel in Old Quarter in Hanoi. I had spend my traveling in a low cost budget so I decided that I would spoil myself on my last days in Vietnam. Staying in a nice hotel was a start and then shopping in the Old Quarter was the second step and a perfect way to say goodbye to this city. Also was the perfect way for me to be lost in the Old Quarter as well! You know me and my lack of sense of directions... add a neighborhood where all the streets look the same and are full with people and motorbikes and taraaa!! - 30 minutes wandering around. I only knew one way to get to the hotel which started in the lake, however I couldn't find the dam' lake for quite long time. Result of being lost in the Old quarter? - I did quite a lot of shopping.

Water puppet show

In the evening I met with the other volunteers again and we went to the water puppet show. It was nice and funny but after 20 minutes I think I had enough and we were kind of half way. If I understood Vietnamese would have helped a lot, but well at least I ticked the box. After we went for drinks, this means beer and we ended up in a bar full of foreigners that only played hip hop. Let's say that this is not really my favorite type of music and even less the rubbing in each type of dance that usually comes with this music. Nevertheless I was having fun and this guy approaches me. He starts to talk with me because of my glasses. I don't really understand this, is it not normal people wearing glasses?? Well, maybe not ones so big and probably they avoid to take it when going out. Well, I don't!! So he thought that my glasses were fake and then when he finds out that I am Portuguese living in the UK he says he is from Leeds and then shoots "Oh you are Portuguese... if you were English I knew exactly what you were thinking but now I really don't know!!" - what the f#$% is that supposed to mean?? You know me right so I said "Well I am here in a bar having fun with my friends and just talking with you, as simple as that!!" If that is what he uses as an approach I think he is not going to be very successful. Moving on... After this we went to another bar and once the night ended we took a taxi. Going in a taxi in Hanoi is always an adventure and being foreigner means "they will try to rip you off!!" and that's exactly what happened. As we said we wouldn't pay 5 times the correct price, we gave him money and he threw back to our faces. We left the money in the taxi and then left. The taxi driver got our of the taxi and came after us threatening with chopsticks. Now that I think about it is quite funny but at the time was really scary. It was almost 3 in the morning and we had a crazy taxi driver chasing us with chopsticks and me ridiculously trying to avoid the guy being "stabed"!!

Halong Bay

But this was the last stressful moment of this trip! On Thursday I went in a 2 day cruise in Halong bay. Halong bay is one of the 7 Wonders of Nature. This is a beautiful bay! The day started very early, with a bus trip of 4 hours from Hanoi to Halong Bay and once we got to Halong city we were transferred by boat to the big boat. From the moment I checked in at the hotel in the Old quarter until I sat at lunch table at the cruise I had to keep saying that I was traveling alone... no I don't have a husband and no I don't have a boyfriend. Everyone seemed confused and I don't understand why is so difficult to understand that I am single!! I forgot to tell you, the last time that I was on the bus to the volunteer house the man that sells the tickets started to talk with me. Myself and Eve made the mistake of asking him for directions and then when Eve got out of the bus he kept talking with me. From asking my age, where I come from - the usual, until are you married!! Well I told him that I wasn't and he carried on asking "Why not?" - what kind of question is that??.  I told him "I haven't find the right husband yet!!" - what else could I say... He was not done yet so he asked where I bought my watch and how much I paid. Well let's say that the watch I was wearing is worth as much as the average salary in Vietname, so I just told him that it was a present - which is actually true. So he nodded and gave the final shot "I see why you are not married, you think you are too young and you don't need to get married." By this moment I was getting a tiny bit annoyed so I just looked at him and repeated "Not really, I just didn't find a husband!!" he smiled and lots of people came in the bus so he had to go work... Anyway let's say that if you go alone anywhere in Vietname and you are a woman you will be asked a thousands times if you are married and if the answer is no you will see their confused expression looking at you.

My cruise buddies: Amy, Lisa and Myriam

Once I got to the cruise we sat at the dinning table and I met Myriam, Amy and Lisa. Myriam was traveling alone as well and Lisa and Amy were traveling together. Once Myriam and I realized that we were the only ones traveling alone we became kayak buddies and we kept on enjoying the cruise together. The cruise included visit the caves in one of the Halong Bay islands. I always knew that Halong bay was going to be a busy place full of tourists but... I never thought it was that busy. It was almost impossible to take a picture without someone on the other side appearing in it. The visit to the caves was quite nice and the best part was the guide. The way that they tried to make it more interesting and also justify the presence of the guide was by showing us some "rocks" and say that they had a particular shape, animal, fingers, etc

The penis rock

Let's say that I never saw what he was saying and one of the times we all disagreed with his interpretation. There was this bit of rock that the first moment you look at it, you just see a penis. Well, the guide said it was a pointing finger... Ok, saying that it looked like a penis probably wouldn't be very appropriate but it definitely looked like one. After the caves we cruised to the Tip To beach where we could swim and also go up the mountain to enjoy the view. Well, I didn't swim, it was not hot enough for me as we were on the side of the island where there was only shade - I know, I Know!! You are thinking "Not hot enough?? Is she crazy?!" Yes It was not hot enough for me, end of story! I went up the mountain and the view was just stunning. Everything was so beautiful and peaceful - well if you manage to forget the noise of the boats and the Chinese making movies of the view (I still don't understand this bit. Why make a movie of a bay?? Weirdos!!) The day ended with one of the best sunset that I have seen and back to the boat. In the evening we learned how to cook fried spring rolls, that is just delicious and had dinner with a gazillion of courses and all very much amazing!!

Australian Family

After spending all day traveling in a bus going in a cruise with super tight schedule, I just felt like going to the top deck and enjoy the evening in the bay by myself, just enjoy the view. Well... that didn't happen. Once I got to the top deck Myriam and Lisa were playing cards with an Australian family that were also in the same cruise. They were a big group of family and friends traveling all together, parents, sons & daughters and boyfriends and everyone was playing cards. We joined them and it was so much fun. They were so competitive and just so friendly - we made another group of friends for the rest of the cruise. So no Me time at all for myself.

The second day on the cruise was so nice, we had the chance to go kayaking for an hour around some caves  and the best part was that there wasn't so many people in this area when we went but once we were trying to get to the boat this bamboo boat full of Chinese appeared and once they saw us they just started to take pictures of us. Right, I don't really have anything against Chinese but... they are weird! What are they going to do with hundreds of pictures of 2 foreigners struggling to take the Kayak back to the boat?? Honestly!! The cruise was really nice and I really enjoyed Halong bay, I believe everyone should go and see it but at the same time it's just sad that they are not taking care of the Natural wonder to make sure that it will "survive" as it is for a very long time.

Spring rolls

Cruise over, time to go back to the hotel and realized that Amy and Lisa are staying in the same hotel. We met for dinner and in the beginning they wanted to try Pho so we looked for a restaurant. we found one that only serves beef Pho so we moved to another one and once I asked what exactly they wanted to eat Lisa just said "Spring rolls!! I just love spring rolls" hahaha, me to! I was exactly in the same page. And after trying to talk with the front man of a restaurant and he telling me that they didn't have Pho and that it was not a Vietnamese restaurant... We actually decided to go inside because it looked nice and we realize that the restaurant OF COURSE it is Vietnamese food and, guess what? It does have Pho in the menu. Ok probably I was not saying Pho with the best pronunciation but either way. The food was amazing and it was the best way to enjoy my last meal in Vietnamese soil and also to say goodbye to Hanoi city. After saying goodbye to Amy and Lisa I went to the hotel.

Before I went to Vietnam I had some good news, I was offered with a new position at work and also I got promoted. Until my last night in Vietnam I haven't done anything to celebrate this so I decided that I would do something to spoil myself. I believe I deserved it so when I looked for the hotel for my last night I looked for a spa hotel and I found it. So to end my trip to Vietnam and to celebrate my new job and promotion I did a hot stone massage and foot spa! I know that this all goes against the purpose of the trip - I am really spoiling myself - but it just felt so good and it was so cheap, both treatments costs was like $35 USD, is not even 30 pounds!!! The hot stone was really nice, it felt amazing and so on but the foot spa... everything was amazing until she decides at the end that the best way to finish this amazing and relaxing treatment beating the shit out of me in my back!!! You know when they hit with the hands in a vertical way?? I actually never thought that would actually happen but now I can say, Yes it does. Crazy!! And because this was not enough she started to beat me with the palm of her hands!! Auch!! I am glad that I didn't ask for a Thai massage!! Myriam told me that was not a relaxing massage and that's why I changed to the hot stone. I don't think I would be here to tell the story after that. They would be still trying to put all my pieces together after that.

And this is it, time to say good bye get on the plane and return to reality. My trip back to UK it was fine, it was so long but ok. It would have been better if Qatar airways didn't disappoint me so much by not having hot chocolate. There was 2 funny moments during my trip back. Well, probably more but I don't remember anymore: 1. The moment that I realized that I really wanted hot chocolate, but after being offered with champagne they tell you that there is no hot chocolate in the biggest bloody airplane in the world, so I am not going to have it; 2. In Doha airport I went to have another strawberry and banana smoothie and the girl recognizes me from 3 weeks ago. It was hilarious and also so nice. I had to tell her that they make the best smoothies!

Last stop Paris! I got to Paris with all my luggage, I didn't loose anything during all my trip, which was very surprising. I bought a couple of paintings in Hanoi and all made to Paris. Yahoo!! But not everything made to England because I forgot the stupid paints in the airport in Paris. Yes, everything made all the way from the other side of the world and on my very last stop, I manage to forget my paintings, the ones that I went on purpose to the Old Quarter in my last hour in Hanoi to buy. The ones that I specifically looked for a lady from whom I bought previously. Yes, those ones! I left it in Paris airport. Big, massive BUMMER!

World Nature Wonder - Halong bay

Day #18 - Last day volunteering

Tuesday's community class

Today was my last day in the volunteering projects. In the morning I went to give my last community class. It was so weird, I really enjoyed to do that and I also really liked my students - Is so funny to say My students! We talked about cultural differences and we had a very interesting conversation about this. At the end of the class they asked me if I was going to teach the class on Friday and I had to tell them that it was my last day. They felt sorry and said that I was a very good teacher (this was surprising to me) and they asked me to take some pictures with them. Of course I also took a picture of this class. On Monday I said goodbye to Nhung but I wasn't sure if I could hug her or not, so we just waved to each other, but today with the girl from the community class she said goodbye and then she came and give me a hug. Was so cool, I really wanted to hug Nhung to say goodbye but I wasn't sure if it was ok, so this time was nice to do that.

My goodbye postcards

In the afternoon I went as well on my last trip to the hospital. I didn't have any particular activity in mind but then Eve suggested them to make a goodbye card for me and they did!! This little boy that the day before was sad because he missed all the activities, he was there and the moment he saw me he smiled and then he did my postcard. It is a beautiful postcard where he also made a draw of myself. So cute. As we are in a children hospital we have children from 6 months to 16 years old, so yesterday this 16 year old boy was there and he wanted to practice his English. As he was very ill he was missing a lot of classes and he wanted to know my opinion about his English level. I have to say that it was very good, he knew a lot of words and could spell very well as well. 

Street Food with the local supporters

As this was my last at the hospital we went all for street food. The local supporters took us again and once more it was delicious. I have to say that my European body doesn't seem to be coping very well with the vietnamese food but I am not stopping eating, I take Imodium and hope it just goes away. Of course that when saying goodbye there was a lot of hugs and they also gave me really nice feedback which made me very happy. It is really weird to know that I won't be seeing the little ones again, in 2 weeks I just connected with them. Well, who knows me knows that I love children anyway. 

Karaoke bar

Today was not only my last day in the volunteers house, was also Emma's and Sophie's last day, therefore, we all went for Karaoke after dinner. Yeah, Karaoke!! I couldn't come to Asia and not go for Karaoke, it would be outrageous!! So we went to this Karaoke place and we all got a room just for ourselves - it was hilarious!! I forgot to mention!! When we were going inside the bar I asked the guy if people could smoke inside (this was  stupid question, of course they can but I was just checking), I didn't use words I just put my two fingers, like people do to hold the cigarette, and put close to my lips. Well the guy understood something different, he thought I was asking if they do blowjobs in there!! He makes the move that everyone knows it's referring to blowjob and nods his head saying yes. It was hilarious. 

CSDS volunteers

Karaoke was amazing, so much fun. I was the oldest person in the room... does that really matters?? I was with friends and I was having fun. The waiters just kept on bringing beer and fill our cups while we were trying to sing. We had different music lists in different languages and it was just hilarious to see that when we thought we asked a song, actually it was something completely different that would show up on screen. Amazing!! I couldn't possibly ask for a better "farewell" party.

The volunteering is finished - sad face - and now is time to enjoy a bit more of the Vietnamese Paradises. Tomorrow I am going on a 2 days cruise to Halong Bay. Tonight I am staying in a hotel in the city centre and tomorrow early morning I depart and will spend the night in the cruise. For someone that doesn't really like boats this is going to be interesting. Yeah I know!! You are thinking "how can she not like boats when she did surf??!!", well is not the same thing is it? I am not in a cage that if it drowns, it takes me with it!! Anyway, I know is silly fear but I believe I will be ok. In the next couple of days I am also spoiling myself. this trip so far has been about low cost traveling but the next couple of days I will go on a very nice cruise and I will spend my last night in a very good hotel where I have booked a massage!! I believe I deserve this treat. I haven't done anything to celebrate my new job and promotion and also I got my bonus last month so now is... me me me time. I will be traveling alone the next couple of days which is also a experience as since I landed in Vietnam I didn't spend a minute alone. Wish me luck :)

Day #9 - Teaching and Street Food

Community class 

Today I had my first full day of volunteering work. I started in the morning with Community classes. In these classes we have the university students that want to learn English but can't afford to pay the classes.

I started the class by introducing myself and as I mentioned before once I say what my job is I cannot not spend 30 minutes talking about chocolate. They wanted to know how to make chocolate and I think I managed to explain in the most simple way possible. They were so excited that when I said that my first job was in coffee, they also wanted to know everything about coffee and here when they learned that Vietnam was the first country to export coffee they felt very proud. They also have good coffee here.

After talking about me, chocolate and coffee we started the class with theme traveling. It was very good and I had lots of fun. Hopefully the students from tomorrow will enjoy as much as the ones today. As part of one task they had to create a "bucket list" and one of them just wrote "pretty wife", I thought it was fair, who wouldn't want that?!

Afternoon I went to the hospital again and played with the children. In the beginning is always hard to get their attention and will but with time we manage to lure them to participate in the activities. Boh was there again and we made a face mask together. But today there was this little girl, she must be 3 years old and she wouldn't say a word or give a smile. I tried everything I could without being able to say a word i Vietnamese until I think she gave me a smile... I think, I am still not sure about it.

Enjoying Vietnamese Street food

The day ended having Vietnamese street food (they say!), Vietnamese pasta and pizza, all very delicious, however I only had a tiny bit. I am not feeling great - my belly is not right!! It was something I ate but I am not stopping eating...  food is just sooo good. I am just going to lay on my bed and sleep! Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better. I so much hope so! 

Today is short, I am just not feeling very well.

Day #8 - Happy Easter from Vietnam

Easter @ Hoan Kiem Lake

Well, Easter in Vietnam is just different. Why? well, there is no Easter here. Instead of celebrating Easter today I went to walk around Hanoi city centre again and buy souvenirs.

As Sunday, today the day started later and we headed to the city centre and get some food. I am not proud of myself today because I went to eat something western. Today was a day full of western things. Maybe I was missing being at home for Easter... but actually I think I was just not brave enough to go somewhere without a local that knows the place and the people. So today there is no pictures of food, I am too embarrassed. 

After lunch we went for shopping and I had my first try on bargain. I did some shopping and I tried to bargained in all of them. But there was one point that I felt very very guilty, more like an hypocrite. I was challenging the price of a tshirt that was 70000 VND which is 3.24 USD!! I challenged and I paid only 50000, 2.32 USD. This money doesn't even pay the tshirt!! I left the shop and I was thinking how hypocrite I am. I came here as volunteer to help and I don't want to pay 3.23 USD for a tshirt when I was wearing a 20 pounds one???!! Just felt wrong. I can't fix the world but this just felt wrong...

We spent the afternoon walking around and we went to a shopping centre on the other side of the town that it was like we entered in a different world. Suddenly, the streets with the open drains and people cooking on the street, parking their bikes anywhere and having shops stuffed with clothes and other articles was like a different planet. In the shopping there was Dior, Cartier, Kenzo, etc and a man to open the doors for us. The differences that you see between two worlds in this city are gigantic. This is the type of thing that I knew to exist but when you see with your eyes is just awakening... and sad. And as anywhere in the world, as more simple and modest the people are, nicer and more welcome they are.

After a nice walk in the sun around the lake we sat to relax a little and a group of students approached us. They are having English classes and they wanted to practice so they asked our help. I spent some time talking with them. About what I do as job (this is always a funny part of the conversations), my hobbies, the reason to be in Vietnam, what did I visited and where do I go next. They took sometime to explain us the legend of the Hoan Kiem Lake (in english, The lake of the returned sword) and after they asked me to tell something about where I come from. After explaining that my job is make chocolate, this is the best part of the conversation. I told them that I was from Portugal, their faces, like everyone else, is of confusion - they have no idea where Portugal is - so then I shoot the miracle question "Do you know Cristiano Ronaldo??" Their faces open with a massive smile and say "Cristiano Ronaldo?? yes!! I am a big fan, he is so handsome!!" - job done, everyone knows from where I am. Thank you so much Cristiano, you have no idea but you made my life a lot easier here around Vietnam, probably anywhere else I go too!!

Our English students

To finish, do you remember when I said that everyone here was very polite and respected a lot the elderly people by giving their seats on the bus??!! Well, not everyone, there is assholes in Hanoi as well. Surprise, surprise!! When this old lady got in the bus, Amondine (another volunteer here in Hanoi) stood up to give her seat and another lady took the seat. When we pointed to the older, very fragile lady to show that the seat was for her, she completely ignored us and the lady. In my best Portuguese I said "cabra do c$%&"#$"!

Tomorrow, my first community class and another afternoon at the hospital :D   

I also skyped with my family today. Was nice to talk with everyone and also see my niece. She is so big. I never spent so long without talking with her and also neither spent so much time away from home like now. This was also the first Easter in 30 years that I was not with my family and without my Kinder egg. Well, I did a lot of good and nice things as well and I always have next year. I am sure I do. But... I do miss my homeland.

PS: First Imodium tablets taken... my belly feels funny (very worried face)

Day #7 - Visit Hanoi city centre

The Lost soldier memorial

Today was day to go to the Old Quarter of Hanoi and visit some historic monuments of the city. 

The day started early, CSDS local supporters came to give us a tour around the city centre. We walked through some little roads (looked a bit like a gueto) to get to the bus stop and then go to the city centre. Once we were on the bus I was surprised with how much respect everyone one has for the older people. The moment someone older would get in the bus, a couple of people would stand to give the seat straight away. It didn't need to be an elderly... just someone older than you. And men would do the same with women. There was no need to ask or just direct to the seat. The moment they would get in the bus, someone would give the seat straight away. It's amazing to see. There is no need for priority seats around here... people are just polite!

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

First stop: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh was the General that kicked the Americans ass out of Vietnam during the war. He wanted freedom for his country and he made it, then he became Prime Minister and after President and all Vietnamese are thankful to him for the independence of the country. Therefore the Mausoleum, to worship and to remember that "Nothing is more precious than freedom and independency" (by Ho Chi Minh). 

To get into the Mausoleum area is not easy, there is a lot of rules but anyone can go. You need to cover your knees and you can not show your shoulders, the queue is massive and when you get inside the Mausoleum... Is just impressive. I felt goose bumps. I don't really believe that the body in the Mausoleum is the real one but the truth is... it feels powerful to see how much he is important to the Vietnamese and how much he has done for his country. To me this is impressive. Ho Chi Minh died on Vietnam independent day, 2nd of September and apparently every 2nd of September it rains and Vietnamese believe it is the sky/gods crying for Ho Chi Minh.

"You can kill 10 of my men for every one we kill of yours. But even at those odds, you will lose and we will win." - Ho Chi Minh

After the Mausoleum we went for lunch and I had my first ride n the taxi in Hanoi - that is an experience. At som point we passed by a woman that was driving a motorbike wearing a dress showing her legs but all covered up on her face and rest of the body (Vietnamese don't like to be in the sun) and the taxi driver opened the window just to tell her that the way she was dressed didn't make any sense... (and we say that Germans are straight forward!). For lunch we had Pho cuon, Pho chièn tron and other Vietnamese delicacies. Everything delicious - we do eat a lot here. And when back into the centre we were 6 in a car of 5 and the taxi driver never said anything, he just wanted to take where we wanted - people are so relaxed here... when they don't have a car horn in front of them.

Then we walked around the Old Quarter and dam' it was so hot, I had egg coffee (it is amazing). Apparently, there is only two places where you can drink egg coffee and the recipe is secret, it's passed within the family from generation to generation. Awesome isn't it? And delicious, if you come here you have to try. I also tried Sugar cane juice. I thought it was going to be super sweet but actually it's not, and is so refreshing. It's great for summer, super hot days.

Magic Turtles @ Literature Temple

The city tour finished in the Literature Temple, Temple of Confucius. This was Vietnam first University and the students come here to worship Confucius to have luck in the exams. Now the University is closed but they have these stone turtles with the name of the better students and their grades, where before, the student could go and rub the turtles heads to be lucky in their exams and successful in their careers. 

After being walking around all day coming home was just what I needed. A shower and be inside a little with air con on is just a dream. Later getting into the Old quarter to enjoy a little of Hanoi nightlife.

It's so difficult to describe anything in this blog. There is so much that I have seen that is not possible to write and I just try to absorb see and try as much as I can while I am here... unfortunately only for 3 weeks. After this first couple of days, life in Europe just seems other life. I feel I am in a completely different world and that, is definitely not a bad thing... not bad at all.

Day #6 - 1st day at the Hospital

CSDS Vietnamese volunteers

Today it was my first day at the Hospital. Before I came some people were telling me to get ready for what I was going to see but I don't really think you can make yourself ready for anything. Of course I know that in some countries the health system is not good and is very poor, but one thing is knowing, the other thing is actually seeing it. And as much as any of you right now is thinking "I knew it" I can tell you: "you know nothing!!". Don't get me wrong is not that the conditions here are miserable... is not that. The thing is that is nothing similar to what we have in the west. 

I took for the first time the bus here in Hanoi, to go to the hospital - that was interesting. First, because I need to remember my way to the bus stop because I will go by myself next week; second because I have to cross a massive, busy avenue. Have I told you how the traffic works here? Well, if I did, I will repeat myself. Well you are not suppose to wait for them to stop (they won't stop), you are not supposed to run to the other side (it makes the drivers confused); you are supposed to just go for it, cross the road walking slowly until you reach the other side of the road. Well, I did that today and I thought I was going to die. Eve my volunteer colleague just kept saying: it's ok, just keep walking, you'll be fine. And I was !!! yahey \0/!! But I thought I was going to die... was cars and motorbikes behind me, ahead of me but we managed to cross the road... alive.

My attempt to cross the road

We got in the bus, which thankfully had air con and we went to the hospital. I still remember my way. Take the bus after the big bridge there is a stop I don't go out on this one, I go out in the next one. To come back it's exactly the same, pass by the big bridge, there is one stop - I don't leave on this one, I get out on the next one. I think I will be fine... at least I hope so...

The day in the hospital was very good. We got there and the first thing to do is to try to make the children come and play with us - this was the hardest bit. Not because you do try to make the kids come play with you but because you actually need to go into the rooms and see all the sick little ones. It can go from small babies, up to 6-10 years old. The conditions are minimal. They seem to have everything but the minimum of course. We are working with kids from the nephrology ward of the hospital. Some of them look very weak and they need to have their parents with them as there is no nurses spending any time with them. Family need to take food for them, nappies and anything else the kids need. You see the families carrying their houses up the stairs of the hospital, carrying their kids with them. The breeze they had was from the open windows because there was no air con... All of this just reminded me of how much we take for granted in the west all our health system, how much we complain about it and we forget completely about people that live with a lot less, and because we don't see it, we don't live with it we ignore. Because we know... everyone knows about these countries and the poor conditions they have, but no one does anything about it... including myself.

Boh, his dad and myself sneaking in

Once we managed to gather a few kids we started to play with them. I stayed with the little boy Boh (I don't think this is correct but I will keep it from now on) and the puzzles. I was just helping, not doing much, just giving him pieces. He was so shy in the beginning, we did a couple of puzzles and he kept without saying a word. The local supporter asked him if he wanted to know my name and he said very promptly "No!!" I kept playing with him and we made minions out of toilet paper cartons and I finally won him!! He wanted to know my name but as he was really shy he wanted his father to ask me!! In my very poor Vietnamese I said "Tên tôi là Juliana" he smiled, I wanted to take a picture with him but he didn't want it and ran away. As I was trying to take pictures, Ling this little girl got fascinated with the camera and started to take pictures from everyone.

Ling, the photographer

She was very demanding, waving to everyone to get closer so she could take a picture from everyone. She didn't want to give me the camera back and I just couldn't take the camera from her, so the pictures that you see from today are not mine... they are all taken by Ling. And at the end she made Boh to take a picture and I ran next to him so we could take a picture together. At the end he was so smiling and happy... everyone was playing and enjoying themselves. The local team is just amazing and they definitely d a great job here. Is great to see what they do and how much effort they put into organize activities with the little ones and make sure that there is always something more suitable for the different ages. But first of all, it depends always on what the kids want to do. They are in charge!!!  

Me and Ling - she loves a camera!!

Day #3 &4 - I arrived in Hanoi

After 23 hours of traveling I finally arrived in Hanoi at the Volunteers house. My journey until here it was good with some setbacks. I did Paris to Doha, Doha to Bangkok and finally Bangkok to Hanoi with Qatar airways. If you ever have the chance to fly with tis airline, take it!! They know what they are doing. My flight to Doha was on the A380 - 800 and that thing is like a city on air, you can even have access to wifi. The food is quite good, they keep feeding you every minute and you can watch all kinds of movies - they have a great selection!! (If you haven't watch Big Hero 6, have a go is quite good movie) I had to do 2 stops which was quite tiring but gave me the chance to walk around a bit and do some exercise. Also I had the best smoothie ever at Doha airport and managed to loose my passport in Bangkok.

I always thought how does it feel when you hear your name loud around a massive airport... well now I know and I don't want to repeat the experience, because for a couple of minutes I thought "F#$%, f#$%, f#$% what am I going to do??" and almost cried until my "prince in white horse", aka Thai policeman, came to rescue me with my beloved passport! Ufa, safei-me!!

First thing once I arrived in Hanoi was "Dam' is so hot in here!!" it feels like you can't breathe, you just start to sweat and there is nothing you can do (for the Mondelez guys, imagine the worst hottest days in V4 office with all the windows closed - yap just like that!). Getting in the car with air conditioning is like being in heaven and you can finally feel normal again. It took me a bit to get used to this again and I think now I feel ok. It's not the temperature that is too much, is the crazy humidity - and oh my hair, yep this curls are getting wild!

On our way to the house, the traffic is just insane. They hit the horn for anything, you see people riding a bike with a small caravan on the back with someone laying down on a hammock and enjoying his ride; people crossing the road in the middle of the motorway and a man peeing on the side walk park without turning is back to the road - funny and insane as well.

Had my introduction to the house, is very simple but has everything and well it is an ONG so they have better things where to put their money on. we also had a neighborhood tour where we went to heck the local market. Apparently, one of the specialties here in Vietnam is dog. I saw one cooked in the market, they also had the face with teeth. I think I want to try but I cannot erase that image from my head. But I promise to give it a try, on the first day I believe it was too much.

Had my first meal, it was curry no big deal but it was good. After that we went for drinks to this local "bar". By bar I mean plastic table and chairs on the street and we had some bia, vietnamese beer. It was cold so to me it was good already. After that going to bed was just perfect. I didn't feel any jet lag but I was tired after all the traveling.

More new things to come tomorrow.

Count down #30 days to go

And there it is!! It's one month to go. Exciting!!

Everyone is asking me if I am ready... well let's say that I am not a person that plans a lot. As an example, when I moved to the UK I was not even aware that the plugs were different from continental Europe. Yep, that's me. I had where to live, I had someone to pick me up from the train station, what else did I need?? Well I found it quickly when I realised I couldn't charge my laptop...

So this time I am doing exactly... the same. I have the flights booked, I have accommodation sorted, I have someone picking me up from airport, I had the vaccines that I need, I know roughly the weather forecast, I know some places that I definitely want to visit and I read about the history and culture of the country so... Anything else I will figure it out once I am in Hanoi.

Things that I still need to prepare for the trip?? Well I  want to learn some Vietnamese words and I need a back pack that my friend Cathy is going to lend me.

I just realised that I actually planned a lot for this trip. I believe I am sorted... Now is just counting the days. 

Who am I and why am I here?

My name is Juliana better known as Ju. I am a Portuguese food scientist working in chocolate... yeah making chocolate is actually a job. I like science but I also like everything that is design, marketing and artistic. I love to have a project and dive in to it, love making stuff. I love summer, beach, flip flops and bikinis. I like pink, photography, sunset, friends and family.  I haven't travel much but I love it; in my bucket list I have the 7 wonders of the world. I like dinners with friends/family and crying from laughter. I like snowboarding, surfing and kick box. I love reading all sorts of books, from Fifty shades of Grey or Twilight saga to Dostoevsky. 

I like to look at my days and feel that I contributed to something good in some kind of way. I love to be inspired, empowered by people and the feeling that everything is possible. I believe that humans are capable of doing the best and worst that you can possible imagine. 
If I had to define myself with a quote it would say: "In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart. - Anne Frank"



How I've got here?

This all started 2 years ago when I was talking with Cathy about the fact that I wanted to do something different in my holiday. I wanted to have another life experience kind of thing. She had just come back from climbing the Kilimanjaro and I was so jealous... I wanted to go as well, I wanted to know a different country, I wanted to see the world, I wanted an once in a lifetime experience.

I was telling her "I wanted to climb Kili as well, however my friends don't really do these kind of things... they don't like it or just can't afford it" and travel alone in Africa or Asia, at that time, didn't seem a safe option.

That's when Cathy mentioned to me about volunteering abroad - a lot of people do it and take the chance to travel and know the countries/cultures. What a great idea!!! I can travel and at the same time help people in need. I searched and found so many programs - I didn't know that it was so easy to do something like this. You can help children, teach English, educate communities or even monitor animals in danger. Right so... the easy bit is done, now comes the hard part: I needed time and money and at that time I didn't have the holidays. So I postponed to next year... bummer

I was about to turn 30 last year and I had this goal of, before my birthday I would travel somewhere outside Europe for the first time in my life. I had holidays planned and... well it didn't happen. In last minute plans completely changed. So I ended up not having the holiday that I was supposed to have neither reach my goal - double bummer. 

So I thought "well if you can't go travel at least you can volunteer in Birmingham you just need to find something that you would like to do!!" and that's when I applied to be a volunteer in Birmingham Children's Hospital. However, I think I was not in a lucky moment and, guess what?? I was not selected. I felt really sad, I really wanted to volunteer and support children that are having a hard time. The job was to read stories, play games and spend time with them once a week. But well, they are lucky to have so many people willing to help them - bummer for me and good for the children.

But hey, I didn't give up!!!

Christmas time came and by talking with friends about what to do on our holidays I realized that they just wanted to go to a beach and do nothing... Don't get me wrong, I love that! I can do months of going to the beach enjoy sunshine and surf and volleyball, but this time I wanted something more. So I made the decision that I would go volunteer with children this year. I wanted to do it with children and I wanted to do it in Southeast Asia. Once again Cathy drove this decision a little. She had been on holiday in Cambodia and came back saying that people were so nice and kind... people that had nothing and still would always give you a smile. I looked! I compared! And I decided to be a volunteer in a Children's Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam with Friends for Asia. I don't really know how to explain it but I feel this urge to go.

And this is why I am here, i am telling you my story in Vietnam. From how am I getting there, my experience as volunteer and also a bit of the sightseeing that I hope to be able to do once I am there. 

I will also be sharing stories about people that are shaking the world by helping their relatives, someone on the street or their community.

Hopefully, you'll feel inspired as well because you know what??!! One can Shake the World.