A Nice Change of Plans

A group of students from Johnson State College (JSC) is spending the next few weeks with Clear Path International in Vietnam. This is possible due to a partnership between Clear Path, the Break Away Program and JSC. The students and staff will be posting tales and photos from their journey to this blog. You can read all of their posts by clicking here. Photos can be enlarged by clicking them



Posted by Tara Duffy

Today was the day that we were to continue in our ditch digging efforts with our second group of Vietnamese economic students. We were told that this had been changed because of the flexibility of our service projects. We were told that we would be clearing away weeds and repairing the backyard of our beloved school house we have been teaching the children English. This sounded not only as a great relief, but also as a service project that really had a true connection with the group. These children, ranging in various ages, have become our greatest find here in this busy city.

Tucked away behind a busy bicycle filled street, tennis courts and chain link fences is this tiny yellow school house, complete with small playground and play areas. My first day entering such a rabbits hole was nerve racking due to the inexperience I felt with children. All my fears have been cast aside now that I have met and spent many times laughing and both teaching and learning each day.
Working with the economic students here in this Secret Garden of a place was truly a delight. The children were all there, not really sure of what we were doing so early in the morning. The Hue students and JSC students stood in a circle exchanging names and undergoing a brief talk about what we were to be doing for the morning hours. Clear away weeds, pricker bushes, and anything in the way of a new socce...er, I mean new football field.
We took almost no time picking up the tools, Hue and JSC students alike, and getting too it. The next few hours were filled with chipping away at weeds, carrying baskets of brush to the back of the property, and clearing away broken glass that had hid in the soil. Dave, the big dog of our group, wasted no time in helping to re-erect a fallen chain-link fence. Even going back to re-wire parts that needed to be tied according to the little woman that runs the school. During all of this work the children filtered in and out helping out and picking up tools here and there to show us they can do it too. Everyone became friends that day.
After hard work and bidding farewell to our Economic friends, the JSC gang returned to the hotel for another delicious lunch and cooled off before our return to the school for English lessons. I must brag a little bit about our children's group. They have mastered the ABC's and 0-10 eager to learn more. All along they are teaching me different Vietnamese terms. I can now count from 1-10. The lessons went well and we will need to brainstorm to keep them learning for the next two weeks here in Hue.
Teaching can be pretty exhausting so we needed to refuel with
sugarcane juice with our new interpreter friends from the English department. Here we decided that we must all meet up on our free Sunday morning and they can show us the sights. Who better to get a tour from then students? Our experiences here in Vietnam are so much in such a short amount of time that it is hard to sum it all up for this blog, but I hope that I have given this day justice.