Well, six days into our trip (including travel time) and our group is unanimous - we're having such an amazing time! It's interesting to see how this trip is affecting everyone on our team a little differently. The range of opportunities and experiences we've shared so far is vast, so it's a little difficult to express everything we're feeling, I think.
To give you an example, we've entered the Forbidden City (the historical capitol where the emperor lived) to join the thousands of residnets and visitors to Hue celebrate the 700th birthday of the city - a HUGE celebration a couple evenings ago with dancing, fireworks, reenactments, and kites flying overhead! We've visited and played games with "street children" who spend their days working on the streets earning money for a living and to help pay for their school
fees.
And just this morning, we visited Phan Boi Chau's residence and met his granddaughter. Phan Boi Chau was and remains a Vietnamese hero and visionary for the people here...he believed in attaining the freedom and independence of the Vietnamese through critical thinking and education and even began the first study abroad opportunities for Vietnamese students to Japan in the early 20th century. We spent the morning at his residence planting trees at his grave and those of his fellow patriots as a symbolic act of reconciliation between Americansand the Vietnamese...to say that it was a moving experience for each one of us would be an understatement, for sure.
We've taken some great pictures that we hope to be able to post prior to our return, so keep checking in to our blog!
Yours in Service,
Nicole
No comments:
Post a Comment