Today we woke up to an early start of 6:00 and we had breakfast at 6:30 for an early departure for the airport at 7:00. We then boarded flight VN745 back to Singapore. YAY!!! I'M HOME!!!
27 March 2011
Vietnam Camp Day 5 (Thursday)
Today was the final day of camp. Today we went around Halong Bay in a cruiser. First, we visited the caves, then we boarded the boat again to go to a beach on one of the islands where we were given a choice to stay on the boat or get off to look around. I stayed on the boat. We then cruised around for about 20 minutes before returning to the same island to pick up those who got off. We then cruised back to the mainland while having lunch on the boat. Once we got back to the mainland, we boarded buses back to Hanoi.
Vietnam Camp Day 4 (Wednesday)
Today we went back to the Thi Son Secondary School where we ran activities for the students including card games, origami, etc. Then we played some games that they had prepared for us, including catching a rooster with a blindfold, playing tug-of-war and smashing pots with a bat while wearing a blindfold. We then had lunch at the same restaurant that we had been having lunch at for the past few days before boarding the buses for a 3hr bus trip to Halong Bay.
When we arrived at Halong Bay, we were sent straight up to our hotel rooms to rinse and refresh before going out to a celebration dinner where we ate in front of a slideshow of photos from the entire camp. We then visited the Halong Bay night markets before walking back to our hotel.
When we arrived at Halong Bay, we were sent straight up to our hotel rooms to rinse and refresh before going out to a celebration dinner where we ate in front of a slideshow of photos from the entire camp. We then visited the Halong Bay night markets before walking back to our hotel.
Vietnam Camp Day 3 (Tuesday)
Today we returned to the orphanage to continue our work. This time my group was assigned the job of turning the pond area into a garden bed. The previous group who had this job had already drained out all of the water and silt. We continued their work by filling it with mud. We continued doing this until lunch, where we ate at the same restaurant as yesterday.
After lunch we returned for our last session of work at the orphanage. My group was back on playground duty again. The playground was now in it's final stages. After we finished filling the inside of the wall with gravel, we some of us began mixing cement to lay over the top while others worked on assembling the play equipment to go in the playground.
That night after dinner we went to the Thi Son secondary school where we danced and sung around a campfire, before singing to the students 'Heal the World' by Michael Jackson. After that, we boarded buses straight back to the hotel.
After lunch we returned for our last session of work at the orphanage. My group was back on playground duty again. The playground was now in it's final stages. After we finished filling the inside of the wall with gravel, we some of us began mixing cement to lay over the top while others worked on assembling the play equipment to go in the playground.
That night after dinner we went to the Thi Son secondary school where we danced and sung around a campfire, before singing to the students 'Heal the World' by Michael Jackson. After that, we boarded buses straight back to the hotel.
Vietnam Camp Day 2 (Monday)
Today we woke up to an early start of 7:00. We then had our breakfast at 8:00 for a 9:00 departure. After our breakfast, we boarded the buses to the Kim Bang Social Centre which was a run-down orphanage that we were to help restore as the main focus of our camp. We were then given an orientation of the orphanage before having lunch at a nice, open-air restaurant nearby.
After lunch, we returned to the orphanage to begin our work. My group was given the job of building the playground. We started by clearing the area of large rocks. We then built a wall around the area and began shoveling gravel to fill the inside of the wall. At the same time, we had to remove some massive tree stumps that were in our way. The largest tree stump took about 3 hours to remove!
At the end of the day we went back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner. After dinner we were given a choice of spending quiet time in our rooms or watching 'The Tooth Fairy'. After that we went to bed.
After lunch, we returned to the orphanage to begin our work. My group was given the job of building the playground. We started by clearing the area of large rocks. We then built a wall around the area and began shoveling gravel to fill the inside of the wall. At the same time, we had to remove some massive tree stumps that were in our way. The largest tree stump took about 3 hours to remove!
At the end of the day we went back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner. After dinner we were given a choice of spending quiet time in our rooms or watching 'The Tooth Fairy'. After that we went to bed.
Vietnam Camp Day 1 (Sunday - Day of Departure)
Today was the day we departed for Vietnam. We all assembled in Changi Airport Terminal 1 to board flight VN744 to Hanoi. After stepping our of Hanoi International Airport, we boarded buses to a nice, causal restaurant for dinner. After this, we boarded the buses again and we were taken to the old quarters. We toured the old quarters as well as the night markets, before we boarded our buses again and were sent to our hotel.
Hanoi Awaits Me...
As a year 8 student of the Australian International School Singapore, I am travelling to Vietnam for a school camp. Here, we will be helping to restore an orphanage as well as visiting a Vietnamese local school. I am excited about this camp mainly because of my compassionate love for helping people. Helping people is not only beneficial to the person who you are helping, but it also gives you a good feeling in return.
I think I know what to expect of Hanoi - I have been to Saigon before and I expect Hanoi to be similar, with the CBDs full of hustling bustling markets.
I look forward to spending time with my schoolmates as well as helping the orphans and generously giving them donations such as books and toys, so that they can enjoy the type of childhood that all children should have.
I think I know what to expect of Hanoi - I have been to Saigon before and I expect Hanoi to be similar, with the CBDs full of hustling bustling markets.
I look forward to spending time with my schoolmates as well as helping the orphans and generously giving them donations such as books and toys, so that they can enjoy the type of childhood that all children should have.
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