24th November.
Today was the first day we visited the school. We were warmly received by the teachers and students there. I was really surprised as students were lined in straight lines and we were to walk through all of them as if we were some kind of superstar. The Innova banner was hung right in front of the school. The students cheered as we walked pass. Some how it made me feel that what we are doing may be very little to us, but to them it means a lot.

We were directed to a small class room where the benches were clearly old and broken. The teachers still use a chalkboard to teach. There was barely enough light to see as the only source of light was a small light bulb. Nevertheless the conditions weren’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, the enthusiasm of the students overshadowed the blemishes of the classroom. We were greeted by a lady teacher who didn’t know how to speak English and our tour guide had to do the translation. It was then I realised that even the teachers themselves do not know how to speak the lingua franca of the world. We were served traditional Vietnam tea and every one of us received a flower each. I was really very touched as they were really very thoughtful and hospitable.

We proceeded to the construction work! I was very excited about it. I was designated to the "building of toilets" group. Basically we had to dig a hole which is 1m by 1 m by 1 m. Some of us used the shovel to dig while others carried the sand to an empty ground. By the rate we were going I thought we wouldn’t even finish one toilet in one month! Then a construction worker came to help us. His one blow to the soil is almost equivalent to us digging 5 times! Look at the disparity! I’ve come to realise that we were only there for the experience of trying to be a construction working, and doing like 1 over 100 percent of the job and claim that we were actually helping the students there. When in fact what really helps them is the money that we sent. They have no lack of skilled workers to carry out the job. Sometimes what we do may result in more trouble than help. We were there for less than 3 hours but I was already dead tired. It really made me appreciate construction workers in Singapore more! Imagine having to stand under the sun for the whole day doing manual work.

Later in the day, we had a chance to interact with the kids! They were really friendly and shy at first. But as we spoke and played with them, they opened up to us! Most of them were amazed by a digital camera and would crowd around whenever someone took a picture of them. It was really heart wrenching to see them not having new clothes to wear and the dirty conditions they live in. It’s a far cry compared to Singapore. I'm really lucky to be born here! I had the strong feeling of wanting to help them have a better standard of living, but yet there's nothing that I could do. We went to Vietnam for an objective that is to help the students there. But with what we did, I don’t think that we've done a lot for them.

Finally, I think we shouldn’t judge them based on their attire or looks or anything that is only on the surface. This is because they live a carefree life with no worries or care. If the village globalizes, they may not be happy even though they achieve a higher standard of living. Honestly, if I were to choose, I would rather stay in that type of environment. The life there is so carefree. There is little pollution; the air there is so fresh. There’s rustic scenery to view everyday compared to the high rise buildings here. The trip has many learning points and the most important thing is to cherish and appreciate what you have. Don’t compare and always be contented with what you have.

=)

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