Visiting Cong Quan School
July 22nd marked the third day of our
time spent helping in Hue, Central Vietnam. Everyone was ready and eager for
what the day had in stored, especially because this would be our first and only
vaccination event throughout the trip and because we will be visiting a school
in one of the more rural areas of Hue. We finished the vaccination strong,
despite a few setbacks early on in the day. Our next stop later in the
afternoon would be Cong Quan School, however the weather seemed to be working
against us. To everyone’s relief, the sky cleared up by midday, and we were
happily on our way to Cong Quan School.
Cong Quan School is located in the village of Vinh
Ha of Phu Vang District. Only a long, narrow stretch of road surrounded by
water separates Vinh Ha from the city, so for children seeking an education,
commuting back and forth to the city every day was a huge burden. With the help
of Aid to Children Without Parents (ACWP), our partner organization, building Cong
Quan School in Vinh Ha was the solution to this problem!
Traveling by road would take up a considerable
amount of time, so we had to travel by boat, which was why it was so important
to make sure the weather would not put us in any danger. The air was filled
with anticipation as we got on board the boat, though some were more reluctant
than others for we feared the boat might sink on us. It was a worn-out, wooden,
motor-powered boat barely large enough to fit the sixteen of us. Once in a
while, one of the crew had to scoop out water that leaked into the boat. We
were very concerned, even more so because the crew member had to weave through
some of us first, rocking the boat in the process. However, not before long did
our restlessness died down as we glided through the peaceful, calm waters, and
took in the refreshing, cool breeze. Before we knew it, we had arrived in Vinh
Ha.
As we made our way to Cong Quan School, I noticed
how simple and rudimentary the houses were. The school consisted of a single
roomed building slightly smaller in size than that of the average high school
classroom in California. This school only has one teacher, so all the kids are
put in one class. At first, the children were apprehensive when we arrived, but
that is to be expected when a bunch of strangers arrive out of nowhere to a
village where there is little change in their day-to-day life. However, the
children began to open up when we started our lesson on dental hygiene and
hand-washing. Their undivided attention and desire to learn was a tremendous
motivation for us. Watching some of the children practicing proper
teeth-brushing on our set of model teeth was very endearing, especially when
they need to use both hands to grasp the large toothbrush.
After the lesson, we gave the children each a small
goody bag filled with various treats, sang some songs, and played some games
with them. We sang “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” song to them, and in return, they
sang a couple of songs to us. Watching all the kids sing together really
brought joy to my heart; it was clear in their singing that they really enjoyed
our company and enthusiasm. Afterwards, we taught them how to play Heads Up
Seven Up. Laughter and excitement filled the class as the children scurried
around to tag their friends. When it was time guess who tagged whom, for some
of the kids, they were cool as a cucumber, but some just could not contain
their excitement. We then decided to go outside to play
some more games.
Some of the games we played outside included: Meo
Bat Chuot (Cat Catches Mouse) and Ta la Vua (I am the King). Meo Bat Chuot
required one person, the cat, to chase another person, the mouse, around the circle
as everyone else try to help the mouse from being caught by the cat. The
children were full of energy; it seemed as if they could keep on running
forever as everyone was cheering them on. There was even more excitement when
we played Ta la Vua, which is a game of reaction in which a certain person has
to say “I am the king,” and the person next to the King that says “Long live
the king” first wins. There was laughter and screaming; the atmosphere was
filled with so much joy and thrill that I could not keep up with these kids.
Even the elders joined in on the fun; it was crazy, but in a good way. We all
had a blast, but it came time when we had to say our goodbyes. I wished we
could have stayed longer, and spend more time with the kids. As we await what
else Vietnam has in stored for us, one thing I’m sure of is that we will get to
meet many more wonderful children.
Thien-Dinh Nguyen, UC Berkeley