We asked students what they expected from this trip and how they thought it would impact on their lives. Here is a compilation of what they said...
When I think about what to expect in Vietnam, my brother’s amazing comments on the work he had done keep resonating time and again. So I decided, why not just base my expectations, on his experiences?
I heard about this trip from my older brother, who went on this trip 3 years ago with the OFS team. He said the experience you get to help people who really need it is spectacular and it really makes you realize how lucky you are to have the life we have. Of course, needless to say he added on, that it isn’t one that can just be talked about, rather an experience that needs to be attained first-hand. This is why I am very excited to go on this trip; I hope to learn a lot of things about the locals of Vietnam and to really see and experience a different lifestyle – their lifestyle. Knowing that perhaps in another 15 to 20 years this family will still be living in one of the houses we helped built makes me ecstatic and feel like our work is being put to good use and assistance to someone, somewhere in the world.
I believe that I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. It is something you are able to be proud of. It’s not just a donation of money or clothes to a charity; you are actually getting in the mix of things with the locals to help improve their living conditions – we’ll work on it with our blood, sweat and mud!. Overall, I just expect nothing but great things from this trip, whether it be to learn about the local culture or experience something new or help a family out, but I am certain I am going to remember this trip for a long time to come and will have some great stories to tell to my friends and family!
Constantin Denis
I’m not really sure what to expect in Vietnam since I have never been there before and I have never built any part of a house before, so this will be an entirely new experience for me.
I think it will be a fun experience and I know I will enjoy it a lot, even though we are going to be working long hours during the day and we’re going to be very hot from the scorching hot sun.
This trip is a great opportunity for me to learn more about Vietnam, as I don’t know that much about the country or how the people of Vietnam live right now.
My brother took part in this service a few years ago and he came back saying that it is a great experience and he had learned to appreciate everything more since he had seen how people in the other side of the world don’t have a lot of the things that we do and take for granted. I hope to return to Singapore with the same feeling and enlightenment that he did well and more about the Vietnamese culture, and of course! I hope to have learnt how to build a house, or at least a part of it by the time we’re back in Singapore!
Elliott Day
This will be a new experience for me since I am going to a country I have never visited before. Vietnam is a country I have never been to but it will be nice to visit new countries to understand a new culture and to learn new things. I have been excited for this ever since exams were over and were done with, because I will be travelling overseas to meet new people and understand a different culture.
My expectations from this activity are that I want to meet new people and visit new places in Vietnam. I am looking forward to view sites that I have never seen before such as the areas afflicted during the war and villages such as the croplands. Also another one of my expectation is that I am looking forward to building shelter homes for the people who are in need for houses. Since I have never built a house before nor have had a similar experience, this will be an objective for me to achieve and to learn about construction. This will also show good commitment in doing something right for the ones that are in need for help.
Overall I think this new experience will be great and very exciting. It is a good way to get over the stress of exams and school work just for this year and a chance to do something new and interesting with dedication. This will be my first time going abroad without my parents so this will be difficult for me in some ways since I have never been away from my parents for a week! But I will try my best to be strong and devoted to the cause at hand!
Mahind Raj Rao
The trip is in only a couple more days and I have been looking forward to it for a long time. On the trip I hope to learn independence as I have only been out of the country without my parents a few times before and never before to go on a service trip. The trip, I hope, will be an eye opener for me because I come from a quite well to do family and have never really been truly exposed to the realities of the so called third world countries. I hope that by going to Vietnam, basically doing a service trip, will be a refreshing revelation for me and help me to understand more of this world and not only my own perspective. I hope that by helping others this time, I can learn to actively seek to help them in my daily life.
Furthermore, I hope to strengthen the current friendships I have with and engage in some new ones. The trip, as it involves manual labor, should also hopefully help me to build muscles and get a tan too. Jokes aside, I am actually looking forward to the service part of the trip more than the touring aspect, although I definitely am filled with impatience to get a start on it all, as it will allow me to enjoy myself and to learn a fair bit about Vietnam history. Although I hope for these things on the trip I also expect to be prepared to battle some hardships like the food , which might be different from what I’m used to here in Singapore and my work ethics is not very commendable, if I should say so myself. However I hope that through this trip I will overcome these weaknesses I have. I have also never been to Vietnam so I am looking forward to the experiencing of their culture as an added bonus!
Gabriel Kwek
The greatest pleasure in life is the ability to make others’ smile. I know it sounds a tad too clichéd but it doesn’t change the fact that it is true. That is why I jump at the first opportunity to do social work, especially opportunities that have a greater reach to communities outside of Singapore. When I signed up for this trip I had only one thing in mind; that I was being given the privilege to impact other peoples’ lives positively and this is my main expectation from this trip. I want to be able to contribute and make a difference in the lives of less fortunate Vietnamese who don’t have their own homes.
Most of us take everything we have for granted; our parents, our homes, the education we receive. That is why I sincerely believe that this trip will be an eye-opener for me , reminding me of all the things that I take for granted and spurring me on to do more social work in the future. I believe that helping the Vietnamese build their own homes extends beyond just the simple act of creating a home. In fact by enabling them to see that they can have their own homes, we are giving them hope for a better future filled with more promising changes and giving them the confidence to believe in themselves and the world around them.
This trip is thus an opportunity for all of us to touch peoples’ lives in more ways than we imagine possible. Besides the serious goals of the trip I am absolutely looking forward to soaking up and basking in the richness of Vietnamese tradition and culture. Although I’ve never been to Vietnam, I’ve heard that Vietnamese are some of the world’s most strong-willed people who stand up for themselves and what they stand for. I can’t wait to meet them and learn all about them while giving them a little glimpse of my world as well!
Mangala Dharshini
This will be the first time that I am taking part in a community and service activity like this, as I have never gone into a community where I help people in need. I have never built a house before that someone can live in, so house building will be a new activity for me. Hopefully I will develop some new skills and I hope that the house that I help to build will last for a long period of time.
It will also be interesting to learn about new cultures as I have never been to a small community in a developing country before. It will also be nice to help someone in need as I am aware of how much a home will help the people in Vietnam and the families will be so grateful and that would be the signal to show that all our hard work will pay off.
I have been to Vietnam a couple of times before and I have spent two holidays in Ho Chi Min city so it will be nice to return to a familiar place and hopefully some of the places I visited will still be there. Also, I have never been to a community outside of an urban area when on holiday so it will, all in all, be a new experience for me.
Trym Ellegard Been
I am very excited, and ready and well-prepared to go on the Vietnam trip. To tell the truth, I don't know what to expect, this being my first visit to the country, and also my first time being involved in construction work... wow! Quite a bit to handle at one go, I know!
Since Vietnam is a country that I have never visited, I am very curious about the culture and the environment of Vietnam. How people behave, what the food is like, the intricacies of the language used and etc.
I am also eager to see for myself the conditions of living over there, but I am also a little apprehensive as to whether I will encounter difficulties that I can't handle or cope with. But I think that having the proper frame of mind, and with the determination to see it through and having people I know around me, I don’t think I need to worry too much.
On a trip like this, I guess there will be many things that I can learn which would be helpful for me in the future, and maybe even to make some new friends and get to know my present group of friends better.
After a week's stay, who knows, I may even pick up a few Vietnamese words that will be useful should I visit the country again in the future!
William Wang
I was always told to expect the unexpected, which is weird because right now I am writing my expectations for the Vietnam trip 2011.
I would expect some hard work throughout the trip. I will also expect a huge lifestyle change for that week or so that I am Vietnam. There are many other things to be expecting as well. These things include, different lodging, food, people, culture, and many others.
With two days left till the trip, I can feel the excitement. There is a lot of buzz going around over the trips. I am having trouble trying to keep all of the energy contained. I have been getting ready for the trip one step at a time. I have gotten my work gloves and started to pack
(only a little though).
Mitchell Ho
Being my first visit to Vietnam and also my first visit to a foreign country to provide a service, I’ve obviously got lots of expectations towards the trip. But most of all, as I mentioned, because this is my first trip to help people in other countries, I can’t wait for it as I believe that I’d learn many significant lessons during the whole trip.
In addition, since my dream is to be an architect, this opportunity to build houses from the beginning would provide me some background knowledge about the stages of building houses, as rudimentary as they may be while we are making them.
Furthermore, quite distinct from other trips, by visiting the countryside of the nation, I’d be able to experience unique cultures where very few people would have been able to get exposed to. Moreover, according to the description of the Vietnamese culture was unique which makes me have a bigger expectation about it.
Although I don’t actually know any of the members who are going on the trip, I’ll try to make myself open to others and hopefully I’d be able to get close to them by the end of the trip. But most importantly, I hope this trip to be an influential opportunity that would help me in considering more about others rather than about myself.
Rick Sungsoo Kim
Although I have been to Vietnam once before, this trip will be an entirely new experience for me, not only because we are in a different part of Vietnam, but in a completely different environment as well. When I went there previously, it was all about seeing various tourist attractions, shopping and enjoying the wonderful food there. However, this trip is not a leisure trip for seeing the sights and go shopping, this trip is about actually getting down to business and helping those in need, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun! I hope to be able to meet more people or become more acquainted with the people I already somewhat know.
I expect this trip to be both a tiring one, but a fun one as well, with a rich cultural experience. I was surprised at how much building and work we are going to do, as it seems to be much more than the previous trips to Vietnam, which means it is going to be more demanding and tiring. This also means that we are able to help the people better though, as we can devote more time to helping them build their houses. I hope that through this trip I can also learn more about Vietnamese culture and customs, enjoy the food, and appreciate the differences between their culture and mine.
I hope that this trip will also be an eye opener for me, as I am able to actually see the poverty in the small villages in Vietnam. We hear about poverty and see it in the media, but it is another thing to actually be there and experience it. It will be a valuable activity and will allow me to truly appreciate what I have by seeing those who have very little yet cherish all of it.
Garett Schmidt
My first sight of the city of Ho Chi Min was a holiday based on the tour, I personally, I think it was a very nice trip! So I have different expectations of this trip, and I am very excited! First and foremost, as I said, the first time was a relaxing holiday in a whole new place in the world. The experience I have in store will be a whole different experience! It's not going to be a relaxing vacation, but a trip where we work for quite an important issue. And very frankly, I've never done anything like this before in my entire life and it gives me a kick! I'm ready to do whatever it takes to ensure that the work we do, gets done! I'm no fan of getting up early, but as one of the factors that contribute to hard work and efficiency, I will be ready for it!
Expectations for me are often important to think about, it makes me reflect - "how will your trip be?" Something that I am almost certain will get to me, as I have thought for a long time, is how the people in Vietnam have survive. The circumstances of how they live and what surrounds them - I am very well aware that the difference is huge between them and us, but I won't know the extent of its intensity until I get to Vietnam and the building sites. Therefore, paying attention and paying respect while helping the people we meet in Vietnam, especially at the building sites is very important.
Moreover, this is not just an opportunity where I can help people who need it, but this is also an opportunity for me to get to know me new people! I will be able to work together with other people, and we will help each other to complete our task when we are in Vietnam.
I am really looking forward to this trip, and I really believe that the experience will remain with me for a really long time. I will be able to perceive a more diverse vision of how other people live their lives, and the importance of other people in their aid to make their lives easier! I will really enjoy both helping others and working together with others from OFS!
Marie Croucher
I have been to Vietnam before, but only on vacation. I expect this experience to be very different compared to my last trip to Vietnam. This is not going to be a relaxing vacation on the beach, but rather a trip in which we will work to help the less fortunate in Vietnam. I have in the past done some manual labour in different forms, but never such as helping to build a house from its foundation. I really hope that I will learn new things about house building that I didn´t know before!
The culture we will experience in the countryside in Vietnam will be very different from what we are used to in Singapore. People are different and the culture is more conservative as we have been informed. We have to be respectful of what is new to us and try to understand that the people in the poorer parts of the world might not be as “globalised” and open-minded as we are.
I hope that this will be a good experience that will help me in the future, not only with improved building skills, but also helping me to understand and accept other cultures.
Oskar Aakre Haaland
This is the first time in I am partaking in such a task of global importance. Having lived in India for 3 years of my life, I fully understand the tough conditions poorer people have to live in. This motivates me as this trip gives me the opportunity to help those who currently do not have a home while being able to have fun with my class mates through various activities such as sight – seeing.
Also, exams have recently concluded so this provides me with a chance to enjoy myself without having the burden of studying on my shoulders. I am thoroughly looking forward to learning about the Vietnamese culture. Having studied in an International school for the past 11 years of my life, I know how exciting it can be to learn about how other people around the world live life in a completely different way to me.
My elder sister visited Ho Chi Minh recently and her experiences suggest to me that people in Vietnam are very friendly. But, they are also very hard working and have a no – nonsense attitude towards life. This may give me a new perspective on life, as other cultures have previously influenced me to make me the person I am today.
However, I do realise that this trip will require me to be physically fit and ready to work hard as building a house is not a simple task. I am thinking of the physical requirements as a positive aspect as it will improve my health which may help in sports activities for the next academic year while also helping me realise how tough life is outside of an individual’s comfort zone.
I have been relatively pampered throughout my life thus far and I feel this trip will give me a slight idea of the difficulties I may have to face in the future once I leave Singapore and begin living alone.
This trip is my first time abroad in about 2 years and I hope it proves to be both
enjoyable and educational.
Utkarsh Chaturvedi
Going on this trip, I’m not really sure what exactly to expect. I’ve never been to
Vietnam nor have I ever built a house. Since I’ve never been to Vietnam the only thing that comes to mind when I hear the word "Vietnam" is the war so hopefully this trip will give me a chance to learn a little more about Vietnam's history and will help me gain a new perspective on the country.
From what I’ve heard though Vietnam seems like a very interesting place and I really appreciate the opportunity I have been given to go out and help those less fortunate than us. I believe it’s really important, especially when you are as blessed as we are at OFS, to go out and help those in need.
My dad has previously been involved with Habitat for Humanity in the USA and I have only heard good things about this organization. He said it was a really rewarding experience and I’m hoping to come out of this project with a similar sense of reward and pride in having helped those in need.
I can’t wait to begin building that house, although to be honest, the thought of building a house seems a bit daunting right now. Nevertheless, I’m sure we’ll receive the necessary instructions though on what to do and that the build will go nice and smooth once things get going.
Victor Eriksson
To be honest, I have never been to Vietnam before, so when I thought about this country the first thing that jumped straight into my mind was the delicious dishes and the mysterious statues that everybody talks about once they return from Vietnam!
Although I am not there for traveling and for a leisurely purpose, nevertheless I believe it will be a wonderful memory for me, since the fun doesn't stop just because we're doing serious work!
I was shocked when I heard we need to build house under the sun, however I still feel glad to have agreed to undertake this challenge. I've always wondered about the comparison and differences in the way people live, the way they speak, the way they eat, to our daily lives here in Singapore......it must be totally different from ours, I imagine!.
The place we are going is poverty-stricken and we will try our best to make a better change for them by building them a shelter; they want to help themselves out of this situation, so we will be there to provide them with all the support they need from us.
I think the aim of this trip is not only to build homes for them, though, but to also let us see another corner of the world, another facet of the cultures that this world is comprised of. In that very corner of the world, people may not have powerful air-cons, but rather cool wind that touches our skin after we done our working; and what a pleasant feeling that will be!
I am really looking forward to meet the villagers there- Mr. Glover says that they are optimistic and cheerful, I was impressed by that!
All in all, I really expect much from this trip to Vietnam, and I am sure that it will remain etched in my memory as one of the best experiences in my life.
Ying Shu Wang
The Vietnam trip that we are going to be a part of was portrayed by past participants and teachers to be a strenuous yet special and significant experience in our life. I expect to experience something that I never have before - I am curious and excited about everything that is going to take place in the Vietnam trip. I am very pleased that this opportunity was offered to us and that I am able to directly help the people who live in poverty and need help.
To be honest, I had never ever experienced something really harsh such as using my own hand to build a house. I also want to test my ability to overcome difficulties in reality. Through this activity, I will also find some time to get along with my newly formed friends during this trip. I think during our stay in Vietnam, we will be acquainted with each other and have more collaborative opportunities that enhance our ability.
I also want to take a closer look at the poor living condition of people who need a helping hand and strive to do my best to help them. I am willing to put myself into this activity without being afraid. I think this trip will make my life more valuable and meaningful.
Yanli Wang
I am really looking forward to the trip to Vietnam as the days pass. It is something that is completely new for me, since I have never been involved in such a kind of community service - real social service - where we will be helping people to build their houses.
I have heard from my dad who had been to the urban areas of Vietnam that there are still underdeveloped areas in this country, where the people might need lots of help from the outer world. I grew up in the city and I have never experienced life without shelter or enough food. I want to see how their lives are different from mine and I hope I can make slightly positive
changes to their part of the world. It is hard to explain what I am actually expecting from the trip. I have never had any experience of building a house.
I am not used to doing any heavy work. But it sounds quite cool when you talk about working with the bricks and cement right? I feel like we are really going to do something serious.
It should be a good time for relaxing after the heavy academic work these days. Semester exams have just ended and there comes the extended essay, SAT and so many things in the summer holiday. This may be a good stop to take ample rest before recommencing. I am also excited to experience the different culture in the villages when building and the unique landscape and places of interests in Vietnam when we go sightseeing.
Anyway, I hope we can have a good time in Vietnam, and of course, come back safe and sound after the indisputably interesting trip.
Yunli Huang
The trip will be something new to me; I have never done any community and service activity like this before, where I actually go into a community and help the individuals with such a big part of their life - building their homes. I’m really looking forward to going to Vietnam and doing something good for the people there which, I believe, will affect them so greatly in their day to day lives! I have no idea of what to expect with the actual physical activity of
building the houses, as I have never built a house before, however I hope that whatever hard work we put into building the houses will pay off in the end!
I have been to Vietnam a few times before, but I have always been in the urban areas and therefore, have never really gotten to help the communities, which is why I am really excited for this trip. I think that it will be life changing experience for me, to be able to help someone and make an impact on someone’s life by doing something that I take for granted everyday: a constant shelter of love and warmth - a home...
I’m also excited about learning about the local culture in the villages. When you travel to the cities you don’t learn as much about the plethora of cultures that the country holds, but by helping people in smaller communities and working closely with them I hope to learn more about these hidden aspects of Vietnamese culture. I’m not too worried about any problems that may arise from the trip, other than possible language barriers, but I don’t think they will pose a big problem, with all the help we will get from the Habitat for Humanity Staff to communicate with the Vietnamese families, not to forget the help of the universal language of friendship!
Lasse Jensen
This trip is incredibly new for me in almost every aspect- going out of country without parents, going to Vietnam and building houses, and so on. I am looking forward to this trip because when you come to think of it, after exams, it would be a great treat after a long drawn battle with Extended Essay, World Literature, Group 4 Project and the dreaded possibility of a Mathematics test, the Monday back from the exams. (I KNOW! Right after exams!!)
And all these will be in a span of a little more than a week from today! So going to Vietnam, although not completely relaxing due to all the manual effort we have to put in, will still be a way through which I can get rid of all the worries associated with school matters.
As we all know, the main objective is of course, to build houses for the poor. But that is not the only thing that I am looking forward to! I am hoping to make new friends. Even though I have been in OFS for about 9 months now, I still do not know around half the members of the group travelling to Vietnam with me! Therefore, I hope to get to know everyone through this trip, and also make friends in Vietnam especially on the night of the cultural exchange programme!
Also, I consider building houses to be a very noble act. There are not many times one gets to partake in such an activity in their life, and so I am definitely looking forward to this trip with bated breath!
Also, out of the 10 days, we will have 3 days spent in sightseeing. Since I have never been to Vietnam, I will be able to see the main attractions on offer as well! I have heard that Vietnam is a very beautiful place, so I can't wait for it to be proven true!!!
Sneha Barman
Yay Vietnam! What do I expect? So many things all at once, but upon reflection perhaps it is all just hinting to one thing!
Well to start off, this would be my first time going to Vietnam, so I am extremely excited!
I can't wait to see all the sights and of course, taste all the flavours!
But of course, my main priority and reason for going to Vietnam would be the house-building project that our entire Vietnam team from OFS will embark upon. I am really looking forward to, as weird as it sounds, carrying all those bricks, layering them on cement coated wall, and being a part of the famous human brick conveyor belt!
I was in the Cambodia trip two years ago, and I must say the one day of house building I did, left me with nails hammered into my... nails ( no pun intended ) and open wounds from all the sawing of the corrugated tin. But most importantly, it left me with the smiles of a family, who now had more than a shelter; they had a home to call their own.
This very feeling made me want to come back to do more house building ( x 1000 more effort required, I'm sure, with all those bricks being carried around!), but this time I want to be a part of spreading the joy in Vietnam!
Oh! and of course, I'm expecting to learn more about their language, their culture, their history, all the things you can think of that forms someone's identity, and take a piece of this identity back home with me to Singapore...
Malavika Nair
By going to Vietnam, to be honest, I really don't know what to expect out of it! I've never built a house of any kind nor a shelter that is safe enough for people to live in, other than a bunch of twigs that I once put together to make my tree-house when I was 6!
In fact, I realised that I've never even been to Vietnam either! I'm really looking forward to helping these families though I am a little scared that they might have comparatively poorer living conditions, where we will be building houses, because I'm sure I will get a little, OK, maybe a lot, REALLY emotional!
I feel as though it will be easy to get along despite our many language barriers; everyone in this world knows what a hand held out and a sincere smile means! My main wish is that we can build these houses to the best of our abilities, to not only drastically improve the homes themselves, but to also enable a better lifestyle.
I really think it's admirable that we don't expect to be paid, we are volunteering out of the goodness of our hearts - for a humanitarian cause that really should be more powerfully campaigned for in today's world.
So in brief, my expectations of the trip to Vietnam are still quite abstract; all I wish for is that we build the house the way the family wants their home to be, and of course, on a lighter note, to return home safe and well!
Nada Taki
