Day 4 (19 nov, fri)

- woke up earlier to wash clothes, had breakfast and set off for the primary school

- at first, we were supposed to teach a class in the morning but due to miscommunication, the teachers told the students not to come to school and we ended up doing refurbishment of the school(:

- we had to use sandpaper and scrape off the sand, so we became very dirty:O

-then after everybody were showered with sand and the walls had no much sand, we started painting the walls. then because there were not enough paintbrushes so i use my hand with gloves to paint the walls(:

- but woah! the paint got onto my favourite shirt and shoes:(

- then we went back to the commune hall for lunch first before setting off to teach them in the afternoon

- the kids are really enthusiastic with learning and a lot of them answered questions, so we gave them stickers(:

- when i saw the kids, i totally felt the attitude towards learning we have is so bad and far apart from them

-it started raining really heavily and the kids had to go back home. But they really enjoyed the rain, they played in the rain and were just so happy:D

-cindy and a few of us played soccer with them too(:

-after that, we had to go back because sky was getting dark and it looked like it was going to rain

-when we reached the commune hall, i heard our cultural night song playing, so i stepped inside and realise there was nobody:O hahaha!

-then it started raining really heavily and i was near the toilet don't know doing what. So i helped group 2 to wash their hair:D very fun leh! becayse their heads all bend down, then look quite funny! and i called ethanyn athena:O oops!>.<

- went for dinner but poor group 5 were there preparing food already so everyone helped to make sure we had ponchos on(:

- had de-briefing as usual:D

-although most debriefings are stuff we generally find boring but i feel this CIP's trip debriefing is very nice and reflective, like it really makes you think and see many things from a different perspective(:

-after debriefing was sleeping time!:D


Day 5 (20 Nov, sat)

-JOLENE'S BIRTHDAY! so sorry i can't wish you happy birthday):

-today is the vietnam's teacher's day

-went to the sec sch in the morning( grp 4 and 5) while grp 1, 2 and 3 went to the primary school
- we had to walk longer because the school was 1km away:O

- Oh ya! in the morning, at 4.15am, si qi say "time to wake up liao!" then i look at my watch and tell her it was only 4.15am before going back to my sleep:D

- When we reached the school, the weather was still fine.

- They let us sit on the chairs. Very nice of them but the weather became very hot and i couldn't take it so i wet the towel and moved my seat to the front where there was more shade

- before that right, we didn't listen at all because it was all in vietnamese:O so we played lame games like passing messages down(:

- then after the thing ended, we had a tour around the school by a very funny-looking teacher. He brought us into 3 classrooms and repeated the same things over again.

- as in maybe it's mean of us to laugh at him but i don't really like it from the way he sound!:O though he cares a lot for his students and want them to be architect, doctors and engineers, maybe he could have just put words in a nicer way:/
main point: i don't like him

- then went back for lunch

- the resting times between our activities and lunch are very long, so we'll either just slack, wash clothes or just joke and laugh:D

- went for teacher's visiting after resting

-basically the teachers are really nice and although they don't have a lot of money, they still treated us to drinks and biscuits. It's this really small gestures that truly touch me(:

-after visiting 2 teachers, we set off for more refurbishment of the primary school(:

-because the other day they painted, so the floor, tables and chairs had like paint on them, then need help to clean off(:

- quite funny la! work together using brushes, stones to wipe off the paint(:

-then the sky turned dark so we needed to head back or else when it rains, it's going to be quite bad:O

-had dinner and showered:D

-also had debriefing as usual before practicing dance. then like somehow feel that people are talking at different times, then suddenly feel damn sian, i just sian down there and follow instructions accordingly.

-then after a while time to sleep, but my body felt itchy, so i borrowed powder from tania. then i realised that they realised i quite sad ( not sad la, is sian)

- plus maybe i also tired so i just went to sleep


Day 6 (21 nov, sun)

-wake up, have breakfast and went to visit the local villagers(:

- we had to walk quite long, like 4km but because we sang songs like "singapore town" "老鼠爱大米" and a lot of other funny funny songs, so time like passed quite fast and we reached our destination:D

- the villagers are really very nice. but quite :O to hear that they do their business in the same place they get their water from

- and like the family very poor thing, because the wife has like heart problems so she has to go to the hospital quite frequently):

- and the second family we visited had also rather bad conditions:/ the family sacrifices their meals to send the kids to school and when it floods, the water will reach their roofs:O

- i should totally learn to be more appreciative of everything i have):

- after the visits, we walked through the paddy field because it was like a shortcut! nature is seriously very cool, haha! so i'm determine to retire in places like new zealand next time(:

- Mr eric tan was also running randomly, so our whole group ran together with poor panda trying to chase up with us(:

- after crossing the paddy field, there was this really narrow bridge and it was so cool to pass by it:D

- and on our way back, we were being really lame and started chanting
" we are the champions,
we cross the paddy field,
we walked 10km
and we lost 10 kilogram" hahaha!(:

- had lunch, rested and set off for the school to complete all refurbishment:D

- at first, we were supposed to help with the electrical wiring, but in the end, we just help to scrub off the paint on the tables and chairs

-woah! then got 1 table super dirty, yang jie, vanessa and i were scrubbing for quite long, and apparently i have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) because i wanted to wipe off the stains the pupils made too

- then they shifted the tables out to the tress there to scrub, and vanessa had no slippers, so i lent her one slipper and we balanced:D

- then vanessa, tania and i were cleaning 1 table and vanessa tell me later if i trip and start "dancing" then she and tania are gong to laugh at me! so bad right!:D

- haha! then after that, vanessa, ms chua and i were wiping another table, and i almost tripped so i started hopping about, then Ms chua burst out laughing and because her laughter was very infectious so vanessa and i couldn't take it, we started laughing also

- continued scrubbing off the paint, then head back to shower

- all the meals quite nice and because there's 4 tables so our group have to split:D so i sit with group 5 most of the time and i like sitting there:D

- had de-briefing and slept!(:

Day 7 (22 nov, mon)

Day 11 ( 26 nov, fri)

- woke up, brush teeth and had breakfast(:

- then all the groups except group 5 set out for the school. Group 5 had to stay in because they were the cleaning group for that day:/

- went to the school to give the children the presents and notes(:

- the children sang for us and we sang for them too:D

- but the parting was sad because the children started crying and it was really infectious, so most people teared):

- after going back, group5 already started clearing the hall already and because in case of rain, the culture night will be held in the hall:/

- so some people helped to sweep, some people helped to mop, some used wet wipes(: it's this kind of thing that makes me miss the trip so much more):

- shifted the bags onto the stage after cleaning up and started rehearsing for the song and the dance for cultural night:D

- the songs everybody singing were 家/ home and "singapore town" (my favourite song)

- haha! then everybody sit, kneel and stand in 3 lines and start swaying, quite funny:D

- then after rehearsing, had lunch and washed dishes together with group 5(:

- then suddenly, the big bowl that tania was holding on to had red droplets, she had bleeding nose:O joy at first thought it was some beetroot juice but we didn't eat beetroot! then sherlyn and i thought tania was cut by the knife though the knife was handled quite some time ago!

-after finish washing, we went to the market to look around and buy some stuff(:

- after coming back, we sat around and talked again(:

- at about 3 like that, everybody helped to shift the tables out to make a "stage"

- then showered, haha! but hormones really do jump:O

- went for dinner and then quite funny la:D because different dances got different color codes, so malay dance was blue, indian dance was black and chinese dance was red

- then so coincidental, i already decided to wear my red casper shirt le:D

- after dinner, everybody went to do their hair or some people help us:D

- LOL! and the hairstyle was a nightmare:O shan't elaborate, see the pictures for yourself(: if no pictures, then too bad(:

- culture night was interesting and cool la! Although like it rained a bit and there were a lot of random flies flying around and 1 went into my ear-.-

- and i was sitting beside elena and she went to tap the other side of my shoulder and i was wondering who tapped me from behind:O

- played games, the locals performed and we also performed(:

- but the volume of the music was super super loud:O like DAMN loud! at first i didn't want to cover my eat but then too loud already so i just cover:/

- but have after effects leh! like i feel my ear cannot really hear properly:O

- then there was this guy, elena thinks he's quite gay because of the way he sing and his body movement(:

- after our dance performance, they asked us to stay on and they switched on random songs and we just randomly dance, or rather move!:D

- damn crazy leh! is like some sort of disco tech, then jump around but i was laughing! then still got what chicken dance:D

- then sherlyn, tania and myself have the " i don't know what's going on but just anyhow move" kind of look:D

-super high and funny!:D

- after moving crazily for 5 mins, they lit up the campfire! very cool! the fire was very very big!:D

- then we continued high-ing and running around the fire(:

- got this little girl quite cute la, she held my hands and she very small, so i held on to her(:

- soon, the culture night ended so we went back into the commune hall(:

- then suddenly, i think ethanyn pressed something wrongly, so the lights went off

- then a few of them suddenly went , "Shannon!" haha! I got a shock and i was wondering what happened when i realised it was because my shirt was glowing:D

- took some pictures, had de-briefing, chit-chatted a while before going to sleep(:


Day 12 ( 27 nov, sat)

- woke up earlier because our group had to help prepare breakfast and wash the previous night's dishes

-we packed our stuff and group 5 helped us(:

- we brought our big bags out so that they can be loaded on the truck:D

- had breakfast after that and washed the dishes

- then, it was time for us to leav): the children were really sad, so they started crying and tearing:'(

- at first, i told myself that i shouldn't cry, like i hate this kind of goodbyes): like after interacting and knowing them for some time, we have to bid our farewells): luckily, i didn't get very attached to any kid or else the farewell could have been much worse:(

- in the end, i still teared)': can't be helped, we watched the children from the van and we left, just like that):

- the atmosphere was quite sad, but after a while, i think it got better

- went to some nature park place, watched some video, drank some tea and ate a lotus seed

- then we walked to some river place to take a boat, then the boat like some piece of wooden thing but we wore lifejackets la(:

- took the same boat as tania and elena:D quite funny la:D

- just took pictures and looked around. apparently, we were supposed to look at birds but there were not a lot of birds

- so talked a little, "compete" with other boats, sing songs:D

- after the boat ride, we went to some tall structure place(:

- oh! then we had lunch at the nature park there, like some restaurant-like place(:

- then joy was beside me so she looked at me and asked me "what happened?" then i looked at her and said "nothing happened ah!" then i realised wei ting was crying:O oops!

- but the restaurant the food all very weird and exotic! like have eel soup, then also have squirrel, only 1 or 2 dishes of chicken and fish was more normal

- so sai ying was saying she missed the aunty's food at phuong tinh!

- after lunch, went to mong yen hotel, on the bust trip, almost everybody slept(:

- after checking in, they gave us like 2 hours ++ to rest:O

- hehe! so after going to the toilet, went to tania, elena and aurelia's room(:

- watched tv, then they realised tv is a distraction, like never talk as much

- and i still don't know why all 3 of them laughed when i said "sausage lips"

- after resting, everyone set off for coffee drinking at this place called cafe 303, i drank mocha(: then don't know why start thinking of the kids then a bit stone and sad):

- talked to meishan for a while(:

-after coffee, we all went for dinner that has quite nice food:D

- then a few of us went toilet(: but there was a toilet that had some tight door that cannot open:O so when sai ying was stuck, i kicked the door and the bottom wooden thing fell off:O

- then when i was stuck, sai ying kicked the door and the outer layer of the door broke! at that point of time, it was damn funny!:D so sai ying, cindy, rosanne, sabrina and a few others laughed like mad:D

- after dinner, it started raining and we were supposed to go to the supermarket, then i was telling them about the sharing the voltage thing(:

- so we were saying that if any of us get struck by lightning, we must share the voltage together:D

- supermarket quite big, had 2 storeys, then walked around mainly with joy to buy chips, sweets and coffee powder(: bought some zoo biscuits also so at night can eat together(:

-went back hotel, bathed, and then sherlyn, joy, mei shan and i went up to tania and elena's room:D

- hehe, then at first kept walking about because i don't want to sit down, then they asked me to sit down. Then when i sit down, i don't really want to stand up:D because have PRESSURE DIFFERENCE(:

- so we talked as usual and ate biscuits/sweets

-laughed a lot because certain things were very funny:D

- then mdm teo knocked on the door to tell us it was lights out at 10, but after a while, she came back and tell us to go to our room because Ms chua wanted to see us in our rooms:D

- so waited a while before going back up again:D

- so fun to talk together:D but aurelia was coughing really badly:O then tania poured warm water into the glass for aurelia so they were saying tania is xian2 qi1 liang2 mu3! haha!:D

- then the sherlyn at like 12+ already konked out already!:O

- the bed quite small so had to switch the other way to sleep(:

- luckily had sleeping bag or else will be very cold!:O at first, i didn't want to lie on the bed because... (:

- but after sitting down and leaning on the table, attempting to fall asleep, my hand had pins and needles:/

- so i just lie the opposite way on the bed and slept(: so there were like 5 of us on one bed because mei shan went back to her room because siqi was alone

- slept until i thought time to wake up already because i saw elena and tania got up but realised it was only 4+ so i went back to sleep(:


Day 13 (28 nov, sun)

- woke up at 5.30 and saw tania packing already, then sherlyn joy and i went to our rooms to wash up before going for breakfast

- after breakfast, brought our luggages down because we were going to ho chin minh already(:

- the bus journey was 5 hours long to cu chi tunnel and i just slept the whole way without even getting down to pee(:

- only woke up 15 mins before we reached our destination

- had lunch at a restaurant near cu chi tunnel and visited cu chi tunnel after that(:

- i think the vietnamese soldiers are damn smart to even think of constructing the cu chi tunnel! war makes people cruel but smart! All the various torture weapons and traps felt so cruel:/

- we crawled throught he cu chi tunnel and it was touch, like considering we are quite small-sized already, we still had to duck walk through, and it was so stuff inside:O

- felt great to emerge from the cu chi tunnel(: took pictures and went to the toilet before heading back to ho chin minh city!

- this time played charades on the bus and it was quite funny:D

- reached our dining place where i ate pho' chicken, some traditional dish of vietnam, not bad la:D quite nice, although i couldn't finish:/ drank coffee with ice(:

- talked and laughed at the dinner table too:D

- after dinner, we went to the night market! there was nothing much to buy la! like i only bought 2 shirts, one for my sister, one for myself, some motorcycle wire thing that was very nice and somemore it's my favourite color(: oh! and i bought sugar bread for supper:D hehehe!

- it started raining a few minutes before we were supposed to leave, took the bus back to victory hotel(: the hotel is the nicest of all hotels:D though we only stay 1 night-.-

- then during de-briefing, a random cockroach suddenly ran out and disrupted the debriefing! hehe!:D

- after debriefing, i swopped roooms with yang jie so i was "rooming" with eunice(:

- but it was because eunice's room was just next to sherlyn and mei shan's room, so easier for me to go their room(:

- so showered at "my" room first before going to their room and eunice went chuan ling's room(:

- when i went to their room, elena and tania also just go there!haha:D got telepathy(: then they all say the long sleeve i wear look like ah ma!:O so i went to change to a shirt:D

- ate cup noodles, biscuits and talked as usual(:

- hehe! but after a while, we played charades(: we started playing from 11+ all the way to 3+

- then the words very funny, have phrases and songs(: haha!:D

- then i wanted to spoil tania's image so i gave her the "zoo" word, then she refused to spoil her image:D then in the end elena guessed the word already, she so happy until hug elena:D LOL!

- still have words like "pikachu, wake up, constipated, salsa, jelly-like structure"

and the phrase, "MY ROOM IS BIGGER" because elena and tania said their room were bigger and their beds are higher! LOL!:D

-mei shan first one to konked out:D this time we 6 people squeeze on one bed! but elena went to sleep on the floor in the middle of the night because she say very uncomfortable:O


Day 14 (29 nov, mon)

- woke up, went back to our own rooms to pack up and then went down for breakfast:D

- quite ok la, nothing much(:

- went up at 9 and joy, sherlyn, mei shan and i went to look at tania and elena's bigger room(: haha! it was really bigger:D

- at 9.45, brought our luggage down, hung around, take pictures before setting off for the airport!

- then the vietnamese volunteers went up 1 by 1 to tell us their feelings and how much they will miss us):

- it was really sad and although i wasn't very close to them, it's just the presence of them that makes things seem normal, so definitely will feel something missing):

- they cried very sadly so i couldn't take it, so most of cried too )':

- they sang a song for us, we sang songs for them too(:

- at the airport, we checked in the luggage, then took some pictures and bade our farewells to them):

- after we entered, we went to some shop to buy chips and coffee powder(:

- went to gate 9 and waited to board the plane, and took more pictures(:

- on the plane, i slept when the plane took off, when i woke up, i ate lunch, then after a while, the plane was going to land already! super fast!

- we reached then went to collect our luggage before walking into the welcoming arms of our family!(:

- i knew i would miss everyone badly especially those i hugged! family:( cindy:( mdm teo:( and so many more things:((

For family):, i would miss everything, whether it's the gathering on stage to talk, or the teasing and joking with each other, our late night gatherings, our cramming onto 1 bed to sleep together, playing charades, or just being together): i miss everyone and everything we did together): emotions are just so overwhelming):

as for cindy, she's the one who's inspired me the most in my life! i've never felt so inspired before. As a young person with a great future ahead, having a very good career isn't what cindy is pursuing. her passion in serving and her good heart inspired and touched me so much. She's indeed a very successful person and i hope i can be someone like her someday. I can't thank cindy enough for what she has done(: she's truly a great person and a good role model to everyone!

and mdm teo will be leaving spore! not only on this trip, but normally i have so many things to say to her and joke with her about(: great teacher and a very nice friend(:

and the whole vietnam group, all 28 of us! i came to know everyone better and saw a nicer side of everyone, how everyone's always looking out for each other, how we sing together, whether it was a simple "are you ok?" or a "keep right!" to remind that motorcycles are oncoming, it was really really so heartwarming!(: i'll never ever forget all these!

vietnam trip really taught me a lot! compared to what we helped with, we actually gained so much more! to be contented, to be appreciative of every single little thing(: vietnam was one of the best trips ever! it's so meaningful and the memories will always be treasured and kept somewhere in my heart!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! to everyone! your company left an imprint that i'll never ever forget!(: