I've decided to set up my first blog to help keep everyone updated in my travels. I would still like to continue writing letters but felt that writing a blog will enable me to share more of experiences with you!
My experiences in Vietnam have definitely helped me grow as an individual. The first few weeks being in a foreign country were very hard because I felt that I did not have the opportunities available to me that I expected when I first signed up. The communication barrier was extremely tough because I was not able to express what I wanted to do with the staff and was therefore worried I would not be getting much out of this trip. However, over the past three weeks I have found the balance between patience and taking initiative.
Learning patience: Unlike the US, Vietnam houses less foreigners outside the main "backpackers district." Our volunteer agency sticks out like a sore thumb---all of the Vietnamese women are very small and petite so I look and feel like a giant compared to them ( a 6-foot tall woman recently joined the volunteer program and everyyyyone stares at her like she a tourist attraction haha). We are put at a disadvantage because we look like outsiders and cannot speak Vietnamese very well---it is a very tonal language so speaking phrases properly is hard. Therefore, I could not easily communicate with the staff at the hospital, disabled daycare, and the orphanage to explain to them what I wanted to get out of this volunteer experience.
However, I found other ways to show the staff that I was interested. For an example, I spent 4 hours learning Chinese Chess one afternoon with the nurses and doctors ( without speaking the same language) and because the staff started to trust and see my eagerness to learn---I was able to scrub-in and learn how to stitch-up a patient!!! Since then, I've been able to participate and learn from a lot of the procedures. I've also set up 5 Vietnamese lessons/week to help me improve my speaking skills.
Taking initiative: I was learning a lot in the OR but I wanted to do more. My purpose for coming over here was not just to learn--but to also give back to the community and establish something. My first plan was to work at the orphanage in the morning and then visit the hospital in the afternoons. However, God threw me into another direction. One of the volunteers contracted scabies and we were not allowed back with the children for at least a month. There went my plan!
However, after talking to some of the coordinators here-- I set myself up with a Speech Pathologist who knew some English. I told her that I came to Vietnam with the notion of establishing something over here that can impact the local community. & guess what--under her guidance, I am setting up a school for the disabled children's daycare!!
Here is my proposed objective: To establish a learning environment for the disabled daycare center that focuses on strenghtening communication between volunteers, staff, and children through pictorial and sign languages. Better communicatin will help enrich learning of children to help them become more independent and self-suffient individuals.
I have already written a proposal but will explain more of that in my next blog because my hands are starting to cramp =)
Love you & miss you guys back in the states!
Me in the O.R:
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