150 minutes with 2 volunteer teams

During the 2009 Summer Volunteer Program, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities had 13 teams operating in Nghe An, Son La, Ha Giang, Phu Tho, Hanoi, and other areas. On July 27, 2009, Mr. Trinh Minh Thai (Secretary of the University's Youth Union) and Mr. Pham Huy Cuong (President of the University's Student Association), on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Youth Union and Student Association, visited two student volunteer teams in Ha Giang and Phu Tho.

The first destination will be Vo Diem commune, Bac Quang district, Ha Giang province - the base of the Sociology Department's team. Despite concerns about flooding in the northern mountainous region, the Sociology Department students have maintained their tradition of reaching remote areas.

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The Sociology Department team's "base" is the village's cultural stilt house. According to Comrade Tuan (Deputy Secretary of the District Youth Union), every village in Bac Quang district has a stilt house like this.

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Although we set off at 6:30 a.m., by the time we arrived the sun was high in the sky, and the 37 members of the volunteer team were preparing to have lunch.

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Two local students who were sick were clinging to the volunteers. According to the team members, the children here really enjoy participating in the classes they organize. Many children arrive at class an hour early.

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Finally, it was time to sit down at the table. The whole team showed their hospitality with the song "Welcome, New Friend." And perhaps the happiest person was Bui Thanh Minh (K52 Social Work), who was happy from the moment he sat down until he was the last of the men to stand up.

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The kitchen staff cooked very well today. The meal included sweet and sour pork ribs, dried fish, salted roasted peanuts, and boiled water spinach. Ly Diep Linh was pouring the last spoonfuls of soup into her bowl.

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Representing the male side, Nguyen Van Hung (K53 Social Work), was also diligently scraping the last grains of rice from the 15-liter cast iron pot.

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At every meal, women are usually the last to get up.

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Nong Thi Chien (11 years old) has recovered from her fever. Chien is in 6th grade this year, and her house is about a 15-minute walk from the school. Her family doesn't have a motorbike or a television, so she has to go to a neighbor's house to watch TV. Since the volunteer student team came here, Chien has been coming to play with the students every day.

While the members of both teams took a lunch break, the school's Youth Union representatives had a quick exchange with the Secretary of the Commune Youth Union and the team leaders. And after two hours in Vo Diem commune, we returned to Phu Tho to visit the History Department's student volunteer team.

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The History Department team is "stationed" in Minh Phu commune, Doan Hung district, Phu Tho province, 12km from Doan Hung town (coming from Hanoi). Their base is the commune's primary school. Instead of sleeping on desks, the entire team spread tarpaulins on the floor. The room has ceiling fans, but there's a power outage today.

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Under the "stove," the rice pot was already cooked, and the boiled potatoes were bubbling away. The History Department team's evening meal also included braised meat and boiled water spinach, already prepared in the "dining room."

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After a 30-minute meeting, we had to say goodbye to the whole team again to continue our 150km journey as the sun had already set behind the houses.

According to the plan, the Sociology Faculty team will return to Hanoi on July 29th, while the teams that went to Son La with the Vietnam National University, Hanoi delegation will conclude their volunteer work on August 5th, 2009.