An experience to remember

I volunteered in Vietnam over a period of four weeks as an Occupational Therapy Student with Projects Abroad. I was placed with a friend from university at Hanoi Friendship Village, a residential community for Vietnam War veterans and for children and adults with disabilities resulting from the intergenerational health effects caused by Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide that was sprayed during the Vietnam War. We spent most of our time in the therapy room, working with the children and adults from 13-30 years old, most of who presented with Cerebral Palsy like characteristics.

Living and volunteering in a country completely unlike home came with its own set of challenges to overcome, and looking back, without the support from Projects Abroad, I don't think I would have learnt or experienced what I did. The Projects Abroad team are incredibly well experienced, and this is shown through their attentiveness to my needs and concerns throughout the entire volunteer process.

We stayed at one of the volunteer houses with fellow volunteers from around the world. Sharing this experience other volunteers was one of the highlights of my time in Vietnam - and we travelled and explored the city together on many weekend trips. Another highlight of my volunteer experience at Friendship Village, was coming to a deeper understanding of the Vietnamese culture and learning to communicate and provide therapy despite the language barrier. I will never forget the sweet smiles and laughter that I shared with the children and adults I worked with, and knowing that I was able to make a meaningful contribution to their lives, however small, fills me with joy.