In April we did a “Volunteer Vacation” in Vietnam with a company called GlobeAware. It was a mix of service and touristing and it was a blast. The service involved building a brick house for a woman whose house was falling apart, painting rooms and building a chicken coop for a deaf school (Hearing and Beyond), teaching English, and visiting a hospital. The tourist activities included Cham Island, My Son ruins, a couple of afternoons at the beach, and shopping. Some of us also fit in an amazing bike tour (Heaven and Earth) on the last day before heading to the airport for our 12-hour layover in Seoul.

Here’s a 5-minute video that’s focused on the service –

And a much longer one with all the activities –

And, of course, some photos –

Sunrise – Hoi An

Taking a boat to another island – bike tour, Hoi An

Getting measured for a suit

Cool roof – Cham Island

My Son ruins

Eyes on the fronts of the boats

Hare Krishnas

Hearing and Beyond School for the Deaf

Cham Island

My Son ruins

Golden Peach Villa in Hoi An

On the bridge, Day 1

Tourists

Japanese Covered Bridge

Cool roof – Cham Island

Cool design

My Son ruins

A mess of electrical wires in Vietnam

Hoi An bridge

Cham Island group shot

The Hill Boys in Hoi An

Boat and river in Hoi An

Bamboo root beards

Bike tour – Hoi An

Night market reflections

Lantern seller

Selling lanterns

Cham Island

My Son ruins

Hearing and Beyond School for the Deaf

Hoi An 2019

Vegetable market

Bike tour – Hoi An