Make a Change

As our much anticipated fieldtrip to Hanoi comes to a close, I would sincerely like to thank the management, teachers and students that have made all this possible. Our last day in Hanoi was so remarkable. Even as we drive past the tube housing and the braided rivers for the last time on the way to the airport, I keep looking back, thankful for the four days of discovery and fun.

Our last stop was to the Agent Orange Orphanage, a small home started by philanthropic Germans moved by the plight of these unwilling victims. Home to more than a hundred children, the orphange is the second chance for children suffering from both physical and mental disabilities due to the chemical/herbicide Agent Orange, which was used by the Americans during the Vietnam War to drive Ho Chi Minh's army out of the forests. It is jarring to my senses that three generations later, the innocent still bear the scares of Vietnam's bitter history.

The orphanage cares for children with a wide variety of special needs, from Autism and Downs Syndrome to physical deformaties. I observed the faces of the students as they shuffled in hoards down the home's narrow corridors while the resident doctor showed us around the premises. This was perhaps the first time during the trip these fifteen and sixteen-year-old bore a countenence beyond their years, as the repercussions of a war that was once conceptually removed from their scope of understanding began to set in.

As a teacher, I'm proud that our students have showed empathy and sensitivity toward a political and cultural issues that have afflicted the Vietnamnese, even though it was once geographically and conceptually removed from their understanding. It warms my heart to see them crowding in a little room to buy the handicrafts these children have made, having the good sense to support the good work of these homes.

However, I recognise that it is tempting to push the blame on the Americans for the after effects of the war, but I recognise that each side has its own story. The American veterans from the Vietnam War, too, are suffering from trauma and physical disabilities as a result of war, and many of which have fallen through the cracks of the country's healthcare system. .

Ultimately, I hope that students come to terms with the fact that it isn't about pushing the blame, but that they learn that for every action, there are repercussions. That they too, have the power to make a change, whether for better or worse.

To my students, I so glad each and every one of you came on the trip with us. You have been such a joy to teach, and may you have learned as much from us as we have from you.

Lots of love,

Miss Joani Lim

P.S. Please remember to upload ALL reflections by 5pm on Monday (23/11/09)