Thanh Xuan Peace Village - Thoughts and Feelings

Our wall! "Toi yew hoa binh."

I love these children. I love heading to our classroom, the kids noticing us from down the hallway, and watching them get more and more excited as we get closer to the classroom. I love giving high fives to every student and having them try over and over to say something to me. Then I love when I finally understand and can reply and they look so happy that I can finally answer their questions and respond correctly to their comments.  I love our wall. I love that we get invited to our kids birthday parties and that we are able to celebrate with them outside of our normal hours. I love my group and our group dynamic. I think we work very well together and all have an equal voice in decision-making, group discussions, and at the organization.
I feel we are beginning to get more respect at Thanh Xuan from the organization itself. Because we have been coming regularly and showing dedication the organization is opening itself to us and beginning to utilize our skills.  Mai has been doing translations for Co Phoung and other people who need things translated into Vietnamese. And today Irene and Peter were asked to help clean the building, when only a few months ago they tried to help with dishes and were just pushed aside. The teachers of Mai's and my classroom more frequently ask us to come up and dance and sing and read to the class.  These are examples of increased trust and confidence in our intentions at Thanh Xuan.  Though they might have jokingly complained about our painting only a wall and not a whole room (some more than others) you can tell that they have grown accustomed to our presence and less suspicious of our intentions.  The accusations that we are foreigners and Southern Vietnamese working at the Hoa Binh to make up for the atrocities of the war have since stopped.
I have changed from sitting in the classroom for 4 hours unaware of what's happening, to an active member of these kid's, and some grown up's, lives. This is one of my most rewarding and unique and wonderful experiences I have had in Vietnam and in life as well.