Agent Orange Awareness

     September 2012, Lisa Kim (Korean) successfully organized the first SSIS student-led drama production "The Sound of Music" for her CAS project. The money made from this play would be donated to Hoa Binh Village (a shelter for Agent Orange victims in Tu Du Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam).

     Being a lover of theatre and the stage, I joined and was assigned the roles of sister Margareta and Brigitta. Another off-stage role I played was as a Vietnamese translator for Lisa.

     Lisa had to visit Hoa Binh village a lot in order to donate her sponsored money and to collect the official receipts from the nurses. Since few of the nurses - and sponsors also - could speak enough English, she felt that her liaisons would be much more efficient with a native Vietnamese speaker.
 
     After drama rehearsal one day. Lisa invited me to go to look for sponsors with her, and I gladly agreed. Being a sophomore then, I was rather inexperienced when it comes to these kind of official arrangements; thus, I thought it would be useful to be more informed of the matter. Times after times, I became her official translator. We also went to Hoa Binh Village together numerous times to give them the sponsored donation.

     Lisa and I are both in the SSIS National Honour Society. One of NHS projects involved a Ted Talk interview with Mr.Nguyen Duc - a member of the separated conjoined twins (result of Agent Orange) who works as an executive at Hoa Binh Village. Lisa and I went on trips again to Hoa Binh Village to liaise with Mr.Nguyen Duc, collect photos, translation of the script...

     The Ted Talk was held as a high school assembly as an NHS event to raise awareness on Agent Orange and the damage of war, with me being the live translator. The talk went well, and a lot of students participated to ask questions in the end.

     This is not a story about my CAS project. Nonetheless, it want to tell it because it actualized one of my wish since the CAS retreat. I've always wanted to do something, to contribute in some way, either emotionally or financially to Hoa Binh Village and its children, whom I love and wish of the very best for their lives.

:)
 
   

Performance with Guitar Class at Olive Café

      When I first signed up for Doremi guitar class, I just thought it'd be a great chance for me to both learn new skills and interact with those with the same interest. However, it has proved to be so much more than I expected. Not only did my guitar playing improve, but I also got the opportunity to perform in public - which is a totally new experience for me since I'd only performed in my school before.   

   
           Here I was on stage in a charity public cafe, performing in front of a big audience of wholly strangers, yet I felt alive - more confident than I'd ever been on any stage. I thought partly that was due to the cheer from my dear audience :)

      After this event, I'd like so much to thank my family, who has always been there to support me, and all of my friends, who have always been such a huge source of laughter for me. The new experience was utterly amazing. I will keep pursuing my musical dream and hopefully there'll be more event like this to come in the near future!

CAS Proposal Salsa

CAS Proposal Zumba

CAS Proposal Guitar

CAS Proposal VAC

CAS Retreat - Art Studio and Hoa Binh Village

     On Friday August 31st, we went to a studio to learn more about CAS as well as to express ourselves through our oil paintings. After this trip I learnt a new art skill which could be very useful in my future CAS project, given that I’ve never taken any art courses before. I did also learn more about myself through my own painting. Whereas other students all drew about a physical real place, my painting is about a place in my heart – a part of my childhood that has been burnt to remnants by the fire of reality – a place I had to let go - The Tardis.

     I remember one of Carol Anne Duffy’s lines in her poem “Original”: All childhood is an emigration. I came from one place to another, adding and losing parts of myself, becoming new people. I also learnt that I’m a very disorganized person and by no means should pursue visual arts as my serious career, since I was the only one in the end with paints all over my face. Waterproof paints. All in all it was a very refreshing fun experience that kicks off my CAS year, hopefully a successful one in the future.

     On Saturday, we visited Hoa Binh hospital. To be honest, at first I was sort of afraid due to the admonitions of how mental those kids might be (pulling hair, tearing off clothes…). Nonetheless, it was totally different than what I was told. I suddenly felt like crying when I stood on the staircase waiting for playtime with the kids – that is when my fear truly went away. I felt so much connection and empathy for the those kids who have half their life confiscated by cruel fate. During our playtime, the kids were really nice, some of them only a bit cranky. I saw a kid trying to practice walking with his little tiny feet, clinging onto anything that walks. The nurses and translators are very caring and they do treat the kids very well. There’s this little girl with a big head lying on the white sheet with those blank expressions in her eyes. Here’s this guy, skin burnt, he must have received mostly evasion and ignorance in his life. I talked most to the guy on the wheel chair. His name is Dũng (in orange shirt). He does not speak that well, but he can count excellently! We had a lot of books, which we didn’t read, but rearranged while counting them. 

Dũng has a disability in his hand which causes him great difficulty holding stuff; however, he is a very determined person who insists on doing things himself and not relying on other people’s help. How wonderful it would be for him to be able to live a better life. His soul and mind are worthy of a healthy body. Out of the blue, I felt a shame for those people out there who are bestowed a normal life, but took it for granted or even used it for demeaning purposes. I also felt the urge to live up to my true potential, so as not to waste the fortune I’m lucky enough to have got. The trip to the hospital on Saturday, as well as to the one to Vinh studio, were the memorable moments in my high school life that really are not likely to be forgotten. In only two days, I’ve got the opportunity to learn more about CAS and partly foresee my near future in IB. I’m so looking forward for the days to come!