Alumni Interview with Mandy Hanjoel

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I've always been interested in traveling and living abroad. I study Social Work and had to do a minor in International Development Work that included a volunteer work abroad for three months. I was very curious about how Social Work is arranged in an Asian country. I've traveled through Asia before and really wanted to go back for a longer time. I chose Vietnam because I wanted to see something different compared to the more popular Asian destinations like Thailand and Bali, even though Vietnam is also getting more popular now!

Why did you choose Volunteer Vietnam?

I chose Volunteer Vietnam because the organisation provides help to people with mental/ physical disabilities in Vietnam. Next to my study Social Work, I also work in disability care, so I specifically looked for an organisation that worked with people with disabilities, so I knew I could try to make a contribution with my knowledge. I also heard positive stories about Volunteer Vietnam because a friend from school also worked with this organisation a couple of years ago.

What was your favorite part about Vietnam?

My favorite part of Vietnam are the people living there. Vietnamese are the most kind and warmhearted people I've ever met. Wherever you are, you're welcomed with open arms. I also liked the diversity of the country, I've traveled in north, central, and south Vietnam, and everything is really different compared to each other. In the North there are more mountains and landscapes, and in the South it's more tropical and there are lots of rivers. Central Vietnam is more cultural with several temples.

What made your experience abroad extraordinary?

What made my experience extraordinary was the fact that Vietnam won the international football championships. I'm actually not a big fan of football but it's a big part of the Vietnamese culture now. Whenever there is a football game everyone's gathering around in local cafes or family houses to watch the game together. At the beginning of December Vietnam won the championships and the whole country went crazy, together with my Vietnamese colleagues we went to the city centre where everyone was celebrating the victory, I'll never forget that experience!

How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?

The local staff of Volunteer Vietnam supported me very well. When I arrived two of the staff members picked me up from the airport and took care of me after the long journey. I stayed at the volunteer house where also two of the staff members live, so they were always around if I needed their help. Viet (the founder of the organisation) also invited the volunteers to his house sometimes to watch football games or to eat dinner with his family and neighbours. it was always really fun!

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?

To be honest I wouldn't do anything differently because I've had an amazing experience overall. But if I had to choose I would have learned the language. I only learned some basic words in Vietnamese but I could have put more effort into learning the language to better connect with the locals. Maybe when I return someday I would love to learn Vietnamese, even though it's a very hard language with all different kinds of tones in the words. Luckily it isn't as hard as learning Mandarin because in Vietnam they use the Latin alphabet.

Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.

I would wake up around 7am., if the neighbours rooster didn't wake me up earlier. I’d take a shower and go downstairs to eat breakfast. Co Hai (our cook) would welcome me and ask me if I slept well, while she prepared breakfast. Around 8am we left the house to work on one of the projects. This could be working at the Social Support Centre, the school for children with disabilities, kindergartens or the orphanage. There was a different schedule every day. The activities motivate people to be active or learn English. Around 11am we returned to the volunteer house to eat lunch and rest until 2pm. Then we left to work on one of the other projects. Around 5 pm we would return to the volunteer’s house again to eat dinner and then I would have free time at night.

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?

Da Nang is a very big and diverse city so there is enough to do in your free time! At night I went to yoga classes with other volunteers or the Vietnamese staff members. Sometimes I went to the beach or to the amusement park in the city centre. On the weekends there was time to travel further, I've been to Hoi An which is only a 40-minute bus ride away from Da Nang and Hue which is a two-hour train ride away. There are plenty of options to enjoy your free time in Da Nang and its surrounding areas.

What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?

I stayed at the volunteer house. The volunteer house is located outside of the city centre of Da Nang, but it’s a quick bike ride to the centre. It's a big house, if you're lucky and you're the only volunteer you can have the whole room to yourself (like me), and you also have a private bathroom. The best thing about the volunteer house was that we had our own cook. Co Hai is very sweet and cooks very well! It was also very nice that two of the Vietnamese staff members lived in the house, so if you needed help they are always there for you!

What is one thing every future participant should know about Volunteer Vietnam before their program begins?

Every future participant should know that Volunteer Vietnam is a very good organisation that cares about their volunteers but also the people in need in Vietnam. Nowadays there are lots of organisations who only want to profit out of volunteers. Volunteer Vietnam provides a lot of help for the local people in need in different regions in Vietnam. They started the project in Da Nang City but they are also very busy with developing the same kinds of projects now in the Mekong Delta area.

Would you recommend Volunteer Vietnam to others? Why?

Yes I would 100 percent recommend Volunteer Vietnam to anyone considering doing volunteer work abroad. You'll be welcomed with open arms and you'll have an amazing time! The staff treats you like family and the work schedule is very diverse so you do different things every day! Vietnam is a beautiful country with a lot of places to discover. Don't hesitate and go to do volunteer work at Volunteer Vietnam, you definitely won't regret it, it will be a very meaningful experience!

What do you feel is the biggest benefit of traveling abroad?

The biggest benefit about traveling abroad is getting out of your comfort zone, especially when you travel solo! You're in a new environment, meeting a lot of people with other cultural backgrounds. You'll gain confidence because you're more aware of what you're capable of doing all by yourself! It has been one of the most amazing experiences in my life and I'm planning to travel more solo in the future. You'll make friends from all around the world and have the most interesting conversations.

Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?

It definitely impacted my life. I'm more grateful for everything I have in my life right now. It taught me that money and work are not as important as your family and friends. Since I returned after being three months abroad, I make sure I spend more time with my family and friends than I used to do. Living abroad also made me realize how stressed we normally are in western society and that we need to enjoy our lives more. Take more time to rest and do the things you love. We only live once.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

Meaningful travel means to me that you are really trying to get to know the country you're traveling through and interact with the local people. You do research before visiting the country, you get into the country's history, political situation, religion, and cultural habits. When you are traveling through a country you interact with local people, dare to ask questions, and treat their country with respect, as a result the local people will also treat you with respect!