IVHQ - Volunteering in Ho Chi Minh City

I had a great experience visiting Vietnam for the first time and volunteering in Ho Chi Minh City thanks to this fantastic program. This is a perfect program if you're traveling by yourself, with some friends, and even if it's your first time traveling. It's a very good blend of fun, tourism, and service to the local community.
This was my first time traveling on my own so I was a bit wary at first. But when I got to Vietnam, the staff at Green Lion was incredibly friendly and accommodating. Right when I got to the airport, Jenny was there to pick me up and bring me to the Saigon Tourism College where I was hosted for two weeks. The room and accommodations are fine - I had my own bunk with another 4 guys in the room. The most important thing was that I had A/C, which kept our room very cool. The first week was Culture Week and consisted of exploring Ho Chi Minh City's main sights of interest, markets, museums, the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, and even a cooking lesson. Our guide Leah was always cheerful and fun; you can tell she loves Vietnamese culture and introducing people to it. The Culture Week is organized enough to where the days are filled with activities but there's enough time and freedom at night to go out and do more activities. The cool thing about this program also is that you get to meet so many interesting people from around the world - I met Australians, Dutch, English, German, and it was quite fun hanging out with them and enjoying an exotic country for the first time together. We even rented out a field and played soccer! Green Lion also has a wonderful travel agent Quyen on staff as well - she was able to book us tours and tell us of the interesting places to go for cheap. And it's so cheap to travel within Vietnam! We had our weekends to travel to different cities.

I volunteered in the medical placement at the local hospital in Tan Binh District. I was able to rotate in different wards like acupuncture, surgery, physiotherapy, and wound care. My goal going in was just to see their healthcare system and interact with the patients and healthcare professionals there. It definitely helps to know Vietnamese! Only a few doctors knew some English and it was difficult for some of my friends to communicate with them. However, all the healthcare professionals appreciated when we taught them English. They all desire to learn. The program didn't involve too much specialized, hands-on procedures, which was fine for me. As far as the volunteering experience, I think what you put in is what you'll get out of it. I tried my best to talk to the patients and also the therapists and doctors and I feel like I gained some insight into their lives and culture. My favorite ward was the physiotherapy ward because it was the most interactive one - I was able to help toddlers with cerebral palsy perform leg strengthening exercises. It was amazing to see their joy despite their condition. All in all, the medical placement was well-rounded - you get to see a lot although not everything is hands-on. This is understandable considering the specialized nature of medicine.

To conclude, I think this program is organized and fun, and will give travelers a fantastic intro to Vietnam. The staff are incredibly helpful and friendly. They really do take care of you. I highly recommend it for people who have never traveled on their own but want to. Believe me, you will learn so much about yourself and the world. Just give in and do it!