This post features student writing.
Over the past weekend we took a well-earned break from a successful yet tiring second week of work. We made a visit to Hoi An, a medium sized town about four hours away from the village where we are working. Although the journey was long, it was certainly worth it. Hoi An is beautiful; sporting fantastic food, artisan shops, markets, and very clean streets. These traits are all magnified within the Old Quarter; a neighborhood of restored yellow colonial buildings near the main river that have been converted into shops, restaurants, cafes and markets.
The visuals and culture of Hoi An are quite conducive to exploration and photography, so we took one afternoon to embark on a photo scavenger hunt. We had a list of 10 quirky sights to find and photograph, such as a an elderly person selling a clay whistle or someone sleeping atop a parked motorbike. We all had a lot of fun stretching our legs and discovering new attractions in the vicinity.
It was in the Old Quarter that we spent most of our days. Only a 20-minute walk from our comfortable hotel, it was incredibly convenient to visit. We could shop for souvenirs and amenities we can’t find in the village. There are also the famous tailors of Hoi An, who can custom fit and create just about any clothes rapidly and with ease for a stunningly low price. We all took advantage of this opportunity to add to our dressy wardrobes.
A major part of our weekend was spent enjoying the food. Almost all of the food we ate in Hoi An was top notch, from street vendors to restaurants. A benefit of the city compared to the village is the diversity of possibility when it comes to what can be eaten. A certain restaurant we visited offered foods simply impossible to find in the rural countryside. We all visited a Banh Mi store during a scavenger hunt which was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s show, No Reservations.
We all participated in a cooking class; we learned to create rice paper, chicken noodles, and much more all from scratch. Expert chefs who speak English and also have a cunning sense of humor entertained and educated us on the intricacies of Vietnamese cuisine. After cooking an assortment of dishes for ourselves, we were able to enjoy the delicious fruits of our labor. All this was within a secluded resort-like place, jungle-like, with massive and vibrant gardens, which we reached with a 20-minute boat ride from the Old Quarter.
Overall, we did a lot over the weekend. But most of it was exploring, an opportunity we were grateful for. There was a lot of freedom to really follow through with our own curiosity, and to find new things on our own. It was the perfect balance of relaxation and engagement.
– Kiran B.
