Barbara Ellis' Story
I was initially worried about culture shock, safety concerns and dealing with the extreme heat. I ended up being amazed at the adaptability I didn’t know I’d had, and was able to enjoy my time—bumps in the road included—with few complaints. Trying local fresh fruit, learning phrases in Vietnamese and walking through the bustling streets were all amazing cultural experiences that allowed me to challenge my beliefs without stepping too far away from my comfort zone. It was an incredible first impression.
I will never forget meeting the Tra Vinh students for the first time. Their hospitality was on another level entirely; the most respectful and attentive people I have ever met. Although they had busy schedules, I clicked with them immediately and found that our language barriers were less of a challenge than I’d expected. As it turns out, body language and kindness transcends through culture far greater than anything else could. They always greeted me with a cheerful smile, and I could not wait to work on our social entrepreneurship venture together.
The business ideas developed quickly. With the Vietnamese students as our local experts, we were able to pinpoint relevant issues and create a realistic solution. I truly felt that it was easy to work together and communicate on both sides.
We also went on plenty of educational excursions as well. My personal favourite was the Sok Farm, a coconut flower processing farm that focuses on providing women and ethnic minorities with equal opportunities for employment, as well as competitive wages in their region. It was incredibly inspiring, to say the least, and helped give my group much inspiration for our business venture.
Overall, this exchange was the experience of a lifetime, and I learned above all else that the human ability to connect is possibly the most powerful resource there is. If you are considering applying for the Social Entrepreneurship GSO in Vietnam, take this as your sign, and go!