So far during this Vietnam trip, I have had many great experiences. Today, we visited an island called Unicorn Island. It is a small island located in the middle of a river. When we arrived on the island, we rode on a small boat and went through a small river, which ran through the island. Though it was hot, the shadow of the coconut trees and the sound of the river made it very relaxing. The people of the island also treated us to fresh picked fruits such as papayas, bananas, and grapefruit. They were sweet and delicious. Near the end of the tour of the island, everyone had a chance to hold a snake and take a picture. Though some of us were scared at first, everyone had a great time.

One thing I like most about Vietnam is that the food is very cheap and tasty. During the trip, I have tried the coconut milk Mr. Dang has been telling us about. It was very good. It tasted very different from what I thought it would taste like. It was very sweet and watery. The meat of the coconut is also very delicious.

Though the food was awesome, the best part of the trip was visiting the Mai Lien Girls Orphanage. All the girls were very friendly and they always had a big smile on their faces. When we first met the girls, I was surprised at how well they could speak English. Before going to the orphanage, my friends and I practiced some Vietnamese phrases in the bus such as, “Ten la zi?”, which means, “what is your name?” and also “Ten toi la,” meaning “my name is…” so that we would be able to communicate with them. Though our pronunciations were not too clear, the orphans still understood what we were trying to say which made me fell happy. As we gave the girls stuffed animals and other goods that we had brought for them, their excitement and joy pleased me. We played games, painted, and decorated picture frames with orphans. I was very impressed with all of their artwork. They were paintings were creative and very colorful. I am really glad that the orphans enjoyed the activities that we had provided for them. Because everyone was having fun, time flew by very quickly. When it was time to go, no one wanted to leave. Though it was hard to say, “good bye,” I was proud for what we have did. I had a great time with the orphans and will never forget this day and their beautiful smiles.

I am very glad that I was able to go on this trip. I have made awesome new friends, and learned a lot about the lifestyle in Vietnam.

Jen Kato