I arrived in Vietnam for the Medical Placement in Ho Chi Minh project and the first thing I noticed walking out of the airport was how busy it was; there were people everywhere. Once at the accommodation, I was immediately excited, there was a buzz in the air. The other volunteers made me feel so welcome and within hours of chatting it was like we had known each other for years. Truly the best part of this volunteering experience was the people I met, I can honestly say that I have made life long friends from all over the world on this trip.
Coming from a first world country, there was a huge culture shock entering the hospital. It was quite the eye opening experience to see how efficiently very little resources could be used to yield the maximum care for the patients. The best part of the volunteering was actually being able to do procedures and assist the nurses in their daily activities. I had already been trained in how to do many of the skills, so it was as simple as the nurses showed me how to do them in the Vietnamese way and off I went. The hands on experience you get through GoEco is second to none.
After volunteering the whole group of us would walk home and the night would begin! Whether it was going out as a big volunteering family or staying in and watching movies, you always knew it would be a fun filled night.
Best advice for anyone thinking about doing GoEco, stop thinking and start booking!
