The Vietnam service trip will begin on Dec. 28 with our departure and end on either Jan. 11 or early morning Jan. 12, depending on flight schedules. Upon arrival, we plan to spend one full day in Ho Chi Minh City, taking a tour of the city which may include visiting the YMCA of Vietnam for an introduction to Vietnamese culture. We will then travel to Ben Tre where we may spend around 6 days helping finish construction on the village’s new school. The basic construction is complete, so jobs that we will do include: whitewashing, painting, sanding and varnishing chairs and desks, grouting, cleaning the school yard, preparing decorations and any other needed tasks. The weather in Vietnam is very hot and rainy with lots of mosquitoes, so old lightweight clothing and bug sprays are essential for the worksite. After hard and rewarding work at the work site, we plan to spend the remainder of the trip touring the Cao Dai Temple and relaxing at the beach in Hoi An.

The program fee of $3,500 covers airfare, insurance, visa processing, hotels, all food, in-country travel, and a portion of the school construction cost. You are welcome to bring a spouse, partner, or friend on the trip with you. Vietnam is a beautiful country and the Vietnamese people are among the friendliest and most hospitable in the world. There is very little hostility toward Americans for the Vietnam War, even from the older Vietnamese. The work that you will be doing there will greatly alter the lives of the people of Ben Tre for the better, working to build a facility where the local community can receive education and develop more fully as a community.

To express your interest in the Wake Forest Vietnam program, December 27, 2008 - January 11, 2009, led by Dr. Mary Gerardy, please fill out the following form. All fields are required for submission.