Berry's SEAJ trip Day 9: Helping some local children (6/14/15)

Ate breakfast and hung out in the hostel until the bus comes to take us to the orphanage. These hostels are associated with a local non-profit called Take Time where they take travelers in Hue that want to go visit a local orphanage to play with the kids. I tag along and we get to the Doc Sun orphanage.

Berry is excited to get in there and play.

It is impressive the spirit of these kids considering the living conditions; they are not bad but they are not great either. It is essentially one giant house/compound where everyone helps out and takes care of younger kids. Kinda impressive. The kids are very happy and behave themselves rather well. The school room they have there had geometry or some physics on the board, which made me happy to know that these kids were getting an education (which is why I wound up donating money twice to them – once after this visit and again at the end of my time in Vietnam, more on that later). The kids, like everyone else I had come across thus far, were amazed at my hydration kit. I brought it as it made since to not die of heat exhaustion. But to them they just see a hose and me drinking and are wondering what the hell I am doing and what is this thing I am drinking from. So they play with it a little bit and the nuns make them stop, so I do not let them the rest of the time I am there. We head out after visiting all the kids, and get back to the hostel.

Berry had fun with the kids. It is now time to depart.

I head to the ATM to get some money, and on the way back, a guy selling sunglasses asks me if I want a pair and I say no (I am wearing my hat and sunglasses mind you). He follows me trying to make the sale for the next 50-60m. I stop, turn to him and while pointing at my glasses say “I already have glasses.” He pauses and says “Oh!” and walks off. I was just thinking why is that necessary? Why don't these people leave me alone after I say no? Ruins an otherwise beautiful country. Eventually my bus to Phong Nha gets in and I get to my hostel (Easy Tiger) around 9pm to check in. After that, I head down to the lobby for a beer and to enjoy the live music. I then head up and shower and talk to one of my roommates for a bit before heading to bed.