Clinic 7: End of the Road

Narita: All Good Things Must End

I'm currently writing my final blog entry as I sit in Narita International Airport on the outskirts of Tokyo. Alan and Jacob have just left for their home and I'm on hour six of an eight hour layover.

Six hours is a long time to think and write. Alex already figured the exact number of minutes we all spent together so I won't do that again. But I will try to recollect as much as I can of the tail end of this surreal blur of events that has been my life for the past 20 days.

1. Looking at, picking out, and then eating two deliciously crispy fried snakes. The next day, taking shots of another snake's blood and then endlessly nibbling on its rubbery flesh while drinking more of its blood with the waiter.
2. Haggling tank tops down to $2 dong each, changing colors and sizes repeatedly, and being cursed by the merchant. Feeling guilty yet triumphant after every success at Ben Thanh market.
3. Getting a thoroughly intimate massage at Quynh Nhu Hand & Foot Massage parlor. From a very flexible man.
4. Trying to find the legendary Highlands Coffee club sandwich and failing.
5. Considering but never actually using the toilet-showers at the Kien Giang hotel the way they were obviously built to be used.
6. Teaching hundreds of kids how to brush their teeth at one of the clinics. Actually spending most of that time running around and scaring kids with the teeth models.
7. Appreciating the view from the roof of the hotels in Kien Giang.
8. British accents. All the bloody time.
9. Getting excited to observe a pelvic exam, hearing the words "lube those fingers up", and backing out of said pelvic exam.
10. Singing the "Star Spangled Banner" at the end of a hilarious night of karaoke, feeling paranoid about communists, and then singing "Sai Gon Dep Lam."
11. Dancing with locals and security guards, trying on Japanese slippers, and generally integrating Zara into the PVNF after hours itinerary.
12. Somehow adjusting our bodies to wake up at 5, eat, sleep for 3 hours, work for 7 hours, sleep for 3 hours, eat, relax/rage, and repeat.
13. Ingesting jitters-inducing amounts of caffeine, ice, condensed milk, and sugar.
14. Helping hundreds of people a day and changing thousands of lives (patient, volunteer, and professionals alike) over the course of our two week adventure.

I'm positive I've forgotten so much cool stuff that happened but then again, most of my memory is tied to my camera and what it remembers. I am also beyond sad that I missed the last night with everyone with PVNF. I'm sure this list would have been quite longer if I'd been there to see the festivities last night. However, I think everyone deserves a little break for all of the amazing work that we did together these past two weeks. I've said this before but this 2011 PVNF Summer Service Camp has been one of the most fun and rewarding experiences I've ever had, an ideal blend of work and play. I am glad that I can call many of you friends and I hope that we all can see each other again, whether that be in the States, Canada, or France.

To hard work done, new friendships made, and life in Vietnam!

-Sean Nguyen

Kien Giang: Take 5

Today we took a 3 hour bus ride to a beach in the Kien Giang province. The bus ride there was long, sleepy, bumpy, and completely worth it. We first toured a cave with a Buddhist temple inside of it; the views from one of the natural openings of the surrounding rice paddies and mountains was awe inspiring. Many of us bought little flavored ice bags for about 20 US cents. When we got to the beach we were treated to a delicious meal of canh chua (for the 5th or 6th day running? Not complaining though), seafood and steamed vegetables, fried pork, and rice. Then there was the beach. The water was perfect for relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty of the surrounding water and sand; not too warm to be uncomfortable but cool enough to be refreshing. We played frisbee (poorly on my part) and chicken (much better). Some of us wrestled and others looked on with concern. Although we only got to stay for about an hour, the break from the constant work of PVNF really balanced the trip out. Appreciating the natural beauty of Vietnam and its people gives us a more personal connection to the work we do with PVNF. Floating in the salty water looking at clear blue skies or laying in a reclining chair and taking in the panoramic beach at the edge of tropical rainforest covered hills is completely surreal, something you only see on Corona commercials.

But I see it almost as a generous payment for our volunteerism. I would gladly do crowd control and clean dental equipment to be able to go to beaches like the one here in Kien Giang, paddle down a river in Ben Tre, or have a blast at any of the tours that we have been lucky enough to experience through PVNF. To another day starting bright and early at 5AM tomorrow!

Clinic #4: Vinh Thuan Commune

Yesterday morning after leaving the hotel at 5 a.m. and a 3/12 hour bumpy bus ride, the members of PVNF Summer Camp finally reached their destination for the fourth Clinic at the Vinh Thuan Commune Clinic in Rach Gia. Thang Dong, member of Team S, laughs as she runs through the early morning rain before arriving at the Clinic.

Quoc Bui plays with a baby waiting to get a medical exam.

PVNF Student Volunteers look on as Tuanh Hathi-Nguyen performs a tooth extraction on a young patient.

A week's worth of Clinics and humidity that seems to pull the moisture straight out of your body, finally took its toll on members of the PVNF Summer Camp. Despite the wide spread physical and mental exhaustion, over 500 patients were seen in what was the most productive and efficient Clinic yet.

After a full day of service, PVNF members hold on tight to a little wooden water taxi that transported them to and from the remote Clinic at the Vinh Thuan Commune.

Moving on

Last night, the PVNF team had a farewell dinner, a bittersweet moment for both us and the Ben Tre students we met. The food was nothing special, but it was still a memorable night. I could see the joy in the Ben Tre professionals and students as they received gifts of gratitude from the leaders of both the camp, and their own teams. They were also obviously disappointed that our time in Ben Tre had come to an end. Personally, I had come to hold a deep respect for these students that came everyday to help us at clinics. These students had taken times out of their days to devote to helping improve their own community, attempting to strengthen the well-being of those around them. One of the Ben Tre student's motivation and dedication inspired me to working harder during clinic. After working in the burning sun for 1 1/2 hours, we were told to take a break. The Ben Tre student refused to take a break, and continued to work throughout the day. This gave me motivation to work harder, seeing this girl work twice as hard as I did.

The next morning was one of the most exhausting bus rides I have ever experienced. Although we were scheduled to leave at 6:45, we did not end up leaving until 8:30, spending time waiting for an extrta bus, since there was an excess of people. The 6 hour drive was filled with bumpy roads, hot air and flat tires. When we finally arrived to lunch, we quickly consumed the food, and listened to a speech by the leader of the new Vietnamese students. We then settled into the hotel, and sorted pills in preparation for the next day of clinic. I am very excited to see the new site, and work with this new group of college students.

Ben Tre Bridge Building

After making his way across the current unreliable bridge, this child leaps to land barely missing a fall of about 10 feet.

Students help workers move wood through a narrow opening in barbed wire that will be used as scaffolding during the construction of the bridge.

The new bridge will provide safe passage to a nearby school that these children attend.

After work, PVNF Summer Volunteers pose for a group picture at the site of the new bridge that is dedicated to a former member.

Where everyone has a symptom

Today was another day of clinic, but was a completely different experience for our group. During the clinic, our group worked in vitals, taking blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate. For our patients, this brief 5 minute interaction was their chance to describe as many symptoms and illnesses they experienced as possible. My translator was overwhelmed by the amount of patients that plunged into their life stories, or attempted to show sores, rashes and bruises. Even after explaining we were not doctors, these patients continued to list their symptoms, in many cases even offering advice and opinions about their diagnosis.

I remember specifically one woman, who was insistent on being seen. After sitting down she immediately launched into an explanation of her symptoms. As the translator attempted to explain that we were not doctors, the patient continued to list her symptoms, even physically attempting to force herself closer to us. The experience made me realize how desperate these people are for professionals, men and women who can enjoy the luxury of learning and education, without worrying about farming and earning money for the family to survive. The desperation of the patients made me appreciate the luxuries we enjoy in America, and helped to reconfirm my motivation and desire to come to PVN.