'A smile is a curve that sets everything straight'

Destination: Tam Ky.

Written By Ellis Silove.

What seemed like moments after arriving in Tam Ky and settling into our accommodation, we were off again. Orphanage bound. My excitement to see the kids was only bested by Anna’s. Shaking with anticipation, the untapped euphoria bubbling from her was awe-inspiring.

First up: Peace Village.  Arrival at PV was met by many familiar faces, and some new ones. However, indiscriminately, all concerned were overjoyed by Anna’s coming. With a lot of hugging and shrieks of joy we made our way to the main courtyard.

Anna told me that she didn’t really have a high expectation of them remembering her. But! She underestimated the disabled children and they did remember her. Ba, came running out, threw herself on Anna, repeating her name and sobbing. The others, Truc, Cuong, Loc, Lanh, Thao.... all had the biggest grins when she approached them. Some reached out to Anna and squeezed her hand. Again, these kids trumped us. Hands down.

PV now have 56 residents..... when Anna left six months ago there were around 24.... the carers here, super women with what they have to deal with, were smiling and happy to see us. 3 carers to care for 56 residents who in reality, need 1:1 care!!!!!

Donations fund two carers here, which brings us to 5 carers in total. Still a ridiculous ratio.

I went in search of Ngan. I found her in the second room I tried. She was sitting on the floor playing with a water bottle and its lid. At first she seemed to either not recognise me or at least not notice me. I took the bottle from her hand and screwed the lid onto it. A huge smile spread across Ngan’s face. When I picked her up I realised how big she had gotten. Nowhere near the size to match the 17 years of life that she has lived. But bigger than the toddler she had been the last time I had seen her. 

After putting her down outside and finding the other kids. I came back and attempted to pick her up. Half way up she pulls herself to her feet and sets off walking. Before I even have time to register what’s happening, she is dragging me around the courtyard.

Whether it is because I have become accustomed to the confronting nature of PV, or the overriding excitement of seeing the kids again so grown up, my first introduction back into Peace Village was to the say the least a very positive experience. We had to leave after too short a time, but I left there wanting more than I had gotten. 

Arrival at baby orphanage was a similar if not a completely different affair. The majority of kids were at school so the welcoming party was considerably smaller than that at PV. However what the group lacked in size, they made up for in sheer noise. As soon as the car pulled in the kids were already excited at the idea of visitors. However, as soon as recognition appeared on the first kids face, the call went up and a barrage of excitement hit us. “ANNA” “ANNA” AAAANNAAAA”. After a quick hug and excited babble the first kids sprinted off into the orphanage to inform the inhabitants of our coming. I recognised faces here and there as toddlers ran out screaming bloody murder. Before long a sea of thigh-high toddlers spread out around us, pinning us in.

For every kid excited to see me, 10 more were clambering over each other to reach their beloved Anna. Was I slightly disappointed at the lack of attention? Yes. Was I jealous at the massively superior amount of love and attention aimed at Anna? Hell no. The look of pure euphoria spread across Anna’s face was one in a million. Her face lit up like the proverbial sun. This expression put all smiles I had witnessed on Anna’s face in the past 6 months to mortifying shame.  

After making the rounds and picking up a few strays, we headed out the front of the orphanage to await the arrival of the older kids returning from school. The reactions were priceless. Screams, shouts, outstretched arms. One girl Anna informed me later that she wasn’t even that close with, burst into tears at the sight of her. A pair of boys on a bike were so distracted by us that they rode headlong into a group of girls standing next to us. I filmed the whole encounter; Capturing the raw expressions and primal joy flowing off the faces of all involved.

14 newborns; Laid out in a row as if on display at a supermarket. “Take your pick; we have one of every kind”. 3 boys and 11 girls…beautiful bodies of life. That first day in the baby room I re-learnt three things: how to correctly hold a baby, how to correctly feed a baby, and how to correctly become overly attached to a baby.

'Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced'

Impressions: By 14 year old Ellis Silove:

First day in Vietnam and already I feel like I’ve been here for weeks. As we ride in the car from the airport through Da Nang city motorbikes swerve chaotically around us in an endless game of chicken. I don’t even blink. Even though I’ve only been here once before ( Dec 2012), the daredevil driving habits of the population seem to me like old news. As Anna and her friend Mark get reacquainted, I take in the sights and sounds of Vietnam. Babies fly by squished onto the back of motorbikes, street vendors shout their wares and anyone and everyone in half a mile radius, children run through the street barefoot, and through the crack in my window the scent of a million people living together in reaches my nose.

We are heading out for dinner to meet Mr Tuan and Mr Phuc, two local physiotherapists who cofound a volunteer program in Da Nang. Our destination; a place only described to me as Dirty Chicken. We pick up a mother/daughter volunteering duo along the way and finally make it to our destination.

We first glimpse our dinner being roasted over a street fire at one of many vendors on the street. There was nothing to distinguish it from all the countless other chicken vendors; however Anna assures me that this one is special. There are two things on the menu: wings... and feet. Thankfully we stuck with wings. Mr T and P arrived soon after us and after brief pleasantries we get down to serious discussion over delicious food.

After waking up at stupid o’clock in the morning, we take a taxi to the Red Cross orphanage that Mr T and Mr P are working at that morning. As we walk in we see an elderly man playing with the kids, a massive grin upon his face. He introduces himself to us as Alan, and as we continue inside he resumes interacting with the young children in his care. From the very beginning I developed a large amount of respect and even awe when regarding Alan. To still be giving back to the world and caring for others in the way I observed him care for the Children at Red Cross was astounding and inspiring. Here was a man who knew what is important in life, and wasn’t going to let anything stop him from achieving his goals.

We found Mr T and P who showed us around. The main room: A wooden enclosure filled with noisy babies and toddlers playing with building blocks. A TV blares Vietnamese programming from the wall above it. Harsh metal cots litter the room with kids staring out from within.

The next room is smaller but has no lack of occupants. Cots line the walls containing kids in various states of health. Most of the children seem perfectly fine, if not frustrated out of sheer boredom.

One boy stuck in my mind. But for the fact Mr T informed us he was 4 years old, I would have thought he was a toddler. Sitting in a wheel chair bundled up in clothes, you couldn’t tell the extent of his condition.  Only by feeling his legs and arms ourselves, did we realise that he was literally skin and bones. There are few words to describe the unfortunately fragile state this boy was in, but to say the least his was not a face I would be soon forgetting.

The last room had fewer occupants, but more disabilities. Mr T introduced us to 2 volunteer physiotherapists who were helping these children. To be completely honest these were not the worst disabilities I have encountered, nor of those I knew I would encounter. All the same, these kids affected me in a way I had forgotten I could be affected.

Now done with our tour, we got down to some serious baby playing. There was one girl who I grew quite connected to. At six years of age, the carers had shaved her head because she would get frustrated or hot and start to pull her hair out. We first met during feeding time. I started off feeding her, until she grabbed the spoon off me and fed herself. After that we took turns.

 After 2 bowls and a bottle of water, she was fed and eager to go. She pulled me around the whole orphanage, supposedly showing me her home. She then found a pair of socks, made me put them on her, and off outside we went. After a brief walk, in which I taught her how to flap her arms like chicken wings, I heard a wailing coming from the door of the orphanage. Another, younger girl was there crying because she wanted to go for a walk to. I returned the first girl to the orphanage and was soon walking two more. Somehow they soon got it into their heads that I could carry both of them at the same time. As it turned out, I could not.

The rest of the time was spent playing and interacting with all the kids in the orphanage. I had forgotten how such little things could radiate so much joy. I left there elevated by the children’s boundless happiness. However there also existed within me a sense of loss leaving these children I bonded with in the short time I knew them. With a heavy heart I realised that this would be only a fraction of the sensation felt leaving Vietnam completely.

Tomorrow... you're only a day away!

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it"

If I wanted something done or to happen, I have found that I just have to spread the word first in a subtle way through the kids and the carers before talking to the director.
I had already asked about taking them to the beach and I got a flat no. She was really worried about them drowning and dare I say it, the paperwork that would go with that...

So I concocted a plan: it would take something special, something big for her to refuse me: so after feeling abit like Tom Cruise in a mission impossible film, I worked my web.
I told her that it was my birthday on the 8th although its on the 18th. ( I figured I could blame the missing '1' on translation issue) and I really wanted them to see a town outside of Tam Ky... I asked if I could take them to Hội An for a day, see the town and eat seafood on the beach. I didn't dare mention anything about the water and swimming.
She was a little hesitant but after I said 'please? ! It's my birthday!' She agreed as long as no swimming! Yes! Stage one of plan achieved!
I was agreeable of course and left her office with a huge grin on my face. Little did she know I had ulterior motives....
The children were waiting outside her office to see if it was a yay or nay and when they saw my smile they all ran up to me asking 'di Hội An?' And I said yes! We go to Hội An!
Cheers echoed throughout the foyer and then they were all really sweet and went in and thanked the director for allowing them. Was nice and respectful. She made a joke that when I was around she didn't exist and the children didn't pay her any attention. She said that the children don't love her as much as they love me! Whilst we were all having a chuckle over it, I made a mental note of the new Samsung Galaxy 5 in her hand and wondered how much of that was paid for by money meant for the children.... That phone could pay for them all to go to hoi an and then some!

So the day came for the excursion. The carers were just as excited as the children. It was nice to see them out, every one wearing their Sunday best.
5 buses transported 79 bodies to hoi an.

We went to visit the orphanage in hoi an which was... Interesting.
BO kids kept together and hoi an kids kept together. Almost felt like two gangs sizing each other up....
Hoi an orphanage has just over 100 kids and BO is catching up to them with 80.....
Hoi an orphanage is just not a nice place. I can vomit a whole heap of atrocities at this place but I shall control myself. Save their disgusting, corrupt stories for another blog....

Anyway, the carers wanted to see it more than anyone so after I saw they all had a look, the kids were just hanging around the front, I yelled and made them all leave. Time to take control! As much as I wanted the carers to have fun, this day wasn't for them. I told them they could stay if they wanted and not come eat seafood at the beach and we can pick them up on way home.... Well.... missing out on seafood by the beach? They were the first back in the buses!
Some of the older children have seen the beach before.... When I snuck them there last year...... But the rest.... Watching them pull up at the beach.... Priceless. They kept asking me about swimming and I had to say no and tell them the carers didn't let them, not me.......

They gorged on the initial food not realising it was a four course meal! They got carried away and ended up being so full after the second course that I got them up for a play with some parachute men to try digest a little to be able to fit more in.

It was about now I thought about next phase of Operation: Splish Splash.
I got some of the kids to ask the carers about swimming knowing full well the answer would be no. Yes, I admit, I used the children to my advantage.. But really! It was ultimately for their benefit :)
So after the kids whinged abit about swimming, I took over and asked if I could take them down... Carers had a full belly by now, were happy, it was my time to shoot. At first they said no... So I asked if I could take them down into the sand. I got a yes. Ok, that's a start.

                                                              

They ran like a herd under attack down to the sand. They played for a bit running enthusiastically despite the fact that it was 40 degrees and about 12pm!
So I went in for the kill again, using the heat as an excuse to go into the water and swim. They argued they didn't have spare clothes. I argued it was so hot they would dry by the time they finished lunch and desert.
I could see a few caving so I kept talking, pleading with them and promising that I will go into the water with Larry and Nhung and we won't let them go beyond their hip depth and can take ten at a time if that eased them.....
A few seconds of silence, carers looking at each other and talking animatedly before I got the head nods! YES!!! I did it!

I knew the ten kids in at a time wouldn't work.... It's putting temptation right in front of them.... Like leaving a cake in front of a child and telling them not to eat it... They start with the edge and icing and......
First the toes went in, then the ankles.... I couldn't hold them back but it was all so fine.
Thy listened and stayed waist deep all in one area.

The ruckus they made! Half the beach was watching us, tourists were taking photos. I guess it was quite a sight...60 children, splashing about, making noise and just having fun.
The boys jumped straight in, no fear. The girls were scared and by the end of it, had only gone in up to their ankles.... A few of the younger ones were surprised when I told them to lick their palms. Moui? Salt? Yes I told them.... They couldn't quite understand why the water had salt in it.... Yet another example of something so small taken for granted: the knowledge that the ocean is salty.

The carers ended up relaxing and were laughing and playing along too. I think me in a bikini caused a stir but I figured I was in hoi an where everyone was wearing a bikini so I would be ok.... Just watching a beach full of white people half naked was enough of an experience for the carers I reckon!

After a splash, we went back up, ate third course and then 80 amazing people sang happy birthday to me.....

I was truly touched at all their gifts; the girls made me bead bracelets, 6 of the carers pulled money together and bought me a pair of sandals, orphanage made me a tshirt with their logo on it and a special message   printed on it for me too.... Mrs Hanh spoiled me, Nhung got me an anklet and a photo frame with a pic of us in it......

Amazing Amazing Amazing.
The tears began which set the girls off too. They said they wanted me to stay in Vietnam forever! Knowing that's not an option right now, I got many well wishes and hugs instead with final declarations of how much they love me and will miss me and a promise of my return.

"It's a world of laughter,
A world of tears,
It's a world of hopes
And a world of fears.
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all"