This weekend it was time for our first field trip, and we drove two and a half hours to spend the night with the Ka Tu-people. Our class was split into two groups, and we were divided into different villages. In our village, the locals had prepared a room full of matresses in the community house. We were wished welcome by the chief of the village, and he answered our questions about the community. He did not talk either Vietnamese or English, so the translation process was quite advanced.

The village was quite small and contains about 350 citizens. The first day we arrived, the locals were dressed in traditional homemade clothes, and we felt very welcome. They made us food and showed us around in the village. In the afternoon we were supposed to do field-work, and in small groups we went around and talked to the locals. When the darkness came through, they lighted a bonfire, and we took part in the traditional dance. In the morning the day after, we woke up at 04.00 am to the rooster calling and the children playing. It was very interesting to experience a different part of Vietnam than the city we live in. We met a lot of beautiful people and got to participate in the everyday life of the families in the village. Vietnam is really delivering so far, and I look forward to the rest of my stay.

-Julie-