Scholarship

Today was an especially exciting day for me. Although the focus of this mission is medical, I have to admit that the kids carried greater personal importance to me…

Intake

Once CeCe and I had finished collecting the patients’ information and most of the MEMObers had gone to lunch, I had a little bit of downtime to chill and talk with the parents. Even though my Vietnamese is not very good, the parents sympathized with me and simplified their vocabulary in order for me to understand their gratitude... a humbling feeling.



 

The Sweetest

While I was unknowingly taking a nap at the intake station (after all the patients had been checked in of course) I felt a tap on my shoulder followed by a string of giggles. I was halfway to dreamland at the moment and could not really register what had just happened. So I pretended to fall asleep again to bait the menace back. Lo and behold, she came back and before she could touch me again I surprised her with a little roar. She ran away into the schoolhouse and I followed her, assuming that this was going to be a small game of tag. Little did I know of the adventure that was to ensue. 
I ended up playing with many of the children left in the schoolhouse that were waiting to be checked out by the dentist. We played an assortment of games, many of which consisted of them chasing me in some manner. At one point we played a variation of tag, where I was forever “it,” and I would chase whichever student was able to come and tag me. It was fun to be able to run around with these kids but I was easily winded, and thus had to quickly come up with a less active game.

While resting at the steps, the boys decided to copy everything I was doing. From sitting cross-legged to creating rhythms with our hands and feet, I became their ringleader and they were my minions, muahaha. We formally greeted every MEMOber present and even had all the boys line up to shake Long Co’s hand.
We moved onto charades. From pigs to horses cac em were able to guess it all. Jonathan, William, and I added a little twist to the game where we would pretend to be creatures such as birds and crocodiles that would come in and kidnap them. Ok, we didn’t really kidnap them; we just surprised them by picking them up and throwing them around a little bit. They all seemed to get a real kick out of that.

Clockwise: Jonathan & Friend, Will & Friend, Jamie & Friend, and Anton & Friend

Eventually all the kids left available to play were taken into see the dentist, and the MEMObers and I were left with each other. As much as I love to be with my MEMObers, that last bit of my energy left with the last em and I decided to instead take the sweetest most refreshing nap. 


- Anton