Natasha, 4th year. Conflict Studies and Human Rights
Host country : Dong Hoi, Quang Binh, Vietnam
Canadian NGO : Mines Action Canada
Local NGO : Association for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
Title : From apprehension to appreciation : a mid-internship reflection
As I navigate through the mid point of my internship, I can already see how much I’ve learned, often from my own missteps! From my first time riding on the back of a motorbike, gripping it tightly and avoiding looking at the bustling traffic. To now, riding on the back of motorbikes through Dong Hoi’s quaint streets and beautiful scenery as if it were second nature, this encapsulates the transformative journey I’ve gone through in this internship- from apprehension to appreciation.
The province of Quang Binh is located in central Vietnam and has the largest cave system in the world and an immense jungle filled national park. The natural beauty is astounding, but the province also suffers from some of the worst climate change impacts of the country like torrential storms and landslides every year. These natural disasters especially impact vulnerable rural communities, particularly those with disabilities.
The Association for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities(AEPD), is an organization with roots in supporting landmine survivors. Today, their advocacy and projects extend beyond landmine-related disabilities, encompassing healthcare, peer support, job assistance, disaster risk management, building storm-proof homes and much more.
An approach the AEPD employs that I admire is a cost-sharing mechanism in its projects, which involves individuals with disabilities at every decision-making stage. Whether contributing financially,with labor, or materials, people with disabilities contribute to the cost of the project, ensuring project viability and that it reponds to their specific needs. By requiring involvement and investment from beneficiaries, the AEPD fosters a sense of ownership, exemplifying a personalized and empowering approach. This model holds great potential for adoption by NGOs worldwide, as it is a simple way to ensure projects are creating useful long-lasting solutions.
In my role as a Mine Action Support Worker I have taken part in many different tasks, from office work like grant proposal writing, editing and reasearching to hands-on field work. Joining my coworkers, I have visited rural communities and farms supported by our association and been present at important meetings with community leaders. Additionally, I've had the privilege of representing the AEPD alongside a prominent delegate on a province-wide visit. Immersing myself in Vietnamese culture, I participated in Tết, the lunar new year, spending a week with a coworker's family, an experience I’m very fortunate to have taken part in. Each day presents new challenges and gratifying outcomes, which contribute to my growth as an intern and student.
As much of the work is done in Vietnamese, I have been faced with a language barrier in most of work and my daily life. Though I did pass several levels of Vietnamese duolingo before getting here, which has been helpful, and some of my coworkers do speak english, I’ve mostly had to rely on non-verbal communication or google translate. When faced with language barriers, observation becomes the best tool for understanding. While it is not easy to convey emotions and create connections without direct communication, the moments where it succeeds are really gratifying. For instance, sharing laughter with a coworker after making a joke through google translate feels like winning the lottery!
My biggest takeaway so far has been finding joy in the little things, such as creating a connection with a coworker despite language barriers, enjoying lunch breaks on the beach, exchanging greetings with now familiar shop owners, and many more lovely moments. It’s important to keep a positive outlook when living abroad, as often situations that put us outside of our comfort zone provide the most valuable lessons.