More Than I Expected: 10 Months of Volunteering in Hanoi
Hello! My name is Andrea, I’m 24 years old and originally from Murcia, Spain. Almost ten months ago, I packed my bags and flew to Vietnam to join the SASID ESC project. I came up with the idea of contributing to something meaningful, and what I found was a community that taught me more than I ever expected. Over the past months, I’ve been volunteering in Hanoi with CSDS (Center for Sustainable Development Studies), where we run non-formal education classes, promote sustainability, and create cultural exchange spaces between international volunteers and the local community.
Daily work:
Most of our daily work revolved around teaching English, but not in the traditional sense. We weren’t standing on a blackboard giving grammar lectures jajaja. Instead, we ran non-formal community classes for children, teens, and adults, where English became the bridge to play, confidence, and conversation. At the same time, we were learning just as much from our students—about Vietnamese traditions, popular food, how to pronounce Vietnamese correctly (which is really hard), and how to adapt to a very different rhythm of life.
Promoting sustainability:
One of the core values of the project was sustainability, not just as a theme we taught, but as a way of living and sharing. Throughout the months, we organized and participated in several eco-focused activities that reflected this idea.
One standout moment was the Swap Events we organized in collaboration with Friendship Village, an NGO that supports people affected by Agent Orange. We collected clothes from the community and other volunteers, sorted and repurposed them, and spent a day exchanging, donating, and sharing stories. It wasn’t just about clothing, it was about reducing waste and understanding better the importance of giving clothes a second life.
We also prepared events for Earth Day, running a workshop with kids to explore recycling, upcycling, and we even planted beans! On Vietnamese Women’s Day, we celebrated the strong women in our host community through games, songs, and small handmade gifts. And at a community library, we ran games and craft workshops, helping children build language skills while also encouraging creativity.
Summer Camps:
The last month of the project was especially intense—and joyful. After the school year ended, we organized two summer camps for children. Each day was a mix of English activities, outdoor games, dancing, crafts, and the occasional chaos that comes with 20 excited kids and lots of heat jajaja. It was exhausting, hilarious, and probably the most rewarding part of the experience.
I still remember the first morning when we played “Splat!” to learn each other’s names—and ended up with five kids in a circle and a lot of laughter echoing through the room. In those moments, you realize how powerful simple connection can be.
Community:
Beyond the activities, what really made this experience special was the people: my fellow volunteers, our Vietnamese coordinators, the students, the host families, and the CSDS staff. Living and working together pushed us to grow—to be more patient, more open, and more flexible.
We shared everything: meals, tasks, ideas, and sometimes frustrations. But we also celebrated birthdays, cooked dinners together, and had long conversations about the world and us places in it.
What I’m Taking with Me:
I came to Vietnam wanting to get to know the country and its culture, seeing it as an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and grow —but I’m leaving with so much more. I’ve learned how powerful small, community-based actions can be. How education is never one-way. And how sustainability isn’t just about what we consume, but about how we connect, listen, and support each other.
There are still so many things I don’t fully understand about Vietnam. But I’ve gained a deeper respect for its people, its complexity, and its strength.
And as I head back home, I’m carrying not just memories, but friendships, skills, and a renewed sense of why grassroots exchange matters.
