NGO Placement

Xin chào! (Hello in Vietnamese)
Where to begin? I feel like so much has happened so far, and yet I have only been on the ground for three days. The city of 7.1 million people is constantly busy (crossing the street is always a terrifying adventure) that I cannot help but feeling so many emotions all at the same time. I guess I'll start with some basic updates.

Living:

I'm living in an apartment with other international volunteers. I'm in a room with 5 other girls-Henna (London), Mikayla (Australia), Paula (Spain), Charlotte (Australia) and one other girl I have not met yet who is from the US. There are 6 of these rooms spread out between two neighboring apartments so there are always people buzzing around. 27 of us started our placements this week so there are a lot of new faces which is fun. The apartment, like the city, is incredibly hot. I've never experienced the type of humidity they get here before. Yesterday was especially fun since we lost both power and water-a rough combination. Luckily I have a friend, Duy, in Hanoi (studied at St. Olaf but is Vietnamese) who graciously let me stay with his family for the night. The power is back on though so we are back to very very hot instead of very very very hot. :D

Volunteering:
I'm working with an organization called Hagar International. They work with victims of human trafficking and domestic violence in Vietnam, Cambodia and Afghanistan. Both of these are rampant problems in the area, so I am looking forward to aiding the organization in whatever ways possible. I expect to be spending a lot of time working on fundraising opportunities and grant writing. Plus, the office is air conditioned which is a HUGE plus. :D