We left Laos on Tuesday afternoon for Hanoi. We returned to the old quarter at about 8pm, found whatever restaurants were open for a quick bite before the tired travelers found their beds (we are in the middle of the Tet holiday, and many businesses owned by locals are closed).
Wednesday we spent the entire day preparing our final proposals for the research projects we have been working on for the last three weeks.
On Thursday, each group gave their presentation and fielded a Q&A session. One group proposed a sanitation/beautification project for the Old Quarter with aims of improving business and return-tourism in this neighborhood of the city. Another group took on the problem of moving Hanoi towards a more sustainable motor bike future--discussing the pros and cons of electric vs. hybrid options and how to get the necessary stakeholders on board. The team that researched the education system in Vietnam and Laos determined the most helpful program to develop is a chain of drop-in English tutoring centers with qualified instructors, because seemingly all students here wish their English skills were better, but the schools' current English curriculum is insufficient. The final group developed plans for an organization that would allow local artists to design instructional health posters (about handwashing and other hygiene issues) for Vietnamese youth to be displayed in schools, hospitals and community centers. They plan to partner with an online poster store as their socially responsible mission, asking customers to make a small donation to the cause at checkout.
The abraoders break for their free weekend today-- some students are moving to a different hotel in Hanoi. Another group of abroaders is headed to Hue, the capital city of the Thua Thien-Huế province--known for beautiful architecture and monuments. The final group of students is headed to Da Nang, a port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam--it is the commercial and educational hub of Central Vietnam. This group will also be spending at least a day in Hoi An, a quaint old town that is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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