Noah'17 - Cullman Scholar in Vietnam

Dustin Meltzer '05
Through the generosity of the Cullman Family and the Cullman Scholarship program, students have the opportunity to travel around the world on independent learning endeavors.
 
Noah ’17’s trip began in the Mo Duc Village, Vietnam, where, “Working with local craftsmen, we constructed simple, sturdy structures called Compassion Homes,” he explains. “The family I was working with consisted of a grandmother whose children left for the city in hopes of securing better pay. Left with a toddler, a pregnant daughter, a young girl, and a mentally disabled teenager, this grandmother remarkably kept things afloat.” 
 
“Each workday began with a bike ride to the worksite. Past stunning vistas I soaked in the lush green rice paddies dotted with hunched workers, and the encompassing mountains, etched with so much history“, Noah recalls. By the end of their time in the village, Noah’s group had built the bulk of a new home, culminating in an emotional key ceremony where they presented the keys to the home’s new owners.
 
From Mo Duc, Noah spent time sightseeing in Vietnam. He explains, “We also visited other cities, such as authentic Quang Ngai and ancient Hoi An, as well as the Mai Lai Massacre commemoration site. Our last stops on the trip were Halong Bay, a Unesco World Heritage Site, as well as Hanoi, famous for its French heritage and lively old quarter.” 
 
Noah remarks, “By the end of my thirty days of travel, I realize I have grown as an individual, and have truly rediscovered myself. I can attribute this all to Vietnam, a country teeming with beauty and rich history, as well as to the Cullman Family, which made this dream a reality.” Thank you Noah for sharing your experience.
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