Dinner with the VIPs
On the second Tuesday of our stay in Gia Bac, three of us represented IS to a dinner with the local officials from Di Linh town.
The dinner was nothing short of extravagant – it was a spread, and Vietnamese wine was in abundance. 
After setting the table together with the hosts (the Headmaster and teachers), we sat down for dinner and exchange of sentiments about the Project thus far. I shared how welcomed we felt in the village, and that we’re very grateful to their support. I was very touched when the Head of Di Linh town expressed his thoughts about the initial stages of the project – that he was worried about our welfare since in his opinion, the village had very little to offer us. 
Though we each spoke different tongues, the feelings conveyed through their speech and exchange over dinner could be felt easily – these things transcends language barriers. Throughout dinner, they showed their genuine concern for us, and constantly expressed a desire for us to return and continue the project with them.
After dinner we went over to the headmaster’s house and were treated to the next round of entertainment. He sang traditional songs to us as the big group sat in a circle, and we returned their kind gesture with National Day Parade songs :D Tea was served to rid the alcohol, I guess, and it was again, in good company.
It was a treat to be accorded with such a warm welcome. It was an amazing dinner not only in terms of the food and wine, but also the hosts and guests at the table. There was much toasting to our team and to Singapore, and it felt surreal to suddenly become an ambassador for Singapore, in the shoes of an undergrad, just at the legal adult age, in a remote village in Vietnam.
- Written by Jing Jing
