4/28 through 5/1: the Global Studies program 2018 Vietnam by Robert

If there is anyone out there who is still following my blog, I apologize for not posting for so long. Thank you for your patience. To update, I am still coordinating the Global Studies Program at Evergreen School (I have been now involved in this program for 31 years, since its beginning), and every summer I still go on an extensive driving trip. In 2017 at Evergreen School we studied about and then traveled to Peru. In the 2017-18 school year we returned to Vietnam, starting our two-year rotation of Vietnam and Peru. 

I have transferred my 15 posts from the Parent Blog for the 2018 Vietnam Trip to my blog.  Below is my first post for the most current Global Studies trip.

4/28 through 5/1: Global Studies program 2018 Vietnam by Robert

It is amazing to think that we have only been in Vietnam for two days. At the start of an international experience, one is so overwhelmed by sights and sounds and thoughts and reflections – I think our senses are filled to capacity and time slows down.

 This is Evergreen School’s 10 trip to Vietnam, but the first time that we have started the experience in Hoian, a small town just south of Danang in Central Vietnam. The trips leaders understand that going to fewer places and staying in each place longer provides an opportunity for the students to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for their experience.

In many ways Hoian is the ideal place to start. It is a small town (unlike the huge city of Ho Chi Minh City, where the previous 9 trips to Vietnam have started). We start with 4 days of rotating through cultural lessons, and we get to these lessons by bicycle through the country side. It is relaxed and easy, making for a smooth transition to this very foreign country.

We arrived in Danang around 10 pm on April 29^th, where we met Ha and Mike, our national guides. We have a long time relationship with these two excellent guides: this is the 9^th time we have worked with Ha, and the 8^th time with Mike. I am honored to call them my friends (in 2010 while I was on sabbatical, I met Evergreen School in Vietnam to lead the global studies trip, worked for one month, then stayed with both Ha and Mike at their homes after the students left). It is about a 40 minute drive from Danang to Hoian. Students were in their hotel rooms just before midnight.

April 30th was a “transition day.” Students were allowed to sleep late, just being sure to be at breakfast by 10 am. We had a first class meeting, students were divided into Liaison groups to explore the city with a scavenger hunt (go into a pagoda, find a lotus flower, the fish market, the Japanese bridge, speak Vietnamese, etc.). The evening meeting was mostly about “shout-outs” for each other and each group’s experience. We hold an evening meeting every day to debrief the day, reflect on their experience, and share logistics about the next day.

Evening meetings: These meetings include:

• ·         Daily logistic
• ·         Reminders of how to take care of oneself and each other
• ·         Shared highlights of the day
• ·         “Shout-outs” for taking either leadership roles or making sacrifices for their group
• ·         Appreciations

This is all in an attempt to cultivate an atmosphere of support for one other, to grow an attitude of appreciation and gratitude, and to provide a structure to help students have successful experiences.

Here is a little overview of the 8^th grade Global Studies Class:

During the first semester we look at global issues, including global citizenry, social justice, and human rights. We also look at certain international historical issues, such as colonialism, and the beginnings of religion. Then the 2^ndsemester focusses on the country of study – its history, culture, religion, and political organization.

Just as important as the topic of study is how you teach it. I believe that everything is subjective. Historians are biased by their culture, class, gender, and what they can understand. Their writings are biased just by the selectivity of what they choose to write about. Our world views are always based on incomplete information. This perspective opens the door for students to be more than just spectators of historians. They get to be the historians. As they research they look for biases. They seek out different perspectives. They develop a deeper understanding of events, nuanced by the subtlety of multiple perspectives.

Personal reflection:

One of the core elements of the Global Studies program is personal reflection. On the very first day of the students’ 8^th grade year, we asked the students to engage in a personal reflection on “when did your trip to Vietnam start?” and introduced the idea of the “internal journey” and its significance. In Trip advisor class students write personal mission statements and core values, as well as reflections on how they will stretch their “comfort zone” and connect to the Vietnamese people.

The year-long theme of the relationship between privilege and responsibility is also a key element. This manifests in the opportunities we give students to make choices. The creation of their Seattle SLIP in preparation for their two-day student-led itineraries in both Hue and Hanoi is essential to this theme. Even the once a month off-campus lunch plays a part, as the students earn this privilege through the completion of their academic responsibilities. The student fund-raising project, where students form small groups and create their own fund raising events to pay for their service projects in Vietnam, adds personal responsibility and commitment to the idea of service for others.

I think of the global studies class, where students study about human rights and the idea of global citizenship and their own responsibilities, empowers the students with both knowledge and the possibility of action to improve the world.

Taking a risk – Stepping out of one’s comfort zone is an ongoing theme of the eighth grade year. Travel creates challenges, for so much about travel is out of one’s control. And it is through these challenges that the greatest student growth occurs, for the only control we truly have is how we respond to what happens. The Global Studies teachers are very intentional about preparing the students to have successes when challenged. We do this through the introduction of meditation and self-reflection. Throughout the year we provide students opportunities to reflect on different aspects of the trip. They reflect on the goals of the Global Studies program. They reflect on what global citizenry means to them. They reflect on how they are going to challenge themselves and step out of their comfort zone. They even write a trip mission statement. What they are actually doing is entering into a dialogue with themselves, taking responsibility for who they are and the choices they make. This process not only deepens the trip experience, but helps the students along the process of maturity into responsible adulthood.

These elements of the Vietnam Field Study give added depth to the students’ experiences in Vietnam. And as the students show responsible behavior as the trip progresses, the gain more independence along the way. These are key elements in providing students opportunities for personal growth and developing their commitment to responsible behavior.