Hello, I'm Serena!
I am a third year student of International Studies at the University of Trento, but since the end of August I have been attending my lessons in Hanoi, thanks to a study abroad program.

From an early age, my parents raised me in an environment of solidarity, educating me to make myself available to others and volunteering in various settings. For this reason, when I learned that I had been accepted into this program, I started to find out more about GTV, which I had already gotten to know through a seminar in university and thanks to Stefania Micheletti, a family friend. I therefore chose to volunteere here to make the most of my time in Vietnam and enrich this experience, dedicating myself to being useful and helping the mission of GTV in what I can.

For now, I have sent letters and photos of the children supported remotely to their sponsors, then translating their answers which will gradually be sent to the children, and written some communications that you may have read in the recent months.

Thanks to Kien, last week I joined the group of Italian travelers to visit with them the projects that GTV manages in the Xin Man district, in the north of Vietnam. I had the opportunity to personally see realities that I otherwise could only have imagined from what children describe in their letters and photos. I met people from different ethnic groups (there are 54 of them here in Vietnam!) and appreciated their hospitality, kindness and helpfulness, together with their cuisine and customs.
With the group, we were guests in traditional homestays, we shared meals and emotions, we ventured into the greenery of nature and fields and learned to trust fully our drivers, both by bus and by motorbike.

We visited kindergartens and schools in Coc Pai, Nam Dan and Khoun Lung, where we delivered school supplies and played with the children. In these schools, over the years GTV has built bathrooms, a kitchen, school gardens and various training courses have been held for children and teachers, for example on nutrition, how to responsibly consume water and personal hygiene, particularly in relation to the Covid19 pandemic. We also went to see the Chung Trai and Sung Sang aqueduct basin, completed in 2020.

I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate in this trip, which let me appreciate the simplicity of a different lifestyle, rejoice in the little things and which proved to be an important chance to reflect on my future.