This Year's Project

APPLICATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHILDREN'S AND EDUCATION PROJECT XV IN VIETNAM

Dear Friends Everywhere,

We are very happy and proud to announce our upcoming cultural, charitable, education, and self-education project in Viet Nam.

This is our "FIFTEENTH ANNUAL" CULTURAL, CHILDREN'S AND EDUCATION PROJECT in Viet Nam. We are making changes in our Project which will increase our participants' experiences and self- knowledge about Vietnam and her people. For many years the Foundation has stressed the charitable activities we perform. But Vietnam is changing and developing. There is much for us "outsiders" to learn. So while we will continue our charitable and educational work, we also will stress activities that will increase our own appreciation and knowledge about this wonderful country and its hard-working people. That is why we have added the word "Cultural" to the title of the project. So be prepared for both a self-learning and humanitarian experience.

We have completed many similar projects in the past. We invite you to join us in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon on December 20, 2007, for the start of our CULTURAL, CHILDREN'S, AND EDUCATION PROJECT XV IN VIETNAM .

Please see below our Announcement of THE CULTRURAL, CHILDREN'S, AND EDUCATION PROJECT XV IN VIET NAM .

Thirdly, please check out the articles by past project participants on their experiences. While there are always differences and new activities between Project XV and our past Annual Holiday Projects, our goals, procedures, and activities are similar.

As for airlines, please believe all of our past participants, it is never too early to look into flight arrangements. In Japan, people seem to make multiple bookings in advance. They thus overbook the flights. Eventually, the "reservation mess" clears up as the travel dates approach and people "cancel" some of their reservations, but it can cause headaches as you wait to see whether you have won the "airline lottery." You will need a visa to travel to Vietnam. (If you decide to travel on to Cambodia during the Second/Informal Part of this Project, you will need a visa also for Cambodia). Talk to your travel agent about this. The agent should be able to arrange for the required visas. We will also provide more information about that.

We will be providing more information to all of you as the plans for the project unfold. Our basic itinerary has included the following places: Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon with its many temples, churches, markets, museums, and tourist spots; Cu Chi with its tunnels and Tay Ninh with the fabulous Cao Dai Temple; Bien Hoa and surrounding area; the Delta area and Ben Tre; Phan Rang, Phan Thiet, and the nearby beach areas; and the seaside city of Nha Trang and the surrounding area of beautiful Khanh Hoa Province. Let us know if you have questions or comments.

Here is information for contacting us, whether by email, or snail mail (again, email is best of all). The snail mail address is our new office headquarters for the Foundation.

Friendship Foundation
2234 West Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44102 USA

Telephone: 1-216-961-6005

E-Mail: friendshipfounda@msn.com
giahoaryan@hotmail.com
meissnerjoseph@hotmail.com

Yours in friendship,

Luong Thi Gia Hoa Ryan
Executive director

Joseph Meissner
FFAVN Volunteer

Dr. George McCarthy, President
Board of Trustees
Friendship Foundation

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CULTURAL, CHILDREN'S, AND EDUCATION PROJECT XV IN VIETNAM

We at the Friendship Foundation are proud to announce our CULTURAL, CHILDREN'S AND EDUCATION PROJECT XV IN VIETNAM

This Project gives participants an exciting and unique opportunity to journey and work together in Vietnam during the Formal Part of The Project. This Formal Part lasts from Wednesday, December 20th, 2007, to Monday, January 1, 2008. This is a period of Thirteen Days. During the Second and Informal Part of The Project--beginning on January 1st--participants can choose to visit other parts of Vietnam and even Cambodia and other locations in Indochina.

Besides visiting cultural and historical sites, Project members visit various locations to help the people, especially the children. In the past, participants have visited orphanages, schools, hospitals, and homes for the disabled. They have participated in Health Fairs in country districts, taught informal and formal English classes to students, and journeyed to remote rural villages. They had the opportunity to meet and talk with government officials, educators, students, medical people, business people, farmers, and ordinary citizens. For this upcoming Project, we will stress cultural and self-education aspects. Since we began these Projects in 1994, Vietnam has changed tremendously. While many people still need help, you will learn that much development is taking place. You will also learn about the fabulous history, traditions, and achievements of this fast-improving nation.

"I worked very hard on the Project," stated one of our first project participants, "but the people in Vietnam gave me back so much more than I gave them And the children--how eager they were to meet me and practice their English. I highly recommend this travel experience."

As already stated, the Project has two parts. During the first Formal Part, all participants work together. This begins when all project members gather on December 20th, 2007, in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon. During the Second or Informal Part, which begins after January 1st, 2008, members travel alone or in smaller groups to sites and cities they choose, taking into account their own dates when they must return to their own country, their home, or work. During this Second or Informal Part, Project participants are also free to make arrangements to travel to Cambodia. Foundation staff assist with schedules and arrangements for this part. (By the way, don't worry. There is lots of time to see the tourist sites, meet all sorts of people, and have "a little fun.")

The following includes some of the places and sites we generally visit: the tunnels of Cu Chi; the Cao Dai Religious Complex and Main Temple; the City of Tay Ninh; "Black Virgin" Mountain with its panoramic views of Vietnam's scenery; rural and urban schools; remote rural villages; the sand dunes and beaches along the coast; museums, historic religious pagodas, and old French-style churches; and the homes for the elderly and handicapped, hospitals, and orphanages. The project will include a combination of charitable, humanitarian, educational, self-educational, and cultural activities.

Cost? Participants make their own travel arrangements to get to Vietnam and for their return from Vietnam. (Participants are urged to explore travel arrangements now because people in Japan seem to make multiple reservations for travel and thus "overbook" the airlines. The Foundation provides advice on obtaining visas and tickets.) During the Formal Part of The Project from December 20th through January 1st, Participants will be traveling together throughout Vietnam. During the formal part of the Project, participants pay $925. This covers all travel within Vietnam, all hotel stays and meals, admissions and service fees, and costs for translators, guides, and local travel assistants. During the Second or Informal Part of the Project, participants make their own payment arrangements based on where they want to go and what they want to see. Foundation staff helps participants with making these arrangements. For those participants who would like to travel to Cambodia, the Foundation staff will help them explore the possibilities and opportunities for such travel.

For more information, you can contact our Friendship Foundation. You can E-mail or mail us using the following information.

The Friendship Foundation of American Vietnamese, Inc.
2234 West Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44102 USA
Telephone: 1-216-961-6005

E-Mail: friendshipfounda@msn.com
giahoaryan@hotmail.com
meissnerjoseph@hotmail.com

Application Form

Articles by past project participants

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