VISIONS Vietnam will encompass both urban and rural elements of this fascinating nation. The pulsating bustle of historic Hanoi, Hue and Da Nang, mazes of narrow, labyrinthine streets and alleys and new motos buzzing all about, aromatic markets with exquisite cuisine and vibrant hanging lanterns. The country landscapes of legendary unsurpassed beauty; stunning contrasts of lushly serene rice paddies, rolling hills, mountains and jungles, and the coast. Ancient architecture. Fascinating relics. And the rusted remnants of a war long over.

The faces of older Vietnamese reflect centuries of perseverance and loyalty to tradition while the youthful majority (sixty percent of Vietnam's 84.5 million people are under the age of 30) enthusiastically embrace Western ideas. In the late 1980s the Vietnamese government initiated reforms that spurred steady rapid growth. Private agricultural and industrial production, construction and housing, deregulation and foreign investment have fueled what is now one of the fastest growing free-market economies in the world.

Service is the centering lens through which you'll view Vietnam. We'll spend the bulk of our time in the Ba Vi District outside of Hanoi and away from tourist districts, to be sure. A key VISIONS partner is Volunteers for Peace Vietnam, a member of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service, and associated with UNESCO. Volunteers for Peace Vietnam lends support to one of VISIONS' principle project sites, the Thuy An Disabled Children Center. The Center is a small community enclave established to improve housing, education and health care for Vietnamese youth, many of whom have been adversely impacted and/or disabled by the long-term, cross-generational effects of chemicals used in the war. At the Center, we will clear a large parcel of land for a garden that will serve as a sustainable source of food for the Center. We'll remodel the Center's kitchen and dining room and volunteer in English-language and crafts classes for children. In addition to the Thuy An Center projects, participants will collaborate with town residents in either the construction of a community sewage system or the renovation of a village common house. Assisting us will be Vietnamese teenagers with whom we'll also enjoy non-work time.

Woven into the weeks will be many occasions to mingle with Vietnamese of all ages and backgrounds. Afternoons, weekends and evenings will mix a variety of socializing and exploring. The Ba Vi District is home to more handicraft villages than anywhere else in the country so we're certain to visit a few. Hanoi is rife with sites to explore, and one weekend will be devoted to the stunningly beautiful Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage Site to the north. The last five days of this program is mostly travel exploration to the central part of Vietnam where we'll visit the DMZ, the historic capital of Hue, the silk-producing town of Hoi An, and the coast whose unique beauty has drawn travelers for ages.

[We wish to thank Vu Binh and his wife Ngoc for their gracious welcome and assistance. Mr. Binh is a member of the Board, of the Vietnam-USA Society, a Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry, and a former First Secretary at the Vietnam Embassy in the U.S.].