Today was the last full day of our volunteer experience and we had some loose ends to tie up.

First thing on my schedule was to go to a pharmacy for a bandage and more snake oil. Since the hotel promised transportation anywhere we needed to go in town, I went to the front desk to ask if they would take me to a pharmacy. I started to explain that Philip had twisted his ankle yesterday and he needed a bandage. The desk clerks already knew all about what happened. They asked me how he was doing before I could even start talking. I have been amazed at how everyone knows everything about everyone here.

They were happy to take me to a pharmacy but I had a hard time explaining what I wanted to buy. There is no translation for "Ace bandage." The clerks got the gist of what I needed and one of them agreed to go with me to the pharmacy to translate. She also drove ... on her motorcycle. That promise of hotel transportation anywhere was a motorcycle if only one person needed to go. There had to be two people going to get the van out. So we got on; she provided a helmet, and we took off. I wasn't convinced that her little body would be able to keep the bike balanced with the addition of my weight, but somehow we made it there.

In the pharmacy, I could not find what I wanted. With much chatter and exaggerated arm movements between them, the hotel clerk got the pharmacy clerk to understand what I needed to buy. He showed me a few options, and I picked the one that looked most like what I have used before. I never found the snake oil, but got some tiger balm instead. We made it back to the hotel safely. Whew! I don't like motorcycles, but for Philip I'd ride it. I removed the duct tape/towel bandage and wrapped it in a much more presentable looking way. He could walk okay, but it still hurt.

When Vinh arrived at the hotel, he took us to two of the schools that we had been to before so they could thank us for visiting, and we could thank them for letting us visit. We met with the principals of the school in the teachers' lounge/workroom. One of them presented us with a lovely tea set that looks like it is carved out of marble, but it is molded plastic. We brought school supplies and books to donate to their schools. One of the principals received them on behalf of all the schools we visited.

We visited a private kindergarten class which had much more decoration in the room than the primary schools. Public schools do not offer kindergarten so students have to pay full tuition for it. Public school has a small charge that students pay. It seems like the amount paid is based on the family's circumstances, but I never got a clear answer on that.

As we have gone from school to school, we have had a few men follow us and watch some of what we do. Vinh explained that the one who has been with us every day is a faculty representative for the schools in the area. Vinh describes him like a dean of faculty. He never talks to us or much to Vinh and hasn't had any questions or comments on what we are doing. But he always shows up.

We went back to the house under construction to find it finished and ready for the dedication ceremony. The doors were on the front of the house. There was no glass in the side windows, but they had shutters. The painting was finished but looked a motley color where portions were damp from the humidity. One fluorescent light fixture has been installed as well as a built in Buddhist altar. Every shop and restaurant we've seen have had altars, too.

Mrs. Man was there with her son, daughter, and grandson. Her boyfriend and her son-in-law had to work and could not come to the dedication although they will live in the house, too. Before the official ceremony started, Mrs. Man served tea which she refilled as soon as the cups were half full. The dignitaries there for the event offered us cigarettes, too. The home was dedicated to the family in a formal ceremony that included speeches by the Chairman of the village, the Head of the Communist Party of the village, and the new homeowner. The Vietnamese expected one of the donors to speak at the ceremony, too, so Philip spoke for us explaining how grateful we were to take part in the experience and to have the chance to know them. There is a plaque embedded in the plaster on the front of the house proclaiming to all who pass by that GlobeAware, Global Village Foundation, and the four volunteers built the house.

Our volunteer service doing construction was small, but it seemed to be an important part of the project. Donations from the four American volunteers paid for the construction of the house which was valued at approximately $1,000 and included in the fee we paid to GlobeAware to take part in this experience.

Vinh gave us the opportunity to do any more sightseeing of our own choosing today, too. Diane was not interested, but we asked to see the ruins at Mỹ Sơn and Deb wanted to go, too. We drove deep into the jungle to find the magnificent structures that are trying to be reclaimed by the thick vegetation. My Son is a complex of Hindu temples built by the Champa people, a matriarchal society that lived in the region from the 4th through the 14th century. We were allowed to walk around and into all of the buildings. Just amazing! I don't think that they have the resources to properly maintain the site and keep people from damaging it.

For dinner, we asked Vinh and Hung if we could take them out as a thank you for taking such good care of us and everything we have needed all week. They agreed, and all six of us went to one of the tourist restaurants. It was a fun time to relive all the things we have done all week and talk to them more.

We've had some good food this week at a variety of local restaurants. Sometimes they have not had any other people in them that looked like tourists; sometimes there would be a few around. We talked to a man from Australia at one who was in Hoi An to get his daughter some custom made clothes. He brought a pair of slacks that she liked to give to the tailor for the size and style. That's a good idea. Every where we go we see strong, sweet coffee available made in those little personal devices that work similar to a French press. It was for sale at road side stands and the top-notch restaurants and everything in between.