Scooters, Vietnamese cafés, projects and crisp bánh xèo: follow one of the days of Aglaé, on civic service with Planète Enfants & Développement in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam!
7:30 a.m.- Gentle wake-up call in my guest house«
I wake up slowly and go downstairs to have breakfast in the common area of the guest house where I'm staying. It's a very pleasant place, full of plants!
8h- On the road to a social center
I order a Grab (the local “Uber”) to reach the Tân Phú social center. Here, everyone travels by scooter: sometimes you come across incredible scenes, a whole family on a two-wheeler, animals, or huge objects transported with astonishing precision!
Ho Chi Minh City has almost as many scooters as inhabitants... so traffic jams are a daily occurrence, but always colorful. It takes me about 30 minutes to get to the center.
8:30 a.m. - Arrival at the social center
I meet up with the members of HACRP (Ho Chi Minh Association for the Protection of Children's Rights) to prepare the room: we set up the carpets, the play areas and everything else needed to welcome the children.
Here, Planète Enfants & Développement is working with several local partners on two major projects: one on early childhood and parenting, the other on the protection of children who are victims of violence and trafficking. It's fascinating to see how everything is coming together on the ground.
9h- Health support session
Parents arrive for a health support session, led by a pediatrician. It's a time for exchanging ideas on children's health and well-being.
Meanwhile, the children play in another area, supervised by activity leaders. With them, I propose small play activities.
After two hours, everyone leaves, and the room is tidied up before a short debrief with the team.
11:45- Gourmet lunch break
Head for Bún Bò Má Nấu, my favorite neighborhood eatery! It's a small family-run restaurant where you can eat incredible noodle soups, set to a jazz background.
12:30- Coffee break
I stop off at Little Hanoi Egg Coffee before heading back to the office. It was here that I first tasted the famous cà phê trứng (egg coffee): a creamy, sweet drink that's surprisingly delicious.
The café also has a mini-library and a number of objects made by local associations - a great find.
1:30 p.m.- Afternoon at the office
The afternoon is quieter. I'm working on analyzing data from the parenting sessions, and doing research for a communication campaign on early childhood and the dangers of toddlers' overexposure to screens.
My colleagues, who are always so helpful, teach me a new Vietnamese expression every day. The board in the office is full of them!
5:15 p.m. - Time for sports
I head off to my twice-weekly muay thai class. The club is located in a large sports complex downtown, with table tennis, boxing and even pickleball!
Muay Thai is intense: you use your fists, elbows, knees and shins, “the art of eight weapons” as they say. It's tiring, but so liberating!
7:30 p.m.-Local dinner and quiet evening
I end the day with a nice dish of bánh xèo, those crispy Vietnamese pancakes filled with shrimp, pork and mung bean sprouts.
We roll them in salad and fresh herbs, a real treat.
Then I head back to the guest house, tired but happy after a beautiful day of discoveries and encounters.
Many thanks to Aglaé for sharing her daily life in Ho Chi Minh City and for her commitment to our projects in Vietnam!
