Fifteen Mercy women spent 16 days in Vietnam assisting to build a new school and working in a Catholic orphanage with disabled children. 

Below is a snippet from the students’ reflections on their experiences.

“it was unforgettable and eye-opening” Zoe

“being able to assist in building a school was the most rewarding experience that I am so happy and grateful to be a part of”. Brianna

“I felt like I was making an impact on the community now and in the future”. Natasha

“The smiles, laughter, tears and sheer happiness has made this trip very special and very important to me”. Luca

“I have shared bonds with people I never thought I would”. Bridie “It has been an amazing and eye-opening experience ……I hope that when I finish school I will be able to go back and help”. Liz

“The progress we made at the end of the day was very encouraging and reenforced that what we were doing was actually making a difference”. Grace

“I can definitely say that my mindset has changed. I’ve always taken everything for granted but seeing the amount of people living in poverty and without everything that we think we need (has opened my mind). Luca

“Coming to Vietnam was a little scary as I thought we were very different to the Vietnamese locals but during the trip I realised we are alike in so many ways”. Bridie

“This trip has changed my life and the way I look at myself, the world and others”. Brianna

“This was a grounding experience because I could see how happy the people were despite how little they have compared to us”. Caolyn

“Such a great experience, seeing new things, observing a new culture”. Ella

“I definitely have a new outlook on life. I never realised how lucky I am to live in Australia and now I want to help others”. Kristina

“the social justice aspect of the trip was so fulfilling and has helped me realise how much I have and that people like myself should share our privileges”. Sophie

“This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life”. Caitlin