RSIS Vietnam | GNS Students Take Part In Global Service

In December, two Grade 11 students took time away from their busy schedules and International Baccalaureate classes to participate in a Round Square International Service (RSIS) Project in Vietnam. Flora Meyer ’26 and Janey Bryan ’26 travelled to the village of Vien Ve in the Mai Chaû region, a rural area approximately four hours outside of Hanoi, to build a dam and install sustainable lighting in service to the local community.

The students spent their time working incredibly hard on these construction projects, moving boulders down a steep hill amongst other physical labour. “I even learned to mix concrete,” shares Flora, a skill she never expected to acquire! The village’s main source of income comes from agriculture, so the dam project was designed to bring more water to both the village and the rice paddies that the village relies on. 

The solar-powered lighting project made the area much safer and easier to navigate. Student volunteers toured the roads on their last night to see the impact on the previously pitch-black areas. Flora shares that it was meaningful to see the changes the students accomplished that were both sustainable and long-lasting.

Both students commented on the lush and green beauty of the area and the delicious food that they were taught to cook by locals. Living with local homestay families in stilt houses, the girls slept on mattresses on the ground under bug nets and had to walk 4km to the job site on some days. Despite the challenges (including getting used to squat toilets and showering with a bucket and scoop!), they loved their time there, thanks to the welcoming people and communities that they visited. Janey says, “I think the most rewarding part was learning about how we were helping that community and getting to know them.”

All students on the trip had the opportunity to lead the group for a day, which both girls mentioned as a highlight in developing their leadership skills and resilience throughout the two-week trip. Janey also hopes to take problem-solving skills with her “because there were challenges that came up and we just had to get through it together, get through it ourselves.”

Flora hopes to take the dedication and perseverance she practised while in Vietnam to her studies here at GNS, noting how much she learned about herself. This philosophy is echoed in the quote “There is more in us than we know” by Kurt Hanh, the founder of two of the original Round Square Schools. Round Square was inspired by his philosophies in its founding and advocates for experiential learning like RSIS projects. 

Janey shares that she has wanted to participate in an RSIS trip since before she even came to GNS in Grade 9. “I’ve always had a love for service in general, I had always wanted to go on an international service trip and have the ability to connect with students internationally and also learn new skills in a group and in a different environment.”

As a Round Square school since 1996, GNS students can apply to participate in projects that give back to the communities they are located in. RSIS projects go beyond just service, as they encourage students to grow through life-changing experiences, pushing them beyond their comfort zones and connecting in an immersive (and phone free!) environment. This also encourages students to form tight bonds with their peers from across the world.

Janey encourages anyone who might be interested to take the opportunity to go on one of these trips, or just get involved in service at the school because it is so rewarding. “You learn so many new skills and you gain so many connections.”

Any students interested in future opportunities should contact Ms. Sarah McKerlich for more information on Round Square.