We arrived yesterday in Tinh Truc Gia=TTG= Peaceful Bamboo Family, after over 2 years of absence,
We used to come at least twice a year to TTG and many of Eurasia ELI TTG team came together several times both ways
and contributed to build the powerful Eurasia bridge and this in many ways : trainings, project development, exchange of knowledge, team work etc
My first impression upon arrival, as always was: Oh my, is TTG beautiful! TTG
radiates Peace, Care and Beauty! And how the trees have grown! And the lovely smiles of dear and old friends that warm my heart
This morning at dawn, after having been woken up by the neighbors roosters ( Oh I had forgotten them…they
must have multiplied!) I saw one by one the TTG residents come into the courtyard, some sweeping the floor, others peacefully watering the flowers, others setting the breakfast table…Later I saw Miss Thao, the adolescent class teacher and said to her:
incredible how the youngsters take care of everything so independently…she answered: it is their home! They care for their home,
During these 2 years of Covid, TTG, like all of us all over the world, has been shaken and nothing
is “like before”. It is one thing to care for oneself another to be responsible for others and in this case caring for those that are most vulnerable. TTG stayed open all these two years, but only for those who were willing to stay in TTG most
of the time. They avoided day time students and staff going in and out in order to protect the community.
Some youngsters went home as their family had more time for them now as they also stayed home, or because they worried for their
child and some decided to stay in TTG and to care for the place and for each other.
TTG followed all health regulations carefully and even though they finally a few weeks ago did have a mild Omicron outbreak in the community, they still
are all fine and bonded even more through this intense community life and experience and the care for each other!
Now that Tho and me arrived just at the moment when all restrictions are being lifted bit by bit, we feel a sort of Spring
feeling, a BEGINNING A NEW is arriving tenderly…but still carefully and a little bit hesitant on how to go ahead.
We all still feel a bit unsure in these first “steps”: what is it that we want/can “go
back to” again, what is it that wants to take this opportunity, that the old is not there anymore and the new that has not yet arrived, to take this opportunity to CHANGE, to TRANSFORM, to BEGIN A NEW
The core group of youngsters
who stayed in TTG ALL THIS Time, Cong, Huy, Duc, Tram, Thao Ngan, Thanh Thao, Tien, Vuong An, Phuc, and others somehow show us the way: TTG is their home !
It is a place of Care and Beauty …it is a place to BE, where trees, animals,
plants, children, youngsters, young professionals in the field of social work, special education, social therapy but also grand pa’s like Mr Han, and great grand pa and great grand ma like Tho and me can grow and find their place to contribute to a good
life