Vietnam has a longstanding history of being a major port for silk, porcelain and spices, bringing traders from as far away as Europe to trade wares and goods with the people. When the river filled up, however, it stopped the trade route and left the town of Hoi An amidst a beautiful mix of French, Japanese and Chinese, but also in economic troubles. While Vietnam’s government is working on reforming the economic situation, the clash of new reform and old revolution is leaving many of the rural people behind. Volunteers on this trip will head into the rural communities around Hao An with a goal of improving educational facilities, teaching methods and providing supplies and lessons for students. They will also teach basic English to students, provide materials to teachers, help them to learn how to be better educators, evaluate schools to provide feedback on how to better conditions and most importantly, work with the Portable Libraries Project. This project, called “Books to Live,” is a simple library that can be packed up and moved when needed. Specific projects will change depending on how many volunteers are available or needed. During down time, volunteers can explore Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site, take a trip to the beach, sit in a language lesson to learn some Vietnamese or play games with the children. This trip costs $1000 to $2500.