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t 6am, 10 year old Nhat Ha and Hoang Dan, 8,
wake up and put on their grey uniforms ready for
their morning class at the nearby Hung Phuc pa-
goda in Thanh Tri district. There, they learn to sit
quietly and read the Buddha’s scripts as well as draw, play
musical instruments and study English with professional
teachers invited by the master monk, Thich Thanh Phuong.
Everything, including stationary, teacher salaries and snacks,
are paid for by him.
When the summer comes to an end, a special exhibition
is held to showcase all the artworks produced. Moreover, the
children who attend the cooking class also have chances to
show their talents by preparing meals for monks, teachers,
honoured guests and others.
There are many pagodas and monasteries throughout the
country offering summer schools for children from 8 to 17 years.
The fees vary and very few are free.
Whether free or not, these special courses bring hap-
piness and satisfaction to both parents and children. “My
dream is coming true now that I can send my boy to the
pagoda,” Thu Huong, Hoang Dan’s mother says. “Before the
timeout
14
In Vietnam’s towns and cities ever
more parents are sending their
children to pagoda-run summer
camp courses during the school
break, writes
Duc Hanh
. Photos by
Master Monk
Thich Thanh Phuong
.
Summer
camp
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