Education through community

By Devin S.

Jan. 26, 2026


As a first-time traveler to Vietnam, let alone any country in Asia, I had a bit of a naïve view of how I would feel when first arriving. I thought that when I would walk on the streets of the neighborhood we were staying in or driving through the hectic traffic of the city, I would feel like I was in a world entirely different from the United States. I’m not sure where this viewpoint comes from, maybe from my inexperience of traveling abroad or even from certain narratives portrayed in media. Either way, I was immediately proven wrong. Once I was in Vietnam, I realized that while many things may be different, such as the culture and the weather, the basis of humanity is the same all around the world: community.

Mizzou students playing board games with children during on of the community nights at a local cafe
Mizzou students playing board games with children during on of the community nights at a local cafe

From our time working at various shelters for children, I learned that kids are pretty much the same all around the world, with Vietnam being no exception. No matter where you are or what country you’re in, kids are going to have similar qualities to them that all work together to make up the basic components of childhood and adolescence. For example, these kids all have similar senses of humor, internet meme references and the same ways of pushing your buttons. However, they also have the same sense of empathy, compassion for others and ambition in their future endeavors. Most of all, children around the world crave for community and a sense of belonging, often coming from their education.

A Vietnamese student holding up the Lucky Money envelopes we had just made
A Vietnamese student holding up the Lucky Money envelopes we had just made

Most of the shelters we worked with helped kids that did not have a steady interpersonal support system, so their community came from these shelters, where many received an education. During our short time there, the kids taught me that education is bigger than just sitting in a classroom and learning course content. Instead, it’s a way to enhance the lives of people around the world through something as simple and overlooked as community. As a future teacher, I hope to carry this view of education with me into my future classrooms. 

Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Community-Driven Education in Vietnam