Yesterday in Hanoi, the Hanoi Branch of the Vietnam Swans participated in Austrade’s Australian Shools Open Day at the Melia Hotel. They showed promo videos, live footy skills and handed out 300 of those awesome QBE Insurance Vietnam Swans footy hats. From all accounts, it was a huge success. VCTV took some footage and there is also a potential opportunity to go into the TV station to film a skills session for this footy crazy country.

Today in Saigon, the Vietnam Swans were also there to promote footy and QBE at the Saigon Australian Schools Open Day. The Swans arrived 45 minutes prior to the official start time and were surprised to learn that the day had started 2 hours earlier! The level of interest in the Open Day was that strong that Officials couldn’t keep the crowd out for any longer! You get that sort of thing in Vietnam.

Quick to recover, slide shows started along with videos, demonstration exercises (how good is it to kick the footy inside the Legend Hotel??) – and 550 QBE Vietnam Swans hats were given away to a crowd easily in excess of 1,100.

As always, the students and adults laugh and giggle when they bounce the footy like a basket ball and watch it break as sharply as one of Warnie’s finest. But also, as always, they quickly recover, learn and then get onto the handball!

The two days were a huge success and photos will follow shortly.

Thank you again to QBE Insurance for sponsoring the Vietnam Swans hats which, without doubt, increased the level of impact of the Australian Schools Open Day.

Thank you to the Sydney Swans who sent some promotional material for distribution in Hanoi and HCMC. Alas, the material is still to reach us and is stuck somewhere in transit between Australia and Vietnam.

Thank you also to Austrade’s Business Development Manager, Mr Anh-Tran who greatly assisted our involvement in the two days. His support was greatly appreciated.

Next Week: Saturday, 26 May, the Swans are at it again in Hanoi at the Big Day Out. More footy. More skill sessions. More give aways. More happiness. Gross Domestic Happiness continues to soar in Vietnam.

And remember, Honk yer horn if you love footy!