On the Road Again

I forgot to update you on one of my top 10 moments in Vietnam that happened on Thursday! It was incredible. The group I was with decided to make a home visit to a new mother in the Huong Giang area. The baby we would be visiting was 15 days old. Who doesn't love a newborn? On our way to the house, the "moment" happened. There I was, walking arm and arm with my Vietnamese friend Thuy walking along a rugged old road in the middle of nowhere Vietnam. Surrounding the road were rice fields, small irrigation canals, water buffalo, and people working in the fields. It was earlier in the day so everything was calm, quiet, and still. The fields were enclosed in a beautiful valley. The hills and mountains around the valley were lush and tropical. It was such a magical moment that I don't think can ever be recreated. Sigh. It was the Vietnam you want to picture in your head that you hope actually exists.

We left yesterday morning for Hue and survived the treacherous road! Wow-za. I don't think the army corp of engineers would approve of that road at all. Just sayin'. It rained the last few days in Nam Dong so the road back was a muddy-slip-sliding good time. I kept telling myself I was on a roller coaster and I was safe. It worked for a while. But all was well in the end and I spent a wonderful day in Hue on Friday.

Since it was our last full day in our "home" city, we all made the most of it. I did all my last minute souvenier shopping and sight-seeing. This included heading to my favorite dress store (where they make custom-made clothing) and the Dong Bau outdoor market. The market is a hoarder's delight, let me assure you. They have everything and anything you can imagine there. I even found a cute little boulangerie near the hotel. We sat on the rooftop and watched the sunset while enjoying our iced coffee. So delightful.

In the evening, we joined the Vietnamese nursing students one last time for dessert at a local restaurant. No karaoke this time, but lots of wonderful conversations and laughter. I made a short speech to the group along with our other team leader, Betsy. Then it was officially time to say goodbye. Many many tears were shed. My dear friend Suong made me cry the most when she grabbed my hands and told me she loved us all so much and asked that we never forget her. We hugged and hugged and blew kisses and finally parted ways. While I may have many experiences like this in my life, this is a rare occurence for most of the Vietnamese students. I think they all love having new American friends. I even received an email this morning from Suong with one last goodbye and a request to "stay in touch." If and when I ever return to Vietnam, I know I will have many friends here waiting for me.

We leave for Da Nang this morning. I'm glad we'll have some time to relax and reflect for a few days before we return. Our quarter is officially over now and I have handed all my assignments in. Yes, we did have homework and papers to complete here.

I cannot wait to share with you all in person more about my experiences here. Vietnam is an amazing country and I hope you get to experience it for yourself someday firsthand. Pictures and stories can never do it justice. If you ever (ever!) want to discuss Vietnam and it's amazing people more in detail, let me know. I would love to talk with you!

Tam biet for now!