So Long, Nam Dong

Wow. What a week it has been. We leave tomorrow morning (Friday) to return to Hue. Today was our last day working in the clinics. It has been such an interesting experience staying and working in such a rural area of Vietnam. I think I have seen an area of the world that many people would never be able to experience. So where do I begin? I'm not even sure what to say about my experience. I will do my best, but I will fall short of describing what life is like here.

I think the people in the Nam Dong area have a difficult journey in life. They work hard and struggle to make ends meet. I have met people that live in tiny wooden houses that look like they can barely stand. I have made "house calls" to women caring for infants in the most rustic conditions I have seen. I have worked alongside midwives who know every single woman in the village and how many children they have. I have taught a classroom full of children who wear dirty clothes and cannot afford shoes. I have seen physicians struggle to provide appropriate care for people because of limited resources. It's been a whirlwind of emotions and experiences.

Along the way, I have had the full support of the amazing Vietnamese nursing students. I am proud to call these women colleagues and friends. I learned so much about Vietnam and their culture through the experiences and stories of these ladies. Together, we examined many patients in the clinics and taught community health education courses to women and children. This past weekend, we spent 2 days working in the local hospital providing supportive care to patients. My rotation was in the emergency room and I was able to care for many people, young and old.

There have been some fun moments too! Despite working for 12 days in row without a break (!) all of the students found time to play cards, teach each other games, and dissect the English language together. We even went on a hike in the afternoon on Sunday to a local waterfall. There we were, in our scrubs, frolicking and swimming in the water together. The Vietnamese students got a big kick out of me, I think. See, I have a tendency to be quite dramatic at times. The girls experienced this firsthand when I attempted to use the infamous "squatty potty." One of my new friends, Thuy, had to show me exactly how to use this difficult toilet. I conquered in the end, overcame some fears, and was the entertainment for the afternoon (to say the least). It was a hoot.

I have so many more stories to tell, but don't want to go on forever. I only have 1 more week in Vietnam. I'm getting quite sad about this. I wish I could stay for another 6 months!