I realize I have been neglecting this blog for the last 3 weeks, so I promise to try to put some thoughts together within the next few days. I have reached my final week in Vietnam. I am SO excited to be coming home, but I will greatly miss this place and the people who have become my family these last 5 months. Here are a few pictures to hold you over until my next post:
My closest Vietnamese friend, Carol.
Rainy day in Hoi An.
Audrey and me treating ourselves to some deliciousness in Hoi An.
Last class with the munchkins. Very bittersweet.
I took a little visit to the doctor this morning and it seems that I have bronchitis again…this time with the added bonus of a throat infection (not really sure what that is, but that’s all the doctor could explain with limited English). So I’m trying out a different antibiotic this time. We’ll see how it goes. Prayers are always welcome :)
I am sick. Again. Luckily it is not as bad this time, at least so far. Kind of the same sickness minus the fever. Although I’m very glad not to be as sick as the last few times, it is still pretty frustrating being sick here. I really just wish my mommy could appear and make me some chicken noodle soup :) Aside from my current sickness, things are going well here. I am really enjoying helping out with homeschool. It is great having such a structured curriculum, where the assignments are already chosen for each day and I just get to explain them, do fun activities, and help them improve their writing skills. By the end of my time with the girls they will have published an issue of their own newspaper. They are great kids and I love spending time with them. I work with them from 9-10 in the morning and they beg me to stay for lunch everyday. It is pretty adorable. On another note, I am beginning to understand what the other foreigners meant when they talked about hating the rainy season. Aside from the occasional day or two of sunshine, it just rains all the time. Your house and everything in it is in a constant state of dampness. Driving is a pain since driving a motorbike leaves you completely exposed to the elements. It is really tempting to curl up in bed and never leave. Of course once you muster up the courage to venture out it’s not actually as terrible as you made it out to be in your head. Sure you might get a little wet, but even just getting out and going to read at a coffee shop instead of at home is so much better than being cooped up in your house for days on end. I admire the Vietnamese people very much for what they deal with weather wise. Us Californians are incredibly spoiled.
And Group 2
Group 1 of my students performing their skit.
I seriously cannot believe how fast time is passing. I have been here for about 4 months already and as the end of my time here gets nearer it seems to go by even faster. I booked my flight home so I will officially be landing in LA on November 20. AND my friend Kaitlyn is going to be coming home for the holidays so we will be on the same flight back! I am very excited to have a travel buddy this time around. In my last post I said that my last day at the English school would be October 5, which was yesterday…but a few days ago one of the directors talked to me again and said they really want me to continue with one of my classes until the 23 and then a new teacher will take over…so I agreed. Although I was really looking forward to being done, I am glad to have a little more time with my students because they are just so lovable and I am really going to miss them. This past month I have been able to get more involved in the international fellowship here. About three weeks ago they started up a young adult Bible study on Saturday nights. We are doing a manuscript study of Galations and have had some really good discussions so far. It has been great to get to know more of the young adults and feel more a part of that community. We have all been going out to lunch or coffee after church on Sundays, and this past Monday a group of us got together to learn some salsa dancing from one of the guys. We couldn’t get enough guys to come for all of the girls to have partners so we had to improvise a little, but it was so much fun! I have such mixed feelings about going home relatively soon. I miss my family and friends so much and am really excited to see them. But at the same time I feel like I am finally starting to feel at home here. I have finally gotten to the point where I can drive around the city without getting lost (most of the time), driving in the crazy traffic seems normal, I know of quite a few good food places, and I know where to buy all the things I need. I have great friends and get to work with some great kids. Living here is still a million times more difficult than back home, but I have reached a point where life here has become normal. There are so many things that I am going to miss. Although I definitely will not miss the giant cockroaches and rats.
Next week I will begin helping out with the homeschooling and I am really excited that I get to spend the rest of my time here helping out this family. Their organization is doing some really great things and I am happy to be able to support their ministry in this way. Well, I think that’s all I have for you today. I’m still working on the whole taking more pictures thing so stay tuned :)
