Absolute amazement!

What a place this is! Who can say why a person loves a certain place but Vietnam is the place on this earth that I think I love the most. The experiences that I have had here astound me. The connections with people I have made are incredible and plentiful. So many people of so many different varieties! I have meet expatriats from the States, from Scotland, from the Seychelles, from Australia and Ireland. I have met a variety of Vietnamese people and have been invited into their homes - - something many expatriats perhaps have never done. And knowing one person allows me to meet many, many more. For instance, through Terry/Eileen I met Hoe. Through Hoe I met his family, the fortune teller, Son, his family, their extended family, and Son's friends including Binh who in turn introduced me to his son. Through Eileen I met the women at ILV and in turn their husbands and children.

The point is, for me anyway, that we are all the same no matter where we are in the world no matter what our past experiences have been no matter what we hope for our future. We're all just trying to have a good day filled with good experiences. We're curious about each other and want to learn about each others' lives. We laugh at dinner with our friends the exact same way. We joke with one another to establish closeness. We drink beer together and gather for meals together. We are proud of our accomplishments and are happy when someone else shows an interest in us or our lives. We like to be complimented on our personality traits and to know we are appreciated for them. All of that I have felt whilst in Vietnam. It has been an honor to be accepted into so many peoples lives - - this is something I can't explain or describe adequately. I am moved by the warmth I've experienced here and can only hope to be given the opportunity to make someone else's stay in United States as gracious and warm as my experience here has been.