This is Vietnam

So, I am going to start this entry with a little reflection. Bear with me, 2 months living in an apartment by myself and working with people where the only words we have in common are 1-10, hello, goodbye, thank you and sorry has left me with a lot of time to (try) to process exactly what I am doing, feeling, thinking and experiencing. Everyday I go through periods where I feel natural and normal and like I am home, but I also experience times of complete shock where I am reminded that I am thousands of miles away from home in a country where 99% of the people do not speak the same language and where many of the comforts and securities that I have grown accustomed to do not exist in the same way as they do back home. It is easy to feel safe in comfortable in the place that is safe and comfortable for you, and it does not always feel that way here. Not to say that Boston is the safest place, but it is definitely comfortable for me and even on my most challenging days, it is easy comparatively to how it feels here sometimes. But I love it here, even when I don't know where I am and I let my minutes run out on my phone so I can't call anybody and I am too tired or proud or stubborn or whatever you call it to attempt to ask someone for help, even though I know they would be more than willing to give it even if it comes with a few giggles and questionable looks. It is so different than anything I am used to and I am constantly taking in what is around me, even in my times of relaxation where I am just enjoying the busy simplicity of this developing country. I come home to my studio apartment where I get to pace the length in the air conditioning and think about what I am doing, have done and hope to do, but the second I walk out the door I am in constant contact with the country I am currently living in. What I mean by this is that it is impossible here, for me at least, to simply go through the motions without being aware of my surroundings. 

I am constantly stared at, touched, spoken to and interacted with and although at times it drives me crazy, it is a constant reminder that the world is full of new and exciting things and people that want to experience them. I am constantly learning about so many different things here and am challenged in one way or another to both push myself but also to take the time to breathe and take in what is right in front of me. I am really lucky that back home I am surrounded by people who I love and respect and get to learn from regularly. My friends, family, employers and teachers are incredible people whose support I could not function without. I have amazing friends here and I love the people I work with, but I have found that I often need to sit by myself and really spend time taking in the opportunities I have here, and it is definitely in these times that I miss my people back home because I want them to be here experiencing this all with me. It's not easy for me to describe, but I love the people I get to work with here so much and I don't think I have ever felt as comfortable as I do when I am at 'work' here. Even on challenging days when I am hot and tired and overwhelmed, my ability to breathe and smile and feel happy is really genuine and I honestly feel so fortunate to be able to come here and just spend time with them. They are all so special and unique and strong and easily the most inspirational people I have been able to spend time with. This country has really given me so much just by allowing me to come and experience the ups and downs of living in a developing country and spending time in a culture that while it is very different from my own is intimate and special. I'm excited to figure out what my next step is and I look forward to being able to spend more time here and am sure that I will never get fully 'used' to it, and I find that to be so exciting. 

Now for a little week summary! On Wednesday morning I met with the chairman of the city of Da Nang who is an incredible man very invested in the orphaned and disabled. His organization is hopefully going to work with Mr.Phuc and Mr.T's new organization, allowing them to go into centers that we haven't been able to spend a lot of time in yet. He told us that there are 18,000 disabled people just in the city of Da Nang. That number really blew my mind. We go to 5 different centers that care for the disabled and I know there are many others, but I can't imagine how 18,000 disabled people can be cared for. This is city is constantly looking for new ways to care for the disabled, however, and many different countries/big corporations give funding and donate space to open centers for them. However, volunteers are definitely needed! The chairmans office is constantly in the field finding orphans, taking care of them medically, and finding centers for them to live in. Some exciting news is that the US and Vietnam are going to start adoption again in 2014. There are many restrictions and requirements, but it is great news and hopefully in the next few years there will be more opportunities for Americans to adopt from Vietnam. I am going to go on a few home visits and to visit some of the centers not right in Da Nang with the chairman next week. 

I spent time at the baby orphanage and am pleased to say that all of the babies seem healthy right now, aside from a few rashes and bumps and bruises that come with 23 toddlers playing together all day. We also spend a good amount of time at the center for victims of Agent Orange last week and are figuring out what the best supplies to bring are the entertain the people there and also provide them some education. There are great coloring books that teach them the basics and they really enjoy doing. Playing soccer and running around is always a popular activity, too. Mr.Phuc is working with the boy who can't walk and they are going to bring the volunteers to this center twice a week once their organization opens. I went to Mary's House Thursday afternoon and had a really great time playing with kids there and we celebrating two birthdays, Yen turned 16 and Dinh turned 17. It melts my heart how sweet the kids are there. They love each other so much and are just so wonderful to be around. We took them to the pool on Friday morning and had a blast. I'm hoping to get a couple more of those trips in before I leave. We went to AOV and Social yesterday and I went to the baby orphanage this morning. It has been incredibly hot the last two days, so there was a little less running around and a little more sitting in front of the fans playing with lego's, doing some drawing, and working on counting from 1-10 and speaking through the alphabet. The kids at Mary's House taught me how to properly count to 10 in Vietnamese last week. Yes, it has taken me 3 trips to learn how to count to 10. VIETNAMESE IS A REALLY HARD LANGUAGE. I do feel like I have actually picked some up this time, however, so that is good. 

I am going to Hanoi tomorrow until Thursday afternoon and then I'm hoping we can take Red Cross children to the beach on Friday! My friend Trang is taking me to the pagoda orphanage on Saturday and I am going to dinner with some of my other Vietnamese friends that I met through GVN on Saturday! I have a bit of a rhythm here now, and even though much is unpredictable and my plans often don't go as I intend them to, I am really feeling more fluid. 

I think that is it for now, more soon. Miss you all in the other hemisphere and thank you everyone here for taking me in and making me feel at home. This country is full of really special people, both the locals and the ex-pats. 

PS I am having a hard time with my photos, so I will add some later!