My journey has begun.My friend Michelle spent the whole day with me on Monday, helping me pack everything into the rental car, giving me moral support, & helping me make decisions about what stays in Phoenix & what goes with me to California. I'm so very grateful for that day.
On Tuesday morning I left Phoenix to drive out to San Diego to stay with my friends Sharon & Joon for a couple of days. It is always good to see them. Their daughter Jada is growing so fast! My friend Amos did the drive with me & then flew home to Phoenix on Wednesday. It was so nice to have the company for the day.
On Thursday morning, I left San Diego for Desert Hot Springs, where my friend Sunny currently lives. She's working at the local VFW for now tending bar. Imagine the reaction I got when I told a room full of Vietnam vets that I was going over there to teach English. They all wished me luck, saying they were glad it was me & not them.
Now I'm in LA visiting with my brother & sister-in-law. I'll be here until Monday night, when I fly out of LAX for Ho Chi Minh City. In the meantime, I'm tying up loose ends from here: cancelling the utilities at the house, paying bills, & making last-minute purchases at Walgreens.
The hardest part of all of this for me has been the goodbyes. I'm thankful for the strength of others in my time of weakness. There's just one more goodbye to make before I leave for the other side of the globe. Then I can look forward to the next hello.
3 comments:
Yes, great idea! Think of he 'hellos' rather than the good-byes. Good plan.
Except they aren't hellos. They're something like "xin chàos." Well close enough. :)
You might want to add "Tôi không nói được một từ của tiếng việt!" too. (supposedly: "I don't speak a word of vietnamese!", haha).
-scott
Meant to say, 'don't speak vietnamese _yet_.' :) Expect you to have the language down for our deep-water soloing expedition! :) Have a good trip Nancy.
I'll be diligently studying my Vietnamese phrase book on the flight over ;)
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