End of the trip and home again

March 29th: I can't sleep. Laying in my bed and sleep is no where in sight. The end of the trip. The remnants of 14 hour time change. My mind knows I am home in Seattle, but my body is most definitely confused.

I'm going to work my way forward:

March 26th: Farewell Dinner group shot

March 27th: My last day in Vietnam - I woke up very early - 4:30AM, and walked to the Hoan Kiem Lake. As the sun rose, the path around the lake filled with walkers, and exercisers. Some people doing yoga and others doing Tai Chi. There were badminton players. People brought their portable stereos and groups did calisthenics to the beat. I saw one row of old women standing in a line, each massaging the back of the person in front of them.

morning bridge

Hat bicycle

I love Hanoi for all the action on the streets. There are more people selling things, more people walking, more sidewalk restaurants, then anywhere in Vietnam.

Just a conversation

bread lady

Sidewalk restaurant

bridge through a door way

Eli leading the last "Gratitude Circle," with Mike on his shoulder

The students were free in the morning, until hotel check-out. Then we walked all the students to the lake, went to one pagoda on the island in the lake, then had our last "gratitude circle." There are so many things we all have to be grateful for.

That evening, before the bus ride to the airport, Mike and Ha took me out for one last meal. they know how I love to eat "like the locals," so we went to this street of sidewalk seafood restaurants.

We sat on the street on little red stools, ate clams and prawns and toasted loudly to everything from cross-cultural confusion to how much we love each other.

Mike with three huge prawns.

These may have been the best prawns I have ever eaten.

Ha in the bus, with his "microphone"

Last group shot at the airport

Our 11:30PM flight got us into Seoul, Korea 3.5 hours later, though it was 5AM on March 28th Korean time when we landed. Korean Airlines gave us the option of a day tour or day hotel. Back in Seattle a few months ago I picked the tour, but the airlines got it wrong, and booked us in a hotel, and we were all really glad that they did, as the students collapsed at one stop after another on our way through immigration, customs, and waiting for the bus to the hotel. 12 hours later we were back on a flight - this time 9 more hours to arrive in Seattle at noon on the 28th (crossing the international date line gave us an extra day), though our bodies thought it was 2AM (Vietnam time).

At that is the end of our story, except for my sleeplessness as my body readjusts to Pacific Standard time, oh yes, and all the things I am grateful for.

I believe I must have the best teaching job in the world, and for this I am grateful. It is not the best teaching job because I get to go to a foreign country for 4 weeks every year. It is the best teaching job because, for four weeks, I get the privilege of witnessing the transformation of these young men and women. I get to be there as they open their eyes, open their hearts, and spread their wings. I get to see their wings. What can be better than that!