It is almost summer 2012 and I have been absent for quite a while. In 2010, I was unable to join the group to Viet Nam due to tight finances and relocating to a new job. The group reported to have had another wonderful experience, although no one decided to blog about it.
In 2011, no trip to Viet Nam was made by anyone from our group even though we were still invited to go. Many of us had too many other commitments and plans that summer. This year, we were once again invited to visit and work with the Deaf in a different area in Viet Nam. I confirmed in November of last year that I would return. Since then, there were four of us set to return and arrangements began. However, over the past month, two from our group have had to cancel.
So it looks like only Scott and I will be returning to Viet Nam and it will be a very short visit compared to our visit in 2009, which was a couple of months. This summer we will visit Viet Nam for just two short weeks because we were offered the opportunity to visit the Philippines as well. I have never been anywhere off the continental U.S. except for my first time to Viet Nam in 2009. To have the opportunity to visit the Philippines too is quite exciting...and actually quite mind-blowing!
Our tentative plan is to work with the Deaf in Da Nang, Viet Nam for two weeks and in a rural area of Baguio City, Philippines for another two weeks. If you have read any of my stories from 2009, you can anticipate that there will be some changes because that's just how things work. Already while finalizing and confirming our lodging and schedules, changes have been made at least twice in the past week or so. That is the fun part: being surprised by the unexpected and being able to have a new experience or opportunity to learn something different.
I hope to keep up on postings while overseas and I hope my experiences are exciting to share. I am also interested in comparing my first impressions and perspective of 2009 experiences to what I will encounter this summer. How different will Viet Nam be since I've last visited? How different am I, since I was there? Have I retained enough of the Vietnamese spoken and sign language to communicate the basics? I am worried I have lost quite a bit of what I learned. Have the people changed and how? Have laws changed to support and protect women, children, and disabled people? Is the country more westernized or colonized now? Hope not! Will I be able to navigate my way around better now that I know a little of what to expect? Will I have the opportunity to see some of the great people I met in 2009? Will I meet more incredible children and adults? Will I get the opportunity and have the courage to finally try dog? It's a mission this time! How long will it take for Scott and I to get our pooping schedules on track? That's always a problem! Most importantly, will I be attacked by another monkey!?!
As for the Philippines, will I learn enough Tagalog to have people humor me while I practice? Will I get to see enough of the area to get a good feel of the country as I did with Viet Nam? What will the School for the Deaf be like? How will the weather treat us? What kinds of fruits and vegetables do they have that I've never seen or sampled? What is life like for women and children, disabled or poor, and how does the system respond to injustices? What counter-stories will I have the privilege of learning about the people I met? Most importantly, how much more weight will I gain from eating all of the different kinds of food I can't find back home?
As you can see, these are all very pressing questions ;o) I can't wait to arrive on the other side of the world to let life teach me more lessons that I need to learn and meet people whom will make such lasting impressions on me, compelling me to share their stories.
Tôi không thể chờ đợi để đi!! Ay ko matuto ng maraming...Ako umaasa! Stay tuned! Thanks for reading!
