Sight:
Everywhere I got I see motorbikes. This is their form of transportation here in Vietnam, because it is way cheaper than cars. I see children running everywhere (at the daycare), I see stray dogs wandering, lots and lots of city neon flashing lights, I see street food carts, I see lots of narrow side roads, kids in uniforms, chickens in the streets, and coffee shops around every corner. I see lots of black hair and brown eyed people in the neighborhoods, but when I go downtown in the tourist part of the city, I see a sea of different nationalities, Koreans, Japanese, Australians, Europeans, Indians, Americans and more. I see the whole city from our hotel rooftop. I see the sun rise and the sun set. I see the moon and the stars. I see airplanes landing and taking off in the distance.
Smell:
I smell a lot of pollution and smog, car and motorbike exhaust, a weird nasty smell you don’t want to know the source of, I smell coffee, cooking food, cigarette smoke, incense, jasmine tea when we walk by the one house everyday, Pantene shampoo, and my essential oil peppermint (as it helps me with headaches).
Sound:
I hear Beeping horns, sirens, roosters saying “cock-a-doodle-doo, dogs barking, kids laughing, kids crying, my Spotify playlists (songs on repeat this month: “Water Under The Bridge” by: Chelsea Cutler, “Cold Showers by: Chelsea Cutler, “God Only Knows” by: For KINGS & COUNTRY, “Fight On, Fighter by: For KINGS & COUNTRY, Without Me by: ILLENIUM), and of course the Vietnam New Year song that plays at the daycare on repeat (yes it has gotten a little annoying HA!), the word “hello teacha” from all the little children (some of them have even learned my name!), and the little voices of the children speaking in Vietnamese at me (I really wish I could understand what they are saying!). Finally, I hear the little kids singing the song “wheels on the bus”.
Taste:
Rice, Rice, and MORE RICE! Soy sauce, chicken, roman, vegetable broth soup, eggs, mango, bananas, yellow watermelon, pancakes, tea, coffee, peanut butter, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheez-its(I brought these with me from the states lol), yogurt milk drink, and cheese crackers.
Touch:
I feel the hands of all the little kids at the daycare, the kids sitting in my lap, and when they wrap themselves around my legs, I feel the little chairs we sit on at the daycare under my butt, I feel the grass turf on my feet, I feel the play structure swing set under neither me, I feel a soccer ball at my feet, I feel the cold tile floor at our hotel, I feel the cold AC in our hotel room, I feel the hot sun and humanity on my face, I feel the cold shower water on my skin, I feel my nose all stuffed up from the pollution, I feel the many tears this month roll down my face, and I feel my cheeks hurt from the many laughs I’ve had with my teammates this month.
I hope this paints a picture of what my month has looked like so far! Vietnam has been super cool, but very different then how I perceived it was going to be. I would love to come back sometime to Vietnam to see more of the country. But for now….
In a short 10 days my team and I will be traveling to Cambodia with the whole squad. In Cambodia we will have a debrief period and there we will be changing teams and roles. Wow! Time is flying by and changes are coming. Stay tune for more!
Thanks for following me and supporting me.
Love you all!
B
