Life has been rich and full lately AND I have had the good fortune of eating lots of donuts. Or, I have had the good fortune of eating lots of donuts lately AND as a result, life has been exceedingly rich and full. Either way I choose to interpret my reality, I am happy to report that I have been thoroughly enjoying myself these past few weeks and am truly starting to dread the notion that I will be leaving Danang in just twenty five days. Although it is easy enough to relegate the looming specter of my imminent depature to the far corners of my mind while I am out and about chowing down on various delectables with friends, the unexpectedly rapid manner in which the academic and volunteer portions of this program are winding down is beginning to force me to face the fact that I will not be in Vietnam for much longer. This morning, Map, Le, Chau, and I went down to the airport to see off Lauren, one of the two girls from Australia I have had the pleasure of getting to know this past month. While I was really upset to see Lauren go (although envious she is off to Thailand to spend some well-deserved time on the beach!), I must admit that I wanted to get away from the airport as soon as possible; with my own departure growing closer that I want to believe, saying goodbye to Lauren felt a bit too much like a dry run for events that I am, as of yet, unprepared and unwilling to contemplate.

Last Thursday was our final English class. While it was difficult managing to come up with engaging activities each week while also grappling with the complications that accompany three teachers with three very different teaching styles sharing one classroom, I would say that, overall, our class and my first foray into teaching English as a second language went rather well, all things considered. I made some great new friends and at least a few of our students became more confident in holding conversations with foreigners. My only regret is that we were not able to do more to integrate and hold the interests of all of our students, as it is difficult to include everyone in unstructured discussions, which is mostly what our classes ended up being.

I think I am beginning to understand that the seemingly effortless teaching style of many of the professors I love so dearly is not to be confused with no preparation and talking off the cuff. Teaching is hard work and takes practice, but this experience here in Vietnam only reaffirms my belief that teaching is exactly what I will find myself doing in the future, a prospect I was once (okay, maybe sometimes still am) a little wary of. Coming from a family of teachers, one always wants to assert one's individuality by sticking up a big middle finger to all precedents set by those who came before. The thing is, I am coming to terms with the idea that maybe this "teaching gene" is part of who I am as an individual. There is nothing inherently lame about wanting to do something that others have done before, as long as this desire comes from a genuine place and is rooted in authenticity. In addition, if wanting to be a teacher of some kind aligns me with the likes of my family, sign me up for the job right now.

Well, not just yet. Despite my propensity for planning, preparation and all things related to serious affairs, I love that my time here in Vietnam has afforded me the opportunity to relax and experience what life is like with minimal obligations and no real direction. In the past two months, I have read ten books. I have fully embraced my Vietnamese nickname of "Lazy Kid", indulging in daily afternoon naps and making a point to write down every one of my dreams. This past weekend, some friends and I spent the evening in Hoi An, and as per usual, the designated shopping journey dissolved into a night of binge-eating and fresh beer drinking. There is time in the future (the TOO close future! real school! real job! real concerns!) for severity, so for now I will continue to chug along on this adventure I am having without giving much thought to what it is exactly I am doing here, such as perhaps eating too many donuts!

Just the cutest lil' Chi-hua-hua I've ever seen!

I know you want some, too bad I am not sharing.

Le and Chau


It was impossible to distinguish between the river and the road
due to flooding in Hoi An

On my way to becoming a real Vietnamese girl, I've already got the face mask and completely covered arms and legs down


Aftermath of our evening with homemade beer

I am really going to miss Hannah and Lauren :[