On Monday morning we went to social support. I am so in love with the kids there. Tinh and Hoi break my heart in such a real way. This week I can't help but cry every time I see them. They are the ones I am the saddest to leave. I took Hoi to the hospital on Monday morning and he has double ear infections. I tried to fight to bring him to Ho Chi Min City for a good CT scan because I really feel like his hydrocephalus is operable but the powers that be ended up deciding that it was not worth it. I hate that. I wish I could steal him and take him for the second opinion. There is a more active person inside of him, but I am only here for a few more days and then another volunteer will start caring for him. And Tinh- I don't even know how to describe her. She is the single most beautiful, radiant and heart warming person that I have ever met. She is mischievous and hilarious and cries laughing every time I fall or kick myself with her skinny little legs. I'm not scared of hurting her because I know that she is strong so I throw her around and play with her and she just laughs and laughs. Its overwhelming how much I love that little girl. I can't wait to come back and see her. I am inspired by her. The way I feel for her is new as I have never wanted to help someone so genuinely in my life. Maybe it is because I haven't been around people who need the same things that she does- that all of these kids do for a matter of fact. She deserves to have a tutor everyday and a physiotherapist working with her everyday. I wish you could all meet her. She is just so beautiful. On Friday we are going to take the disabled kids to the park. I wanted to take Tinh outside on Tuesday but they would not let me because it was so cold. She loves the sunshine, though. We sit next to the window and she just bangs on it wanting to go out. On Monday afternoon I taught English at AOV and played soccer with the kids. That place is special, too. Everywhere here is. I feel alive and excited at all the placements. We have an awesome new volunteer from South Carolina (yay USA!) name Anne Stuart and she came with me to meet the kids there.
I don't worry about myself here in a really healthy way. I worry about the kids so much and put my concern in them so the little stupid petty things that consumed me before. Its nice feeling lighter that way. Its more useful putting my energy into others. I'm ok and I'm taken care of and that allows me to take care of others. I think that is so cool.
I just love it here. I'm so happy. The people I have met are really so lovely. My roommate Olivia has become such a good friend of mine and I'm hoping to visit her in Australia next time I am here. We'll also get her to the states. I've also become really close with the female physiotherapist Hoan and I really want to get her to the states for a visit. I've never met someone who is so well intended and hard working as she. She wants nothing for herself, only for the children. She tells me how much she wants for them every day.
On Monday night I taught English to the high school kids at Social Support. We learned about prepositions. I think they know more about grammar than I do. One of my 14 year old students named Viet corrected me. It was great.
On Tuesday morning I went back to social support to hang with my favorite kids. Hoi was doing better but young Tam wasn't so good. His cough is really concerning me, but he is so weak that they won't let me take him to the hospital, so I just held him and cleaned his ears and sang with him. At lunch time I spoke with the head of GVN about what I can do when I am back in the states and it is primarily fund-raising. I'm writing the newsletter with Olivia for GVN and am looking forward to that. I hung out with Tinh during lunch and then went to the baby orphanage with Anne Stuart. We had a new set of twins! Unfortunately the Canadian adoption agency is stopping doing adoptions with them so they are trying to move out as many babies as they can before that. I'm really hoping the US will be up and running with Vietnam soon. After baby orphanage I went to have a look at the hospital across the street and visited the maternity ward. Lots of babies being born in an almost silent wing of the hospital. No one was screaming. It was surreal and a little odd. We literally saw a baby being born and the mother was not screaming. This hospital is pretty good for Da Nang. A CT scan here is 50 USD. Crazy, huh? They just got an MRI machine as well.
We had dinner with Kerry on Tuesday night at a really fun place called Waterfront which is really nice.
On Wednesday we spent the whole day at the Pagoda. When we came back for afternoon placement a brand new 4 day old baby had just been abandoned. They had no milk or bottles for him so I went with a few of the monks and Hoan to get him some food. I'm going back tomorrow and if he has not been taken to the hospital yet me and Hoan are going to take him to make sure all is ok. Smallest baby I have ever seen. His poor little lips wanted to eat so badly and they don't have good nipple replacements for bottles where we went, so he will have to get used to an older nipple pretty quickly. I bought enough formula to last a few weeks and will leave money for some more after.
Last night we took Co Quyen (our lovely cook) and Hoan out for dinner at Waterfront. Co Quyen took me on my first real motorbike ride and I thought I was going to die. Scariest thing ever- no joke. I literally felt a car rub against my leg as it drove passed us. Tried that once, don't think I will again this trip. They are so confident on their bikes, though, because that is what almost everyone uses. Probably shouldn't have had my first time be during rush hour. Two new volunteers came last night and they are really great- from Australia. So they joined us for dinner and drinks. We met up with some Americans we met in Hoi An at a fun little place called Bamboo 2. That was really fun.
This morning I had to say goodbye to my kids at AOV 1. I honestly didn't think they would be upset because they remember so little and was heartbroken when one of my older male students cried when I said I was returning to America. Again, I don't want to leave. I will be back. I taught my last English class and then we had a snack and did some puzzles. I am going to figure out some fund-raising for the AOV when I get back stateside. Its a really good resource for the families of these children, but is grossly underfunded.
I am currently sitting on our roof with Olivia and Anne Stuart getting a little sun. Its the first sunny day in a while so we are enjoying it before going to afternoon placement at the baby orphanage.
That is all for now. I am going to write more tonight, but am currently feeling really sad about leaving and am not sure how to put what I am feeling into clear thoughts. There is so much going through my mind right now and I am just so aware of the huge impact this trip has had on me. It has given me the gift of not feeling anxious about myself which is so great and is allowing me to actually act on what I have always believed.
Lots of pictures today from the last few days, and more tonight.
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