I've now done seven volunteer placements and loved them all and thought each was amazing and fantastic... but more than any trip before, this past trip to Hanoi is the first time that I've really felt that I would have liked to stay much longer... it surprises me how much I miss that place.  

Been to much prettier places, more and less 'advanced' countries, cleaner places and ones where traffic didn't seem so absurd to navigate ... but I don't think I have ever fallen so in love with a group of people. I had been taught, or at least come to the notion, that we in the U.S. are so much further advanced than nearly every other country in the world...and by many, perhaps most, levels of measurement we are. But it seems so apparent that we are #1 as we define the rules for what #1 is....the people of Hanoi just put less value on certain things than we do. We are playing the 'game of life' under a very different set of rules as to how 'winning' is defined... I'm no longer certain that we are playing by rules that lead to the most personal satisfaction... maybe, but maybe not.

The people of Hanoi, and Vietnam in general, were just so light and playful...no pretension, what you see is what you get. Perhaps it is this less competitive, less aggressive attitude that produces such a good, gentle hearted people. ..again, who knows.

Thank you Chau, thank you Tho, thank you Rai, thank you to the other volunteers and thank you to all the local store owners and street vendors and residents that I got to know and who would nod to me a 'hello' as I went to work each day. Oh, and thank you to Mr. Abu and all from Peace Village. 

Vietnam and Hanoi in particular, tho perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, is a place that I already miss.... I personally am looking forward to a second cup of tea in the future.

 Tạm biệt và cảm ơn bạn.
 Ken

P.S.- No, I never learned the language, it means 'Goodbye and thank you'.