Hanoi, Vietnam

Oct 11, 2012

The social complexities and differences between the United States and Vietnam are now starting to get blurred. Is it that I have been immersed into the Vietnamese culture long enough that I am now comfortable with the way of life here? Is it that everything I see occurring in Vietnam, I can relate to or have been desensitized before from something I have seen with my own eyes, felt with my own heart, or read in a book? My heart pumps for Vietnam now, I can feel i...

Phú Nhuận, Vietnam

Jul 29, 2012

I am constantly bombarded with the question "What do you do all day?" from my friends and family back home and my friends in Vietnam. As in, how does one occupy their time when they don't work? The answer I would like to respond with is simple; survival. It is not survival in the classic sense, but rather a rudimentary idea of the word. I know there are billions of people out there that are actually in survival mode everyday so I use the word lightly. What d...

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Jul 1, 2012

I have officially been in Vietnam for 6 weeks now. The time is flying. I can not say it enough, but Vietnam is absolutely amazing. Since my last entry I visited some western cities of Vietnam, I bought a motorcycle, I continue to make great friends, and my Vietnamese speaking and understanding is vastly improving. I journeyed on a 10 hour overnight bus towards Cam Ranh. It is a small town, very simple. I found one of the nicest hotels there and the rooms wer...

Chau Doc, Vietnam

Jun 23, 2012

The funny thing about traveling solo like this is that I am not really alone. Sure there are days that go by where I do not have any real human interaction but I never feel alone because so many other travelers are out there just like me with the same vulnerabilities, insecurities, and uncertainties, and for some reason, that gives me solace. So many nights I have been by myself and just wished that someone at the next table would acknowledge me and invite me o...

Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Vietnam

Jun 7, 2012

Ho Chi minh City, Vietnam - June 7th, 2012 It's been almost 6 weeks since my last journal entry. My last few weeks in Bali became routine as anything else and therefore I felt uninspired to write anything. Ultimately the entries could have been copied and pasted from the previous entry and that would have illustrated what was going on accurately. Bali was great for me. Like any place it had its pros and cons. Before the last weekend I was there I was able to ...