My two good neighbors, Anna and Lisa, came over for a visit last night and told me about their trip to Viet Nam this past winter. Their parents are Chinese but had lived in Viet Nam and have a lot of family there..I'm not sure if that's where they were born but Anna was. Lisa was born in Canada.
When I heard about their planned trip my first thought was that Lisa wouldn't manage it well. She's used to all the good amenities in life and doesn't adapt well to discomfort. Anna is older and, as a nurse, can handle anything that arises.
I laughed as Lisa said she wanted only to come home...on the first day there. Anna appreciated the new experience slightly better but said she'd probably never go back...I'm sure Lisa won't. The weather was horribly hot and humid, the streets were crammed, and bed was either a sleeping bag on the floor or a hard tabletop. Mosquitoes ate them alive every night. They did have one weekend at a beautiful resort but it cost $600 per day!
Their Vietnamese families are not poor but substantially well off to have servants but their living conditions are not up to Canadian standards. The girl's parents visit Viet Nam regularly but they know and understand the culture. Lisa and Anna were fish out of water there. They're Canadianized!
We know our lifestyle is much better than in most other countries and it's spoiled us because we don't appreciate how good we have it. I often wonder how well we'd manage if services like welfare, pensions, and high paying jobs were suddenly taken away. I believe there'd be more chaos than A&L saw in Viet Nam. We Canadians are spoiled by the relative luxuries we've come to expect as our due.
My sweet neighbors brought me a piece of Anna's birthday cake and a lovely jade buddha pendant from Viet Nam. We're also making plans to go back to their favorite Chinese restaurant soon. I am blessed to have these lovely ladies in my life and I'm so glad they're home safe and sound.
When I heard about their planned trip my first thought was that Lisa wouldn't manage it well. She's used to all the good amenities in life and doesn't adapt well to discomfort. Anna is older and, as a nurse, can handle anything that arises.
I laughed as Lisa said she wanted only to come home...on the first day there. Anna appreciated the new experience slightly better but said she'd probably never go back...I'm sure Lisa won't. The weather was horribly hot and humid, the streets were crammed, and bed was either a sleeping bag on the floor or a hard tabletop. Mosquitoes ate them alive every night. They did have one weekend at a beautiful resort but it cost $600 per day!
Their Vietnamese families are not poor but substantially well off to have servants but their living conditions are not up to Canadian standards. The girl's parents visit Viet Nam regularly but they know and understand the culture. Lisa and Anna were fish out of water there. They're Canadianized!
We know our lifestyle is much better than in most other countries and it's spoiled us because we don't appreciate how good we have it. I often wonder how well we'd manage if services like welfare, pensions, and high paying jobs were suddenly taken away. I believe there'd be more chaos than A&L saw in Viet Nam. We Canadians are spoiled by the relative luxuries we've come to expect as our due.
My sweet neighbors brought me a piece of Anna's birthday cake and a lovely jade buddha pendant from Viet Nam. We're also making plans to go back to their favorite Chinese restaurant soon. I am blessed to have these lovely ladies in my life and I'm so glad they're home safe and sound.
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