Counting Down

It seems impossible, but in about a week, I'll be leaving for Hanoi, Viet Nam. In fact, in exactly one week's time, we should be arriving or about to arrive at San Francisco International Airport for our flight which leaves at 12:05 a.m. on 1 February. It's been a whirlwind couple of months or so from sending my resume out all over the world to interviewing for this position to receiving a job offer (a real, live job offer!) to accepting it. So here I am, as ready as I can be. I've got all my paperwork in order; the visa is in my passport and I have all the required other papers for my teaching job. And yes, I still have to pack, but since I'm pretty much taking almost all my clothes, I have to have something to wear until I leave. So packing will wait until the day before or so. I suppose I could do a run through pack just to see if everything will fit. We'll see about that. It admittedly feels a little daunting to be moving 7,300 miles for at least a year. Not that I haven't done something like this before. I have. In 1986, I lived in Australia, which was an excellent experience, one that I don't regret at all. This is different though in some important ways. The language is not the same as I speak and the culture is more different from mine this time. Allen & I have been trying to learn some of the Vietnamese language, but I have a long way to go. I'm hoping though that my English teaching work will keep me busy enough to soften the differences. I plan to add to this blog as time goes on. I hope you'll join me and comment from time to time.