Nhớ Nguồn

Death, freedom, isolation, meaninglessness. Choices, mistakes, realizations, consequences. Living, longing, loving, losing. Praxis, conflict, reflection, transcendence. The beast has four heads. The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. by R...

It's hard to get this thought out of my mind: having students must be what having children is like. Smiling with them. Smiling for them. Worrying about them. Worrying for them. Crying with them. Crying for them. But what happens when you have to say goodbye? For most parents, there comes a time when you must say goodbye, but at least there remains a peace of mind knowing that the last goodbye is further still. For a tragic few, even that small ounce of peace is shattered. For the teacher, the experience appears to be different. Spending so much time with your students, you form relationships with them, see the people they are, and shape the person they will become. Perhaps without intending to, some students "grow on you," and you find yourself pouring your heart and soul into them. And yet, for all your work, for all your sacrifice, there always remains the looming departure when both parties go their separate ways. The roller coaster ride that is ...

To my family back home: it's a weird feeling when you reflect on the fact that you just sought out and bought food from a specialty AMERICAN supermarket.  UPDATE (10/24/14): I have officially eaten 3 lbs. 8 oz. worth of dried fruits and nuts by myself. I am proud and sickened at the same time. There should be a word for that feeling.

A recent realization of mine: In the past few months, three of my friends from back home messaged me on various social network sites to ask about what I was doing and how I was. I promptly replied to all three, not just answering their questions, but also asking some of my own. So far, not a single person has responded. Earlier this year, I tutored the daughter of a principal for one of the primary schools we teach at. She knew me for all of a month, then left to study in America. I gave her my email address and wished her luck. We have been emailing each other at least once a month every month since April. Unexpectedly, Vietnam is teaching me about yet another thing: friendship.