NHA TRANG, VIETNAM

right when i got off the camahn aiport it was apparent of the country we were arriving in.. at the airport, the signs aren't digital but of a spinning type lettering system (those ones that flip). the bathrooms contained several bug friends and no automatic anything. being the prissy american tourist i was, the plastic pink wastebasket wasn't cuttin it. on the drive into the downtown beach street, we passed by narrow 20 foot long by 100 foot high concrete, cement homes neighboring straw shacks. i couldn't help but wonder if they were happy. i would've liked to think tha talthough they are poor they are wealthy in terms of fellowship, family and the simpler things.

seeing a group of guys outside playing cards and wearing a smile, reminded me of the texas hold em get togethers here... some probably have gfs or young wives to go home to..the dog beside them acting as their best friend, the beach as their playground. i would like to think they are happy. or are they bitter, living pipe dreams of the life they could have in the u.s.?

went on a mama linh boat tour the second day we were there. for 6 USD we got to stop at 4 different locations. a floating bar where we were served viet moonshine, a private beach where i nervously rode/drove a jet ski (with the encouragment of the boy), a floating village where kids traveled around on bamboo baskets and a reef to check out the fish of china eastern sea. it was touching to listen to trang, our tour guide, ask for the pronunciation of english words written on her homemade notebook. the notebook was just cut up binder paper stapled in between two glossy magazine sheets. rows and rows of english words with definitions. then i think of the notebook i wrote in to record my travel thoughts...60 bucks to take the book binding class plus the money for the book binding materials. the contrast.