A New Chapter Begins....

Well, in less than 48 hours I will be on my way to Saigon to start a new adventure.  I am pretty much a bundle of emotions at this point.  I am excited; I am scared;  I am worried about finding a good job quickly;  I am looking forward to experiencing a brand new culture.  I have connected with a couple people through some online sites and they have been helpful in answering my many questions.  I have also joined some meet up groups and plan to attend a Thanksgiving dinner and a pub crawl (shocking I know!)  So the social life isn't very concerning.  My primary worry is finding a job.  As many of you know, career wise the last year has been a little rough for me. I am hoping this career change will be a positive one and as rewarding as my volunteer teaching has been.

Also, I decided to move to Saigon instead of Hanoi for a couple reasons.  There is a local business man from home that has a business in Saigon.  He told me to go there in case I  run into any problems and his staff would help me out.  It feels nice to have a safety net so to speak.  Second, Saigon is south and has warmer weather all year long.  And lastly, after reading some articles I found that people in Saigon are a little more welcoming and laid back than folks in the north.  I am happy with the decision.

It feels weird.... I keep thinking that it's my last time to do things or experience things in the states.  I am sure I will find some comforts of home somewhere in Vietnam and maybe even some things I like better.

But most of all, I will miss my friends and family terribly.  I have such amazing people in my life and wouldn't have the confidence to undertake this endeavor without their love and support.  I love you...you know who you are.

So, on Wednesday,  I fly to Chicago,  layover less than 1 hour, then hop a 16 hour flight to Hong Kong.  Yes, I said it.....SIXTEEN hours.  I am really not looking forward to that.  I layover in HK for about 3.5 hours and have a 2.5 hour flight to Saigon.  That will feel like a piece of cake compared to that Chicago to Hong Kong haul.  I booked a decent hotel in the downtown district for 2 weeks while I look for a studio apartment.  It is about $225 for the whole stay including tax.  Unbelievable!!!

Well, next time you hear from me, I will be in a sundress and flip flops enjoying 80 degree weather on the other side of the world!