vietnam - last day part 2

this is a common scene around vietnam

the guys in the green uniform are cops - i didn't want them to see me taking their pic, so i was kinda hiding.  ;)

having dinner with bac lanh - it's common that people just sit on the floor and eat

bac lanh loved having lianne and pierce around

i had mixed emotions going back to vietnam.  why you might ask?  i had several reasons - reason 1:  i do not like flying.  reason 2:  i didn't want to see the living conditions (the poverty level) as it will make me sad (i guess out of sight out of mind was my reasoning).  reason 3:  i didn't want to feel obligated to give all my relatives money.  don't get me wrong, i was planning to give money to my aunt, but i didn't want cousins, cousins of cousins expecting me to give them money).  if they did, they were disappointed.  

overal, i'm glad i went as i got to see my aunt again, whom i haven't seen for a while.  it did bring back some childhood memories, especially when i was at my aunt's house - memories of playing upstairs.  meeting some cousins for the first time (first for me anyways, as i do not remember some of them at all).  would i go back?  i'm not sure.  one thing that made me very sad was seeing the dogs.  most of them are skinny and looks so sad.  i just want to take them all home with me.  

going back to vietnam made me very grateful for my parents.  the sacrifices they had to make for bringing us here and i don't know how they did it, but they did and i will forever be grateful for them giving us the opportunity to have a better life here in the united states.  i love you very much mom and dad.