Vietnam or Bust!

I made it to and from Vietnam.

And I busted. Literally. From food poisoning.

Warning: The story below is not for the squeamish.

I'll start from the beginning.

Despite the intro of this blog, the trip was great fun! My traveling companions, who are two fellow teachers (side note: both teachers are in their mature years. One being the wise age of almost 83. She is a hoot, who, if it came down to her and I in a street fight, I'd put my money on her) Anyway, we loaded a bus Saturday morning for the 6 hour bus ride into Hochimin City (or to you baby boomers Saigon) The bus ride was a great way to see the country side. It is still the considered the dry season, so not many of the rice fields were in bloom, but the 'cows' here have just had their calves and it was fun to see all of them roaming around. It was also another opportunity to see how deplorable housing is here.

We stopped mid way through the trip at a roadside restaurant to take a lunch break. I had been warned previously to pack my own lunch, which I am SO GLAD I took that advice. It was very ethnic to say the least. While at the lunch stop, I learned one of MANY lessons that would be taught during my 2 day journey. ALWAYS ALWAYS bring your own TP when traveling through the countryside of a third world country. The drip dry method does not make for pleasant travel! Also, practice the length of time you can hold your breath while actually using the "toilet". I estimate your going to need about 45-50 seconds of lung capacity, if you have your routine down.

The rest of the miles past by with ease and by 3:30 we were rolling into the bus station. We grab our bags, took a taxi to the hotel, checked in and were off to walk about town. Hochimin is very clean compared to Phnom Penh. I guess that's what a little communism gets you these days - clean streets and gutters. That night we ate at a great Vietnamese restaurant on the recommendation of the hotel desk clerk. I didn't get to crazy, I just ordered Yellow noodles with steamed veggies. Pretty tasty.

We went to bed early Saturday as we had a big day planned for Sunday. (Okay, actually I had my own room and I was excited to watch TV. So I wanted to go lay in bed. I haven't turned on a television since I've been here and people -they had HBO!)

Sunday we woke up early to find and attend the Christian church that meets in the city (more on that below) After eating breakfast at the hotel we walked couple of blocks to another hotel where church service was. After lunch we decided to a visit a few museums. While I was strolling through the war remnant museum learning a new version of the "American War", my stomach began to feel a little, shall we say, unwell? I thought maybe just the heat was getting to me and asked my traveling companions if they would mind me heading back to the hotel for a rest. Always up for a nap, they both quickly agreed to come too.

This is where the weak stomachs may want to stop reading....

No sooner had I laid down in the hotel room, I was making an Olympic pace dash to the bathroom where I proceeded to expel what felt like everything I have eaten since 1999. What didn't come up, went, shall we say, down? I have never, in all of my life been so sick. At one point I thought it would be easier if I just reached down my throat, pulled out my stomach and threw IT in the toilet. When I finally did make it back it to bed, I pleaded, begged God for some small drop of mercy. And seriously, miraculously, around 4 am I began to feel better. In fact, by 8 am I felt okay enough to shower and walk down to the corner store to purchase some ritz crackers and soda. Not wanting to miss anymore of my trip, I forced myself to go ahead with my day. A few dizzy spells and waves of nausea aside I felt mostly human and enjoyed my day. We visited the Independence Palace, the Cathedral and the Post Office (I know. The Post Office?. But the architecture is amazing.) We ended with a nice dinner at the Rex Hotel. I say nice, because what the ladies ordered looked nice. I ate a few dry french fries.

Monday, we woke up and shopped the Ben Thrangh market. It was pretty similar to the markets here in PP, except the merchants in Vietnam are much more aggressive is their selling approach. They actually reach out and grab your arm to pull you into their both. It was a little unsettleing. Around 3 pm we called it a trip and headed to the airport to fly back to Phnom Penh. It was good times for sure. I'm glad I went.

(Yes, I do know the exact meal which gave me the food poisoning. It was the eggs at the free continental breakfast in the hotel)

On a serious note. I want to write a little about the church in Vietnam. What they do is highly illegal. Meeting freely to discuss Christ in a communist country. It will get you thrown in jail for years. Yet these faithful people, have such a love and devotion to the Lord and one another, the meet once a week in a small hotel room to praise and worship. Sometimes more that 100 people cram into a room with little room to move and no A/C. They all know the risks. Some have even been arrested and jailed. Yet they meet.

Tears came to my eyes as I sat among these brave Christians. I was moved at the thought of how heaven must be rejoicing at the sound of our voices lifted in praise. My voice singing in english, the small boy sitting next to me singing his heart out in Vietnamese. Yet both with the same language of love. How the angles must have joined in and rejoiced! Their message that day was simple. Trust and obey. These people trust in His goodness and faithfulness in a way that I've never had to. The message that I took home is while these fellow christians have little to no income, education, or worldly goods, the knowledge, and strength they posses is so great and they truly live what it means be in Kingdom of God here on earth. I left Sunday feeling inspiried, humble, and knowing that God is so good! I look forward to someday singing again next to my little friend. Only next time I hope we are both bathed in God's glory and his little hungry tummy is full forever by God's grace.