When in Vietnam walk slowly...

...This is just one of the things I have learned. In Seattle I dart across the street so I don't get hit by a car, but here you have to walk slowly... making sure you don't step out in front of a car or bus and the motor bikes will go around you. At least so far they have gone around me.

The weather hasn't gotten any better and even with friends I haven't been doing much. My group from new years eve left and I now have Katie (from England), who showed up last night to teach. She was, like me, sad, that our little groups had left us. So we have become each other friends. Tomorrow we are planning to go to the mud bath together along with another guy I have met here from Oregon. Plus, tonight two more volunteers should be showing up.

I have been teaching for nine weeks with a total of one and a half weeks off in between all that. I have figured out that teaching doesn't excite me. Yes, I knew it was hard work, I have been in the classroom before, but I don't enjoy it anymore. The first week of teaching here was hard (I didn't really have anything to follow and this is the most advanced class that i have had), half the time on my own, but I was able to do it. But after realizing that I have answered one of the questions I went on this trip to figure out... I don't want to teach right now. I haven't made up my mind completely, I figure I will give it at least three more days of teaching before I say I'm going to move on. This means that for my last two weeks in Vietnam I will travel on my own. At this point I think I will head north and then fly to Cambodia. I want to teach in Cambodia... or at least see what it like. I'm not ready to say goodbye to teaching completely but just for right now I need a break - and I know that I won't be going back to school for a degree in education.

I'm get antsy being away. I miss everyone at home. I'm getting this feeling of needing to go back to school but because I haven't figured out what I want to study I'm a little weary of going back right now. This trip has been an amazing experience. I forget that I am in a foreign country at times and have found so many wonderful people to be with. My next personal quest is figuring out what I do want to do with my life. I think I am ruling out being a nomad unless I can carry all the people I miss with me - even though technology is amazing and I can stay in contact with people, it's just not the same.

Here are a few pictures of me. This is me at the beach that is a block and a half away from me. This is what it has looked like for the last week and you can't really see how muddy the water looks. It doesn't make me want to go swimming. Second picture: Christmas lunch, Cara, Rachel, Sungmin, Ye Young, Me, and Matt - my family while I was in Laos. Last picture: most of my favorite class (so far) - they were intermediate level and I had a great time with them.