Vietnam Part 2

Internetz I love you. It is Thursday 7 AM in Vietnam right now. Since we arrived Saturday 21st, I've only really been here 5 full days. It seems like a LIFETIME ago.

Gramps back in the day. My mom says he was very dep trai and said he could have been a movie star. I agree.

Me and the cousins. It's strange seeing things of mine that were sent to vietnam a long time ago. Like a necklace I used to wear that my little cousin wears now, or a jacket I forgot about that is used by my cousin daily. Thinking about all the times my mom told me to sort through my stuff to send home, I wish I had been more generous because I really don't NEED the majority of my closet. I'm also the oldest one in the picture, but I feel like a kid when I'm around my some of my cousins that are 16 and work so much harder just to live, like they never experience being a teenager or being carefree. I have another 5 days in Vietnam, but I really feel if I can make it through this, I can make it through anything and med school should feel like a vacation. Experiences like this put life into perspective. I worry and stress about medical school, but what is there to complain about? I'm learning something that interests me and building a career for myself. At least I have a place to live, food, a car, and AIR CONDITIONING. All I have to worry about is studying...

My leg after the mosquitos raped it. Trust me there are more, in places that are not easy to take pictures of.

Trying on fabrics for ao dais... it was my mom's doing I tell you! But I didn't like this lavender one she picked. I wanted to post pictures of the actual funeral and burial process, but it's too much. It was so consuming in every way.. mentally, emotionally, physically. Now I understand why we perform certain traditions, and how it may seem strange to others, but really serves a purpose in guiding his spirit away from this earth. Hopefully I can articulate it better in another post.