Closing Thoughts

During our final moments before we depart for America, I sense a unique high from the remaining MEMObers...

The type of high that comes from fatigue from finished work and duty fulfilled. A sense of fulfillment not just from helping those in need, but from helping those of our own kind.  

There is a glow here, a glow that comes from new friendships and strengthened bonds. Everybody's faces are ever so slightly lifted, as each of us reflect on memories made on this trip. Whether it was seeing the joy on an elder's face who just saw a doctor for the first time in years... or figuring out riddles such as Black Magic or Ronald's infamous, Open, Half-Open, or Closed Circle... or playing silly games at Scholarship Day... or learning how to bargain with the locals... or when we danced together... or when we wandered the streets of Saigon... or simply when we talked into the wee hours of the night.

6G: Mission Accomplished. 

P.s. Don't drop that thun thun thun. 

Day 3 of Clinics: Friendship

These four friends enjoyed laughing at my Vietnamese.

*giggle*giggle*smirk*smirk*

Clinic Day 1: Another Perspective

One of the most interesting things about travel is when you experience the people. Whether it is watching them interact with one another or interacting with them, foreign human interaction is always a point of intrigue. I'm sure many of you are thinking that I'm talking about the differences between our cultures and norms, but what I am actually referring to are the similarities shared between us...

... An old fragile man had just finished being consulted by a doctor when his younger friend swooped in to help him. The older man must have been in his 90s, or at least heading to it. He moved extremely slowly stuggling just to lift a finger all the while maintaining a spirited attitude. Let's call him Bob. In contrast, his younger friend, who was in his 60s or 70s, was extremely lively physically and like his older friend, just as spirited. We can call him Joe. What I liked about these two men was the friendship they showed. Bob was sent to get his insides examined by the EKG and ultrasound across the location and Joe remained by him all the way. At first I tried to help Bob but Joe insisted in he help Bob alone. It was endearing watching the old men be together, with the Joe acting like a personal cheerleader and Bob playfully saying that he walk on his own, which led to Joe teasing him saying that he'd break his hip without his help. I chuckled at this small moment of friendship...

Bob and Joe

... Another experience was when Jonathan and I found a 10-month old baby. The mother was struggling to divide her attention between the doctor and her child and the baby definitely felt this. She was crying in desperation for attention and I couldn't help but want to make her stop crying. I was first able to grab her attention just by staring at her and playing peek-a-boo. Eventually Jonathan joined me and we created a shifty little dance to keep her captivated. She finally let out a tiny smile and seeing that just made my heart melt. I couldn't even describe the feeling...

Jonathan and myself entertaining a baby.

Scholarship

Today was an especially exciting day for me. Although the focus of this mission is medical, I have to admit that the kids carried greater personal importance to me…

Intake

Once CeCe and I had finished collecting the patients’ information and most of the MEMObers had gone to lunch, I had a little bit of downtime to chill and talk with the parents. Even though my Vietnamese is not very good, the parents sympathized with me and simplified their vocabulary in order for me to understand their gratitude... a humbling feeling.



 

The Sweetest

While I was unknowingly taking a nap at the intake station (after all the patients had been checked in of course) I felt a tap on my shoulder followed by a string of giggles. I was halfway to dreamland at the moment and could not really register what had just happened. So I pretended to fall asleep again to bait the menace back. Lo and behold, she came back and before she could touch me again I surprised her with a little roar. She ran away into the schoolhouse and I followed her, assuming that this was going to be a small game of tag. Little did I know of the adventure that was to ensue. 
I ended up playing with many of the children left in the schoolhouse that were waiting to be checked out by the dentist. We played an assortment of games, many of which consisted of them chasing me in some manner. At one point we played a variation of tag, where I was forever “it,” and I would chase whichever student was able to come and tag me. It was fun to be able to run around with these kids but I was easily winded, and thus had to quickly come up with a less active game.

While resting at the steps, the boys decided to copy everything I was doing. From sitting cross-legged to creating rhythms with our hands and feet, I became their ringleader and they were my minions, muahaha. We formally greeted every MEMOber present and even had all the boys line up to shake Long Co’s hand.
We moved onto charades. From pigs to horses cac em were able to guess it all. Jonathan, William, and I added a little twist to the game where we would pretend to be creatures such as birds and crocodiles that would come in and kidnap them. Ok, we didn’t really kidnap them; we just surprised them by picking them up and throwing them around a little bit. They all seemed to get a real kick out of that.

Clockwise: Jonathan & Friend, Will & Friend, Jamie & Friend, and Anton & Friend

Eventually all the kids left available to play were taken into see the dentist, and the MEMObers and I were left with each other. As much as I love to be with my MEMObers, that last bit of my energy left with the last em and I decided to instead take the sweetest most refreshing nap. 


- Anton

The day before our departure.

Upon realizing that I was not able to find my passport in my apartment just days before the trip…

Anton: “Mom, I don’t know what to do… I can’t find my passport… what can I do?”

Mother: “Don’t worry, I have it. I found it lying around and kept it from you in order to teach you to take better care of your things. You always lose things…”

Into my backpack they go!

    

  That conversation occurred on the Monday of the week we were to leave for Viet Nam. Truthfully, I wasn’t able to get excited along with the rest of the MEMObers solely because I was not able to find my passport until then.  I had been stressing out about my passport for weeks and was envious of the people who were getting excited while I would go day by day worried about the possibility of not going on the trip.

Tanks on tanks on tanks.

  

   The relief from the moment I found out where my passport was felt like a release. I felt like I could FINALLY get excited for this trip. After the firecracker explosiveness of finding my passport, my excitement level was just about steaming throughout Monday night. It was simmering Wednesday when I went to go buy some supplies. There is nothing that will quicken the approach of an event more than shopping, where you go out and find the necessary materials for your departure.

Some necessities.

     I’m sorry, I lied. There is actually something that will make the trip come sooner, and that is packing. Especially when you've lagged, and started just hours before you leave for the airport. Despite the looming mini-anxiety of forgetting something important, my excitement for the trip was at an all-time high. I was jittery and could not sit still for the life of me.

     As I packed my articles of clothing into my Ziploc bags, it slowly dawned on me what I am about to embark on. The realization of the work I’m about to do, the people I’m about to help, that I will be coming back to my homeland. 


- Anton