Paradise in Vietnam

How can we be so lucky?

We must have built up some impressive karma in a previous life.

My roommate and I chat as we doze off under our crisp, white cotton sheets after a long day of sunbathing, leisurely boating and ocean exploration. Our third class is finished, grades are in, and we’re spending the weekend at a four-star resort in Halong Bay, a Vietnamese vacation destination of affluent westerners and easterners alike.

Is this really my life? I feel a little guilty describing the weekend to my Vietnamese friend Ha, who has never been to Halong Bay herself and tried her hardest to join us on our visit. What must she think of me, spending a year flying all around the world, spending thousands and thousands of dollars to get a degree in English, my native language (“liberal arts” doesn’t exactly translate in Asia), and staying at one of the nicest resorts in one of the nicest and most expensive tourist spots in her country. Ha looks at me with her usual demure, quietly inquisitive look. “Believe me, I don’t know how this is all possible either,” I insist. “I just go with the flow most of the time on this trip.”

But that doesn’t sound so good either. I feel like ungrateful, ignorant westerner who can’t possibly understand the amazing opportunities I have been given. But I do understand, and I appreciate them so much. I swear! Especially after interacting with Vietnamese students at the same place in life as I am. They are so eager and hardworking and aspiring, and many of them wish for nothing more than to be able to travel to America or Europe to learn and work. But all I can do is make the best of this situation and every opportunity. I learned so much about cultural differences in Vietnam, and I loved having the opportunity to interact with people who were willing to cut me some cultural slack as I figured out the best way to adjust my “way” with that of Asia. I was certainly humbled by my friends, and I hope I didn’t offend them too often J.

Seriously though, Halong Bay was unreal. On the first day of our tour, we boarded a beautiful junk which took us on a leisurely sail to one of Halong’s many islands. While on the boat we were served a DELICIOUS, gourmet seafood lunch, complete with my new favorite dipping sauce of MSG and lime juice and chilies.

On the island, we were guided through some amazing caves with one-of-a-kind, naturally occurring fluorescent light patches. Not really. The cheezy lights were pretty distracting actually.

Next, we were dropped off at our first night’s accommodations: Holiday Villa Resort complex, where we each shared a private villa with one roommate. The hot shower was amazing, as were the English TV channels. Selina and I were so excited about having a TV that we spent an hour watching George of the Jungle. And we savored every minute of it. We thought that was the life, but little did we know what we had in store for us the next night!

On day two, we took another belabored sail around the islands, which was full of “I can’t believe this is my life” moments for me. The weather was perfect, with a slight breeze and a warm sun. I spent the afternoon reading and journaling in between bites of yet another gourmet lunch, this time with crab and interesting clams.

We landed at Catba Island where we explored a hospital cave built into the side of a mountain during the Vietnam War. Walking around in this thing was like being on the set of a horror movie. I could just picture Vietnamese military surgeons with primitive tools, hosing blood off of the walls and floor of those eerie cement rooms.

But the real climax came when we arrived at Catba Island Resort and Spa, where we spent our final night. It was like paradise! Two pools, water slides AND an ocean view.

The rest of the night and most of the next afternoon were spent hanging out at the beach and on the waterslides. Needless to say, I slept well that night.

Yes, I’m getting credit for this. But life on PacRim isn't a Travel Channel special all the time. I promise.

Halong is our last stop in Vietnam before moving on to China. I’ve started becoming nostalgic lately. This trip moves so fast. So far, I haven’t come to miss and appreciate a place until after I’ve left. It’s just like home and your family; somehow you love them in a brand new way after you’ve been away for a while. But this is the first time I’ve started missing it before it’s gone. We’ve really put down roots here. It reiterates one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned on this trip: relationships and shared experiences make this life great. Nothing is quite as significant if it can’t be shared.

I’ve been informed that I’ve hit the 3 month slump. I didn’t know it existed until a few days ago, but my friends Erin and Selina, both of whom have studied abroad before, have been telling me about the emotional plateau that many of their friends hit right around the 3 month mark. The romance of the travel experience wears off and things that would have once intrigued you or warranted a photograph are overlooked. It becomes less about the journey and more about getting to the destination.

Sadly, I’m realizing that the romance has worn off in a lot of ways, and I’m beginning to tune out much of the novelty of my circumstances here. I’m starting to crave routine and instead of being intrigued and curious about each new place, I’m more easily annoyed and exhausted. There is of course no way I would trade this experience for one anywhere else in the world, but the excitement had to wear away at some point. I’ve indulged in western food recently, which I never though I’d do. I went to a movie last week, and I ate an entire bag of popcorn just because I missed it so much. Perhaps it’s the cushy lifestyle we’ve been living in Hanoi that has reminded me more of the comforts of home. I’m becoming more and more comfortable with not going “all out Asian” all the time.

But I have to remember that I’m doing all this for myself. As long as I’m getting everything out of it that I want, I have no reason to feel guilty. China will be a fresh start and a chance to explore again.