Wow. I can’t believe it was only twelve days ago that I left Seattle. So much has happened. I’m quickly realizing there’s no way I’ll be able to fit all the details into these newsletters, so I’ll try to stick to brief overviews of the things that stand out the most. If you want to know more about anything at all, please reach out! I’d be happy to share more, I just don’t want to overload the amount of information I put in here.
LOCATIONS
- Taipei, Taiwan (Oct 16 – Oct 19)
- Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam (Oct 19 – Oct 22)
ACTIVITIES
Sandiaoling Waterfalls Hike
In Taipei, I took a day trip along the Pinxi Rail Line to make a few different stops. My favorite of the three I made was a hike up to three waterfalls in Sandiaoling. Above the last waterfall, the water formed a nice little pool that was a welcome cooling off from the heat. Sitting in that pool, looking out over the lush forest, I was so incredibly content. It was a powerful reminder of why I love being in nature. There’s a beauty in the diversity of creation that is genuinely mind blowing to me when I pause to think about it. It slows me down and quiets both my mind and my spirit.
Saigon Walking Tour
My first morning in Saigon, my hostel did a walking tour of some of the city. We started by going to the market in Chinatown where we drank tea, tried tofu that I was fully convinced was meat, and drank egg coffee (exactly what it sounds like. Coffee + a raw egg yolk + sugar. Stir it all up and give it a go. It was delicious). We then walked to three different temples and had our fortunes read. Apparently I’m going to have lots of money, good luck in relationships, and be very happy! We ended by eating lunch with consisted of dumplings, sticky rice, a few other noodle dishes, and daisy tea. It was a great way to get to know several of the other people from my hostel. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to take too many pictures for this one.
Vietnam War Remnants Museum
This one was powerful, brutal and emotional. There were sections on how the war began and progressed, and there were other sections focused around images from war photographers which vividly depicted the brutality of the US military in the war for nearly 20 years, as well as the lasting impacts of the chemical weapons used. Virtually none of this I remember learning in school.
This is not the place to share the details of these images, but if you’re unfamiliar with the details of Agent Orange and the impacts it has had on genetic development of people exposed, or the use of Napalm bombs, I’d encourage you to learn about them on your own time. I will warn you the images you find will be unnerving to look at.
REFLECTIONS
The Normalization of Quitting a Job
The start of nearly every conversation I have with other people at my hostels consists of some variation of the following questions
- What is your name?
- Where are you from?
- How long have you been traveling for & how long will you be traveling for?
- Where have you been & where are you going?
I would say > 90% of the people I have talked to are traveling for over a month, generally anywhere between 3-9 months. Many of these same people have quit their jobs to do so, just like me, or are on a gap year or some other similar extended break. It hit me yesterday morning how strange it is that this is the norm for the people that I’m interacting with. Most of the conversations I had prior to this trip about quitting my job and leaving had an undertone of “this is very atypical” and it felt like a big deal. Now all of a sudden I’m in a unique pool of people and what previously felt against the grain flipped like a light switch to going with it. I don’t quite know how to describe the feeling that has come along with that, but it’s a strange one.
The Transient Nature of Friends
Each day consists of new people coming and leaving a city. Some go to the same cities next, and other go different directions. For each person I meet for the first time, there is a very strong chance that it is also the last time I interact with them, or at least one of the few interactions I will get with them. I likely won’t be in any city more than five days.
This one has hit me with force. It’s complex. There’s a certain sense of beauty to it and also a sadness of getting to know someone just in time for one of you to leave. There’s a tension between wanting to be social, and also knowing that it’s somewhat of a never-ending loop. I didn’t predict this would be something that would have such a deep impact on me. It’s still so early in my trip, and I still have a lot to process there, but it’s something that I’m sitting with right now.
I hope to find some people I will get more than a few days with, but I have to accept the fact that there is no guarantee of that happening. It’s reminded me not to take for granted the value of being in a strong, stable community.
BLOG POSTS
- The Joy of Tears – I’m really excited to share this one. It’s vulnerable to put some of this on paper, but I strongly believe in the impact this has had on me. I hope you get something out of it as well.
NEXT UP
I’m slowly working my way North in Vietnam over the next ~3 weeks. I just finished a few great days in Dalat and am headed on a 14-hour bus ride to Hội An later today. There’s another typhoon headed for central Vietnam, so prayers for safety are appreciated.
As always, if you know anyone that you think would be interested in anything I’m writing about, I’d ask that you consider sharing this with them.
Thanks for being here. Talk to you next week.