Xin Chao!
08/20/2009
means hello in Vietnamese. It is just one of the many words that I need to learn in the next four months. That's right, I leave for Vietnam in early January, and will be in Southeast Asia as a Fulbright lecturer for five months. This week I went to the Travel Clinic at I.U. Bloomington (I highly recommend it--the staff there is so knowledgeable) and left with pills for malaria, a vaccine for typhoid fever, and lots of information about food and water consumption. I also had shots--for Hepatitis B and for Japanese Encephalitis--with more to come in a few weeks. Somehow, having the shots makes the trip seem real.
I've been told to request a multiple entry visa, which will enable me to travel in the region--possibly to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and China. Initially, I will fly to Ho Chi Minh City where there will be an orientation before I travel on to Nha Trang University which, as you can see on this map, is on the south central coast. Everyone says that it is a beautiful place, especially if you like beaches!
Of course, I'm going there to lecture at the University, but you never know, I might just find some time for the beach too.
In the weeks leading up to January, I will write about some of my preparations for this trip. In addition to the practical dimensions, I'm reading fiction and history in order to gain a deeper understanding of this ancient land, its people, and their culture. Let me know if you can recommend some good films about Vietnam.
For now, tam biet (goodbye)!
