First foreign friend forever.

by Jarrod Kaeding (Australia)

Making a local connection Vietnam

Mid year, 2004. A 23 year old hotel concierge spends yet another morning dutifully completing his tasks, blissfully unaware of the bigger picture around him. I had never set foot out in the world. In fact, I had grown in a tiny country town, and only moved to the 'big City' (Melbourne), the year before. So to fathom that a random chance meeting that day would spark a new life inside me, taking me to new and faraway lands, was incomprehensible. Midway through the day, I had a chance encounter with a member of a visiting hotel delegation. She hailed from Vietnam, a country I knew of like most, as a war, not a nation. We start talking, and I begin to absorb information of this fantastic sounding strange land, and it lit a fire inside me. I had to see it. I booked tickets for a week in Ho Chi Minh City, and left. It was a marvelous adventure, and I was absolutely at awe at this spectacular city and country. The sights, the sounds, the culture. Back home in Melbourne again (I bet you didn't expect me to cut off the details so soon), I return to my work. Physically, but not mentally. For you see, my thoughts, and indeed those of my heart, were not ready to be there, to be 'home'. They remained in Vietnam. Thus, I gave my resignation, and 6 weeks later, return to Vietnam on a one-way ticket, where my true adventure, and chance encounter with my new local connection began. I wander into one of the several department stores that line the inner streets of Ho Chi Minh City, and proceed to search through some clothes. Approached by the slightly timid yet friendly sales girl, Ni, she offered my all the help one could possibly need as I tried countless items, swapped life stories, and began a yet to be known friendship. She was a simple girl, poor, yet liked to laugh, and she offered to show me some sights after closing time. Ni introduced me to ca phe sua da, a sweet white Vietnamese iced coffee, to small backstreet restaurants, and to her friends. She allowed me to absorb experiences during the next few months I stayed, that only a local can know. Without the length of space to detail or adventures here, I can merely attempt to emphasise the importance of our friendship with details of its longevity; that I have returned to Vietnam on 14 occasions since then to visit, attend her Wedding, and to become the godfather of her son. Later this year we will return again, 'we' being my family, where she will meet my own Son, and I see my forever Friend, from afar.