So I spent three weeks in the United States on home leave and loved it, for the most part. Towards the end I felt we may have spent too much time in the mall, Wal-Mart and Target, but it was very good to get away from it all here in Vietnam.
I guess I always come back with a different impression of the U.S. every year. I find myself going into a reverse culture shock when I get home, and then certain things impress me more than others... each year, seemingly something different. This year seemed to me that everyone in America is just so friendly. I am not sure if it is a southern thing, or if it is that way all around the U.S., but it seemed no matter what I did, where I went or who I saw, people were just saying "Hi" and wearing a genuine smile. It would make more sense if these people knew me or worked in the service industry... I could see the rationale behind it, but these people just wanted to greet me and my family wherever I went. I guess it makes even less sense when you consider how bad the economy is. Whatever the reason, it made me appreciate my homeland.
So many things happened and we did so much that it would be difficult to capture it all in the blog, especially since I am supposed to be doing something else right now, but I do want to say the highlight of the trip was getting to see everyone in my immediate family. I had to take a road trip to see Sis, but it was especially cool to go there because I had the honor of taking my Dad to see her for the first time at her home in Texas.
I got back to our home in Hanoi just before midnight on Saturday night and I was back at work on Monday morning. I participated in a helicopter company inspection for our organization for the past two days and now I have a little time to do some of the work I need to do for me.
So, anyway, this was just me checking in. Hope to have more regular updates now that I am back.
