entering the land inside the rivers (to say goodbye)

We arrived in Ha Noi today and I am in a coffee shop in the Old Quarter. Glad to be here but it's a little bittersweet, knowing we have almost reached the end of our walk and for me (and I'm sure the rest as well) an important personal journey and time of contemplation. I realize how fortunate I am to be here. I have gained so much during this time and the people I have met along the way have made my life richer. I can only hope that this process has been reciprocal. We all seem to be dealing with strong emotions right now and I expect tomorrow to be difficult and joyous. end and beginning.

To catch you all up on the past couple days:

May 29:

 walked 12k with Salem and Bob. It was a day like no other, in terms of heat and dragging through it. Imagine walking through concrete. Dramatic comparison but not far off. Salem had to jump in the jeep after almost fainting. The heat hovered around 104 with the normal high humidity. Dusty roads, narrow roads. Not a scenic walk by any means but people were friendly. We finally stepped into Phu Ly (Ha Nam Province) in the early afternoon. After dinner in the hotel, I walked by the front desk and headed to my room, with the song "Happy Birthday" being sung behind me by one of the hotel employees. Happy Birthday seems to be quite the popular song in Vietnam, only behind ANYTHING by the Carpenter's or ANY Christmas tune. I lay in bed that night thinking about this time, what we have strived to do. I will miss those hard days of walking. I will miss the visits with the children, the ones who fueled this desire to DO something outside of of the world I am comfortable in. 

The next morning, I left the hotel with the same employee humming "It's a small world" (yes, the Disney World version).

May 30:

 A short 8 mile walk to the outskirts of Ha Noi to a hotel in the neighborhood Phap Van district. Time for going through bags, throwing stuff out, trying not to cry and trying to figure out how things will change when we leave Vietnam and go back to the stark contrast of our lives. Homesick but not wanting to leave the kids behind.

 I remember reading an article once about a man who was exposed to AO somewhere near Da Nang. He said he remembered once, after the chemical had been sprayed all around him,  a smell. He recalled that the smell was pleasant, almost sweet. He certainly could not have known that this sweet smell was perhaps the most poisonous chemical known to scientists. And surely this father never dreamed that the sweet smell would give his future child a declining half-life, or that they both would live unseen for the better part of their life.

Tomorrow we will make the final walk into Hoa Binh Village (Hoa Binh means PEACE), the home to approx. 65 kids who suffer from AO. We have been informed that tomorrow is "International Children's Day" in Vietnam. A perfect day to walk into Hoa Binh. I expect this to be very emotional for all of us. Each member of our group has put their heart into this effort. Despite the difficulties along the way,  I can honestly say that it was an honor to walk next to them and I will never forget their compassion toward the children suffering in this country. I have learned so much from each of them.

To my family and friends: Thank you for never questioning my need to come here, for not thinking of me as a runaway. You all just are willing to understand me and your words are always kind. I love you and brought you all here with me.