Here and Getting Along Fine

Saturday evening here, near the end of our first day. The 18 hours in air were trying, but that is to be expected. From the airport in the cab was...scary. See later post "Vietnam's Traffic Laws."

Everyone on the team is tired but well. This morning we went to an orphanage and were able to screen and do well child exams on about 40 children. Most of them had not been screened since 2009, if not longer. We did not get a lot of social time with the children, but during the exam found most of them either a bit of the shy side, or very interested in our stethoscopes.

Our hosts here are amazing. I am afraid to try to spell names, as I have to picture the word in my head as it sounds or I will never be able to say it. We have met Duhn ("you may call me 'get it done!'"), Hough ("huh"), Chai, and Tou (like "Pow" except with a t/d combo sound). Thank goodness that most people know a little English. I was trying some very basic greetings. In the bank an elderly woman walked up out of the blue and took my hand and said "hello." She seemed very proud to be able to say the English word. I tried to return the greeting in kind. Unfortunately, a lot of the Vietnamese language is based on the inflection with which the words are said, so when I tried to say "hello" I actually said "want soup." I didn't try to much after that, afraid of what could possibly come out of my mouth that would be more ridiculous that asking an elderly stranger in the bank for soup.