This past week, I was given an unexpected opportunity that took me completely by surprise and threw most of my travel plans to the wind.
After some careful thought and deliberation, I’ve decided to announce that I’ll be delaying my plans to travel from London to Tokyo. In September, I leave to teach English in Vietnam.
The offer came up unexpectedly, and while I was a bit reluctant at first, it makes sense in the long run. Not only will I still be traveling like I wanted, I’ll be in a central location to branch out into various other Southeast Asian countries that I want to visit, and I’ll have the chance to save a great deal of money while doing so.
I was so dead-set on what I was going to do in September that I didn’t leave room for flexibility, one of the main reasons I want to travel to begin with. I want to learn how to be adaptable to changing plans, to have fun and go with the flow.
Kurt Vonnegut is attributed as saying, “Unusual travel plans are dancing lessons from God.” Well, I don’t know how to dance; perhaps it’s time I learned.
With that said, I’m not sure what city I’m going to be in just yet. Early suggestions point me to Saigon (otherwise known as Ho Chi Minh City) or in one of the neighboring cities. The school I teach at will likely provide me with an apartment, but if not, it doesn’t matter; the cost of living in Vietnam is very low, and I could easily survive there for less than $500 per month.
The country itself has a lot to offer, with a nearly 2000 year old history and culture, I’m sure I’ll never get bored. The included photo with this post is of the beautiful Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage sight. The bay alone is worth paying a visit to the country.
It’s certainly not where I thought I’d be, at least not so soon — but I’m more excited to hit the road than I’ve ever been.
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