After lunch at the school, we took a bus over to a soccer field for a soccer match against the UEF students. At first we thought we were going to be playing against our friends, but we were quickly informed that we were playing against their actual soccer team. I thought for sure that we had absolutely no chance at winning considering only maybe 2 or 3 of us actually knew how to play soccer. Not only that, but it was so hot outside, which was something we definitely weren't used to. I managed to get sunburnt after being outside for only about 5 minutes. But our UEF friends cheered us on and we actually ended up winning the match 3 to 2. After that we had a potato sack race followed by a dance competition and it was really fun. I was worried that would be the last time we saw everyone from UEF, but they promised to visit us at the hotel before we left so they could say goodbye.
We went back to the hotel and I packed and went to the co op one last time to buy our favorite rolls from the shop outside (seriously, they should get those in America because they were delicious!) We were getting ready for dinner when Brice told us to check our flight information because all of the flights had been messed up. Sure enough, Brice was right. Instead of flying out from Ho Chi Minh to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Chicago, and the Chicago to Pittsburgh, I was flying from Hong Kong to Newark and then Newark to Pittsburgh. Not everyone had this flight though. Some people were flying to San Francisco and some to Tokyo. After about 30 minutes of mass panic and a lot of calls we found out that our original flight had been delayed by so much that it would have made us late for our flight home from Chicago, so the airline did the best they could and put us on flights that could get us home eventually. We decided that we would just deal with it in the morning when we got to the airport.
That night we had dinner with the UEF staff on a cruise ship on the Saigon River. It was a really fancy boat with live entertainment. They had a live band that consisted of a flute and guitar as well as two cultural dancers who put on a great performance. Dinner was really great and I loved being able to talk with the staff. They have treated us so well over the last couple of weeks and seemed to be really excited to hear how much we had enjoyed our time in Vietnam. We took so many pictures and I will really miss everyone from UEF.
Us with our awesome language teacher!
Emmy and I
Tran, my favorite person ever! <3
Afterwards, all of our UEF friends came to our hotel to hang out with us. They all brought little presents to give us something to remember them by, and it was so sweet and thoughtful of them. Dang even brought something special just for me, which was so incredibly sweet of her. She gave me this really cute comb and mirror and gave me an adorable jar with notes wrapped up in it for me to read. I wanted to read it right there, but was afraid if I did I would start crying! So I decided to wait until I got home to read what she had wrote me. I gave her another Pitt t-shirt to thank her for all she had done for me, especially for being the best motorbike driver ever! We hung out all night at played Vietnamese blackjack, which is surprisingly violent (if you lose, you get a slap on the wrist from the other players). Then I got my palm read by Tuan (apparently I will live a healthy and long life, will only have one husband, and will have a big but good change in my career). I showed pictures of Pittsburgh and New York City to Ngan and Dang and told them I would be there tour guide if they ever got the chance to come visit the US, which I really hope they do.
They stayed with us until about 2:15 and then drove to meet us at the airport for one last goodbye. We got on the bus and drove to the airport. Saying goodbye to everyone was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It was a very tearful goodbye for everyone, but I feel so lucky to have made so many friends. I also know that it is not goodbye forever, but that we will all see each other again someday.
The flight back to the US was just as bad as the flight to Vietnam. We all flew as a group to Hong Kong, but then Team Yolo was split up. Huyen, Tim, Brice and I got on a 15 hour flight to Newark. From Newark we were split up even more and Huyen and I took a flight from Newark to Pittsburgh and arrived at about 6pm.
This trip has taught me so much about myself and this has honestly been one of the best two weeks of my life. I realize this trip was supposed to teach me about engineering and business, but honestly it taught me way more about life than anything else. It has made me want to travel the world, but to come back to Vietnam as soon as possible. However, I think the most important thing I have gotten out of this trip is friendship. It amazes me how people who live almost 9,000 miles apart and come from completely different ways of life can come together and become friends so quickly. Its so hard to explain, but over the last two weeks these people have become like family to me. I will miss them so much and value all that I have learned from them. At the beginning of this trip, I never could have imagined being so sad to leave or meeting such incredible friends. But I am so grateful I feel this way and can't wait to see everyone again someday.
Sorry for the incredibly cheesy paragraph, but every word of it is true.
-Hailee
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