Fearless Papa Dang's final reflection

Final words from our fearless leader, Papa Dang!

Mui Ne (Phan Thiet), March 28/2009

Once again, it is almost time to say goodbye to Viet Nam, to a place where I am so emotionally attached. Ten years ago, when I took my first group of students into Viet Nam, little did I know, I would keep coming back year after year as if I can never have enough. Each year, with a different group of students, my fond memories of Viet Nam grow stronger and stronger. As I walk the streets of Saigon with my students, I pass landmarks that transport me back in time to my youth and my life in the days before I left Viet Nam. I remember the Cafe Givral on the corner of Tu Do and Le Loi Streets where I spent countless hours sipping coffee with my dear friends and listening to Michel Sardou singing La Maladie D'amour or the Rex theater on Nguyen Hue Street where I spent my free Sunday afternoons watching such movies as Ryan's daughter with Robert Mitchum or Romeo and Juliet with Olivia Hussey. I remember the Ben Thanh market where I went with my mother to watch her bargain with her usual vendors. I remember the Vinh Nghiem temple on Cong Ly Street where my mother's funeral service took place and where I spent my 3 days mourning her death. I remember my house on Ngo Tung Chau Street where I spent my childhood with my family. I remember my last days in Viet Nam saying goodbye to my dad who was fighting his battle with alzheimer's disease. I remember the time I spent with my sister Lu who left Viet Nam in 1986, but never made it to America. All those memories came back as if it were yesterday.

Before I sign off, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the people who made this trip a success and possible:

1. Chris David, you are just so wonderful in so many ways. You are always there to give me the support and help that I need. You have spent countless hours taking pictures and videos and putting them up on the blog. More importantly, you are a true friend, Chris!
2. Kevin Conway and Betty White, who put their faith in me to lead a large group of Punahou and Sacred Hearts students.
3. Kevin Baker and the faculty and students of Seoul Foreign School who provided bus transportation and friendship while in Seoul, Korea, with a special thanks to Deborah Aarhus for making the arrangements.
4. Mr. and Mrs. Han for extending their hospitality to us while in Seoul. We enjoyed an amazing Korean feast at a superb restaurant in Insadong as your guests. We enjoyed that your son Michael also joined the group for the occasion.
5. Parents for giving boxes and boxes of things and, in some cases, money for the orphans and also for entrusting your children to us. Each student contributed to the group in so many wonderful ways.
6. Mr. and Mrs. Fujieki and Star Markets, and Mr. and Mrs Okamoto who made generous donations to the orphanages.
7. Mrs. Licia Trotter for donating a great new printer for the orphan projects, making it possible to take pictures of the orphans with the many digital cameras in our group and to print them immediately. The orphans and staff a like, loved it! One sweet orphan boy kept sneaking back to print yet another picture of himself!
8. Christina Abelardo for raising money for books through the Scholastic Book Fair and personally picking and beautifully packaging these books for the orphanages and school we visited.
9. Faculty, staff and families at Punahou School and Sacred Hearts Academy who gave the orphanages clothes, candy, stuff animals, school supplies and money to buy rice and dried goods.
10. All who bought sleeping bags to help the orphans.
11. Rita Ruiz and The Physical Plant for providing us the transportation to the airport.
12. My dear friends in Viet Nam, I enjoyed having coffee and dinners with you and sharing our good and bad memories.
13. Last, but not least, our students: Tommy Bae, SooJin Byun , Matthew Chan, Lauren Ching, Margot Chock, Courtney Chun, Joshua Cole, Miranda Dang, Roxanne Forbes, Chris Han, Emily Hawkins, Shalynn Ho, Casey Johnson, Kristin Keeno, Brett Komoto, Max Markrich, Elise Minkin, Sara Nishikawa, Stanley Okamoto, Leilani Riahi, Colby Sameshima, Danielle Sullivan, Tiffani Tejada, Courtney Tanaka, and Julia Trotter. I will never forget the time I shared with you all in Viet Nam.
14. And finally, my wife Mimi and my daughter Miranda, also my travel companions. You made me laugh and gave me support, help, strength, and encouragement whenever needed.

Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.
With Regards,
Vinh Dang