Day 3 in Vietnam

Finally a sunny day! I knew that this time of the year wasn't peak tourist season in Vietnam, but no one mentioned that it was also the tail end of monsoon season.

Anyway, today started off early. We were at breakfast at 6:30 AM, and our driver picked us up at 7:30 AM. By 8AM, we were busy teaching and working with patients.

Everyone worked hard well past lunch. All the Vietnamese health care workers seemed very interested and excited to learn. One of my big concerns prior to the trip was how much Tony, Becky and Renee would enjoy the experience. We all know how valuable our 3-4 weeks of vacation time is in the U.S. So, asking people to give up a week, volunteer their time, and do it simply for the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping someone less fortunate than yourself; isn't the easiest thing to ask of your friends. Volunteering some pro-bono time at the hospital or in a local community clinic is one thing. Flying half-way around the world, working with people you can barely communicate with, and having the constant fear that you might at any moment have diarrhea from something you ate; can rattle and frustrate even the most caring health care provider. However, after seeing everyone in action for a second day in a row, more relaxed, and even more enthusiastic than ever; I know we've got a great team here!
Anyway, i'm getting sleepy, so enjoy the photos. They include us half awake in the van, some spur of the moment shopping, the beautiful pool and beach at our resort (which we only got to spend an hour at), some sights from dinner out with people from the non-profit and hospital.
Tomorrow...a jam packed day. Film crew will be following us, so we're going to cram in as much as possible. In the line-up: seminar, working with patients, a ceremony and lunch to make official our partnership with the local government, and going to do some rural outreach work and research.