Life goes by quickly and seems to pass by faster every year, especially when your living on the other side of the world. The thing is, as time goes by it becomes harder to tell which side of the world is the other side. I have been in a constant spin, slowing down only long enough to take the occasional peek to see where I have been and the less occasional peek at where I am headed. Somehow, in the midst of the swirls of my life I was able piece together a plan, not a plan to stop spinning (I like the spinning) but a plan to change my course, if only slightly.
I have spent the last 5 years in Hanoi. My experiences here have been life altering. I have come to accept the clichés that now define my 20s.
After 3 years in Vietnam, a reporter asked me what my plans for the future were. I wrote the following statement.
My plan was to come to Vietnam for only six months, but I’m now on my third year. Vietnam has forever changed my life and the person I am. I don’t know how long I will do this work, but I also don’t know where I would go from here. My father has told me that he is doing the most important of his life towards the end of his life. Well, I may very well be doing the most important work of my life at the beginning of mine. It’s very scary for me. How does someone transition doing this kind of work to another type of work? How can it be more important? How can it have more meaning?
The only answer I have for myself at this time is not to show that I am nervous, overwhelmed, or distressed, but to push forward the best way I can and to figure it out as I go.
I still have many of the same feelings, but I also feel I have begun to figure it out. I have decided to move forward by going back to school. Unlike my undergrad studies, this time I know what I want to study and I know what I want to do with my life beyond my studies. It is amazing what 10 years of perspective does for a person. Wow, 10 years, ouch!!!
In recent months, I applied to three Universities, all in Europe. To my delight, they all accepted me. I have decided to take the offer at the Lund University in Sweden. For the next 2 years, I will be working towards a Masters Degree in International Development. This will allow me to refine and add to the knowledge I have gained by working at HSCV. I will then seek jobs in the development field in countries around the world.
It has taken me 2 years to settle on a plan and to execute it. It is an extreme honor to be apart of the Lund program. They accepted only 40 students out of 1700 applicants! Wow, it really blows my mind. It is going to be a challenging course, but I am really looking forward to being a student again and I am up for a new challenge in my life.
I was accepted less than a month ago, and I handed in the application for Residence Permit this week. I now have to wait 6 – 8 weeks. I will not know that I am going for sure until I receive the permit. I do not see why I will not, but there is always a chance. Help me by sending some positive vibes to the Swedish Migration Board.
If all goes well, I will be leaving Hanoi in mid-August, so that only gives me two months to pack up 5 years of life. My heart is pounding just thinking about it.
HSCV will continue past Annetta. The board has known of my plans for many months. Our board continues to grow stronger and is capable of the challenge. The HSCV Team in Hanoi is great and I know they will continue to do a wonderful job when I leave Hanoi. I will not completely leave HSCV, I will continue to give advice and be on the Board of Directors. I will do as much as I can to help.
Joss will be joining me in Sweden in 2010. He is not sure what he will do, but thanks to an agreement between Sweden and Australia, he will be able to get a one-year work visa. We are really looking forward to our European adventure.
To my friends in America, I will not be returning to America before going to Sweden. There just is not enough time or money available. It is possible I will make it to Minnesota sometime in 2010, but that will depend on my studies and finical situation. So, if you have some extra time and money come on over to Europe for a visit! I will be much closer to you than I have been for the past 5 years and it might be a good time to take advantage of it.
To my friends in Europe or close to, let me know where you are. It would be great to bump into you somewhere somehow. Lund is in the southwest corner of Sweden and just a short train ride from Copenhagen. I do not know where I will be living, but where ever it is you will have place to crash if need be. I hope you will do the same for me!
To my friends in Hanoi/Asia, I am going to miss you dearly! We have a special Hanoi bond, it is not something that can ever be duplicated, or replaced. You are a part of my heart. I know this will not be the last time we see each other. There will be a time where our paths cross again! If not in Asia, then in Europe, South America, Australia, Africa, or North America.
I guess that is how I end this fist blog. Please write me back when you can. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you for your friendship.
Luck to you all.
Sincerely,
Annetta
Hej San!
My classes started in September and we've already wrapped up the first course. Our second course started this week, it'll be my first crack at Stats. I really hope some of those math skills from college kick in! I've made a lot of great friends already. There are some seriously great people in my program and I know we will be friends for a long time.
