The adventures of Lan and Nate

The writing years...

The first letter I wrote to Lan was in the spring of 2006, and it was really just an introduction. Highlights of my life, things I liked and didn't like, that sort of thing. Lan wrote back, and something in her letter really struck me. To this day I can't really describe it except to say that I felt something in those words. She didn't know much English and so her letter was very simple, just telling me a little about her life, but within those simple words I saw a person who was a very good hearted person trapped in a bad situation. She had to work all the time for almost no money, and she had almost no existence outside of work.

I was intrigued, and so I asked a lot of questions of Christine, and as the story unfolded I saw that Lan was a person trapped by their social and economic station in life. It's a typical story in many third world countries, and it made me sad that a good person like Lan would have to live a life where she worked 13 hours a day, 6 days a week for less than $80 a month. I decided to continue writing her, and find out more about this person.

I wrote her at least twice a month for the next 3 years. She wasn't able to write me as much, because of her poor English skills. It would take her a very long time just to write me a simple one page letter, and so I always appreciated any letters I got from her.

For two of those three years I tried to find the money and the time to go visit Lan in Vietnam, unfortunately things fell through and so I was unable to go. Finally after the fourth time trying to plan a trip to Vietnam it happened. The tickets were bought, Christine got the time off work, I got my passport and visa and I was ready to go.