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| #thisisVietnam
Last Saturday night, as we were sitting in the lobby of a hotel, we heard people cheering next door in a restaurant. We were curious to know what was happening, so we had a look and noticed that they were watching a football match on TV. Of course, we sat down and watched the end of the game, which ended in an exciting shoot-out. Later, we found out that it was the Vietnamese U23 men's football team that was competing in the Asian Cup in China; they had just won the quarterfinal vs. Iraq.
On Tuesday evening, some staff members and students stayed at school after classes and streamed the semi-final game against Qatar. Again, Vietnam won in a shoot-out. As I made my way to the gym after watching the match, I realized how excited people were. Locals and expats were driving around screaming, chanting, waving flags...even jumping up and down shirtless spraying motorists and pedestrians with hoses!
It became evident to me that this was a very big deal to the Vietnamese and so I decided right then that I wanted to watch the final game and participate in the festivities too!
On Saturday, I made my way downtown with a few teammates and joined a large group of fans on a rooftop, right in the center of the action. The atmosphere was absolutely AMAZING! The city was at a standstill. EVERYONE was trying to catch a glimpse of the very unique (IT WAS FREEZING AND SNOWING HEAVILY IN CHINA!!!) game between Vietnam and Uzbekistan.
 
Up on the rooftop - cheering on Vietnam with a few teammates
  
Up on the rooftop - watching the game with locals and expats
View from the rooftop - They had screens set-up downtown on "walking street" for the public to watch the game
It looked for a while like we'd be seeing Vietnam go to a shoot-out again, which I believe is what they hoped for quite honestly as they played defensively throughout the competition. Unfortunately, in the very last minute of extra time, Uzbekistan scored and took home the gold.
It was incredibly sad to see Vietnam lose, and I know the fans were so disappointed, but the majority still went on cheering in the streets and celebrating the teams success. Even with a loss, the country showed unity, heart and great deal of national pride. I felt honored to have been a part of such a historic moment; it was the first time a Vietnamese national team made it to the final of a continental championship!
Vietnam has heart!
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"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I believe I’m on the path I’m meant to be." As we get older, it’s easy to get trapped in society’s idea of what life "should" look like. By the time we hit 40, there’s a well-defined picture of success: owning a home, starting a family, climbing the career ladder. But as I approach this milestone, I’m choosing to remind myself that true happiness isn’t found in checking off someone else’s list. It’s found in stepping outside the box, embracing the unexpected, and allowing life to unfold in its own unique way. Sure, my path hasn’t always been conventional, and I’ve often found myself comparing my journey to others, wondering why I’m not where they are. But when I take a step back and reflect, I see how much I’ve gained by stepping off the well-worn road. Life may not have gone according to plan, but I’m proud of the unexpected milestones I’ve reached along the way. I’ve traveled to over 40 countries, lived in three (ye...
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