Hi friend,
Can I call you that? These thoughts have been on my mind lately.
Connecting. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Relating. ⠀
Realizing we’re different, yet the same.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We speak different languages, but we have similar interests. We’re from different parts of the world, but we have the same curiosity.
That curiosity - it lingers. I think it’s what draws me to you and you to me. ⠀⠀
You,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
me,
somehow blend into We.
You’re from an indigenous tribe in the mountains of Sapa living in a humble home with three kids in Lao Chai village. I live in a suburban neighborhood with three roommates in Southern California. We trekked among the rice paddy fields, chewed on sugar canes and expressed our hopes for the future.
You’re a third-year university student who shares your city’s history with foreigners. I graduated three years ago from university, regrettably never meeting a foreign exchange student during my four years there. We navigated on your scooter as we ate our way through the streets of Saigon and learned about each other’s favorite foods. It turns out, we both love pizza.
You’re a student in Hanoi studying English. I picked up English in elementary school after moving to the United States from the Philippines. We recorded an Instagram video as we shared a meal at Quan An Ngon and laughed awkwardly in front of the camera.⠀
You and I, we’ve met once - a few hours shared in our lifetime.
I don’t know who you’ll be. I don’t know what you’ll do. But I’m rooting for you - for your dreams to come true, for your laughter to never fade, for your days to be as bright as the smiles you shared. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Until our paths cross again.
A traveler, your friend,
Jess
