I’ve been on four continents and to 19 countries now! I never thought in my wildest dreams that would be possible, but somehow I managed and got it done and saw so much. I am forever grateful to the wonderful friends I’ve made and the people I’ve met. Spending half of 2011 in Europe was a great experience, but it was merely a stepping stone. It’s 2012 and this is real life now and I’m not just on some dreamlike vacation.

I finished university last month, ending a semester early. Though I’m not quite doing anything yet, I am glad to be done because I know I didn’t want to be in school for another semester right now. My head and my heart aren’t there. As of now I don’t want to go to graduate school, but maybe I will change my mind later on. I am young and I can always do that later on. I want to spend 2012 just learning about myself more and growing up as a person.

So I’ve decided my theme for 2012 will be Taking Chances. Yea, it’s a bit lame and I don’t usually make this theme, but for such a year I am willing to make plan. I’ve graduated now. I don’t have any debt. I have nothing holding me back so why not take risks this year and see how far I can go. I am tired of giving myself excuses to NOT make it. 2011 was so amazing and I had such high hopes. I have no idea what 2012 will bring or how I will even top 2011, but I know it could happen if I allow it too. I have been playing it safe all these years, but now I am an adult and I have to make my own path in life.

This year was started well, but got a little shaky because I couldn’t figure out what I really wanted or where I wanted to go with myself. I think I’m also battling with what my heart wants and what I think is right and they don’t always match up. All my life I wanted to move out the US and live in other countries and for the first time ever in my life, I can make that ultimate choice. It is not to say I will be happier out the US, but I am young and feel that I should try and see what I like and don’t like. If it doesn’t work out then I could always move back, but I will always regret not moving out. Though my family thinks I’m crazy, I just feel it is something I must do at least for the time being. It is not to say I don’t love them or want to be close to them, but it is just something I need to do for myself.

I’ve been really hard on myself already and let things bring me down these last two weeks. But I also think I haven’t been trying enough, wanting it bad enough, or putting myself out there enough. I always look at things that are standing against me, but rather I should be looking at the things that will enable me to get where I want to be. Why can’t I be a writer or an artist or live in Europe or be successful or have money? We can all have it all. I’m tired for not trying and not failing once in awhile. This year, I promise myself I will take risks, I will try and even fail along the one, but most importantly – I will be taking chances!

It’s amazing what a difference a year makes. One year ago, as I walked the streets of Amsterdam and Europe for the first time, I never would imagine the person I would become today. I am grateful though for everything that has happened and for everyone in my life. I know 2012 will be another amazing year and things will happen in ways I’ll never expect, but ready for every spectacular and magnificent thing that will come along.

After that we drove to the eastern part of the island to Half Moon Bay to go swimming. One thing that’s great about Antigua is the beaches are never crowded and of course the water is amazing! I snorkeled a little with my brothers and just played in the semi-pink sand. It was a nice ending to a great vacation! We drove passed the beautiful countryside and I really enjoy the simplicity here. I’ve swam in the Atantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. I’ve been at the bottom of the sea and high on the tree tops. I’ve seen the rich and the poor, the old and the new. I really enjoyed it here, but I’m glad I’m going home. Antigua has taught me to appreciate the simpler things in life and not make life so complicated. I’m going to miss it!

Today, woke up early and went for a quick walk with Quang. Then I helped him roll some eggrolls. After they went to school, I went back to sleep. At 11 Khoa came home and took Duy and I to lunch. The food was okay, it was more of American style though. We stopped by the University, which is this small campus and picked Quang up. We drove along the Eastern side of the island to go to this place called Devil’s Bridge. It’s a little strip of rocks that connect a moon shape cliff, it’s real small. The waves were crashing against the rocks and we took some pictures. They say this was where they would throw slaves into the sea, something like that. That’s why it’s called Devil’s Bridge. After that we went to Moon Harbor to go to the beach. This beach had semi pink sand. Nothing special. I walked in the water, but didn’t swim cause I currently look dark dark/ sun burnt. I’m so dark! It’s not even pretty dark, it’s “my skin is peeling and I look like I have a disease” kind of dark. It hurts too and I’m red on my legs, yea, not fun. The beach was nice and I read my book. I’m tired now, but I’m excited and scared about going tree zip lining. That should be fun! I’m scared of heights though so we’ll see how it goes! Let’s hope I don’t fall about 50 feet down…

There were two ropes on the side of the boat to onto. I held onto one while the instructor was trying to help Duy cause he was having a hard time adjusting. The longer I waited the more I got thrown against the boat. I was started to really wonder if I could do this. Finally the instructor just told me to go down. Going down was hard and the water pressure was really hurting my ears. There’s a technique for popping your eyes and I kept trying to do it, but it wasn’t working. The instructor signaled to see if I was okay, and I was struggling for a minute and then finally got it. I realized Duy wasn’t with us so I figured he ended up staying on the top. There was some water in my goggles, but I used the techniques to get it out. I was scared at first, but I knew this was once in a lifetime chance for me to do this and I was never going to do this again so I just sucked it up and swam along. I finally got used to the breathing and popping my ears. I saw a string ray, some many beautiful corals, schools of fish, and a whole bunch of other stuff. It was really beautiful down there and I kept looking up, not being able to believe how far down I was! Later on the way back we saw about three lobsters! It was really exciting and I’m glad I stuck it out because it was such an amazing experience! When we got back up I felt a little light headed, probably from all that compressed air, and nauseous. The boat was rocking up and down, but when we got closer to the shore I felt a lot better. Such a fun thing to do, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to go scuba driving again.

After that we went to a close by restaurant on the beach to eat. The water here is just sooooo amazing. It’s clear and teal color, just amazing, though I’m really tired of beaches. We had lunch then walked around. We drove along the coast and Quang stopped the car so i could pick some tamarinds. We also stopped on this random beach so Quang and Duy could go snorkeling! We then drove through parts of inner Antigua to go to English Harbor which is in the very South. There’s only a few main roads here. The country side with rolling hills and mountains and lush trees is so beautiful! There are goats everywhere too! I just enjoy looking at everything. We stopped the car again so I could pick some mangos. There are millions of mango trees all over the place! We also passed the place where we’re going to go tree zip-lining on Wednesday hopefully. I think I’m going to be scared because it’s so high, but I have to go! I don’t care how scare I am, I’m not going to miss this. Duy saw it and is looking iffy, but I’ll make him go. We got to English Harbor and went up this mountain place to look down on English Harbor. It was really pretty, like one of those scenes you would see of Cape Town, South Africa. I really enjoyed the view. We also saw Eric Clapton’s house too. Then we drove along the Eastern side of the island to get back home. So today I went completely around the whole island and it was nice! It was a fun day, but I’m really tired now. The beaches are beautiful, but I’m tired of them and my sunburn! Tomorrow I think I’m taking the day off cause Quang has to go to school so I’ll just be by the pool probably.

Quang and Khoa, his roommate, had labs to go to so they sent Duyand I to Sandal Resort, which we found out was for couples when we got there, but we still got in anyways. We got a day pass to go hang out and eat food. We had some breakfast at the buffet thing which was right on the shore and the scene was really pretty! After that I spent 6 hours lying under a straw umbrella on the beach. Duy went around to the pool and went swimming, but it was a bit too hot for me. I stuck to reading some Jane Austen, but after awhile I had to go swimming too. The beach was just so beautiful and I couldn’t resist. It was so chilly at first! That water is cold cold. Later Duy and I went kayaking, hence my facebook picture. It was fun except he was in the front and kept throwing water at me with his paddle. We had lunch and back to the beach where I swam some more, but I was really getting burnt up. Antigua is a great place to get marry cause there aren’t any kids around any of the resorts. Quang and Khoa came back later and we rented jet skis. Let me tell you! It may look fun when you’re on the shores and everything, but that was the scariest thing ever especially since it was my first time on them. Quang, having done this so many times didn’t go easy, he just turned up the gas and we FLEW across the water. I have never held on so tight to anyone in my life! I was screaming and scared, ya’ll know I don’t even like rollercoasters and this was something like that. He was going so fast, I was scared out my mind. It was like being in one of those James bond movie, except I wasn’t Bond, I was more like the prisoner getting tortured in the back. Quang then let me drive and it was soooo much fun! I felt less in the front and I pressed the gas to go extra fast. It was such a ride/rush. It was a little too much fun! So that was the most exciting thing of my day. We went home around 4 cause the sun sets a little earlier here and I went in the pool when we got back. Quang prepared us for snorkeling. I went to sleep early cause I was hot and so red and dark from all that sun. I thought I did a good job protecting myself, but I guess not.

Today we woke up at 8, Antigua is Eastern Time Zone, and drove to the dock in Saint John’s. They drive on the left side here and the roads are ridiculous! The school was doing a fun raiser and rented a sailboat to take kids snorkeling so we went with them. It was about 30 of us and of course I was the youngest again. I’ve never been on a sailboat and this had one of those netted things where you lie down and see the water as you’re moving. We got on and we sailed for about 40 mintues to the reef. The ride was so beautiful and we got to see a lot of the coast line and ocean. I left like I was in the South Seas somewhere. It’s just so pretty here and the water is amazing of course! There’s mountains and little islands and just the sky is so amazing!  Beaches everywhere, but I’m started to get a little sick of them myself. We got to the snorkeling area and we had our gear on. I thought I was ready, but I soon as I went in I took in some water! I was just suffocating for a bit and Quang was trying to help me with my stuff. I kept swallowing water and finally had to stand on one of the reefs so he could fix my stuff. Duy had already left back to the boat after a few minutes beucase he was having a hard time. I sort of got used to it and it was so cool snorkeling. Fish swim around you and I saw a blue sting ray. I enjoyed it, but I’m more excited to go scuba driving tom. We had lunch on the boat and we sailed slowly toward that beach I saw on my first day where there’s a fort ontop of the mountain. I was done with the beach so I just walked around and I took someone up to the top of the fort to see the view.  Oh, on the side of the beach, it’s really a lagoon, is Giogio Armani’s house. He has a huge house on the side of a cliff! It’s really amazing up there! We went back to the boat and sailed back to the dock. I got more Australian ice cream today.

Being on the island is fun, but it’s too much sun and beach for me. My skin can’t handle all this. Antigua is a pretty place to visit, but I don’t want to live here. It’s actually kind of lonely here and after awhile I would imagine it to be boring. I sort of had my first taste of living out the states cause Antigua is the first place I’ve been to that I don’t really have relations to even though I have Quang going to school here. I don’t know how I feel about things anymore. I realize since I”ve been here nothing feels foreign to me. That’s a good sign that I’ll be able to make any foreign place feel like home and adapt easily to knew places, but I’m so unsure. Antigua is beautiful and we’ll see how the rest of the trip goes. I still have 4 more full days here!

We landed in Antigua in around 2 something and you had to walk down the stairs and across strip to the Migration counter. It was so cowarded, cause the plane from Britain just landed before us and they had about 300 people. I was the only teenager in that the whole place (not that I was looking). So customs took a really long time, but we got out and my Quang, my brother, and his friend came to pick us up. It was really windy and cool. They were showing us all the stuff that was shut down because of Stanford, the second guy behind Madoff who hid millions of dollars for anyone who’s been into the economy lately. Yea, he has a lot of investments on the island and since he’s been busted a lot of the stuff has been shut down.

We took the long way to my brother apartment through unpaved roads and just horrible roads, but I had the window rolled down to look at everything. It’s soooopretty! The water is clear clear, you can feel the salt in your hair, the sun is warm and bright, and it’s so breezy. I love the simplicity of the island and how unruly it looks. It’s so earthy. We got to the apartment and they have this really nice villa style apartment in the middle of now where. It’s close to the beach, it’s just odd, but it’s so nice for students to be living in. I was ready to go do stuff because I wanted to go hiking, but my oldest brother Duy who came with me, wanted to rest a bit. We ended up driving across the island which isn’t really that big. It only took about 25 minutes to get from one side of the island to the other. We passed some pretty nice homes, Oprah has a house here, and it’s so colorful and the only American thing I really saw was a Texaco here. I was quite surprised by the lack of bicycles and people walking. For an island like this there are a lot of cars! The island is spacious and full of hills. We drove along the coast which is so beautiful it actually surprised me. We went to where my brother used to live which was right on the beach and it was kind of ghetto actually, trifling. We walked on the beach and I think they say there are 365 beaches on the island. It’s so pretty, the water just looks amazing. Then we drive down this dirt road to a lagoon and I mean I’ve never seen a beach so beautiful in my life. The water was cool, the sand white, and the water was so pristine, it was to die for! Right next to lagoon was a sort of hill/mountain thing where onto was an old British fort 200 feet up. We hiked up the rocky slopes and I was loving it though Duy was complaining about it. I love this kind of thing. The fort was built back in the day and it has this really interesting/creepy staircase. The view up there was so amazing. Beaches, the city, mountains, it’s probably the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen in my life! We went down and we drove through downtown which really reminds me of New Orleans because of the house style and how colorful everything is. Quang took us to this Australian ice cream place where they make their own ice cream and cones and it was the BEST ice cream I’ve ever had in my life! The people here are so laid back and nice. I only saw about three stop lights and maybe another three Asian people. It feels a lot like Vietnam because the weather is the same and so is the vegetation. I think I’m really going to love it here. Just been here a couple of hours and I got to go to the beach, hike up an old British fort, go downtown, try new food, and soak in some of the landscape. Antigua is exceeding any expectations that I could have ever imagine. We’re about to go BBQ some food and swim in the pool. It’s been a great day! I hope everyone is doing well. Talk to ya’ll soon!

Tien – Loyola of N.O: English ~ 18.00/6 classes = Writing about Texts (3), History to 1650 (3), World Religion (3), Philosophy (3), French I (3), Spanish I (3)

Suong - Tulane: Neuroscience ~ 19.00/8 classes = Chemistry I (3) + Lab (1), Diversity of Life (3) + Lab (1), Sociology (3), Spanish I (4), Detecting Crimes (1), Plays and Playwrights (3)

Michelle – Xavier: Pre-Med ~ 14.00/8 classes = English Composition (3), World Civilization to 1500 (3), Chemistry (3) + Lab (1) + Drill (0), Biology (3) + Lab (1), Freshmen Seminar (0)

Oanh – Xavier: Pharmacy ~ 14.00/7 classes = English (3), Sociology (3), Chemistry (3) + Lab (1) + Drill (0), Math (3), Freshmen Seminar (0)

Linh – Xavier: Pharmacy ~ 14.00/7 classes = Calculus (4), Sociology (3), Intro to Literature Honors (3), Chemistry I (3) + General Chem (1) + Drill (0), Freshmen Seminar (0)

Harold – Xavier: Pharmacy ~ 14.00/7 classes = Calculus (4), English (3), Sociology (3), Chemistry (3) + Lab (1) + Drill (0), Freshmen Seminar (0)

Marteena - Xavier: Pharmacy ~ 15.00/8 classes = Calculus (4), Biology (3) + Lab (1), Chemistry (3) + Lab (1) + Drill (0), Speech (3), Freshmen Seminar (0)

Steve - Xavier: Physics/Computer Engineering ~ 15.00/7 classes = Pre Cal (4), English (3), Speech (3), Chemistry (3) + Lab (1) + Drill (0), Gym (1), Freshmen Seminar (0)

Thuy - UNO: Business ~ 16.00/6 classes = Hotel Operations (3), Math (3), English (3), Psychology (3), American Government (3), Freshmen Seminar (1)

Sahar - UNO: General Studies ~ Coming real soon

Kevin – LSU: Electrical Engineering ~ 15.00/5 classes = Western Civilization (3), Chemistry I (3), Biology (3), English (3), Trigonometry (3)

Andrew - LSU: History ~ 15.00/5 classes = History to 1500 (3), Math (3), Philosophy (3), Chemistry (3), Geography (3)

Shaina – Nicholls: Nursing ~ 16.00/7 Classes = Math (3) + Lab (2), World History (3), English (3), Sociology (3), Psychology (3), University Prep (1)

Corey – Mississippi State University: Aerospace or Astronautical ~ 15.00/5 classes = Chemistry I (3), Psychology (3), Algebra I + Lab (3), Japanese I (3), English Composition (3)

Keisha – Mississippi State University: Architecture ~ 17.00/5 classes = Architecture design (6), Drawing 1 (3), English (3), Physics (3), Leadership (2)

Chih - University of Texas at San Antonio: Biology ~ Will not have a schedule until mid August.

Crystal – University of Georgia: Pharmacy ~ 16.00/5 classes = Statistics (4), Chemistry I + Lab (4), Macroeconomics II (3), Vietnamese I (4), Freshmen Seminar (1) [Took classes last year and this summer and will be entering college with 29 credits]

Angelica – Florida State University: Chemistry ~ 15.00/5 classes = English Imaginative Writing (3), Algebra (3), Ancient Mythology (3), History (3), Criticism of Art I: Nationalism, Race, and Ethnicity in the US (3)

Chavelle – Washington University at St.Louis: Biomedical Engineering ~ completed

Mohammad – Loyola of Chicago: Pre-Med ~ 16.00/5 classes ~ Arabic I (3), Biology (3) + Lab (1), World Civ to 1650 (3), College Writing (3), Pre Cal (3) 

Brandon - Yale: Undecided ~ Will not have a schedule until late August.

Xzania - Howard: Child Psychology ~ 17.00/6 classes ~ Spanish I (3), Psychology (3), English Composition (3), Algebra (4), Intro to Sociology (3), Freshmen Seminar (1)

Calvin - Howard: Psychology ~

Greg – Georgetown: Psychology

Sydney - Xavier: Unknown

Ebony – LSU: Unknown ~ No one has been in contact with her

Kendra – Southern: Unknown ~

Seaera – Southern: Unknown ~

Stephan - LA Tech: Unknown ~

Joseph – University of Lafayette, Louisiana: Mathematics ~

Dominique – University of Lafayette, Louisiana: Unknown ~

*BeHien – Will be applying to UNO, but delaying college until January.

Yesterday, My uncle took me shopping. I went to this new bookstore that just opened up. They had so much stuff in there! I went crazy and just started grabbing stuff and once in a while checking at the prices because I only brought 900,000. When it was all over I spent over 700,000. I had so much fun and got some really nice stuff. THe only bad thing was I had problems finding gifts for guys! So I don’t know what I’m going to do. But boy did I shop yesterday! My suitcase is almost full and I can only put in a few more pounds. I’m feeling reallly bad that a few of the guys I really don’t have anything specific for them while the girls have some nice things. I’m trying to go shopping again today, but we’ll see if anyone can even take me…

These last 30 something days have been amazing! Saw and did everything I wanted and so much more than I even thought I would. This truly has been a fulfilling experience and one that I will never forget. THough I deleted about 100 pictures, I still remember them all in my head. Maybe I’ll draw them out or something! Can’t believe I’ll be going home tomorrow and away from this crazy, exciting, and beautiful place. I don’t think I’ve told yal the kind of things I’ve seen people put on a scooter over there! People, dozens of animals, about 50 ducks/chicken, cabinets, large pipes, tables, TV, washing machines, glass piece for large tables, I mean you name it, I’ve seen it! I just feel so at home here and you know how I’ve always said I feel like I’m better off alone away from everyone else. Nowadays I wonder if it’s because in America I never really had that choice with being with family or not because my family is so small and I’m the only one my age over there. Here I have soooo much family I can’t even count, name, or remember all and there are so many family my age that I really love and relate to. I really enjoy being with them and will miss them dearly. Tien and I are the same in more than one way. While I paint, she draws so well, she can draw those girls in those animes like they’re from the comics or tv show and she took doesn’t care much for teen love and says if it happens that she found love then it will be, but she isn’t going out there to look for it nor does she want it right now. We had a fun chat last night about Vietnamese teens and told me this story about this guy online she knows with four girls online too going after him and none of them ever met. He’s like 18, kind sickand just had an operateion, but still a player. There’s an older blind girl, a 9th grader, Tien’s friend, and this other girl fighting for him. And now he’s in Canada and they’re going to wait three years for when he comes back to settle things. Tien isn’t involve, just talks to him once in awhile and she’s wait6ing to see how the story plays out. It’s so funny when she tells it, but when you look at the people it’s really sad. But when she was telling it, I was laughing sooooooooo much! I’m really going to miss her! My twin. Sorry keisha, she was the original twin.

This trip is really ending and it will be years before I come back here. When I first got here a month ago and saw everyone it really did feel like I’ve just seen them, not like it’s been 4 long years. I’m really going to miss all my family and grandma. Her poor heart.  All these years, I had such a love hate relationship with Vietnam. I’ve always claimed myself Vietnamese first than American, and still do, but didn’t care for the country as much since it was just home, where I came from. I have a closer connect to the country now and I no longer feel like a stranger or this country a strange land to me. I am a part of it and it is a part of me. These people, these places, their lives and their culture, I am very part of it as anyone here is. No matter where I go, this will be part of who I am and I realize that more than ever. I didn’t need to go to Europe or Africa or just get away to find myself… I needed to go home to understand where I came from and this is who I am (oh you should see me, tearing up as I write this, so damn emotional, i know). I said no tears and I’m going to try to hold it in especially tomorrow morning when I leave for the airport, but it’s going to be hard cause my relationship with everyone has become so much closer and since I’m older I know and will remember so much more. But it’s time I let go, not just because I’m leaving, but I’ve let the memories of Vietnamand the past control to much of my life since I allowed myself to see it as everything bad and negative. I’ll leave here as with the same personality and character I came with, but with new insights, wisdom, appreciation, and love that I didn’t have before. This country and these people have taught me so much about myself, who I am, who I want to be, and my roots. Though I’m leaving, it’s really not goodbye, maybe I’ll be back here one day, in this same land, with new landscapes and with a new heart.

This will be my last post here and thankyou for commenting and staying connected with me. Love you all and can’t wait to see you. This won’t be the end of my blog though, I think I’ll post a few more time describing how I’m doing in America after such an emotional and life-changing trip to Vietnam. Farewell Vietnam and to you all.

Love – Tien Tran

Well, first I want to talk about my day a little. Just in the hour before I came here, I crash into two moving scooters, was on my bike, and threatened to be arrested. Scooter…. well, I was turning from an average road into a main one, and someone was coming in that road and I thought my breaks worked but apparently not so I crashed into her. We were both still up so it was ok. I then went to the book store to get some stuff. It’s real serious over here. You get a ticket and they tag it to your scooter or write it on the seat of your bike. My number was 42. You go in and take of your jacket, hat, and bag, worried about people stealing. Anyways, I go out, get my bike, not thinking much of it, wipe the number of my seat then go to the guy to give him my ticket. He says where’s the number and then blows on me for wiping of the number and they have to check the other bikes to make sure it was ok. They were really made at me. After that left and went back to the smaller road. There’s two internet place on that street. I biked by the first one and looked into it to see if it was busy aNd it was and not paying attention I hit another scooter that was coming my way! He looked mad and I was so embarrassed. I crashed twice in less than an hour. So then I went to the other internet place and here I am. OMB, I’m scared to drive when I get back over there.

So today I went shopping, but really didn’t get a lot of stuff. I tried finding shoes for Kevin but it was really hard and they were expensive. What shoe size are you btw? Another thing, I was talking to myself the other day and was trying to say “shoe size” and I kept saying “sue side”. So yea, I sound worse than before. Girls, I was looking for hair clips for yal, but as girly as I am, I really didn’t know which one yal would liked so I didn’t bother. I only brought a few things and it’ll look like some people will be giftless unfortunately. I really tried, but the traffic is bad, no one wants to take me anywhere, and I’m not looking for common stuff, i’m looking for traditional Vietnamese style things so yal could have something from this country or something close in the style so it’s been really hard!

I’ve been trying to take it all in, my last few days here. You know, my grandma is 75 and was born in 1933! So I’ve been trying to talk to her a lot cause I realized she’s been through and seen a lot and I love history and should try to get as much out of her before she really starts forgetting things. I can’t believe I’ll be leaving here in 3 days! Time has gone by so fast and I still haven’t heard from Thuy. It’s crazy to think right now at this very moment she is in the same country, maybe even in the same city baring the heat just like me and really being taken in by this strange and fickle country. I hope she’s ok and it’s not too overwhelming for her. She really didn’t want to go in the first place so I hope she’s having a good time. So sister and brother won’t get to meet in our motherland. I think I’ll go for now and maybe come back and write again tomorrow.