Dear Lan,

I just want to thank you so very very very much for a wonderful 2 weeks in Vietnam! There were many unforgettable experiences and I am so grateful that I was a part of this amazing journey.  This first volunteer trip was so enjoyable even though there were days of physically and mentally demanding work, I would not hesitate to do it again. I guess at the end of the day we are much more focused on what we have achieved and the difference we've made rather than our personal hardships. I am happy that I've met so many like-minded and supportive people who will continue to inspire and remind me that we are in positions that can really help others.

I do miss the times when we met for breakfast, napping in the van on the bumpy road, seeing so many gorgeous little kids staring at us like we're aliens, and tasting Vietnamese delicacies at local people's homes. I feel that this time in Vietnam I really got to experience its people and culture, not so much as a tourist, but more as a friend, and sometimes, even as family. It is indeed a 'new' feeling, to feel so close or touched by someone I barely knew and they barely knew me, through such a brief meeting, and for us to probably never meet again, just makes you really treasure what was there, no matter how brief it was. I want to thank you again for the opportunity - you really made it happen for us and both Frank and I will remember this trip for many years to come.

Until we meet again,

Winnie

Dr. Winnie and her fiance Franklin joined VN 2010, the first two volunteers from Down Under, the two nicest and hard working Aussies in the history of DDS4Kids.