On Expectations.

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Surrender them, or at the very least, soften them and happiness ye shall find. Every day we have been delighted by things we would never have been able to anticipate before we came. Yesterday, it was the experience of participating in the traditional preparation and consumption of bánh xèo (Vietnamese sizzling pancakes). This morning it was taking a tour down the Mekong delta which transitioned from a wide shipping canal into a narrow, integrated network of mangroves, fruit trees and rural homesteads. In this moment, it is sitting on our coconut timber balcony listening to roosters crow and banana leaves rustle while conjuring up the words for this blog. Adapting expectations has been easier for some members of our travel party than others, but we’ve all experienced feelings of bitter disappointment, be it a last-minute flight cancellation or an exasperated “lost in translation” moment. It’s in our ability to shift, soften and contextualize where we come to terms with surrendering. 


Our fierce and sensitive India has been confronting some of her understandings and expectations recently and allowed me to share this excerpt from her daily writing:


January 24th 

THIS PLACE MAKES ME MAD. I know what your probibly thinking but let me explain…

Yesterday when we were in a cab my uncle was talking to the driver with google translate and he cept ponting out places to eat and we didin’t know why. So my uncle asked on google translate. His response was thats where thay sell dog meat! Some people here are so cruel. Its not only here it’s evry ware people are hurting animals. I can respect that people eat meat. (But) also the places that cows and chickens are cept is unexeptebull. 


From India’s first street encounter with caged chickens on day 2, she has proclaimed herself a vegetarian and has held fast to this sentiment. I find myself wincing every time we pass a chicken being plucked for a daily meal or even when I see a tropical bird in a small cage as it seems to physically pain her. Oscar’s journal entry from today also touched on some of the realities he is noticing. 


Jan 24

Swish goes the water! This morning I went on a boat tour on the Mekong river. It was so fun but I hated that there were so much garbage in the water it made me feel very sad. People were washing their food in it. The tour gid was super nice because she laughed a lot - we evin tipt her. She gave us candy and a bunch of fruit. I was on this boat with my family. This boat is a wood boat. My mom and my ant were siting beside me. I loved it!!!


Thus, we have begun to initiate some big conversations regarding these glaring topics. Turns out, real-world learning delivers much more graphic and raw content than the traditional classroom. 


Perhaps the biggest takeaway, surrendering doesn't mean agreeing but it does mean stripping away expectations and judgments. And maybe this is where the joy can be found. 


Onwards and Upwards to Can Tho

Our new space 
The Koi Cafe - A bizzare experience. We say no more 😆
Boating trip in the Mekong Delta 

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2023 at 9:08 AM

    Just found out about your blog! Sounds like you are having a blast. I see Dan 2.0 at your window daily. He's enjoying your kitchen. Looking forward to reading more. - Josh

    ReplyDelete

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