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24 March 2013

Vietnamese/Yemenese


A few weeks ago, I meet a lady named Saida staying at my hotel. Her father was from Yemen and worked in Vietnam many years ago where he met and married a Vietnamese woman and had several children. Saida (seated far left) was one of his daughters. She moved to the US 47 years ago, met/married an American and had 3 daughters.

Her English and Vietnamese are excellent and she has lived in Annandale, VA for the last 20+ years!. Like me, she has been staying at my motel for weeks and we have had many conversations. I introduced her to the Phamily whom she quickly befriended. Saida is returning to Annandale tomorrow. This evening, I and the Phamily treated her to a "good bye/safe trip" dinner.

Saida is the first & only Vietnamese/Yemenese person I and the Phamily have ever met! We plan to link-up with Saida sometime during April!

18 March 2013

Updates

It has been 2 weeks since my last blog update - and many of you have asked "What's up?".
Linh's mom (Thuy) and now her aunt (Nhu) have both gotten their US tourist visas and airline tickets. Both Linh's mother and aunt will be on the same flights as Linh & I going to the US - we will all arrive at IAD on Friday morning, April 5th.
During the past 2 weeks, as Linh prepares for her US move, there have been many trials and tribulations. But all involved have survived and most obstacles have been resolved - most over feasts such as the one above that occurred last night!
It is strange how food and associated fellowship facilitate resolution of so many things.
Just 17 days and we're on our way to US - just 18 days and we arrive on US soil!
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04 March 2013

Great News - Linh's Mother's US Visa Was Approved!

We just found out that Thuy's (Linh's mother) US Tourist Visa was approved! AND it appears that Thuy has also gotten her tickets for the same flights Linh and I will be flying! We are still waiting for Nhu's (Linh's aunt) US visa renewal to be approved. No pics of visa celebrations cuz I forgot to take pics.
I decided some pics should be included in this update. Top pic is of me and Hang - Linh's close friend. Many of you have said that Linh looks like she is 12 years old. Hang looks like she is 6 years old - AND is about the same size as a 6-year-old!
Bottom pic is of me and Nhu (NOT Linh's aunt) - a friend that I often have coffee with at one of my favorite coffee shop.
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