The

6 years ago a 16 year old boy named The left the countryside of Vietnam to re-build his life in Saigon. He was tired of his one room home and poor family. He wanted more than his tiny village had to offer. And he had dreams of money and success and a richer life in a big city. He came to Saigon and worked in restaurants and on the street. He taught himself English until he could afford lessons, and later he became a real estate agent for foreigners in need of homes.

He came into my life about three months ago when I was looking for a house in Saigon. The worked hard to find us the perfect home and continued to work tirelessly for our comfort and pleasure once the commission had been paid. He has become an essential and central part of my life in Saigon. Any question I have or task I need to face, The is the go to man. I consider him to be one of the closer friends I've made here.

He returned to his home for the first time 4 days ago. The poverty of his family and the simple countryside of his village was still there. But The went home a different boy, with money and flashy clothing and western friends. He invited our group to his home which took us two hours, countless country paths and a lot of near accidents to reach. We hesitantly entered his home where his family had gathered in a room where everyone eats, sleeps and lives. The communication lines were impossible to overcome and we smiled at the shocked and curious faces of our hosts, many of whom had never seen white faces in their lives. We ate their Tet feast at the table while the family crowded on a bed behind us.

We were taken from home to home, winding our way through dirt roads while a hoard of children tagged behind us calling out the few English words they knew. We were told that the last foreigners to reach the town were members of the U.S army. But unlike us, they had arrived with weapons and the intention to kill. We drank and laughed with those that had fought back. The seemed out of place in his Hip Hop shirt and fashionable clothing. He hardly interacted with them besides when he acted as a translator for us. And then he packed up his expensive duffel bag and piled into our van that took us back to Hanoi where the sight of foreigners is not a once in a lifetime experience.