The day began before the sun even had a chance to rise. A 5:30am start, rushing to be at the airport by 6:45am to meet the team.
Leaving the house was tough—far tougher than I thought it would be. There was a part of me excited for this mission, ready to embark on something I’ve always wanted to do. But kissing and hugging Mum goodbye, knowing she’d feel the emptiness in the house without me, broke my heart a little. I saw it in her eyes too—silent, loving, and a little sad.
But once I got to the airport and saw the team, things slowly fell into place.
After checking in, we grabbed a quick bite before heading to the gate. And in the most random but lovely twist of fate—I ran into my sister from another Mister at the departure hall; Eile! What are the odds? Both flying off on the same day, from the same terminal, almost at the same time—but to completely different countries. It was a sweet moment of synchronicity.
Flying with Singapore Airlines reminded me why they’ve earned their reputation. The level of service was on another level—from check-in to boarding to the flight itself. We were handed warm towels before takeoff, given pillows, complimentary Wi-Fi, and served a light breakfast—scrambled eggs and sausage for me. All that on a flight that was just under two hours.
We landed in Vietnam a few minutes ahead of schedule, but then came the wait. Immigration took almost two hours to clear, but thankfully, we came prepared. Cards, conversation, and some laughter passed the time. By the time we made it through, our luggage had already been taken off the belt, but we managed to sort that out quickly.
We were greeted warmly by the Sisters who would be guiding us through this mission. Loaded up the bus and off we went. About two hours in, we stopped for lunch—authentic Vietnamese pho that hit the spot. The Sisters had also thoughtfully prepared snacks and cold water for the five-hour ride to An Binh. At the rest stop a couple of hours later, we stretched, refreshed, and kept going.
Finally, we arrived at the school we’d be calling home for the next week. The welcome was heartwarming—some of the children were already there, full of excitement and smiles. We unloaded the luggage and were treated to delicious avocado smoothies by the Sisters—such a kind gesture after a long journey.
And the first miracle was witnessed; As soon as we arrived at the school after a whole day of traveling by plane and bus, we got to the school to unload our bags. Just as we brought the last bag in, and while we started to have some refreshments the Sisters had prepared for us, it started to rain! And it stopped just as we had to leave. If that is not a sign from the Heavens then I do not know what to tell you.
After saying our goodbyes to the Sisters for the evening, we headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner before heading to the hostel. The rooms aren’t great, but they aren’t terrible either. They’ll do.
After settling in and taking a much-needed shower, a few of us got together and shared a bottle of wine, some laughs, and a few deep breaths before retreating to our own rooms for some rest. Tomorrow begins a full day of preparations.
It’s all happening.
And I’m here for it.
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