our trio at the Cham ruins in Nha Trang, Viet Nam
I am Teresa, a Portland-based writer and the single mother of a 17-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. We have been on our own as a trio for more than 10 years, taking the opportunity to explore our world as often as we can find a way to do so.
In late 2006, the three of us set off for Vietnam to work as volunteers through GVN at two orphanages in Tam Ky. After volunteering for a couple of months at the orphanages, we moved to Ha Noi in search of work and home. I eventually found work teaching TOEFL iBT prep classes at Hong Duc University in Thanh Hoa. After three months, we made our way home via Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Vancouver, returning to the States in July 2007.
In June 2009, we went back to Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, where I once again taught English classes. We were able to have a friend of my son’s visit and did some more traveling within the country. Then we took three weeks to travel through Thailand and Malaysia before heading back to the States in September 2009.
We used both trips to compile helpful information for other families traveling to Vietnam, whether for vacation, adoption or volunteering. You can find out all sorts of info about living and traveling in Vietnam at http://www.VietnamWithKids.com
In July 2010, we took a two-week road trip throughout eastern Oregon and down through California, making it from Los Angeles and back to Portland in just one day.