Vietnam: The Return
During my childhood, my father often spoke of his almost unimaginably harrowing experience as a radio operator in the Vietnam War. He spoke of mines, missiles, jungle rats and venemous spiders, torrential rains, and the overarching sadness and sorrow of watching death, decay and misery. For him and his friends, it was not about winning a war, it was about surviving it. As a child, when listening to these tales of woe and desperation in the dense jungles of the Asha Valley, all of the thoughts I could muster dwelled on that Vietnam must have been some form of Hell. In my peaceful life in the USA, I couldn't even fathom what that must have been like. All I could picture was Hell...Vietnam must be Hell. Several years ago, one of my best friends told me that he was looking forward to a trip to Vietnam with his Vietnamese girlfriend. My instant reaction was, "Why?? How could that possibly be relaxing or fun in any reality??!" It took my brain a moment to jolt itsel