Hiram to Hanoi: Reception with Ambassador Osius

A whirlwind week ended with a reception at the residence of U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius. The event was for some of the Fulbright recipients in Vietnam, especially the 14 Fulbright English-language Teaching Assistants (recent college graduates) who have been in Hanoi the last two weeks studying Vietnamese, culture, and teaching methods. Today they are leaving on their teaching assignments in rural parts of Vietnam and will teach English for nine months. Libby was also included and announced as the first Fulbright Distinguished Teaching Award recipient for Vietnam.

There were probably about 40 people there, between the ETAs, embassy staff, and us. We spoke with the Ambassador for about 5-10 minutes about his family, living in Vietnam, etc -- a very gracious man who had a long day but still made time for everyone. His mother and sister were also there, both of whom had been to Hiram, Ohio (!) to visit a math professor there, Wendell Johnson, who was married to the Ambassador's aunt (mother's sister) but retired before I got there and is now deceased.

The taxi ride to the Ambassador's residence was unreal -- Friday night rush-hour traffic in the chaos of Hanoi, and we had to go from one side of the city to the other. Very memorable. But once we got there, the food -- delicious appetizers and a buffet of American and Vietnamese specialties -- and the company were great. And really, it was such an honor to be invited. Who would believe that we started the week in small-town Hiram, Ohio and ended the week eating oysters and focaccia at the home of the US Ambassador in Vietnam.

Here's Libby with Hanh Nguyen, Fulbright Program Assistant in the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy. Hanh has been Libby's contact at the Embassy since she was awarded the Fulbright and has been wonderful in helping us get ready to come to Hanoi. Although we had exchanged many emails with her, this was the first night we finally got to meet her face-to-face.