It is hot, very hot, sticky. The air is heavy with the rain that fell all night. Rolling out of mattress on the floor, the floorboards creak. Many feet have found their way over these floors, there will be many more to come in the future. Jim has done the same thing each day, roll out of bed and walk to the window. Looking out the window and seeing heavy clouds on the horizon. It’s 11am but dark just like the twilight before night grasps the land. It’s the rainy season here in Vietnam so luckily this grey light will last almost all day. Looking through the shutters, a few birds are taking shelter beneath the wide leaves of the tropical climate. Ruffling their feathers and turning to each other for a moment of quiet conversation. They both know as well as Jim that the sun will come for only a moment this afternoon and those moments will be treasured. But for now Jim slides on his sandals and pulls a ripped grey t-shirt over his head and walks downstairs.
It’s a two story house, small shop on the bottom floor and apartment above. There’s another small house not 30 paces away filled with a beautiful family. It’s this family that owns the shop, they sell fruits and coffee out of the bottom of Jim’s place. So every morning Jim goes down to have a bowl of fruit, sometimes he skips the coffee sometimes he doesn’t. It’s no accident, living here that is. This has been a dream, since a young age. Watching hollywood movies where someone lives in a foreign country above a place which sells food and warm wishes. Drinking a little bit of life every day and never getting greedy. Being here, Jim has rarely felt more at home, there’s been no need for a sweater since arriving, that won’t be changing. When he’ll leave may still be a long way away. Being happy in this environment is not difficult, the family down stairs and the kids next door are always smiling. Laughing with them each morning with the limited vocabulary they all share, communication through smiles is sometimes the easiest and most sought after form of communication. You all have to go on with the day, what Jim has planned is still undecided. After all it has only been 30 minutes since he rolled out of bed.