Fleeting encounters- a series

Some people can walk into your life for such a brief, ephemeral moment, but sometimes, these brief encounters can leave a deeply ingrained, long-lasting impression on you.

I listened to a podcast recently called Sentimental Garbage in which the presenters spoke of people who pass through your life and their purpose- they defined these people as soulmates, quoting, ‘Soulmates are a mirror, they break you down, and in doing that you learn something about yourself, which fundamentally changes the way you live, and that's what they are sent to do.’ This quote resonates with me today, as I reflect on the past few months I have spent here in Vietnam and the various encounters with transient souls I have met along the way. Some of them stuck with me for a range of different reasons, but I can honestly say that each one of them showed me something about myself and taught me something new. Does this mean they were my soulmates? Maybe, most likely not- but in light of the horrific event of George Floyd’s murder and the current Black Lives Matter movement, I have been attempting to listen and learn from different people around me who have important, vital messages for me to listen to, which can help me grow to be a more conscious and considerate human being. Whether the people I met along the way were consciously attempting to share a life lesson with me, or through our encounter, I learned something about myself, either way, I am very grateful for the lessons I have learned. Now, I wish to pass on their message, so that maybe, through your encounter with this series, you can learn something about yourself too.

Staying Strong In Times Of Adversity- Susie

When I first met Susie in Dalat- a city planted in the Vietnamese highlands, I thought that she had the type of face that even when relaxed, was still perfectly happy looking. Susie, although 31 years old, had no wrinkles and in my opinion, could have passed for 16. Her youthful nature was infectious and endearing.

A couple of years ago, Susie was working in the UK as a Child Sexual Exploitation Case Practitioner, working with children who had been or were being exploited. She decided to take a career break and travel, and in February 2019 she quit her job to travel to Central America for a few months with the plan to then move to Canada, where she had obtained a 2-year working-travel visa. She was partying away in Mexico until, of course- the inevitable plot twist. Susie tore her ACL, MCL, and Meniscus, as well as fracturing a bone after stepping down from a rock at a waterfall. This meant she had to be shipped home from Mexico for surgery and intensive rehab which would end up lasting months.

Susie made a full recovery, and in her time during rehab dreamt of travel plans, still hoping to see the world before landing herself in Canada to use out of the work-tourist visa. The minute she could, she flew to Asia, where she and I would cross paths. Susie, like me, had arrived in Vietnam in February.

When Susie and I met we planned a group trip to a famous waterfall in Vietnam- Elephant Springs, where Susie would be presented with a very familiar situation she had been faced with in Mexico- a rocky, slippy climb to the different viewpoints of the waterfall. As a group, we knew of the previous experience she had endured, and seeing her approach the waterfall's rocks with a gentle nervousness was understandable. However- after Susie conquered the first few climbs, she was bouncing to the highest viewpoints to bravely smile atop of them. It struck me as a beautiful moment to be a part of, witnessing someone climb through a previously traumatic experience, to reach the other side. Her resilience and bravery were very admirable.

When Susie and I met again, a mass spread of COVID-19 was happening all across the globe. Vietnam had closed its borders and countries were sending out messages to its citizens abroad, prompting them to come home. My boyfriend and I decided to move to Da Nang immediately, as we knew a national lock-down was quickly on its way. Susie came to visit us in Da Nang for the last supper as we tried to weigh out her options. She bounced ideas about flying to Canada- then they closed their borders. She looked into Thailand- then they began to request a lengthy amount of documents for access, and in the meantime, hundreds of flights out of Vietnam were being bought, scheduled, and cancelled. Susie flew to Saigon, in the hope that she could find a way to quickly obtain the correct documents and fly to Thailand. When she got there, the opportunity slipped through her fingers and she faced the realisation that after only a couple of weeks in Vietnam, she faced the end of her trip, succumbing to the reality that for the second time in a row, her journey was being cut short and she had to fly back to the UK before that option was gone too.

Susie and I have remained in contact. In our last messages, Susie asked, ‘if you have any bright ideas for my Plan C, please do shout them out’- she is planning her comeback. The lesson I learned from Susie is how to find strength through adversity. Every day we are faced with challenges, our diverse lives are filled with a multitude of experiences- but I truly believe that It is what we take from these defining moments that shape the essence of who we are.