So it finally happened... 3 months in Vietnam and it happened.

In Vietnam there is always a hustle. Always someone trying to make a quick dollar. You cant blame them, you cant get angry. It is what it is. Every now and then something hits you, something resonates with you and your perspective changes. I had that moment.

Let me set the scene. Sunday night. Bui Vien street. Free flow cocktails. As Amy, Jodi and myself are sitting there with our new friend a lady walks up to us, with the usual box of junk. Lighters, fans, fridge

magnets and bracelets.

We say our classic "Không Cảm ơn" which means no thank you. However she doesn't waiver. She keeps pulling out things trying to get us to bite. Three long island ice teas down I decide to haggel with her, if only for the banter. I decide the next thing she offers, I will buy, but not for her price, for mine. Out comes a fidget spinner/lighter/ led light hybrid monstrosity.

Welp that's what I'm buying

Me: How much Her: bay muoi (70) Me: Mac qua (too expensive) and at this point I'm flexing a little bit, letting her know I know a little vietnamese to try score a better deal.

Me: ba muoi (30)

Her: Không Không (no no)

Her: sau moui (60)

Me: nam moui (50)

Her: okay okay

And that was how I got my lighter that has already broken. As we are doing the exchange she says "Cảm ơn Chi" ( Thank you, Chi being older female) Whoa whoa whoa I tell her that she is Chi, there is no way that I am Chi, and being generous I say Em (which means same age)

Side note: age identification Is very important here, there are different names for younger males and females, same age as you, your parents age (male and female) and your grandparents age, so it does get messy!!

This leads into a conversation about the sellers age and then the conversation flows. She tells us that she actually lives in Hanoi but she didnt have as much luck selling there so she lives here. Her family is still in Hanoi though.

She has a daughter who is 10 and a son who is 7. She shows us pictures and they are adorable. She facetimes them every chance she gets. We asked about her husband and what He does to which she replied, very sarcastically, "other woman".

She went on to say she works 12-13 hours a day, walking back and forth trying to make money. All while missing her children knowing her husband is sleeping with other women.

This leads in to a bit of a drunken spiel about how strong vietnamese woman are. Which for the record is true. The woman are the big bosses here. They call the shots. They put in the hours while the men collect the rewards. You could tell this hit home with her and she started to tear up. This wasn't a hussle. I felt it in my soul, in my heart, that this was a woman just wanted a break from her job and wanted to have a chat with some people for 5 minutes.

She asked us about us and what we were doing in Saigon. We tell her that we are English teachers. She went on to say that her oldest daughter is enrolled in a school in Hanoi to learn English. Not a centre like we teach at (as those are really expensive) but at a vietnamese school.

She was so proud of her daughter and her eyes glowed when she talked about her. She said that it was $1,000,000 Dong a month to send her but worth it as it will help her so much in the future and and she was so smart.

This hit home. This woman is busting her ass to send her daughter to a school that is out of her price range. But she knows it's worth it to give her daughter a shot at having a bright future.

Right there in the middle of Saigon I saw my parents.

Sending my Brother and I away to school in Nelson was not easy. It was not cheap. It resulted in early mornings and late nights at work. Not seeing us every day and making sacrifices so we could have a better shot in life. A better education.

I reached in to my bag and slipped out a 500,000 dong note ($32 NZD) which to put in perspective, it's one class for me. Not even two hours work.

As I go to pass it to her, she sees it and instantly starts rejecting my offer. No no no no. Please no. I stay firm, no please, it's for your daughter, please. She goes into her box and starts trying to give us all things.

Her: Please miss. Please braclets for everyone.

Me: No, it's for your daughter, for her school.

She starts crying. I'm crying. Amy is crying. Jodi is crying. It was one of the best moments I've had since being in this country. For me, it was one class For her it was half a month of walking back and forth, 13 hours a day.

For me, it was worth every, single, dong.

This is Qeen, and she is amazing.

So mum and dad, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you none of this would be possible.