Vietnam.
Originally the country was just a part of a package deal on my way to Thailand and China. This was what I said when people of my parents' generation asked me, "Why Vietnam?," as inevitably happened.
More specifically, it was a six-week package deal where I could earn credit for my history major in a way that would make school in the summer more than tolerable. We ended up spending 10 days in the country, and they were all amazing. It ended up having some of my favorite places, my best day ever, and a really astounding people.
Its hard to explain its allure, but its something beyond its natural beauty -- which is considerable. The country is at least half bordered by gorgeous beaches, and it features everything from romantically terraced mountains to jungles of exotic plants and delicious alien fruits :) Spectacular too, is the differences of people you can find, from those living in stilt houses to sleek women gliding down the street in silk ao dai.
But the best thing about the people is their acceptance. Most were really excited to meet an American -- granted, a huge percentage of the population is below 25 (therefore doesn't remember the war), but we are, unfortunately, part of the reason that is true. The Vietnamese were fighting for generations straight (first the French, then each other, then America), but they don't hold grudges against any of these groups. I'd read this in some of our required reading, but I was astounded to find it true.
So while the landscapes are absolutely beautiful, and the cities romantically haunting (I'll have to post about Hanoi at some point), it's really that acceptance that I find most inspiring.
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