u/DebestPanda

Hi all, In the past weeks I noticed an increase in my eye floaters, I have read that it could be a long term retina damage and to get it checked. So 2 days ago I did, the doctor used diluting pupils drops (twice actually because she wanted to "speed up the process"). She said there is no damage to the retina and most likely the floaters are due to aging (frustrating to be with but okay).

I had the side effects of blurry close vision and light looking like the way it would look when you squint at it. I was told that after a couple of hours my vision would get back to normal.

It did in the sense of the close bluriness but I still have the light looking aura-like (like if you squint or gently cross your eyes looking at a far light), so my eyes are still sensitive to light. Ans the dryness - I wake up with severe dry eyes. That its hard for me to open them. Also my eyes are just way drier and gritty in my day to day and I feel it especially infront of a screen

I have not experienced it before and its already for 2 nights. Which shouldve been cleared already?

She prescribed to me systane complete eye drops but I didn't want to take anything because I assumed it wouls be back to normal (then I read its with perservatives so thankfully I didn't).

Now I am lost and anxious that my eye sight or retina is f**ked. I understood that its from the BAK the drops that were used on me.

What can I do to flush it out my eyes? I would like my vision and the non dry eyes I used to have :(

Would love for your advice.

Thank you

It boils my blood to see toursists and foreigners treating shopkeepers or service workers as if theyre lesser than them. That people leave their plastic matcha cups on the street becaue "someone will clean it up".

Where is your dignity?

You are a visitor of this country, look around. See how hard the people around you are working to provide you with all the affordable things you are enjoying, the grandmas in the food stands selling bahn mi from morning to night sitting there the whole day - in the rain, in the heat, the grab drivers grinding their ass off to provide you with food, groceries and transportation 24/7, the construction workers, the grandmas selling mango and greens in the middle of the street squatting.

Look at all these people around you.

They are all doing their part to the maximum. Can you have space in you to appreciate and find respect in all of that is already handed to you?

It baffles me to see tourists in this land that everything here literally is accessible to them yet they contnue to show signs of survival mentality of hoarding, exploitation and general distance/coldness while everything is handed to them with such kindness from the Vietnamese people. (I am shocked for that fact personally, I expected that once people have their basic needs met they'll be open to provide more for others but that's another discussion).

Please. For the love of God. Make space to see the humans around you, where you are, and how you are showing up in this moment, in this country.

It doesn’t have to be much. A simple "Xin chào" when walking into a store or interacting with a shopkeeper, a "Cảm ơn" while looking into the eyes of the seller or Grab driver handing something to you.

And that's not me asking you to behave in a certain way. I am asking you to be aware and acknowledge your position and the country you are in, the people around you who are providing so much of what you are benefiting from. Just acknowledge it for one breath, for Christ's sake.

I am writing this as a foreigner visiting this country. I am deeply humbled and moved by the abundance here, knowing it all comes from the hard work and hospitality the Vietnamese people provide.

Honestly, there is a part of me that doesn’t understand how they still allow tourists in after some of the scenarios I’ve seen and the ways people treat them.

I only witnessed 1 act of kindness from a foreigner in my month of stay. And I am actively looking for it and observing (while also doing my best to provide myself, so this is not a criticism, just an observation. So all of this was bubbling in me.

Thank you for the space and thank you Vietnam for everything I get to experience here.

Edit: I would like to share my intention in sharing this. As I shared it from an emotionally charged place and it might have got mixed into blaming.

I am not blaming anyone, not the foreigners or expats as a whole. I am pointing to a pattern I have observed, and I am open to hearing different POVs if you have a different experience. You're welcome to write it here or DM me. For me there is a clear gap in that dynamic and I don't think there is a solution to this.

My intention was to bring more awareness to the pattern it so we can notice it and in a way hold it together. If you feel like this doesn't have anything to do with how or what you are. Great.
If something in it stirred discomfort, cringe or defensiveness then I would self-reflect on that.

Hey everyone,

I am a tourist visiting Da Nang for the upcoming month. Vietnam, the people, the businesses, the space have been so kind to me and I would like to return the favor ❤️

Having access to so much space in myself through the hard work of the Vietnamese people showed and inspired me thaf one of the things that support me in my day to day is to choose to be kind. Kind to myself, kind to others, kind to my immediate surroundings.

There is also a larger context to why I feel like I would like to do it - specifically how some foreigners treat Da Nang / the Vietnamese people, but this is a layered conversation.

I say this because it's part of I would like to be and bring something different during my time here. I have been welcomed so much and the Vietnamese people are inspiring to me in their hard work. Its the least I can do 🙏

So I invite you to join me on a beach cleaning / meditation walk, we will meet on Friday - 15.5 at My Khe beach, start with an opening circle and from there have a 1 / 2 hour walk in which during we will pick up trash we find on the way

With all of that being said, here are the details:

I'll be at Bãi Tắm Biển Mỹ Khê at 11:00 11:15 opening circle, setting intention and short meditation 11:45 - 12:45 beach walk 12:45 group check - in / break, 13:00 second round or closing circle depending on how the group feels :)

You are welcome to join. Whether for a short time, just to walk and meet people, or observe. There are no "shoulds" or "must", just being with presence. If you are interested leave a comment here and I wil DM you or DM me 🙏

Also would love to hear any other suggestions for activities or places to clean. Maybe My Khe is not necessary needed, but I found a lot of plastic cups and cigarrete buds when I was there.

Would love to see you. Much love to you and have a beautiful day 🌻