Aid for Angela
Donation protected
For those of you that haven't heard my story, I sustained knee ligament damage after being knocked off my motorbike on just my third day travelling through Vietnam: https://globalnews.ca/video/5010065/edmonton-woman-attacked-in-vietnam-called-dirty-american .
But this isn't about me; this is about the woman who saved my life.
Her name is Angela. She found me on the side of the road, bleeding and confused, in such shock i didnt even realize I'd been injured, used google translate to tell me "I want to give you love" before applying her own scarf to wrap my bloodied knee. She parked my motorbike around the corner and took me on the back of her scooter to the nearest hospital. For those who have been to Vietnam, you might know what it means to check in to a rural hospital. Mine was a dirty and dark place and I was terrified.
But Angela stayed with me the entire time. She held my hand as they cut the loose skin away from my knee, and wiped my tears as they stitched me back together. She washed the blood off my face and out of my hair, and helped me use the bathroom. While I waited for a friend to get to the hospital, she kept me company, using Google translate to talk back and forth. When my friend arrived, she offered to store my motorbike for me until I figured out what to do with it. She’s messaged me on whatsapp every day, with Google translate still playing its part; sometimes she'll video call just to wave and say hello. After 3 days, she visited me at my hostel with her 10 year old son, who knew enough english to help us translate a little. She invited myself and my friend for dinner at her home, and that night we ate the most amazing, home cooked meal with her family. Angela pushed me in my wheelchair to show me around her home town.
But it broke my heart to see the reality of living in Vietnam. My accident had happened after travelling for only 3 days, so up until that point, I'd only really seen the touristy parts of Hanoi. It broke my heart to see the reality of Angela's everyday existence. Even as a lawyer, her and her family live in poverty. The main part of their home is a welding workshop; there's a narrow kitchen, also found in the same room as their bathroom, which is just a urinal on wall. The family shares a bedroom with a metal bunk bed and thin yoga mats as their mattresses. This woman has given me so much, when she has so little and has asked for nothing in return but friendship. I honestly didnt know it was possible to love someone so much without ever speaking the same language.
I don't know that I'll ever be able to fully repay her for her kindness, but I figure raising what money I can is a good way to start. Angela is eager to learn English and while I've been teaching her a little here and there, I've recently found out that there is likely ligament damage in my knee and I need to go home for proper medical care. I'd like to buy her English classes before I go, so she can continue to study and talk to me while I'm back in Canada. I'd also like to buy a proper mattress for her and her children so they dont have to sleep on hard metal. Even if you can contribute just $1, that sum goes a long way here in Vietnam; and not only would that mean the world to me, it would give Angela - a woman who was there for me when I needed it most - and her family a better life too.
Angela's home.
Angela cooking for us.
the family's shared bunk bed.
family dinner.
Angela and me.
family's shared bedroom/bunk bed.
Angela's front street.
But this isn't about me; this is about the woman who saved my life.
Her name is Angela. She found me on the side of the road, bleeding and confused, in such shock i didnt even realize I'd been injured, used google translate to tell me "I want to give you love" before applying her own scarf to wrap my bloodied knee. She parked my motorbike around the corner and took me on the back of her scooter to the nearest hospital. For those who have been to Vietnam, you might know what it means to check in to a rural hospital. Mine was a dirty and dark place and I was terrified.
But Angela stayed with me the entire time. She held my hand as they cut the loose skin away from my knee, and wiped my tears as they stitched me back together. She washed the blood off my face and out of my hair, and helped me use the bathroom. While I waited for a friend to get to the hospital, she kept me company, using Google translate to talk back and forth. When my friend arrived, she offered to store my motorbike for me until I figured out what to do with it. She’s messaged me on whatsapp every day, with Google translate still playing its part; sometimes she'll video call just to wave and say hello. After 3 days, she visited me at my hostel with her 10 year old son, who knew enough english to help us translate a little. She invited myself and my friend for dinner at her home, and that night we ate the most amazing, home cooked meal with her family. Angela pushed me in my wheelchair to show me around her home town.
But it broke my heart to see the reality of living in Vietnam. My accident had happened after travelling for only 3 days, so up until that point, I'd only really seen the touristy parts of Hanoi. It broke my heart to see the reality of Angela's everyday existence. Even as a lawyer, her and her family live in poverty. The main part of their home is a welding workshop; there's a narrow kitchen, also found in the same room as their bathroom, which is just a urinal on wall. The family shares a bedroom with a metal bunk bed and thin yoga mats as their mattresses. This woman has given me so much, when she has so little and has asked for nothing in return but friendship. I honestly didnt know it was possible to love someone so much without ever speaking the same language.
I don't know that I'll ever be able to fully repay her for her kindness, but I figure raising what money I can is a good way to start. Angela is eager to learn English and while I've been teaching her a little here and there, I've recently found out that there is likely ligament damage in my knee and I need to go home for proper medical care. I'd like to buy her English classes before I go, so she can continue to study and talk to me while I'm back in Canada. I'd also like to buy a proper mattress for her and her children so they dont have to sleep on hard metal. Even if you can contribute just $1, that sum goes a long way here in Vietnam; and not only would that mean the world to me, it would give Angela - a woman who was there for me when I needed it most - and her family a better life too.
Angela's home.Angela cooking for us.the family's shared bunk bed.family dinner.Angela and me.family's shared bedroom/bunk bed.Angela's front street.Organizer
Heather Middleton
Organizer