Rock Climbing

(PICTURE: I only got chalk the second time I went. And please stop staring at my short, fat fingers!)

With Huyen's arm only slightly hurting from her vaccinations the day before, I thought it was a good idea to go rock climbing. I figured that her handicap would be a great opportunity for me to show my physical superiority. I mean I didn't tie Peter Cullen for senior athlete for nothing!

(PICTURE: Can you say wedgie?!)

I had heard about the rock climbing wall from my friend Sebastian's blog a week earlier. The wall ended up being right down the street from Hien's house so she took us over. The wall was sixteen meters high (52.5 feet) but seemed much higher. When I was much younger (I think thirteen) I had gone rock climbing a few times at summer camp. It had literally been about seventeen years since the last time I strapped on a harness but it felt like much more than that. I agreed to go first (when you're married "agree" means your wife tells you to go first) and quickly started to climb the wall. A few thoughts immediately went through my head:
1. There was a sign in the rock climbing office that said you had to take a safety course before climbing. Why hadn't I taken a safety course?

2. Why if I've been exercising for a year straight do my arms and legs feel like jelly?

3. Don't look down. I thought of this one after I looked down.

I made it to the top in about six minutes. Hien told me that it was quite fast so that gave me a boost of self-I'm-not-too-old-confidence for the day. After I went, it was Huyen's turn.


(PICTURE: Huyen putting on the harness while also harnessing the power of Livingston football from her t-shirt.)

Huyen strapped on the harness, put some powder on her hands (which the guy forgot to give me!) and started climbing the wall like Spiderwoman. Before I knew it, Huyen had reached the top:



I gotta say, I'm really proud of my wife. Climbing this wall is a pretty good metaphor for the whole visa process. At first it looked daunting but little by little it can be accomplished. On top of that, like going to America, Huyen was absolutely courageous.