Hey Guys,

Because of an unfortunate small delay in filing some papers at the Tokyo immigration bureau for my Japanese "Green Card" residency, it turns out that I must leave Japan for a few days because my present visa is about to expire ... Oh well. My wife SWEARS that this is not a trick by her to get me out of the country so she can be rid of me. :cry: Theoretically, I can come back into Japan after stepping out for a few days ... and, theoretically, I will still have a home and family to come back to. :shock:

Anyway, I stumbled on a US $400 round trip plan ticket to Ho Chi Minh City, so I will be heading to Vietnam on Saturday. It seems like a good place to spend my exile. I will be there 10 days (I would really love to spend a month, but ... 10 days is more than enough), and travel a bit in the South of that country. I have been to Thailand and Laos (and used to live in China), but never Vietnam, so I am looking forward to it. I have made arrangements to try some of the local Zazen too.

My only concern is that internet could be very spotty, or non-existent, many days. For example, I am going to try to do the monthly 4 HOUR Zazenkai this coming Saturday at the normal time ... but I have no idea if I will have an internet connection that will support it. If I do not "show up" at the appointed hour, please understand. The same for other sittings and such ... and I plan to continue doing the daily sittings one way or another, even if a little early or late, or in "non-visual" form.

It will be great if I can get the video working and take the whole Sangha along on this trip.

Gassho, Jundo