The Foreign Service Journal, October 2022

Please submit your favorite, recent photograph to be considered for Local Lens. Images must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8” x 10”, or 1 MB or larger) and must not be in print elsewhere. Include a short description of the scene/ event, as well as your name, brief biodata and the type of camera used. Send to locallens@afsa.org . 70 OCTOBER 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LOCAL LENS BY CAROLE FENTON n HOI AN, VIETNAM W ith COVID-19 restrictions slowly being lifted around Southeast Asia, we were excited to visit Vietnam in June 2022. There, in Hoi An, we had the opportu- nity to indulge in an evening of tasting Vietnamese delicacies. Our first stop was a particular family’s shop to try their “white rose” dumpling. But because it was a local holiday, the shop was not open. Instead, the fam- ily graciously invited us into their home, where they made the treat especially for us. As we stepped over the threshold, I saw our hostess at a distance, quietly preparing the dump- lings. Time seemed to slow as she focused on her task. I felt I had entered into a painting and experienced a true Vietnamese moment. And the dumplings were delicious! n Carole Fenton, a Foreign Service family member, is posted with her husband, FSO Tom Fenton, in Bangkok. The couple has previ- ously served in Budapest and Khartoum. This photo was taken with an iPhone 13Pro.