Dave - you’re dead right and already vague plans for future adventures are forming.

But I am looking forward to an English Christmas. Also casting my mind ahead to summer and music festivals.

I’d also recommend a similar and superb film I saw recently called Innocent Voices. It’s set during civil in El Salvador and has incredible performances by the “child soldier” lead actors. It’s a powerful and moving story of stolen childhood, not easy to stomach but a fantastically crafted film, with a great and haunting soundtrack.
One of the best films i’ve seen this year. More info here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387914/ (see the glowing reviews).

Places, like relationships, work at some times and not at others.

And I really enjoyed the film - hope you do too.

I wouldn’t beat yourself up about it not working out in Nica - maybe in the future, who knows? You’d be prepared for it then. Even an amazing place, if it just doesn’t feel right for the day-to-day things, won’t work. You went from the crazy busy of Hanoi to solitude, a lack of amenities, and little work to keep you busy - I think anyone would need adjustment time with that.

I felt the same with South Africa - great place, so much to see and do (especially nature-related) and a relaxed pace that I loved. I was asked to move there, and thought long about it, but it the end it just didn’t feel like it could be ‘home’. (I was only 21 though - now, I’d probably say yes and just go!)