Back. And arrived.

From wanderlust to welcome - the first working day after a month in Vietnam.

The vacation is over.

The body in the office - the soul still somewhere between Hanoi and a noodle soup on the side of the road.

No more pho for breakfast, no more moped symphonies in your ears, no more wobbly plastic chairs on the sidewalk with steaming street food.

Instead: Lunch box, office chair, diary.

You know this moment is coming - and yet it briefly tightens your heart a little.

You miss the warmth (and yes, even the 35 degrees), the people with their smiles, the quiet friendliness, this relaxed We'll manage in the traffic chaos.

And then: Monday.

The first working day after a month.

The to-dos are not smiling. My computer asks for updates - I ask for mercy.

And yet - suddenly a small ray of hope:

Messages before the alarm clock.

"We're looking forward to seeing you!" A "Nice to have you back!" in the hallway. "We've missed you!"

Hugs, laughter, genuine interest - in the travelogue and in you.

So I'm sitting there - with jet lag and an Excel spreadsheet - and thinking:

Okay, Germany. You can't do Pho, but you can do colleagues with a heart.

And somehow that feels right after all.

Vietnam touched my heart. But today, my colleagues took it back.

Even office coffee tastes better when you're welcomed like this.

I'm back again.

Not fully awake, but still:

Present.