We made it home Wed 5 pm. All our flights were on time and the luggage was where is should be. It didn't even take long to get our luggage. We left Vietnam 11:30 PM, arrived in Seoul, South Korea at 5:30 am. That flight was a tough one. For some reason I could not sleep well. I was expecting to fall asleep quickly and wake up when we got there. I was in the middle seat of three so It was difficult to get comfortable. We took as nice comfy nap on the chairs in Seoul. Not too many people around that time of the morning. The bathrooms were so clean. They even had soap and paper towels in teh bathrooms. The little things that make a differance.
Our 13 1/2 hr flight from Seoul to Washington D.C. was much more comfortable. First of all it may have been because we were not expecting to sleep, but the turn down the lights and close the windows so it is easier to watch movies. We were in the last row of the middle section, and there were only 2 seats...freedom to move at our wish made a differance. We had drinks and snack one hr into the flight, followed by lunch. It was chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and chocolate chip cake. We had a snack at 5 pm and then drinks and dinner around 7 pm. Our last meal was cold noodles with lettuce, cabbage, mystery and spicey hot sauce to put on top....our last meal was truely Asian!! It was wild seeing the sun set about 3 pm, Vietnam time. We missed the sun rise when we were over the Rockies. Our last flight from Washington to Newark was my least favorite flight. There were only 35 people on this little plane, it was warm in the cabin and my air jet was stuck in a position that did not give me much air. We experienced a fair amount of air turbulance. We did get the see the Statue of Liberty as we were coming in. Actually Randy, Claire and Kallie only had to circle the parking area once before we were ready to be picked up at the curb. ...Pretty good!!!! We talked most of the way home and fussed over Kallie. I was anxious to see the 3 week old puppies.
We completed our 27 day journey in Vietnam....However, we did have some activities still on our "to do " list. We did not see the Cycle Cafe, we did not get a second motorbike ride, Allison did not get to see Sappa or Hoi An (city in middle of Vietnam) which resembles Europe. I should have picked up a few more souvenirs. It is hard to decide how many to bring back. We also did not get a traffic picture to our liking...maybe only the people experience it can get the full effect. Lastly, I am waiting till now to mention this becasue I did not our friends to worry. I noticed many fire extinguishers. Initially it made me feel comfortable in a place where safety standards are not similar to the US. The next day I realized there was no sprinkler system in our 6 sory hotel, only hand opperated fire extinguishers.
Thursday, I started cleaning the house the way I like it done. I also went to the grocery store. Poor Claire and Randy had bearly any food. I should cut them abreak. They were busy building a fence for the puppies and taking cared of them. They are really cut now!!! Give us a call if you would like to come and see than. Call any time!!
More to come.
7.22.2010
7.20.2010
Last Day
We enjoyed one final, lovely day in the bustling city of Hanoi. After lunch, mom and I took a motorbike to the Vietcom Tower. It was an even better mall than the one that we have close to the lake! There were 6 stories - whoa! We went up to the Movieplex Cinema on the 6th floor. Knight and Day, The Karate Kid, and Eclipse were playing. We ended up seeing Knight and Day for 70,000 dong ($3.50!). The price sure beats prices in the states! I really don't know how long it's been since I've actually seen a movie in the U.S. just because they're so darn expensive. The movie theater itself was similar to ours...there were two popcorn stands (one for sweet, one for salty) and a little coffee cafe. I was surprised that our seats were assigned in the theater; however, other than that, everything was normal. The movie was in English and there were Vietnamese subtitles at the bottom. All in all, it was a nice little cultural experience! We grabbed a bite to eat afterwards and then wandered back to the Old Quarter.
I'm hoping to get some pictures of the lake all lit up before we leave for the airport at 8:30. I also need to pick up some Hello Panda's to bring home. They're biscuits with chocolate inside and they are AMAZING. I can't imagine my life without them, so I'm hoping to find some at the Asian mart back in good old Exton, PA. Ok - that's a wrap! We'll do another post once we get home with a bunch of random pictures that haven't quite made it up on the blog. Thanks for following our adventures! :)
Goodbye, Vietnam.
7.19.2010
Allison and I have different plans today
Allison went to the Perfume Pagoda on a tour today. She will write about it, but i will tell you how it got its name....I have been very curious...Years ago lots of insence was burned there all the time.
So I just relaxed this morning...even took a morning nap. This traveling and heat makes a person tired. At lunch time I went back to the Best Burger in South East Asia place. It is owned by a man from New Mexico. I had a wonderful burger and salad. The tomatoes and cucumbers and special dressing were wonderful.
Next I had control of the map so I set off for our first Guest house. I found it without getting lost. They were so happy to see me. They really were very hospitable. She offered me water and then tea. She was not busy so we talked. I asked her about her perceptions of USA. She has no hard feelings. I asked her what her parents thought and she said they said the 60's and 70's were a difficult time. She is only 23 years old. I was in highschool when the war finally ended, and as a teen I did not pay much attention to it, but I know other American were very upset about what was happening.
Next I got my map out again and headed out for Hai Lo prison, where many American pilots and John McCain were held hostage. The streets are not symetrical here and all the street names sound similar and change every 4 blocks or so. I found it!! without getting lost!!! I felt nervous to go in. It cost $0.50. Not many other people were going in. Naturally there was not much to see, it was a prison....I felt odd the whole time I was in there. I was thinking of American being there for years. They did have a picture of John McCain visiting it in 2000. There was also a picture of Clinton and Bush visting Vietnam leaders. The one room that really moved me was one specific to the American Air Pilots that were shot down. They had lots of pictures of their final release in Feb 1973 or 1974. I just could not imagine. Apparently John McCain was here for 5 1/2 years. Hard to imagine.
I also passed the local hospital. I am sure glad I did not need to visit it. I saw open windows and white lab coats drying on a clothes line. There was a big sign by the street with about 32 gorey pictures of limbs that needed surgical repair. It was advertising that they do a good job there. It was not a sign we would see in the USA. The outside of the building was yellow, the color used for important buildings in Vietnam. Glad they have one, but it did not look inviting to me.
I found my way back to the hotel after finding my way back to Hoan Kiem Lake. We need to put up some pics of the lake. It is quite pretty in the middle of all this traffic. DID YOU SEE THE PIC of me at Mai Chao standing in the street with a mountain behind me AND I was carrying a 1500ml and 500 ml water bottle. I was happy to see bottled water is easily available, even though it cost $0.50 for a large (1.5L) water bottle. We have also eaten lots of local food, even though we were advised not to. Not sure why we went to the travel clinic, the typhoid shot was the only advice I am following. I got sick on the anti malaria med, and Mai Chau was just on the border of affected areas. Allison is taking it becasue she wanted to go to remote Sapa.
Al will post about Perfume Pagoda. Tomorrow we leave at 11:30 pm...that is 12:30 pm on Tues for USA. I am starting my personal fairwell to Vietnam. It has been a good adventure.
So I just relaxed this morning...even took a morning nap. This traveling and heat makes a person tired. At lunch time I went back to the Best Burger in South East Asia place. It is owned by a man from New Mexico. I had a wonderful burger and salad. The tomatoes and cucumbers and special dressing were wonderful.
Next I had control of the map so I set off for our first Guest house. I found it without getting lost. They were so happy to see me. They really were very hospitable. She offered me water and then tea. She was not busy so we talked. I asked her about her perceptions of USA. She has no hard feelings. I asked her what her parents thought and she said they said the 60's and 70's were a difficult time. She is only 23 years old. I was in highschool when the war finally ended, and as a teen I did not pay much attention to it, but I know other American were very upset about what was happening.
Next I got my map out again and headed out for Hai Lo prison, where many American pilots and John McCain were held hostage. The streets are not symetrical here and all the street names sound similar and change every 4 blocks or so. I found it!! without getting lost!!! I felt nervous to go in. It cost $0.50. Not many other people were going in. Naturally there was not much to see, it was a prison....I felt odd the whole time I was in there. I was thinking of American being there for years. They did have a picture of John McCain visiting it in 2000. There was also a picture of Clinton and Bush visting Vietnam leaders. The one room that really moved me was one specific to the American Air Pilots that were shot down. They had lots of pictures of their final release in Feb 1973 or 1974. I just could not imagine. Apparently John McCain was here for 5 1/2 years. Hard to imagine.
I also passed the local hospital. I am sure glad I did not need to visit it. I saw open windows and white lab coats drying on a clothes line. There was a big sign by the street with about 32 gorey pictures of limbs that needed surgical repair. It was advertising that they do a good job there. It was not a sign we would see in the USA. The outside of the building was yellow, the color used for important buildings in Vietnam. Glad they have one, but it did not look inviting to me.
I found my way back to the hotel after finding my way back to Hoan Kiem Lake. We need to put up some pics of the lake. It is quite pretty in the middle of all this traffic. DID YOU SEE THE PIC of me at Mai Chao standing in the street with a mountain behind me AND I was carrying a 1500ml and 500 ml water bottle. I was happy to see bottled water is easily available, even though it cost $0.50 for a large (1.5L) water bottle. We have also eaten lots of local food, even though we were advised not to. Not sure why we went to the travel clinic, the typhoid shot was the only advice I am following. I got sick on the anti malaria med, and Mai Chau was just on the border of affected areas. Allison is taking it becasue she wanted to go to remote Sapa.
Al will post about Perfume Pagoda. Tomorrow we leave at 11:30 pm...that is 12:30 pm on Tues for USA. I am starting my personal fairwell to Vietnam. It has been a good adventure.
7.18.2010
Updates
We finally had the chance to upload pics to old posts (Mai Chau and more)…scroll back through to check them out! Only 2 more days to check everything off our Vietnam to-do list…
FYI - There’s a small section about volunteering in the Southeast Asia Lonely Planet…and guess what one of the recommendations is?! You got it, Friendship Village. It’s a bigger deal than we realized! If you want to find out more info, check out their link: http://www.vietnamfriendship.org/ (seems a little outdated…)
FYI - There’s a small section about volunteering in the Southeast Asia Lonely Planet…and guess what one of the recommendations is?! You got it, Friendship Village. It’s a bigger deal than we realized! If you want to find out more info, check out their link: http://www.vietnamfriendship.org/ (seems a little outdated…)
Sunday-day after the tropical storm
You will be happy to know the storm was a bust here in Hanoi. It did hit the coast really really hard. All of the Ha Long Bay trips were cancelled this weekend. We only got winds and a little rain. Apparently we still have chance of thunderstorms for the next few days.
We got up this morning and I chatted with Randy, Claire and Gma on gmail. We also saw more videos of the pups. Randy has now built a 8ft x 8ft wodden playpen in the basement for them. They are climbing out of the whelping box regularly. They were born June 25 so I think that makes them 2 1/2 weeks old now. Their eyes did not open until day 10 0r 11. They are really cute. Claire has some nice pictures on Facebook. We wish we could be there. We will be there in a few days. We leave here Tues July 20 and fly into Newark July 21 about 3:30pm
Today Allison and I ventured out to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. We had seen it on the second day with a mini bus supplied city tour; however, we did not get to see his body. It was closed to visitiation on Mondays and Fridays. We walked about 45 minutes with our map and newly found Vietnam street crossing skills. We successfully crossed many intersections on foot!!! It is still humid, so we were tired till we got there. We had to go through security and they took my water bottle, flashlight from my purse, and Allison's camera. The line actually went very quickly. We walked along the outside and up into the mausoleum. We were not sure what to expect. We passed many guards with some sort of long weapon. I did not want to look too close. One must be properly dressed to enter the musoleum. We both had on skirts to our knees and I had a jacket to cover my shoulders. Allison had a sleeved T-shirt. The guards pulled an 8 year old boy and his mom out of line in front of us. I am not exactly sure why, but it may be becasue his shorts were not quite to his knees or his sandals were floppy and unsecured in the back. We walked in and around a corner and up more stairs, wondering what to expect. We entered the room where the preserved body is in a glass case so one can see him, like at a funeral viewing. The room was darkened, but a light was on inside the case on his face. We walked three sides around his body and exited, no stopping; the line was continuous. The whole process is very efficient...we were a little worried when we saw the long line outside the mausoleum as we approched. It did not take more than 10 minutes in the line outside and inside. Apparently he wanted to be creamated, so it is interesting his body continues to be on display. We did walk throgh the remainder of the palace grounds 2 weeks ago, so we did not do it again. They were pretty but not elaborate.
Next we set out for Smile Cafe. We found it in the Southeast Asia Lonely Planet book. It is a cafe that is run by disadvantaged children. Isn't that a cool idea??? It was small, like most cafes, only 4 tables. We had very good friendly service starting with a cool mint washcloth. Allison thought she was getting chocolate cheesecake, but it looked like cheesecake but was only bi colored cake. It was good. I got pumpkin and shrimp soup. They must have cooked the raw pumpkin after I ordered because it took 20 min to come, but it was very tasty. I could tell it had natural flavorings.
Next we set out for Bookworm bookstore that was also described in the lonely planet. I must compliment Allison on her map skills. We did not get lost and these streets and not all symetrical. The bookstore was disappointing, since it was only used books and not very big.
Now we are whimpy. We took a cab back to the hotel for 30,000dong-1.50$ We took a little nap and then went back to the Best Burger in Asia restaurant. Al got smoked chicken salad and I got nachos with black beans and salsa....I have been missing cheese in my meals here. I think the nachos were home made. The salsa was a bit hot for me, but it was good. Now we are back at the hotel for a mid afternoon longer siesta. Hopefully Al can get some pictures on our blog today.
We will be home soon....pupppies are missing us, and I think Randy wants some help too!! Ben is almost finished with his internship at Long Beach Island. He says it was good.
We got up this morning and I chatted with Randy, Claire and Gma on gmail. We also saw more videos of the pups. Randy has now built a 8ft x 8ft wodden playpen in the basement for them. They are climbing out of the whelping box regularly. They were born June 25 so I think that makes them 2 1/2 weeks old now. Their eyes did not open until day 10 0r 11. They are really cute. Claire has some nice pictures on Facebook. We wish we could be there. We will be there in a few days. We leave here Tues July 20 and fly into Newark July 21 about 3:30pm
Today Allison and I ventured out to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. We had seen it on the second day with a mini bus supplied city tour; however, we did not get to see his body. It was closed to visitiation on Mondays and Fridays. We walked about 45 minutes with our map and newly found Vietnam street crossing skills. We successfully crossed many intersections on foot!!! It is still humid, so we were tired till we got there. We had to go through security and they took my water bottle, flashlight from my purse, and Allison's camera. The line actually went very quickly. We walked along the outside and up into the mausoleum. We were not sure what to expect. We passed many guards with some sort of long weapon. I did not want to look too close. One must be properly dressed to enter the musoleum. We both had on skirts to our knees and I had a jacket to cover my shoulders. Allison had a sleeved T-shirt. The guards pulled an 8 year old boy and his mom out of line in front of us. I am not exactly sure why, but it may be becasue his shorts were not quite to his knees or his sandals were floppy and unsecured in the back. We walked in and around a corner and up more stairs, wondering what to expect. We entered the room where the preserved body is in a glass case so one can see him, like at a funeral viewing. The room was darkened, but a light was on inside the case on his face. We walked three sides around his body and exited, no stopping; the line was continuous. The whole process is very efficient...we were a little worried when we saw the long line outside the mausoleum as we approched. It did not take more than 10 minutes in the line outside and inside. Apparently he wanted to be creamated, so it is interesting his body continues to be on display. We did walk throgh the remainder of the palace grounds 2 weeks ago, so we did not do it again. They were pretty but not elaborate.
Next we set out for Smile Cafe. We found it in the Southeast Asia Lonely Planet book. It is a cafe that is run by disadvantaged children. Isn't that a cool idea??? It was small, like most cafes, only 4 tables. We had very good friendly service starting with a cool mint washcloth. Allison thought she was getting chocolate cheesecake, but it looked like cheesecake but was only bi colored cake. It was good. I got pumpkin and shrimp soup. They must have cooked the raw pumpkin after I ordered because it took 20 min to come, but it was very tasty. I could tell it had natural flavorings.
Next we set out for Bookworm bookstore that was also described in the lonely planet. I must compliment Allison on her map skills. We did not get lost and these streets and not all symetrical. The bookstore was disappointing, since it was only used books and not very big.
Now we are whimpy. We took a cab back to the hotel for 30,000dong-1.50$ We took a little nap and then went back to the Best Burger in Asia restaurant. Al got smoked chicken salad and I got nachos with black beans and salsa....I have been missing cheese in my meals here. I think the nachos were home made. The salsa was a bit hot for me, but it was good. Now we are back at the hotel for a mid afternoon longer siesta. Hopefully Al can get some pictures on our blog today.
We will be home soon....pupppies are missing us, and I think Randy wants some help too!! Ben is almost finished with his internship at Long Beach Island. He says it was good.
7.17.2010
Living in Luxury
Mom and I FINALLY got massages. I swear there's a gazillion massage places in Hanoi. You easily pass 10 in a 2-3 block radius. I think I got the better deal out of the two of us...Mom spent $6 for a 45 minute foot massage at a place down the street. I wandered into a place across the lake and paid $6 for an hour. The place had a much better ambiance than mom's. I actually went into another massage parlor a few doors down but there were no customers and there were only men working so I opted to try another place...There's lots of warnings in tour books and such about massages. Sometimes you get a little too much bang for your buck. Anyways, the place I went to had nice low lighting, relaxing music, and comfy leather chairs with matching ottoman and stool for the masseuse. My guy treated me well...First, I soaked my feet in one of those electric foot spa things. In the meantime, he gave me an arm/hand massage. Then, he moved on to the lower legs and feet. I was afraid I'd be too ticklish, but it was ok. I feel bad for the guy because he had to rub my hairy legs. Anyways, after that he massaged my legs a little more and then gave me a back rub, followed by a neck and head massage. I walked in expecting to simply get a foot massage, but it basically turned into a full body massage by the end! I think I'll be giving them some more business before we leave. Certainly can't beat that price/service. It was raining quite steadily when I finished up with the massage. Wearing a white t-shirt was a poor choice...Walking back to the hotel was interesting because instead of waving junky souveniors in my face, the locals were trying their best to get me to buy a poncho. They're always looking to close a deal...
On a different note, we enjoyed a laid back day. As always, there was a lot of walking. It's nice to be able to walk everywhere instead of relying on a car to get around like at home. We little shopping in the morning...mom napped in the afternoon while I got my massage...I watched two of the pirated movies we've picked up and then we headed out for dinner. Sidenote: I made friends with a woman I bought doughnuts on a stick from and another one I bought some pashminas from. They seem to get a good kick out of my attempts at speaking Vietnamese while bargaining. "Dat qua" (too expensive!) and "Zam za" (discount!) are two of my favorites. I'm also pretty good with numbers now, which comes in handy. Anyways, we ate at a place that had a set menu for dinner - BBQ chicken, spring rolls, veg, and rice for 50,000 dong ($2.50). To my surprise, they brought out a chicken wing instead of meat off the bone. I couldn't eat it...just couldn't stomach it after walking through the markets earlier and seeing all the raw meat. Gross. Mom was a cheap drunk - she started hiccuping after drinking 3/4 of a beer. All in all, the meal wasn't great...probably because I didn't have any chili sauce for the rice and veggies. I asked for it, but the guy brought out salt. The language barrier is a constant struggle...I really should have invested in a mini English-Vietnamese dictionary! We have to remember that it's our responsibility to use their language considering we're the visitors.
In other news, the storm is approaching! It was definitely a blustery day - what a relief! Although it was breezy, it was still humid. We had light rain periodically throughout the day. I think the heavy rains are close. The winds are picking up...mom and I took a lap around the lake after dinner and were surprised to see some branches down already. We're supposedly supposed to get the heaviest rain between 10pm - 1am. I'm interested to walk around tomorrow and survey the damage. Sounds like tomorrow will be a pretty rainy day...Mom and I might have to go to the movies. We can still consider it a cultural experience since we never go to the movies at home. I'm pretty sure the movies aren't dubbed, they just have subtitles for the Vietnamese people's viewing pleasure (thank goodness!).
Stay tuned for the tropical storm report...
On a different note, we enjoyed a laid back day. As always, there was a lot of walking. It's nice to be able to walk everywhere instead of relying on a car to get around like at home. We little shopping in the morning...mom napped in the afternoon while I got my massage...I watched two of the pirated movies we've picked up and then we headed out for dinner. Sidenote: I made friends with a woman I bought doughnuts on a stick from and another one I bought some pashminas from. They seem to get a good kick out of my attempts at speaking Vietnamese while bargaining. "Dat qua" (too expensive!) and "Zam za" (discount!) are two of my favorites. I'm also pretty good with numbers now, which comes in handy. Anyways, we ate at a place that had a set menu for dinner - BBQ chicken, spring rolls, veg, and rice for 50,000 dong ($2.50). To my surprise, they brought out a chicken wing instead of meat off the bone. I couldn't eat it...just couldn't stomach it after walking through the markets earlier and seeing all the raw meat. Gross. Mom was a cheap drunk - she started hiccuping after drinking 3/4 of a beer. All in all, the meal wasn't great...probably because I didn't have any chili sauce for the rice and veggies. I asked for it, but the guy brought out salt. The language barrier is a constant struggle...I really should have invested in a mini English-Vietnamese dictionary! We have to remember that it's our responsibility to use their language considering we're the visitors.
In other news, the storm is approaching! It was definitely a blustery day - what a relief! Although it was breezy, it was still humid. We had light rain periodically throughout the day. I think the heavy rains are close. The winds are picking up...mom and I took a lap around the lake after dinner and were surprised to see some branches down already. We're supposedly supposed to get the heaviest rain between 10pm - 1am. I'm interested to walk around tomorrow and survey the damage. Sounds like tomorrow will be a pretty rainy day...Mom and I might have to go to the movies. We can still consider it a cultural experience since we never go to the movies at home. I'm pretty sure the movies aren't dubbed, they just have subtitles for the Vietnamese people's viewing pleasure (thank goodness!).
Stay tuned for the tropical storm report...
Fri-Sat in Hanoi
We are finally in a hotel with air conditioning. Ally and Hannah went walking around and I stayed closer to the hotel. We met the American family here at the hotel late afternoon. They said newspeople were at Frienship Village again today. I forgot to tell you that Wed we did so much work in the organic garden, the gardener was able to take Thursday off. Friday the volunteers were putting dung on the soil and tilling it....did not smell too bad. I felt like the experienced tour guide when the American family from Chicago got here. We walked around the lake and showed them the Water Puppet Theater, Fanny's ice cream, air conditioned mall and the shoe street. I am still amazed all these little shops can stay in buisness when they sell similar things. We finally ate dinner at the Green Gecko. It was nice to exchange stories. They actually treated us. How very kind of them.
Sat we woke up after another nice night sleep. Oh, \i for got to tell you we moved our room from 502 on the 6th floor to 302. Let me give you a brief lesson on Vietnam architecture. All the buildings are very thin. Our hotel has only 3 rooms per floor and the 1st floor is the 2nd floor. The point is when we were in room 502, we had to walk up 6 flights of stairs with outside humid air into our airconditioned room. We got the room switched Friday to the third floor, thank goodness. I have survived the adventure so far, I do not want anything silly to happen now.
Sat morning I came down to the lobby and heard the news that a typhoon was going to hit Northern Vietnam this evening. Allison had an overnight sleepertrain scheduled to take her to a special ethnic village in nothern Vietnam. The train ride is 12 hrs. The typhoon was down graded to a tropical storm. She does not want to loose her money for the trip, but it seems kinda silly to travel to a remote area of Vietnam with tropical storm winds and rains. What if land erosion causes problems with the train track. Reluctantly, she just left to canel her trip and get 50% back. I also bribed her with a special purchae here too. Actually she was waiting to see if they would cancel so she could get all her money back....tough decisions for some......now she has to go back at 7 pm when the manager is there....some things just are not easy.
Today we walked around and did some souvenir shopping. We went to the supermarket in the mall and bought some snacks to tide us through the storm, if we may need them. The weather is actually pretty nice with the breeze...I just wonder how bad it will be..... We bought Ritz crackers, peanutbutter, raisin bread, hot sauce to bring home,and something else for 100,000dong- 5 $ Another saying in Vietnam is everyone is a millionaire. 1,000,000dong is 50$. I have to be careful with my money. Al is also getting annoyed with being a tourist and being charged more. I can not let it upset me.
Allison will add more. We are just relaxing a bit now....I think we earned it. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers for our safe return after the tropical storm. I am not sure how to interpert weather forecast....if we read it on weather.com in Vietnam, is it American time or Vietnam time.?
Sat we woke up after another nice night sleep. Oh, \i for got to tell you we moved our room from 502 on the 6th floor to 302. Let me give you a brief lesson on Vietnam architecture. All the buildings are very thin. Our hotel has only 3 rooms per floor and the 1st floor is the 2nd floor. The point is when we were in room 502, we had to walk up 6 flights of stairs with outside humid air into our airconditioned room. We got the room switched Friday to the third floor, thank goodness. I have survived the adventure so far, I do not want anything silly to happen now.
Sat morning I came down to the lobby and heard the news that a typhoon was going to hit Northern Vietnam this evening. Allison had an overnight sleepertrain scheduled to take her to a special ethnic village in nothern Vietnam. The train ride is 12 hrs. The typhoon was down graded to a tropical storm. She does not want to loose her money for the trip, but it seems kinda silly to travel to a remote area of Vietnam with tropical storm winds and rains. What if land erosion causes problems with the train track. Reluctantly, she just left to canel her trip and get 50% back. I also bribed her with a special purchae here too. Actually she was waiting to see if they would cancel so she could get all her money back....tough decisions for some......now she has to go back at 7 pm when the manager is there....some things just are not easy.
Today we walked around and did some souvenir shopping. We went to the supermarket in the mall and bought some snacks to tide us through the storm, if we may need them. The weather is actually pretty nice with the breeze...I just wonder how bad it will be..... We bought Ritz crackers, peanutbutter, raisin bread, hot sauce to bring home,and something else for 100,000dong- 5 $ Another saying in Vietnam is everyone is a millionaire. 1,000,000dong is 50$. I have to be careful with my money. Al is also getting annoyed with being a tourist and being charged more. I can not let it upset me.
Allison will add more. We are just relaxing a bit now....I think we earned it. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers for our safe return after the tropical storm. I am not sure how to interpert weather forecast....if we read it on weather.com in Vietnam, is it American time or Vietnam time.?
7.15.2010
Time to Retire the Facemask
We're officially finished with our volunteer efforts at Friendship Village. No navigating between potsholes on dusty streets alongside cars, trucks, motorbikes, and animals on the way to work. No more playing with the kids. No more therapy in the clinic. No more gardening.
As always, we had a fun day at Friendship Village. I started a mini-spa day for the girls yesterday and it seemed to catch on fast - almost all of them have pink or blue fingernails and toenails now! While mom spent most of her time in classroom 1 (lowest-level functioning kids), I split my time between that class and the third class (highest functioning kids) while not in the clinic. I was really starting to enjoy helping them with handwriting and arithmatic. I almost have numbers 1-10 down in Vietnamese! 7, 8, and 9 are still tough, though...Instead of copying handouts, the teacher simply writes problems or assignments for the kids in notebooks. The kids seemed to respond well to positive encouragement and having someone watch over them as they did their work. The teacher in the third class seemed to be the most hands-on with the kids. They definitely get a lot of instructional time, even in the summer. She sits at a table with all of them and barks out orders/hits the table with a ruler to keep them in line. It's kind of entertaining. It seemed like she appreciated having an extra hand...All in all, volunteering has been a wonderful experience. We felt a little lost/not needed at first, but got more comfortable as time went on. I think we're leaving at the right time - if we stayed any longer, I know I'd start to get too attached to the kids!
We had a delicious final meal before leaving Peace House this afternoon. There was rice (obviously), pork balls (not meatballs), fried battered prawn, sitr-fried morning glory, carrots/onions/beef, and watermelon. As always, I mixed everything together and covered it in chili sauce! Mmm! Although the home-cooked meals were wonderful, I'm looking forward to switching it up a bit.
Mom, Hannah, and I arrived at the Rising Dragon Hotel around 2PM. We have a tub...and a shower curtain!!! That's a first! It's a lovely hotel and about the same price as the others ($22/night for a double including buffet breakfast). We spent some time walking around the city this afternoon and made a pit stop at a new, trendy ice cream shop. Then, we proceeded to sample some dough balls from a woman on the street. I've been eyeing them up since we got here, so it was time. She gave each of us one to try and it was yummy! I've been craving baked goods...I already put in my request for chocolate cheesecake upon return home. Claire better pull through for me...
As always, we had a fun day at Friendship Village. I started a mini-spa day for the girls yesterday and it seemed to catch on fast - almost all of them have pink or blue fingernails and toenails now! While mom spent most of her time in classroom 1 (lowest-level functioning kids), I split my time between that class and the third class (highest functioning kids) while not in the clinic. I was really starting to enjoy helping them with handwriting and arithmatic. I almost have numbers 1-10 down in Vietnamese! 7, 8, and 9 are still tough, though...Instead of copying handouts, the teacher simply writes problems or assignments for the kids in notebooks. The kids seemed to respond well to positive encouragement and having someone watch over them as they did their work. The teacher in the third class seemed to be the most hands-on with the kids. They definitely get a lot of instructional time, even in the summer. She sits at a table with all of them and barks out orders/hits the table with a ruler to keep them in line. It's kind of entertaining. It seemed like she appreciated having an extra hand...All in all, volunteering has been a wonderful experience. We felt a little lost/not needed at first, but got more comfortable as time went on. I think we're leaving at the right time - if we stayed any longer, I know I'd start to get too attached to the kids!
We had a delicious final meal before leaving Peace House this afternoon. There was rice (obviously), pork balls (not meatballs), fried battered prawn, sitr-fried morning glory, carrots/onions/beef, and watermelon. As always, I mixed everything together and covered it in chili sauce! Mmm! Although the home-cooked meals were wonderful, I'm looking forward to switching it up a bit.
Mom, Hannah, and I arrived at the Rising Dragon Hotel around 2PM. We have a tub...and a shower curtain!!! That's a first! It's a lovely hotel and about the same price as the others ($22/night for a double including buffet breakfast). We spent some time walking around the city this afternoon and made a pit stop at a new, trendy ice cream shop. Then, we proceeded to sample some dough balls from a woman on the street. I've been eyeing them up since we got here, so it was time. She gave each of us one to try and it was yummy! I've been craving baked goods...I already put in my request for chocolate cheesecake upon return home. Claire better pull through for me...
New Volunteers Arriving
Hi everyone,
Tomorrow is our official last day. Today new volunteers started arriving. I thought we would have to rearrange our room to accomodate them, but apparently we are in the work camp room. In our room it is only Ally, Hannah from Australia, and I with 5 bunk beds. It is better than 5 in a room. The new volunteers look like deer in the headlight. I wonder if we were that quiet. Most of these volunteers are from England and France and one from Japan. The one from Japan is finishing her degree in child developement from Univ of Texas..go figure.
I finally got the laminated pictures of many of the children at Friendship Village from the local print shop. It cost 90,000dong for about 20 laminated pics...that is almost 5$. This money exchange is crazy. My plan is to put the pics on construction paper with their name, age, and activity likes. Actually the teacher helped me this afternoon. She wrote the activity likes in Vietnamese and English...I think because we worked on it together she liked it. I do not know what she did with the poster I made with colored paper with the colors written in English and Vietnamese. The children in classroom 1 can talk, but they do not talk very often.
Did I tell you we met a family from Chicago at Friendship Village. They saw a documentary on it and the parents wanted to bring their 16 and 18 year old children. The mother is actually Chinese, but grew up in Malaysia. I really enjoyed talking to other adults. They will stay at the same hotel as me so I can be their "experienced tour guide of the Old Quarter, Hanoi".
I can't believe I am actually feeling comfortable riding my bike to and from Friendship Village twice a day with all the construction trucks, taxis, motor bikes and local bikes...and the many pot holes and beeping vehicles. I will miss this place but I also think it is time for us to move on. Ally received and email from her Dean, at Ithaca, asking if anyone was interested in volunteering in Vietnam or the Philipinnes. I guess he would like to set up an official internship....well, she responded and said she was here!! How cool would that be if he could set up something official with Friendship Village..they do have air conditioned housing on the premise.
We had our evalutaion today and received a nice certificate of participation and "effectively contributing" to Friendship Village. I really want to check this place out on line. One of the war veterans wanted a copy of a picture I took of him and his buddies. I guess I will try to mail more pics to them...what a humaitarian place this is.
Tomorrow is our official last day. Today new volunteers started arriving. I thought we would have to rearrange our room to accomodate them, but apparently we are in the work camp room. In our room it is only Ally, Hannah from Australia, and I with 5 bunk beds. It is better than 5 in a room. The new volunteers look like deer in the headlight. I wonder if we were that quiet. Most of these volunteers are from England and France and one from Japan. The one from Japan is finishing her degree in child developement from Univ of Texas..go figure.
I finally got the laminated pictures of many of the children at Friendship Village from the local print shop. It cost 90,000dong for about 20 laminated pics...that is almost 5$. This money exchange is crazy. My plan is to put the pics on construction paper with their name, age, and activity likes. Actually the teacher helped me this afternoon. She wrote the activity likes in Vietnamese and English...I think because we worked on it together she liked it. I do not know what she did with the poster I made with colored paper with the colors written in English and Vietnamese. The children in classroom 1 can talk, but they do not talk very often.
Did I tell you we met a family from Chicago at Friendship Village. They saw a documentary on it and the parents wanted to bring their 16 and 18 year old children. The mother is actually Chinese, but grew up in Malaysia. I really enjoyed talking to other adults. They will stay at the same hotel as me so I can be their "experienced tour guide of the Old Quarter, Hanoi".
I can't believe I am actually feeling comfortable riding my bike to and from Friendship Village twice a day with all the construction trucks, taxis, motor bikes and local bikes...and the many pot holes and beeping vehicles. I will miss this place but I also think it is time for us to move on. Ally received and email from her Dean, at Ithaca, asking if anyone was interested in volunteering in Vietnam or the Philipinnes. I guess he would like to set up an official internship....well, she responded and said she was here!! How cool would that be if he could set up something official with Friendship Village..they do have air conditioned housing on the premise.
We had our evalutaion today and received a nice certificate of participation and "effectively contributing" to Friendship Village. I really want to check this place out on line. One of the war veterans wanted a copy of a picture I took of him and his buddies. I guess I will try to mail more pics to them...what a humaitarian place this is.
7.12.2010
Tuesday - Rain Day!
Hi,
We slept much better last night because it cooled to 87 degrees. We woke to pouring rain and thunder 7-9 am. I guess this is the rainy season. Who needs snow days when you can have rain days? Apparently it pours like this every 2-3 days in the peak of rainy season. There is no way we could ride our bicycles to Friendship Village. Someone else left early on a motor bike and said the houses were flooded with 2 feet of water. The classrooms were o.k. because they are higher, but only a few kids there. I guess we will try to ride this afternoon, we will see how full the potholes are with water.
It is hard having so much time and not doing something specific. I need to just enjoy the moments.
We met a family from Chicago at the Village yesterday. They saw a documentary on it and came to visit. The mom is from Malaysia. I will have to look for the documentary when we get home. It was nice to talk to another adult in English.
We attempted to go to work this afternoon; however, the kids were housebound due to the flooding! Some were playing a bit in the water, but others were just cooped up in their houses.
We slept much better last night because it cooled to 87 degrees. We woke to pouring rain and thunder 7-9 am. I guess this is the rainy season. Who needs snow days when you can have rain days? Apparently it pours like this every 2-3 days in the peak of rainy season. There is no way we could ride our bicycles to Friendship Village. Someone else left early on a motor bike and said the houses were flooded with 2 feet of water. The classrooms were o.k. because they are higher, but only a few kids there. I guess we will try to ride this afternoon, we will see how full the potholes are with water.
It is hard having so much time and not doing something specific. I need to just enjoy the moments.
We met a family from Chicago at the Village yesterday. They saw a documentary on it and came to visit. The mom is from Malaysia. I will have to look for the documentary when we get home. It was nice to talk to another adult in English.
We attempted to go to work this afternoon; however, the kids were housebound due to the flooding! Some were playing a bit in the water, but others were just cooped up in their houses.
Sweet Escape - Mai Chau - Part 2
We had a basic breakfast in the morning – fried egg (super buttery and salty), baguette, and a mini banana. Breakfast was followed by a trip to the Sunday market. Village people came from near and far to sell their goods.
Markets in Vietnam are like open-air Wal-Marts. They have stands selling office supplies, clothes, medicine, food, hardware, etc! The fact that they don’t refrigerate meat is really starting to get to me. The meat is fresh – there’s no doubt about that – but I don’t care for the way they display the chickens with legs still attached and pigs feet…We saw all the live animals (birds, chickens, pigs, etc.) outside and all the dead ones inside the market. Seeing that is enough to make someone want to be a vegetarian! I’ll admit, mom and I hardly ate any meat on that trip. Yuck. The guide invited us to enjoy a cup of the “best” Vietnamese coffee in a “coffee shop” in the market. The shop was basically a table tucked in the back with a few chairs around it. I’m not a coffee drinker; however, I did enjoy I t! The coffee itself is very strong – like espresso. They mixed in some sweet milk, which made it taste almost like hot chocolate.
After the market, we trekked through more rice paddies to another village. I was trying to juggle taking pictures and writing down facts…I ended up slipping and the first thing out of my mouth was “Oh shit.” Well, oh shit, indeed. I stepped in a nice, fresh pile of buffalo poo! Mmm. We returned to our village and had a bit of time before lunch so I decided to go out for another walk. It was so nice to be by myself – I’ve been around people constantly on this trip! I walked to another nearby village and actually bumped into our guide. He directed me toward a clean, cool watering hole. I ended up bumping into a bunch of mountain goats on the way, so I decided to turn around.
We enjoyed a final meal in the village before heading back to Hanoi…Here’s a few more random cultural facts… There’s 1 million Thai people in Vietnam near the Laos/China borders. White Thai people stay in the valley by the fertile soil; however, Black Thai typically inhabit land in higher elevations. According to our guide, women farm and cook. Men do more “important” things like work in the office or construction. I was surprised to find out it’s rare to see men in the rice paddies – seems like it would be the opposite in the U.S. It takes 3 months to grow/harvest a rice crop. They take off one month between each crop for refertilization. One more thing – older women have black teeth because it used to be customary that they had a ceremony when they turned 13 to make their teeth black. From then on, they eat a certain nut every day to maintain the color.
Markets in Vietnam are like open-air Wal-Marts. They have stands selling office supplies, clothes, medicine, food, hardware, etc! The fact that they don’t refrigerate meat is really starting to get to me. The meat is fresh – there’s no doubt about that – but I don’t care for the way they display the chickens with legs still attached and pigs feet…We saw all the live animals (birds, chickens, pigs, etc.) outside and all the dead ones inside the market. Seeing that is enough to make someone want to be a vegetarian! I’ll admit, mom and I hardly ate any meat on that trip. Yuck. The guide invited us to enjoy a cup of the “best” Vietnamese coffee in a “coffee shop” in the market. The shop was basically a table tucked in the back with a few chairs around it. I’m not a coffee drinker; however, I did enjoy I t! The coffee itself is very strong – like espresso. They mixed in some sweet milk, which made it taste almost like hot chocolate.
After the market, we trekked through more rice paddies to another village. I was trying to juggle taking pictures and writing down facts…I ended up slipping and the first thing out of my mouth was “Oh shit.” Well, oh shit, indeed. I stepped in a nice, fresh pile of buffalo poo! Mmm. We returned to our village and had a bit of time before lunch so I decided to go out for another walk. It was so nice to be by myself – I’ve been around people constantly on this trip! I walked to another nearby village and actually bumped into our guide. He directed me toward a clean, cool watering hole. I ended up bumping into a bunch of mountain goats on the way, so I decided to turn around.
We enjoyed a final meal in the village before heading back to Hanoi…Here’s a few more random cultural facts… There’s 1 million Thai people in Vietnam near the Laos/China borders. White Thai people stay in the valley by the fertile soil; however, Black Thai typically inhabit land in higher elevations. According to our guide, women farm and cook. Men do more “important” things like work in the office or construction. I was surprised to find out it’s rare to see men in the rice paddies – seems like it would be the opposite in the U.S. It takes 3 months to grow/harvest a rice crop. They take off one month between each crop for refertilization. One more thing – older women have black teeth because it used to be customary that they had a ceremony when they turned 13 to make their teeth black. From then on, they eat a certain nut every day to maintain the color.
Sweet Escape - Mai Chau
Mom and I found a phone to make international calls! I’ve been trying to track down a pre-paid international phone card for a few days, but I’ve had no success. We paid 5,000 dong/minute ($0.25/minute). I got to chat with Branny-boo and we both talked to dad for a hot second before departing for Mai Chau.
Two Chinese guys from Peace House were on the tour along with a young girl from Belgium and some Vietnamese people. It took about 4 hours to get to Mai Chau. There were two little kids (7mo, 2 years) on the trip and neither of them were in a car seat! The little boy sitting behind me enjoyed touching my blonde hair, haha. The air-conditioning broke on the way and even though they fixed it, it didn’t work when we went uphill. We were in quite the classy van, haha.
The drive was gorgeous – we saw blue skies, mountains, and no haze! We passed a few H’mong villages along the way. They’re known for growing green tea, sugar cane, and oranges. Going to Mai Chau was such a breath of fresh air. It was such a relief to escape the heat and congestion of the city.
Upon arrival in the village, we enjoyed a traditional White Thai lunch. Afterwards, we explore the streets and went to one of the stilt houses, our accommodation for the evening. The hill tribe people all live in stilt houses made of lumber and bamboo. Bamboo is important to village people throughout their lifespan. A bamboo knife is used to cut the umbilical cord at birth. Then, they all grow up to live in bamboo houses. Although the floor is made up of thin bamboo leave atop wooden panels, it can supposedly hold up to 20 people dancing! I was surprised that all of the houses were supplied with electricity. They had TVs; however, I didn’t see any computers. It’s standard for people to take their shoes off before entering the house. Stilt houses are practical because they offer good ventilation, protection from wild animals, and prevent flooding in the living quarters.
We spent a few hours in the stilt house to escape the afternoon heat. They laid out thin bamboo mats for us to rest on. At around 3:45, we headed out for our trek. The guide told us that we would go with a guide who spoke basic English and we’d be trekking for about an hour. To our surprise, we went on a 3.25 hour hike with a guide who didn’t speak a lick of English! Mom was not pleased, to say the least. The terrain got pretty rugged; however, it was a great hike and absolutely gorgeous! We walked through rice paddies, past village houses tucked up in the woods, and climbed to the top of a peak. Mom took frequent breaks. At one point, she was lying on the ground. She tried to refuse to go further, but I wasn’t trying to get stuck in the jungle as the sun was going down…My favorite part was when she sat down and suddenly 3 cattle (1 with big horns) came around the corner on the trail. She moved pretty darn fast after that! We walked right along with the animals! I thought it was interesting that the hill tribe peoples let their animals (dogs, chickens, cattle, etc.) just wander around. In the U.S., we keep ours confined to designated areas. Anyways, I was totally in my element. This trip was the perfect weekend retreat! It was physical, yet relaxing. I enjoyed discovering the culture of the hill tribe people!
We returned to the village for dinner. Our guide disappeared soon after – I have to admit that though the trip was great, the tour wasn’t very organized. I think it’s partially just the Vietnamese way…they don’t give you enough details and structure. We wandered down the street to listen to music and watch the dancers perform for another tour group. Later, we stumbled upon a performance on the top floor of a house. Though it was a private party, one of the drunk guys spotted us outside and invited us in. I got a kick out of watching these men (wasted, of course) attempt to dance. They weren’t very coordinated when it came to following a beat and hopping over bamboo sticks. It was definitely entertaining! At the end, they invited us up to dance. I decided to go for it – why not, huh?!
Afterwards, they motioned for us to join them in the middle of the room. They were all gathered around a pot with long sticks coming out of it. We had no idea what it was and whether you were supposed to smoke out of the sticks or drink from them. Turns out it was rice wine – a mix of fermented grain and water.
Most of the villages have a communal bathroom in the middle – women shower inside and men shower outside. They also use this area for washing clothes. We took our showers, then headed back to the house for bed. They rolled out a sleeping mat for each of us, complete with a malaria net hanging from above! Sleeping in the stilt house was much better than Peace House. It was about 87-89 degrees – ah, relief! However, the power cut out for about half an hour in the middle of the night and it was stifling hot and humid! Aside from that, we got a decent night’s sleep on the floor!
Two Chinese guys from Peace House were on the tour along with a young girl from Belgium and some Vietnamese people. It took about 4 hours to get to Mai Chau. There were two little kids (7mo, 2 years) on the trip and neither of them were in a car seat! The little boy sitting behind me enjoyed touching my blonde hair, haha. The air-conditioning broke on the way and even though they fixed it, it didn’t work when we went uphill. We were in quite the classy van, haha.
The drive was gorgeous – we saw blue skies, mountains, and no haze! We passed a few H’mong villages along the way. They’re known for growing green tea, sugar cane, and oranges. Going to Mai Chau was such a breath of fresh air. It was such a relief to escape the heat and congestion of the city.
Upon arrival in the village, we enjoyed a traditional White Thai lunch. Afterwards, we explore the streets and went to one of the stilt houses, our accommodation for the evening. The hill tribe people all live in stilt houses made of lumber and bamboo. Bamboo is important to village people throughout their lifespan. A bamboo knife is used to cut the umbilical cord at birth. Then, they all grow up to live in bamboo houses. Although the floor is made up of thin bamboo leave atop wooden panels, it can supposedly hold up to 20 people dancing! I was surprised that all of the houses were supplied with electricity. They had TVs; however, I didn’t see any computers. It’s standard for people to take their shoes off before entering the house. Stilt houses are practical because they offer good ventilation, protection from wild animals, and prevent flooding in the living quarters.
We spent a few hours in the stilt house to escape the afternoon heat. They laid out thin bamboo mats for us to rest on. At around 3:45, we headed out for our trek. The guide told us that we would go with a guide who spoke basic English and we’d be trekking for about an hour. To our surprise, we went on a 3.25 hour hike with a guide who didn’t speak a lick of English! Mom was not pleased, to say the least. The terrain got pretty rugged; however, it was a great hike and absolutely gorgeous! We walked through rice paddies, past village houses tucked up in the woods, and climbed to the top of a peak. Mom took frequent breaks. At one point, she was lying on the ground. She tried to refuse to go further, but I wasn’t trying to get stuck in the jungle as the sun was going down…My favorite part was when she sat down and suddenly 3 cattle (1 with big horns) came around the corner on the trail. She moved pretty darn fast after that! We walked right along with the animals! I thought it was interesting that the hill tribe peoples let their animals (dogs, chickens, cattle, etc.) just wander around. In the U.S., we keep ours confined to designated areas. Anyways, I was totally in my element. This trip was the perfect weekend retreat! It was physical, yet relaxing. I enjoyed discovering the culture of the hill tribe people!
We returned to the village for dinner. Our guide disappeared soon after – I have to admit that though the trip was great, the tour wasn’t very organized. I think it’s partially just the Vietnamese way…they don’t give you enough details and structure. We wandered down the street to listen to music and watch the dancers perform for another tour group. Later, we stumbled upon a performance on the top floor of a house. Though it was a private party, one of the drunk guys spotted us outside and invited us in. I got a kick out of watching these men (wasted, of course) attempt to dance. They weren’t very coordinated when it came to following a beat and hopping over bamboo sticks. It was definitely entertaining! At the end, they invited us up to dance. I decided to go for it – why not, huh?!
Afterwards, they motioned for us to join them in the middle of the room. They were all gathered around a pot with long sticks coming out of it. We had no idea what it was and whether you were supposed to smoke out of the sticks or drink from them. Turns out it was rice wine – a mix of fermented grain and water.
Most of the villages have a communal bathroom in the middle – women shower inside and men shower outside. They also use this area for washing clothes. We took our showers, then headed back to the house for bed. They rolled out a sleeping mat for each of us, complete with a malaria net hanging from above! Sleeping in the stilt house was much better than Peace House. It was about 87-89 degrees – ah, relief! However, the power cut out for about half an hour in the middle of the night and it was stifling hot and humid! Aside from that, we got a decent night’s sleep on the floor!
Getting into the routine...
I started out the morning in the garden – it’s becoming my routine. We harvested some morning glory, then tore out the rest of the crop because bugs had gotten to it. It’s amazing how the gardener covers up to avoid sun. I’m slick with sweat in a tank top and shorts while the gardener works in pants, long sleeves, a face mask, hat, and boots! The Vietnamese people definitely take extreme measures to protect their skin from the sun despite the sweltering heat.
I split my time between the clinic and classrooms for the rest of the day. The kids at Friendship Village are just like any other kids – they crave love, fun, and attention! We were caught by surprise at the end of the day. All the kids started cleaning up the classrooms, washing down the furniture, and weeding the gardens. It was so great to see them show responsibility and exercise independence. Everyone was busy doing a job in preparation for a mysterious Saturday event.
After work, we headed straight into Hanoi. Maya, Laura, mom and I ate at the Gecko Restaurant for dinner. We’re becoming regulars there…the chef recognized us from the cooking class. All the people there are so friendly! I opted for Vietnamese food, but avoided rice since we have it at every meal. I had a great dish with veggies and rice noodles. Mom and I stayed at the Sunshine 3 Hotel again in the Old Quarter. Our room didn’t have a tub this time. However, the complimentary fruit was delicious. I love the mango!
On another note – we both started our malaria meds. I took mine after dinner and was doubled over in pain in the middle of the night. I guess I didn’t have enough food with it or something? I’ve been on doxycyline (spelling?) before for acne and don’t remember having this reaction. Luckily, I’ve been fine ever since. Whew!
I split my time between the clinic and classrooms for the rest of the day. The kids at Friendship Village are just like any other kids – they crave love, fun, and attention! We were caught by surprise at the end of the day. All the kids started cleaning up the classrooms, washing down the furniture, and weeding the gardens. It was so great to see them show responsibility and exercise independence. Everyone was busy doing a job in preparation for a mysterious Saturday event.
After work, we headed straight into Hanoi. Maya, Laura, mom and I ate at the Gecko Restaurant for dinner. We’re becoming regulars there…the chef recognized us from the cooking class. All the people there are so friendly! I opted for Vietnamese food, but avoided rice since we have it at every meal. I had a great dish with veggies and rice noodles. Mom and I stayed at the Sunshine 3 Hotel again in the Old Quarter. Our room didn’t have a tub this time. However, the complimentary fruit was delicious. I love the mango!
On another note – we both started our malaria meds. I took mine after dinner and was doubled over in pain in the middle of the night. I guess I didn’t have enough food with it or something? I’ve been on doxycyline (spelling?) before for acne and don’t remember having this reaction. Luckily, I’ve been fine ever since. Whew!
Trip to the Supermarket
Laura, an Australian, and I went to the Big C during our long lunch break today. The Big C is like a huge mall with an enormous grocery store on the top floor. I went in search of chocolate and a phone card; she went in search of snacks and a watch battery. We opted to take the bus there, considering it’s super cheap. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long. The guy tried to charge us 20,000 dong ($1) instead of 5,000 dong ($0.25). We wouldn’t have it. I’m really getting fed up with how the Vietnamese seem to band together to rip off all foreigners! Getting back wasn't so easy. We hopped on the wrong bus, then tried to get a motorbike...Ulimtately, we ended up taking a cab because it was the cheapest option.
I was checking out some shoes when I came across two young Vietnamese girls. They kept looking at me and giggling. (Maybe they were giggling at me because I was wearing a Vietnamese flag t-shirt – I felt like a huge tool). Finally, one came up to me and asked me if I was English. Then she asked how old I was…I told her to guess…she thought I was 12. Seriously?! It’s funny how Vietnamese people often ask the same questions when they first meet you…What’s your name? Where are you from? How old are you? Do you have a boyfriend? That’s pretty much how it goes…The interactions are always interested. People also enjoy touching my hair and I’ve had a few comment on my white teeth, haha.
I was checking out some shoes when I came across two young Vietnamese girls. They kept looking at me and giggling. (Maybe they were giggling at me because I was wearing a Vietnamese flag t-shirt – I felt like a huge tool). Finally, one came up to me and asked me if I was English. Then she asked how old I was…I told her to guess…she thought I was 12. Seriously?! It’s funny how Vietnamese people often ask the same questions when they first meet you…What’s your name? Where are you from? How old are you? Do you have a boyfriend? That’s pretty much how it goes…The interactions are always interested. People also enjoy touching my hair and I’ve had a few comment on my white teeth, haha.
7.09.2010
lots of new pics
We just added pictures to several posts from the past. You may want to scroll back to see them.
Claire, you can see two good pics of me with the black eye. One is when I am sitting in front of my elegant French afternoon hot mango crepe on a square plate and the other is when I am sitting on a chair beside my bed looking over my shoulder at Allison. I think I will be on the next Survivor episode with my black eye and surviving the heat and traffic in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Claire, you can see two good pics of me with the black eye. One is when I am sitting in front of my elegant French afternoon hot mango crepe on a square plate and the other is when I am sitting on a chair beside my bed looking over my shoulder at Allison. I think I will be on the next Survivor episode with my black eye and surviving the heat and traffic in Hanoi, Vietnam.
7.08.2010
We're loving Friendship Village!
I have a feeling I'm not going to be ready to leave the kids by next Thursday. I started the morning out in the organic garden. We harvested some morning glory and then spent some time weeding in the greenhouse. I sweat so much while gardening - it's pretty sick. I drink about 1.5 liters during my 2-hour shift, haha. After that I spent some time in the clinic; however, it was pretty slow today (maybe because of the heat? who knows...it seems pretty unstructured...). Laura, another Australian girl, and I went to the Big C (mall/Target) during our lunch hour and were a little late getting back (got the wrong bus...oops! the Vietnamese guys got a kick out of it). I spent some time in the clinic and then hopped into the classrooms. I know I should prefer the clinic, but to be honest, I enjoyed the classrooms because you can just have fun with the kids. The teachers are pretty hands-off so we can do whatever we want. I'm gonna try to get a dance group going tomorrow afternoon :) Since working at Boces this spring, I've learned that you can make almost any activity therapeutic in the school setting. We had a great time!
BREAKING NEWS: IT'S RAINING! POURING! Thank goodness.
7.07.2010
Late Entry - Cooking Class
It seems like we forgot to write about the cooking class we did last week at the Gecko Restaurant in Hanoi. Now that I'm finally getting some pictures up, I thought you might want to see some of these as well! The chef took us to the market to buy all the ingredients, then we headed up to his kitchen to prepare spring rolls and fried noodles with veggies. We enjoyed our delicious meal up on the rooftop!
FYI - the internet/this comp are super slow, so we'll only upload a few pics for each post...I'll put plenty up on Facebook once we return...
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