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Published: November 29th 2012
Tam Dao
pool party at sunsetThe weather is changing, and fast. My contorted idea of what my life in Vietnam was gonna be like definitely did NOT include jackets, scarves and being able to see my breath. I thought I moved to Southeast Asia! Well, I guess I didn't do my research...northern Vietnam gets mighty cold in the winter. At this point I am unsure if it's because I am already acclimatized to the heat and stifling humidity, or if it's genuinely brisk outside. The easiest way to tell is head into the Old Quarter and watch the tourists. If they are still is sandals, shorts and t-shirts, either I've gone bonkers or they are from a cold place!
Life here in Hanoi has taken a certain amount of normalcy to it. I work, I visit with friends and I use my weekends to the best of my ability. BUT one thing I have really begun to love about this city.. well and country really.. is that there is always something a little bit strange lurking around the corner. I once was lost in the Old Quarter at night, stopped in the middle of the road on my motor bike, figuring out witch way I
Thanksgiving
Our little family and our international Thanksgiving dinner, which included sweet n sour soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken, deli meat and cheese, roasted potatoes, and vietnamese mi xao should turn- the proverbial fork in the road. As I was doing so, I was swarmed by a group of 5 motor bikes carrying Viet guys, who then proceed to drive by molest me. Before I knew what happened, some crazy one, leaned over, grabbed my boob and they all sped off laughing and saying something in this crazy language called Vietnamese. On another account, me and Astrid we enjoying a quiet dinner at a local vegetarian restaurant, when I hear a squishy wet noise. I turn around to see some guy had snuck up directly behind me and was using a roller on the end of a long stick to paint the ceiling. Not only was it a strange time to paint the ceiling (while customers are there eating) but to my eyes, the ceiling was perfectly fine. They were painting white over white.
It's the little things that all add up to make the experience.
After finding a happy routine here and settling into it, I've been convinced to chuck it to the wind. Why work 8-4 with all the extra work, when I could be making the same amount of dong for half the hours?
West Side!
getting everyone to rep the West Side. This includes a girl from Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and Canada. To be perfectly honest, I was not prepared for the added responsibility of having my own kindergarten class. UGH parents are a nightmare! Some don't give a shit and some are WAY over protective. I mean come on.... they are 2 years old!! How much pressure can you put on them? This means having to go out of my way to be pleasing to parents, staying extra hours for parent teacher conferences, writing actual reports (again for 2 year olds?!) and having to work over my lunch break at least once a week. Now, in all honesty it has its pay offs, but come on, I'm in Vietnam. I came here to experience it while working a minimal 15-20 hours a week. And that's what I'm gonna do.
Besides this school rubbish, this month has been a whirl wind. I managed to go to a FREE music festival in the mountain town of Tam Dao and visit a bear sanctuary. It was such an amazing weekend and here's why: it was "sponsored" by Coors Light but it all got caught up in customs, someone (named Nina and another culprit) found and lit a table of fire then proceeded to
mot, hai, ba
doing shots with a group of Viets at the music festival get pulled up a hill by her pony tail by a crazy Viet lady, a Canadian punched an American in the face over politics, the sky was so clear we could star gaze, and somehow the buses back were overloaded so Nina and I caught a taxi with the owner of the company who organized the music festival. Overall a complete success.
This month we also had to say our first good bye. This was particularly sad because it just reminded me that at some point we are all leaving. Cameron, the Kiwi was on his way home. We had an early Thanksgiving dinner and it was a nice collection of friends. I also made a cameo in Hai Phong. DTLC finally got some new digs and as Irene is still there, I went with Tom, Rich, Cormac and Astrid to the house warming party. I also got offered a job (not with DTLC). Cha Ching! Being back in HP was pretty awesome. It's such a different vibe from Hanoi and has the best Vietnamese street food by far. I couldn't bask in all the is HP too long, as I had to hurry my ass back to Hanoi
sun bear
Safe in the bear sanctuary, but with an uncertain future. The government is trying to close down this sanctuary that houses and rehabilitates more than 100 sun and moon bears for the Women's Club Christmas Bazaar. I had my first official photography job... SAY WHAT?!! Nothing serious, just helping a friend of my school but still... She sought me out and I got paid.
Like I said, the times they are a changin'. Things are set in motion. Within the next 2 months chaos will ensure and I will welcome it with open arms.
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