Introspective Post

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It's been a busy two months... and I'm sorry I haven't posted lately. Alot has happened in the last little while:

Been to Nha Trang for a week
Had my teeth whitened
Learned to drive a Vespa on the streets of Saigon

Plus a whole bunch of little things that I haven't even thought of, but have affected my life and my in ways I'll never know.

I'm reading this book right now called "A Lesson Before Dying" and it's about a wrongly accused black man in '45 in the Dirty South (USA). A side plot to the book talks about slavery and how it is part of people's lives. It makes me think about the staggering difference between the rich and the poor here in Vietnam.

Some of the most common cases are people who move from the countryside to live in Ho Chi Minh City to make money because there are more opportunities here. Unfortunately, the opportunities aren't that many, because there are SO many other people doing the same thing. So the Vietnamese end up living sometimes 10-15 ppl in one small house, each making about 300,000VND per month and never being able to support their familes at home. (300,000VND per month = $23.00CAN per month).

Then there are the rich expats, re-located here to work for various mulitinational companies either drilling for oil, marketing for Procter and Gamble, or whatever. They make minimally $1500USD per month (no one will work here for less). The families usually have a maid, a driver, cook, nanny, etc. who is each paid around 80-150,000VND per month (these figures are ball park numbers, because I don't pay our maid, my roomates include it in my monthly rent ~ which is $120US per month i might add).

What am I getting at here? I'm just thinking aloud, and wondering if there is some sort of parallell that could be drawn between the dark era of American history and modern day Vietnam.


Hmmmm... so what else is new? I'm sure if you're reading my post today, you're thinking - MAN ... is she in a sour mood. Yes. I'm also PMSing and probably dehydrated a bit. The weather is about +35 and overcast today. If we're lucky... it might rain (wishful thinking, i know). So a call out to my family, friends, brothers, and secret lovers... If you feel like you're hating your job today, think of the 24 year old Vietnamese boy who I met last week on my afternoon lunch bike ride - who drives 3 hours per day (1.5 hours each way) on a highway that sees over 100 deaths per day, to his job that pays about 20-50,000VND per day so that he can feed his mother and father.

And you know what the most inspiring part of all this is? People do this because they BELIEVE that there is something 'worth' working and living for. Something better down the road.

I remember when I was working for Rogers back in Ottawa. I was happy, Troy and I were making our plans and going to live happily ever after. But... I didn't actually BELIEVE that life would get any better. I knew (and still know) that life in North America is about as cushy as it gets.

Here, things are finally starting to get better. There IS a light at the end of the tunnel. The hatred of the government is starting to fade (slowly mind you) the LONG line of family members who died in honor and freedom of the country is not going to be added to for a while.

What I'm getting at is there is a sence here... of a better and brighter tommorow. This country has HOPE... alot of HOPE. And it's amazing to live here and feel it every day.

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Comments

[Kim - Victoria]

where do we begin
all i can say is amen... i miss these conversations we used to have - hicking on Salt Spring with the dogs and discussing what the world really holds and how to make it a better place for us and at the same time make sure we are happy... i will stop here because if i don't this could go on and on forever...miss you tons and hope when you get back to this country we can once again raise a glass to the joys that we have and are allowed because we live in a country that allows us to live the way we do...Cheers - on a happier note i am thinking that it is time to get another dog...do you really think that a "pug" (think frank the dog from Men in Black) would suit my personality? luv you babe