Missing you Hi Missy,
What a great blog! Love the photos and now we know where you are living. Your camping experiences must be coming back to you now that you still live in a tent.
But it does look comfortable and knowing how "flink" you are, you will do just fine.
Ask Woods what that means.
So proud of you and Woods is looking forward to joining you soon.
Love, Lini-Mom
Great reading!! Wow, I hope you will write a book about your adventures. Reading your blog was so interesting and held my interest so much that I looked for more and more!! I can't wait for more. I read it out loud to daddy so now I have to go back and reread so I can ingest and digest more of your writings. We love you lots and are constantly praying for your safety and your research!!
Wow! This looks incredible, Melissa! Can't wait to see more, and I know you're going to make me drool with desire to go there myself. I'm definitely following.
kayaking Amy and I might have a chance to go kayaking in Ketchikan, Alaska. I was on the fence before, but these photos are making me think it would really be a spectacular experience. I haven't done too much kayaking- I tend to like canoeing better. But since we'd be going in 2-person canoes, I'll just let Amy paddle! :)
$5 a day! Seems like a pretty good deal to me. Granted it's not the rugged beauty we're accustomed to through your photos, but it does look peaceful and relaxing. I hope you continue to feel better! Don't overdo it, Missy! I got sick on my last day in Palestine, and being sick so far away from home totally sucks! Be smart!
I Agree with Patrick... ...and that scares me. I would consider trying the medicine as an integral part of the Participant-Observation process. Just make sure you have witnesses to document the results--preferably on film. ;-)
Your paddle technique looks pretty good, but those bulky PFDs can't be fun to use.
Scott--the one-time kayak instructor/guide
glad you're feeling a little better I finally got a chance to catch up on my missy-related reading, so have been living the drama of the past few days in just these past few minutes. I'm glad you're getting a little better, but I would recommend taking a gigantic swig of the illicit vietnamese medicine while you still have the excuse. what could go wrong?
"your guilty pleasure" I'm glad that you got to relax a bit. I have to ask, I'm your mom, "are you really better or just saying that to make me feel better?" Anyway the sun spa looks so appealing. Is Chay Lap going to look that good? Doesn't matter, it will be a "real" part of Viet Nam which is what you going for, isn't it? I'm also glad you found a new friend, even if it is tiny. Remember you can't bring him home, Woods would be jealous. I love you.
P.S. E-mail me if you have time.
Alaska I didn't know you were in Alaska. How long were you there? I'm going for my honeymoon and am very excited. But it will only be for a week and a half.
It does sound like you are developing a new level of comfort with Vietnam and what you're doing... would you ever have the opportunity to work there for longer than a few weeks? That would be awesome...
Questions Hiya Missy, I'm glad things are going well (despite the illness mentioned in your other blog entry). I have some questions, but feel free to answer when you get back as I know you are pressed for time now. Mull them over and will dig into 'em over beer.
How was it decided to build the tourist accommodations on a family's land? What is this family's standing in the community? Are they receiving benefits (social or economic) by having the accommodations? Will this set them apart from other community memebers? If so, do you see this as a potential source of conflict within the community?
How are Greg and the others attempting to mitigate the impact of tourists on the forest/riparian/aquatic ecosystems? Are there plans to limit the number of tourists? Or limit the time of year? E.g., Costa Rica does this with the eco-tourism in the Cloud Forest, effectively making the region off limits for a year to allow the area to rebound from the impacts. My initial thought is that the forest you are working in may not be as sensitive CR's cloud forests, but does does anyone know? Does the Vietnamese government, Counter Part, or the other NGOs in the area have ecologists working on the project?
I guess what I am getting at is what is being done to ensure the "eco" part is as successful as the tourism part in this eco-tourism development?
I can think of a dozen more questions, but I'll leave those for when you get back. :)
Scott
Hope you feel better I do appreciate the pictures of you in them. Thank you.
Tell everyone there I appreciate them being a friend to you and making your work there a little more enjoyable. I have noticed that you talk more about Viet Nam than your other trips--maybe because you are contributing something to help the people there which is your passion. Anyway, hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself. We love you!!
Nice pictures I was glad to see that you are in some of your pictures. As usual, your blogs and pictures are A-1. I'm glad things are going so well. I bet you are so excited and proud of the accomplishments that have been made so far. And to think you were a part of all of it. Keep up the good job!! Dad and I are very proud of you.
My turn! Now that the 1st homestay place is done, I would love for you to go with me (if I would ever get the nerve) so we could stay there as a tourist and you could be my guide.
Welcome back! That's awesome that you're getting the chance to go back and continue the work you were involved in last summer! Very exciting! And congrats on finishing your degree!! Yay!
Also, I'm getting married this Saturday. Wish me luck :).
your trip Hi, Missy! Glad you blogged. I enjoy hearing about your exploits :). So sorry your flight was so bad, but I'm glad you got there safely. Congrats on being a 'real' grown up! LOL
Back again! Wow, what a trip you had getting there and then what a wonderful surprise once you got there of Greg and Evi and your Mama/Boss Chi Sen being there! I know you will do a great job while there and leave a mark on the Vietnamese people. What an opportunity to be in Viet Nam and to help out the people too! We love you lots. Looking forward to more blogs.
Mom
edits I have taken the time to edit your blog for accuracy's sake, specifically paragraph 3: "Everything since that first night has been great. I slept as late as I could that morning and was awoken by my dong, exclaiming, "Melissa! It's your dong!" I love my adopted Vietnamese dong. I only spent half a day in Hanoi before getting on an overnight dong to dong. Dong!"
Thank me later.
Chicken in a Bag I guess "ex-pat" is a synonym for "eats a lot," eh? Nothing wrong with going out in style, though...
And that bamboo bridge is freaking awesome!! Wow.
Well, it's been nice keeping up with you through this blog. How sad to be going back to being mutually out of touch with each other's lives. (sigh) C'est la vie.
Thanks for sharing :).
Dr. Missy I was wondering where you've been! I didn't think the last entry was your last experience there... Congrats on the ambition to take it further!
I am a graduate student of anthropology in my early 30's focusing on community-based cultural tourism. I am from Philadelphia (U.S.A.) and I am married to Woods, who writes funny, scary, and affecting stories and sets them to punk/western/surf/folk music. I usually do not travel in comfort but I do travel well.
Update: I am in Tanzania for 10 months conducting research for my PhD in Cultural Anthropology. I'm the resident Mzungu in the mostly Maasai village of Longido, which is about 1.5 hrs north of Arusha. I'm writing about my experiences as a traveler in Tanza... full info
Lini
non-member comment
Missing you
Hi Missy, What a great blog! Love the photos and now we know where you are living. Your camping experiences must be coming back to you now that you still live in a tent. But it does look comfortable and knowing how "flink" you are, you will do just fine. Ask Woods what that means. So proud of you and Woods is looking forward to joining you soon. Love, Lini-Mom