I am a Ky Thuat Vien Vat Ly Tru Lien (Physical Therapist)

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I last left you with tales of my weekend in Hue. I have since spent my last full week in Da Nang and am getting ready to head out and travel again. This week was again full of lots of good times, but I did get to see and feel my first glimpse of anger while here in Vietnam...

Monday evening I went out to dinner with a former HVO volunteer and Barbara, a German physical therapist who has been here for 4 1/2 years. we went to one of the restaurants right on the river and unfortunately due to the lack of an chay food on the menu, had to be a loser and order pizza! I didn't mind the pizza (it had been many days since I had cheese!), I just hate being that foreigner who doesn't eat the local cuisine. Oh well! We had a good dinner and chatted about the changes that have occurred at the center over the years and what still needs to happen. The other volunteer had been on assignment in Bhutan for the last 4 months and was traveling a bit before heading back to the US. She was full of interesting stories about different places she has volunteered and those she has traveled to. She had also been at my previous sight in India so we got to catch up a little about what some of the therapists there were up to!

The next night, I brought Kay (the other HVO volunteer) to my favorite veggie place and then to my new little cafe. Ofcourse the server who had previously professed his love for me was happy to see me again. He made sure I sat in the same spot so he can put the fan on us (everyone thinks us foreigners cant handle the heat!) and after we were done, he gave me a stick of gum. If that is not love, I don't know what is, ha!

Wednesday night, I met 2 friends (Maury and Suzi) for a fancy schmancy dinner at what Lonely Planet says is the finest dining experience in Da Nang. The place really was beautiful, they had good wine and the singing/dancing accompanient during dinner was great! I had veggie rolls, tofu and water spinach. The basis of the menu was seafood, but there were plenty of options for me! It is meant to be really expensive, but even with the 1/2 bottle of Chilean wine, it was only 13 dollars!! Afterwards, we ran (in the rain) over to the cafe that I have previously talked about with the deaf staff (Bread of Life) for some dessert. I (surprisingly) wasnt hungry and declined dessert, but I did further perfect my Vietnamese sign language!

Thursday night I headed back to Bread of Life where I had mac and cheese again and some mint hot chocolate. I "chatted" with some of the workers there and even got hit on by a strange American guy who is living here in Da Nang. He was not happy when I told him I was leaving in a few days and after making himself comfortable at my table, decided to leave!

those were all my weeknight experiences...during the week, I continued to teach and assist with patients in the clinic. I was sure to encourage the therapists to utilize what I have taught, otherwies as soon as I leave, they will be forgotten. Most therapists and doctors would try to have my treat the patients, but I was pretty insistent that I would assist them and help them if they had trouble, but I wanted them to get the hands on help. It seemed to work and more and more I was helping them try out new things. I was also continuosly encouraging them to further examine the patients (both subjectively and objectively) and to work harder at formulating treatment plan and goals. This mostly was happening with those that do speak good English because I (shockingly) have not yet become fluent in Vietnamese! I did consistently treat some patients on my own, but was hoping that some of the things I was doing were being picked up (even if through osmosis)! I saw one girl who has had back pain for >10 years and has been through many types of treatment and recently had back surgery. After surgery, the patients (and their families) will stay at the center fora few weeks and will come for PT 2 times per day, for a few hours at a time. They will not always be guided by a PT and during those times, the patients will perform their exercises independently, or with the help of a family member. For a while I was thinking this may have been overkill for some of the patients, however they did seem to be able to progress rapidly. The family support here really is incredible...I have even seen some of the older patients who have had strokes be lifted and carried and wedged onto the middle of a motorbike in order to get them to their appointments. That is dedication! A bunch of students also began their internships and it was fun working with them, although none of them spoke any English. They do seem very eager to learn.

My final day of teaching was a bit interesting as I had been told noone would be available to translate! One of the doctors who spoke some English ended up being available, but he did state that he could only understand me 50% of the time...some of you probably also feel that way!! We were able to get through it, since most of it was hands on techniques at this point. Afterwards, the staff was very appreciative and made me promise that I would stay in touch and also come back. At one point, they were all giggling and I had no idea at what and it turns out that one of the therapists decided he was going to play matchmaker and that I was going to marry someone here and never leave Vietnam! ha ha!

On Friday, after teaching, I decided to meat my friend Nancy (who is volunteering in Tam Ky) in Da Nang and then head down to see the Marble Mountains. I left for my journey a bit early so spent a lot of time wandering into stores. Shopping is quite difficult here as they are quite attentive and stick to your side as soon as you enter a store. While wandering around, I saw my first motorbike accident here and that is where I saw my first speck of anger. One guy seemed rather mad at the other and was yelling at him. I am pretty sure he was saying something along the lines of 'you were driving like a manic and that is why i hit you', but i can't be sure.

I found the supermarket where we would be meeting and since I was early, headed into the park across the street. I sat their for a few minutes and then had 5 new best friends who were all 13 years old. They were so cute and eager to talk to me, except only one of them spoke very minimal English. We attempted to talk for awhile, but then Nancy arrived across the street and I went to meet up with her. They accompanied me to find her and were very excited to meet her also. I found her in a bit of a discussion with a motorbike driver because apparently, instead of pointing her to the bus stop which was across the street, he offered to drive her there. across the street!! crazy! she was not very happy about the exorbidant fee he was trying to charge her for nothing, so he was yelling at her, but eventually she had to give in. Most people here are so unbelievably friendly and will do everything they can to help you, but it is a few like this that can spoil an experience for some.

We ended up finding the bus and did not have a problem with the driver trying to overcharge us as they tend to do. We arrived at the Marble Mountains and they really were a sight. There were many temples and pagodas and caves. One of the large caves was rather dark and scary, but we survived. Another of the smaller ones was so dark that it completely creeped us out and we couldnt go all the way inside. We found one set of steps that we assumed led up to something, but when we got close to the top, it was all workers and the stairs and railings weren't complete. The workers kept looking at us and noone else seemed to venture up there. It was an amazing view and since we survived it, we were happy to have attempted it. We had a feeling we weren't supposed to go up there but were surprised that there was no sign telling us that. Upon reaching the bottom, we saw there was a sign. But what did the sign say??? I took a picture of it and later learned that it said "do not climb"! oops!

While in one of the caves, a young boy told us that the cave was created by an American bomb. I said I was sorry. After our journey there, we headed back out the main road and Nancy hopped a bus to Hoi An for the weekend and I waited to get the bus back to Da Nang. I waited on the dusty road for quite some time when the bus finally came into my view. I waved the driver down and was not happy when he tried to charge me more than the proper amount. I told him no and tried to hand him slightly more than the real amount, except he wasn't havng it. He finally said I was going to have to get off the bus if I didn't pay it, so I gave in and handed it over. I don't mind paying slightly more, it was just the way he was being. not very nice to me at all and I really didn't understand why. I think the people who run the buses have been the only people I have met who really aren't happy and don't seem to be enjoying themselves at all. By the time I got off the bus, I was over my little tiff and smiled and said 'thank you' and he replied with "f**K You!! I couldn't believe it! My jaw completely dropped and he cracked up laughing! crazy!!

I then met up with one of the doctors and we went out to a Chinese restaurant, for icecream and to a club. The club was entirely cheesy, with 2 slutty dressed dancers on a stage with poles and music that made me feel like if I were to dance, I would have to pull out my old Chi Psi moves! yikes!! There was more staff than customers and they were incredibly attentive. Every time you took a sip of your drink, they would fill it up! it was crazy!! We had a good time and then I was sleepy and stuffed up (from the people smoking inside) so I headed home.

I tried to sleep in this morning, but the construction next door started early so I was unable to. I went to the Cham Museum and had some lunch. Today is my lazy day just to enjoy being in this city that I have lived in for the past 3 weeks. Tonight I will go to the airport to pick up 2 of my former professors from PT school who will be here doing an HVO site visit and then I will also see them tomorrow. After that...it is off to Hoi An and my journey begins....

Still wandering what to do for the next few weeks...right to Cambodia by boat from Vietnam? Fly to Thailand with friends to spend my birthday at a Full Moon Party? Hmmmm....I guess we will find out!!

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Photos

Clinic
2 patients do their exercises side by side!

Class
he has 2 elbows, so 2 people should practice!

Marble Mountains
on top of one of the lookouts

Marble Mountains
posing cheesy everywhere I go

Marble Mountains
Bell on the mountain

Nancy and I
on top of the climb where we weren't supposed to climb. oops.

still being constructed
this is why we were not supposed to climb

Do not climb
the sign that should have been "a sign"

the scariest little cave
Yikes

Cave
giant crater caused by American Bombs. So sorry :(

Camel Club
me outside the cheesy club! I was so overdressed (in that I am wearing way too much!)

Comments

[Jackie]

Fun times
You make me laugh so hard all the time. I love you and I am so happy you are having a blast! I can't believe your exchange with the bus driver! Crazy! Maybe that's all the English he knows?! Have a fun weekend!