Shoes. Let's get some.

Ooooh, home. I know this blog is all about my time in Vietnam... BUT I decided that I would make one more post. It's 3:30 A.M, the whole house is sleeping, and I can't (due to my raging case of jet lag). This may also have a little sumthin' sumthin' to do with it.
As I made my way east, across the Pacific, I began to think about all I have taken from this journey.
Being in Vietnam was nothing short of brilliant. Through the experiences there, I've managed to become curious about topics that I had never given thought to before. I find that people (especially Westerners) have a desire to equate quality of life in developing countries with that of their own. And although lifestyles in countries like Vietnam and Cambodia can seem less than desirable, the people living them know of nothing else. They have virtues, conversation, morals, stories, experiences, relationships, and intelligence, just like any developed country. When people first made their way to America hardships held firm ground for them too.
As a former member of a mock United Nations class, I believed wholeheartedly that financial assistance should be given to the countries struggling. Now, after seeing how the governments of these struggling countries function directly... I'm not too sure. People want to help places like Africa with material things including shoes/clothes, and I think that's great. However, giving shoes to a kid who has walked three miles to and from a water source since he could manage walking altogether doesn't move the society forward at all. His body creates calluses on his feet for the needed protection. Sure, having shoes for a few months is pretty swell but, what happens when he grows out of them? He returns to that walk with feet that have been sheltered from what they were made for. I'm not saying that material aid is worthless or that people should stop buying Tom's shoes... I'm just stating that the funds (given to causes with good intentions) need to benefit the society, not the individual.
I met a German girl, Ursala. She was in Vietnam to not only experience the great smells (ha!) but to talk about AIDS awareness in schools. According to Ursala, Vietnamese children who test positive for HIV/AIDS are not allowed to attend school. Period. The main concern being contamination through exposure to blood-borne pathogens. She told me that if a kid with the disease fell and had an open wound the pathogens are highly likely to not infect any one. Especially if the proper precautions are taken. She's trying to educate the general public about how to deal with, manage, and live with a world containing diseases. These children are the future of Vietnam. They need an education too. These children could be leaders advancing this developing nation to conditions acceptable to Westerner opinions. But not every person like Ursala has the money to fly to these countries and accomplish this. Send money to programs that promote and finance education. That's what is going to propel developing countries into healthy competition. Right?

Giant Stroller? Datz how I roll. Fool.

Let me start by saying: holy jumping jellybeans, where did the past month point five go? I cannot believe that my Vietnamese venture is almost o'er. This past week has been absolutely non-stop routine. I've been playing nanny all week, taking over tasks where ever I can. I really cannot thank my host family enough for all they have provided for me. I spent the weekend with my favorite three and four year old kiddies. The girls had a friend (Amelie) here for the weekend, so help was greatly needed. We swam, watched movies, colored, played Chutes and Ladders, and basically had the best time ever. I've never been so excited for sleep in my whole life either. Gail and Linda returned from their Veitnamese/Cambodian journey, and joined us at church on Sunday. After church, the older ladies and I got in another sick-lo situation.
We wondered through the alleyways and streets of District 5. After seeing the head of a dog, skinned and for sale on the street, I was ready to be done. But, the tour lasted much longer. I found a group of fellas who wouldn't stop staring.. so it was only logical that I would want a photo with them right? As soon as I made my way over they scattered like mice. A total buzz-kill, but I convinced them to pose for me anyway just w/o me in the picture. The kids practically do back flips if you wave and say hello to them. So that's pretty cool. I basically feel like Kanye in the Macy's Day Parade, everyday, wavin' to people saying hello. After that we meandered to a Vietnamese BBQ place for Gail and Linda's farewell dinner. It was pretty cool, and the desert was absolutely delicious. They made way for the good ol' USA this morning, leaving Deb and I to pool lounging and child maintaining. I've started to pack up my new treasures, and I'll be home Thursday. People ask me what I've taken from this experience, and I haven't really known until now. I feel like I have a better understanding for perspective. Knowing that although we all may have different opinions, we are all humans, all working for something. I appreciate people as individuals more. And most of all, I have a new desire to see what else there may be hidden in the corners and alleyways of other territories. So, as I make what should be my last Vietnamese post, I wonder... Who else needs a nanny in a foreign place?

Deep tans, and new fears

I've kinda been dreading Thanksgiving because I knew that it would bring my friends and family back to the territory I usually reside in. The longing I feel to see the people I've been missing has become pretty ridiculous. SO to distract myself from dwelling on impossibles, I have found a new hobby! I haven't always been such an avid reader. Here, I go through books at light speed. I really enjoy surrounding myself in the stories on those pages and can easily imagine creating my own. Speaking of which, the last you saw our heroine (me), I was skipping blissfully through Mainstreet, USA, venturing deep into the future in Tomorrowland, living my fairytale in the land of fantasy... in other words I was at Disneyland. This past week has been spent catching up on much needed sleep, pool lounging, and like I mentioned before, reading. I've been locked away in my own personal paradise. The reality that I have to return the arctic tundra hasn't really hit yet.
I'm still soaking in as much 'Vietnam' as I can. Vietnam sun. Vietnam sights. Vietnam rain. Vietnam history. Yesterday, I was introduced to Debbie's friend, Tracy. She a lovely woman with two little boys and an undying love for Diet Coke. We made a two hour drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Little did I know, this would be a VERY stressful venture. After watching a short movie (that made us not brag so much about being American), we got the formal tour. Our tour guide showed us traps that they once used for hunting animals and that had been manipulated to 'slow down' Americans. First of all, there were spikes (that could easily take out a small vicious dinosaur) just waiting to pierce the bodies of anyone who meandered over their camouflaged traps. And not only that, oh-no, but these spikes were like two feet long. I would like to meet the human those spikes would ONLY 'slow down'.
After seeing all the ways the fighters could 'slow down' the enemy, and almost peeing my pants at the shooting range (which I didn't know about until the first shot was fired), we had the opportunity to go in an actual tunnel. Of course it had been widened because westerners are so fat (he actually said that)... I didn't really feel like cramming my 5'11'' self into a pitch black tunnel at that point in time. Until that is, Tracy's oh-so adorable and well-behaved children decided to jump ahead in the line and go in the tunnel. Tracy's eyes popped out of her head when she realized that she would have to follow them into the Vietnamese abyss. I did what any other able bodied warrior on the home front of child care would do, and offered to accompany them.
Hello scariest place on earth. Nice to meet you. Lemme out, before I really pee my pants. I kept tapping on the guy in front of me to reassure myself that I was in fact, going to survive. (Sorry mister). Once I saw the light of the first possible exit, I practically galloped. Snakes are nothing in comparison to itty bitty holes dug into the earth. New fear? I think so. At least I can say that I tried.

Oh, bee tee dubs. The boys were never heard from or seen again*. But like I said, at least I tried.


*Obviously I am kidding, freak.

When You Wish Upon A Star.....

This past weekend was all about the twins. Debbie, the girls, and I boarded a plane to the wonderful land of Hong Kong at 6 am, which means we had to be at the airport by 4 am, and awake by 3 am. Good thing I have no regular sleep cycle. We arrived in Hong Kong about 10 hours before Rick (her husband) and had a jolly ol' time wondering around in the mall. Asia cracks me up. Asians love 4 things. 1. Peace Signs 2. Hello Kitty 3. Squeaky Shoes 4. Cell Phones
If you are a real Asian, all of your photos will have at least one peace sign. What can I say? They looooove peace.
As we wondered through the mall we saw a HUGE Hello Kitty Christmas display. There were statues of H.K. in all sorts of outfits and poses. Of course it was impossible to maneuver through the massive crowds, and the fact that one had to wait in line to get a photo with the many 'kitties' forced me to miss out on this incredible kodak moment. If you're a real hip Asian, you'd sport a peace sign with your H.K. shot.
Once we got out of the moshpit of child character insane psychopaths, I had an unfortunate run-in with a pair of 'Squeaky Shoes'. Picture for a moment, if you will, a dog toy. But not just any dog toy. More specifically; visualize those ones you immediately regret buying because of the squeak sound that pushes your sanity, every time the dog bites down.... Got it? Are you annoyed yet? Well, Asians seem to think that it is the single most adorable thing to purchase for their toddlers, who are just learning to walk. Never have I ever wanted to cause physical harm to a pair of shoes, until now. It's like when you get your tennies wet and go into the supermarket-- but it NEVER stops.
And as for cell phones? Well, they have charge stations all over the malls because they use them so often that they can go dead within a day. Everyone has their phone out 24/7. It's ridiculous.
Anyway, we got to go to Disneyland! It was the best day ever. How could it not be in the happiest place on earth? Pooh's Adventure ride was a hit with the whole family.. sooo we went on it twice. Debbie and I waited until the end of they day to hit up Space Mountain. She and her brother used to ride Space Mountain over and over, so in his memory, we rode twice also. It helped that there was no line, and that was easily my favorite part of the day. At Disneyland we also had ice cream and I ordered frozen cheesecake on a stick. Dear Asia, thank you for this ingenious creation. I am forever grateful. The day ended with the parade and fireworks, and it really was a magical ending to a fantastic day.
Now that we're back in Siagon, we are preparing for bible club. I've become the co-crafts organizer. I draw really cool animals and such for the kidlets. It's pretty cool, I'd say. Gail and Linda will be returning soon and we're going to have a fancy Vietnamese dinner on top of a building somewhere downtown... Then it's Thanksgiving, and I get ready to head home. Time sure flies...

Delta! Delta! Delta! (not the sorority, thank god)

Baby girl had the best day ever, so I had to get on to share it right away. Today, I went to the Mai Cong Delta with Gail, Linda, and Debbie. Other than being 'the best day ever', the Mai Cong Delta really gave me a sight into how the Vietnamese living in the country really thrive. First we got on a boat that took us to the biggest 'unicorn' island. Unfortunately, there were no unicorns... But, there was a HUGE Boa Constrictor! And, I held it! It was roughly the scariest experience of my life. As I walked by the cage our guide asked if I wanted a picture of the snake. I figured why not, and bent down to snap the picture. Just then, I noticed another lady pulling the thing out of it's safe cage, and heading for me like she was just going to let me try on some scarf of something... It was gigantic. Huge. I cannot get over it. Fear Factor has nothing on me. Anyway, we learned all about the foods grown in the region and how they are special to the Vietnamese people. Our guide Dieb, told us all about the attitude towards Americans. This isn't something I've been brave enough to ask about, seeing as the answer would seem to not be something pleasant. But, the response brought tears to my eyes. Seriously. When she was studying to become a travel tour guide, she learned all about the war. Curious, she inquired to her grandfather about his opinion of Americans. What he told her was this; "We cannot hate them because they came to kill us. If they hadn't killed us, we'd have killed them. We have to understand that it wasn't something that any of us or them wanted to do. They had lives back in America; families, jobs, houses... Just as we have. But you have to accept that war is apart of any country, and you have to move forward, build back what you lost, and just live." Whoa. After hearing that, I was moved by the ability of this young, seemingly proud nation to have such a mature and wise concept of what happens in war. The mood lightened as we tasted coconut candy, lots o' fruits, tea, honey, and all kinds of really cool Vietnam specialties. After wandering through the trails on the islands surrounded by the Delta we rode in a cart pulled by a donkey to the most beautiful canal. There, I got consumed (only part way) by one million mosquitoes. I counted. Then, we frolicked around in the oh-so beautiful coconut candy factory place... Where Gail and I ate waaaaay too much candy, but not enough to spoil our delicious lunch. Lunch consisted of 'elephant ear fish' (yeeeeah, that's what I thought at first too), but it was actually pretty tasty. Then we drove back to Siagon. It was a nice short trip that was packed with history, and of course tasty treats.

Hoi An - Village O' Rain

Oh, hey humans! I'm sure you were all biting your nails in anticipation for my next update... Well, you are in luck. This past weekend I ventured to the small small village/town of Hoi An. As you may or may not know, I thought that I was going to a super sunny beach-y beach. However, it is monsoon season in the region! Hooray for rain. All day. All night. Water flooded the streets of Hoi An, as well as the floors of our hotel room. It's quite interesting to feel the damp, moist (ew), sticky air without constant down poor. I have never been so frustrated with H2O in my whole life. Once I got over the fact that I would just have to embrace the discomfort of rain, I began to notice the beauty in the small village. Although Hoi An is a tourist destination, it is very untouched by the commercial wave that has hit Siagon and many other Asian cities. I liked that.
The first day Debbie, the girls, and I went to a market. Because the girls are twins, Asians looooove to touch them on the basis that they are considered very lucky. Anna and Alyssa HATE this, and clinged to my legs throughout the whole visit. My favorite part was seeing all the oh so pretty lanterns, which you see here.
We got to walk on the beach (in the rain), shop for lanterns (in the rain), eat (in the rain), ride a boat (in the rain), and do roughly a lot of other stuff. Oh yeah, did I mention that is rained? Anyway, we also got to ride in a sick-lo (that's not how one should or would spell it, but I'm not looking it up, sorry). A sick-lo is a bike in Vietnam that gives you a tour of the local places for the smallest of small fees and it's really fun. Alyssa and I rode together and basically had the time of our lives. I taught her to spell 'cat' and 'dog', so she's pretty much got it made for the rest of kindergarten. I ventured to the village alone the second day to seek out some cool looking pants. Of course pants for a giant are next to impossible to find in Asia. The lessons I learned: 1. People with children and tailor shops are really good at ripping me off. 2. I'm too much of a push over to say 'no' to humans who insist on selling me stuff I don't need when unaccompanied.

The Flood

So last night, Vietnam decided it would be a swell idea to show me her wild side. At about 3 in the afternoon, the rain came. It was a solid downpour. Although I was safe in a neighbor's studio, the people in the local village certainly had a difficult time working around the rain. Street vendors were the first to close shop, I'm sure. The rain alone would have been fine. However, the Siagon River also decided to show fury and raised higher than I've seen yet. The combination of the rapid downpour and high river made the streets flood about 2-3 feet.
People on their motorbikes couldn't make it to their destinations; most ended up pushing their bikes through the water. Travelers were stranded at restaurants. But for the locals, life seemed to just work around the inconvenience. Children who were with their stranded parents played in the streets. The flood waters were merely a rare attraction. The flood has definitely been a site worth seeing.
Over the past few days, I have had the opportunity to just chill out, catching up on emails to my friends back home, laying out by the pool, and reading my dear Harry Potter book. I like the slowed down pace but, things are just picking up again with church, school, a visit to China Town, and a big trip to the beach! This weekend, Debbie is taking the girls and me to Hoi An -- Apparently a really cool, clean beach that they adore. I am very excited to see the ocean again, it's been a while.

'Wait, how much?' 'Yes.'

Language barriers are roughly the single most frustrating about being in Asia so far. Luckily, I have the resources to blast this barrier to bits, but not without noticing other's difficulties. Poor Debbie. She purchased a beautiful creamy white colored rug for the girls from Pottery Barn (not cheap). After a few months, the rug demanded some TLC from a dry-cleaner. After asking the Vietnamese dry-cleaner/launderer if it was possible for him to dry-clean the rug, she was assured that "Yes, I dry-clean fo' you."
Well, he did something, and now that rug is grayish brown and Miss Debbie is one not-so-happy camper. I'm quickly learning how the Vietnamese are proud proud people and to admit that they simply cannot do something is not an option. As Debbie explained to me (through obvious frustration, after the rug situation); these people won't even admit they don't understand English. After asking a merchant in a market, "How much?" the ideal response would be a price. however, with glazed eyes, "Yes." seems to be the answer to everything.

This weekend seemed to happen in a flash. Saturday and Sunday were both filled with family events. Saturday was little Emma's birthday. They had the best cake I've ever tasted, and I got my fill of humus. I joined the family in church on Sunday, and assisted a little with the twins' Sunday School. John, the teacher that Sunday, really really seemed to need the help. Monday had the girls back at school, and with that Debbie and I got another look at downtown Siagon. We met up with two ladies and I learned a snippit about adoption in Asia. After coffee, we had a delicious Thai lunch. My favorite was the Green Mango Salad. Yum.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have been relaxing days. In addition to getting in some sun, I've been a bit lazy. We played in the pool, which feels soooo good after running around all day in the heat. Debbie's planned some trips within the next few weeks and I can't be more excited. (We get to go to Hoi An-BEACH!) That's all for now.

October's End

Wednesday- October 27, 2010
After three bad in-flight films, two questionable 'meals', and an overall grueling twenty-six hours of travel, I arrived in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. Immediately, I was blasted by the humid sticky air that is notorious for the region. But after the weather my dear hometown was experiencing, this was a welcomed change. Although I'm sure I resembled a zombie more than anything else, the people of Vietnam instantly made me feel like a celebrity. Not only does my being American draw attention, but the whole 5'11'' godzilla look seems to stop traffic as well.
I didn't really have the energy to soak it all in quite yet. I was seeking a bed, and pronto.

When I woke in the morning, I went downstairs to see the lovely family I'm staying with here in Vietnam. The girls (twins, 4 years old), had already been sent off to their Australian International School. Debbie was getting ready for her pilates class, and I was happy just to get some food. The English muffins are (as Drake would say) the 'best I ever had'. That was a horrible joke. I apologize.
After that I jumped right into the family schedule. Swim class at 10:45, lunch by noon, sight-seeing for a few hours, and then right back to the school to get the girls ready for theater class. (All of this was done by motorbike. Needless to say, it was thrilling.)
Friday was even better. Although I had a baaad case of Jet-lag, I was still able to enjoy shopping around in the Chinese/Craft Markets.
I couldn't believe the traffic, and I feared for the life of about 4 different Vietnamese humans on motorbikes. Honestly, I cannot say enough how chaotic their driving is. Oncoming traffic uses both lanes, and people don't yield for anything.


Throughout my time here so far, I have been helping with various activities through the local church. Anything from prepping the crafts for bible club, to putting together snacks, I really just help whenever/where ever I can. I feel so immensely fortunate to have this opportunity, and the work is minute in comparison. Anyway that was October's End.