What a night we had last night! Long lives about an hour outside of the city, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore” and while it wasn’t as urban as downtown Saigon, it was still busy! We took a cab to get to his house where we were welcomed by his father, mother, sister, brother in law, baby niece (9 months) and his grandmother who is 80 and visiting from the north. At the end of the night he told us it was his grandmothers first time seeing Americans, very cool! Last year when I was visiting his family his sister was pregnant, so it was awesome to see her with her 9 month old baby girl!
We started out with tea while his mother finished cooking dinner and then we all sat on the floor for our meal. The meal began with peel your own shrimp and then we had deep fried and regular spring rolls. They cooked us SO much food that I felt bad because I knew we wouldn’t be able to eat it all!
They all thought mom was hilarious because she would comment on how much bigger we are and how she and I can barely sit together on the bus (seats made for two Vietnamese people). Long was so great and spent the whole night translating. It was very interesting to hear his parents say (again) that they don’t harbor any resentment towards Americans for the war and that we are all brothers and sisters.
Throughout dinner they were all so sweet and made sure we had PLENTY of food. They even got us champagne and we were explaining how in the US that means a celebration and Long said it was to welcome guests (we also learned to cheer in Vietnamese). Half way through dinner Long’s cousins or uncle and aunt or SOME couple showed up (it kind of got lost in translation!) and they were great! The uncle was so funny and asked questions about life in America and our thoughts of Vietnam.
After dinner and lots of laughs, Long explained how they had a room for us upstairs. We did get a late start to the evening, but we were not prepared to stay over, although it was so sweet that they expected us to! We kept saying how we didn’t bring anything and we were going to get an early start tomorrow and his dad kept insisting we stay! We felt bad as we didn’t want to offend anyone, but we were ready to head back and go to sleep! After grapefruit for dessert (good for digestion) his uncle/cousin had a friend in the cab business he called to take us home. He told us (through Long) that it was late and he wanted to make sure we got home safely, which was very sweet. We were tired after the drive back, but the experience was MORE than worth it!
We didn’t end up getting a ton of sleep as we got back late and were up early this morning. We headed out to breakfast and also to drop off our laundry. We wanted to drop off the laundry first thing in the morning as we were washing towels and blankets and needed them back in the evening.
We then went to catch the bus to take to the orphanage and to the Big C to get some more supplies for the orphanage. On the bus we ran into the other volunteers (small world) and told them we would meet them at the orphanage as we were stopping to get some supplies. We were able to get everything we needed (and could carry) and brought the supplies to the rooms in the orphanage.
We then brought Thoung out for his walk, where he had a BLAST laughing with mom and still remembered how to tickle! He was so cute and would start laughing before we got to a certain area because he remembered something funny him and mom had laughed about yesterday. He also loved using her camera today! He remembered how to zoom and started directing some of the other volunteers in order to create the picture he wanted!
I feel so bad because “Cho Con” was the little boy my mom fell in love with last year and she was so excited to meet him but he has not been in at all!! I think the women were saying that he is still at home (he is a day student) but I wish she could meet him! Today a new little boy fell in love with her. It is the same boy Khaly helped feed last year and today during feeding time mom was helping him eat. It is amazing because last year he was completely dependent on someone feeding him puree food and this year he can eat real food on his own! Anyway after his meal he gets a bottle which he wanted on the mats that they have nap time on. Mom sat next to him and rubbed his head and then all of a sudden he just climbed into her lap to snuggle. It was SO cute!
We took the bus back to the hotel for lunch and an afternoon of resting. We didn’t get much sleep and tomorrow will be a long day as we are going to the Mekong Delta with Long. We ended up both taking naps and it was so nice! I then headed off to the gym (I am trying) and mom met me after so we could head out to the market, which was conveniently closing for the night! We then decided on dinner in the backpacker’s district at one of the main restaurants on the street as it has GREAT people watching! After our tummy’s were full we headed to my new favorite massage place for WELL needed massages and after some showers and some packing we are ready for our Mekong Delta trip tomorrow!
Hugs and kisses from the real Vietnam!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Belly Laughs
I slept SO well last night because I was exhausted! After 5 minutes after I woke up it began..the drilling, the hammering, etc. I am under the impression they are gutting the room below us (we saw the bathtub outside) so there is constantly a drill or a hammer going. Luckily we walked over to breakfast and were able to gain some peace and quiet!
Our plan for the day was to head out to the orphanage (since we didn’t get to spend much time with Thoung yesterday) and also stop at the Big C (aka Walmart) beforehand to pick up some things needed for the orphanage (on the list that Nicholas gave us yesterday). We were very productive and were able to find things from a hot water heater, to bowls to baby food! We managed to make it on the bus and into the orphanage! We sort of just handed everything to the women in their respective rooms but they seemed appreciative and we were excited at the opportunity to help!
We were then able to spend about an hour with Thoung which was awesome! He lit up as we were leaving his room. We bought a golf and bowling set and he was all smiles when we were teaching him how to use it. We then spent some time walking through the Pagoda, which is when Thoung learned how to tickle my mom with the head of his golf club. She would go crazy and over exaggerate which sent him into belly laughs! I have never seen him laugh so hard! At one point we were on the stairs in the pagoda (made to look like a cave) so there were areas you could see through, and mom would stick her head through and he would chase after her, it was awesome! At one point he literally dragged me so he could chase after her!
We spent some time on the bench taking pictures (he loves his camera, but is very aware the picture isn’t as clear as mine, so loves “borrowing” mine!) and was belly laughing again when mom started acting like Auntie Kathy and did a silly dance! He was convulsing he was laughing so hard, it was so awesome!
I taught him how to zoom on the camera and then I stood up so he could take a picture of me. Mom was helping him, but she made him laugh so hard he got the hiccups! So when he started to take a picture of me he would hiccup and he would end up taking a picture of something above my head, which sent him into another belly laugh.
We had to bring him back to his room so he could eat, but he was fine with saying goodbye, which was great for us!
We took the bus back (I almost fell asleep) and just took well needed showers as we are off to dinner at Longs!
Hugs and kisses from belly laughs.
Our plan for the day was to head out to the orphanage (since we didn’t get to spend much time with Thoung yesterday) and also stop at the Big C (aka Walmart) beforehand to pick up some things needed for the orphanage (on the list that Nicholas gave us yesterday). We were very productive and were able to find things from a hot water heater, to bowls to baby food! We managed to make it on the bus and into the orphanage! We sort of just handed everything to the women in their respective rooms but they seemed appreciative and we were excited at the opportunity to help!
We were then able to spend about an hour with Thoung which was awesome! He lit up as we were leaving his room. We bought a golf and bowling set and he was all smiles when we were teaching him how to use it. We then spent some time walking through the Pagoda, which is when Thoung learned how to tickle my mom with the head of his golf club. She would go crazy and over exaggerate which sent him into belly laughs! I have never seen him laugh so hard! At one point we were on the stairs in the pagoda (made to look like a cave) so there were areas you could see through, and mom would stick her head through and he would chase after her, it was awesome! At one point he literally dragged me so he could chase after her!
We spent some time on the bench taking pictures (he loves his camera, but is very aware the picture isn’t as clear as mine, so loves “borrowing” mine!) and was belly laughing again when mom started acting like Auntie Kathy and did a silly dance! He was convulsing he was laughing so hard, it was so awesome!
I taught him how to zoom on the camera and then I stood up so he could take a picture of me. Mom was helping him, but she made him laugh so hard he got the hiccups! So when he started to take a picture of me he would hiccup and he would end up taking a picture of something above my head, which sent him into another belly laugh.
We had to bring him back to his room so he could eat, but he was fine with saying goodbye, which was great for us!
We took the bus back (I almost fell asleep) and just took well needed showers as we are off to dinner at Longs!
Hugs and kisses from belly laughs.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Fun filled orphanage day!
Picking up my mom last night was a breeze and I was so excited to see her and welcome her to Vietnam! It was a late night (we didn’t get to the hotel until around midnight) so after helping her unpack (kinda!) we both hit the sack!
Our plan for today was to head out to the orphanage. I thought it would be a good first day to go on the weekend where there are no other volunteers and the kids are in their rooms so it’s much more relaxed and less overwhelming. After a quick lunch of PB&J we headed out! On the walk towards the orphanage we ran into Nicholas (the man from California) who was VERY excited to see me (who can blame him..) well I guess see us! He was hoping to meet my mom (yay) and still had a few more things to go over on his list. He brought us around to each room to show us again what they needed, etc. Thoung was sleeping (so cute) so we decided we would come back. After a tour of the building (and rooms) and what we should get them, he asked us if we had been to the massage area (which we hadn’t!) He was saying how some older blind people (in their 20’s and 30’s) get trained in massage therapy and then give “free” massages at the Pagoda in exchange for room and board. The massage was very nice, although to be honest I think we both felt our time would have been better spent with the kids.
Nicholas was telling us about a second orphanage (not far from this one) that another monk had set up and asked us if we wanted to join him there in the afternoon. That gave us a little time with Thoung and he was all smiles when we picked him up from his room to bring him outside. But, Nicholas then told us the driver was leaving now which meant we really had to just bring Thoung back in his room. This did NOT make him happy as he through a little fit which broke my heart because we really didn’t get to spend any time with him!
We spent a lot of time with Nicholas and he filled us in with a lot about the orphanage. He told us that the monk in charge of the orphanage we visit is not a good guy and really corrupt. People think they are donating to the orphanage but really it goes to the monk, and he uses it to build new Pagodas. However, Nicholas said there was a second orphanage, which was started by a monk who used to work at this orphanage. The second orphanage really values education, while this orphanage is more of a warehouse.
We went to the second orphanage which was actually beautiful! Basically this orphanage is for people ages 18 and older (so some kids from the first orphanage will come here when they are older) and it’s sort of a “trade school”. This monk really believes in education, so they are working on building a school and as of now they have different trades they are taught, one of which is making incense, which is really cool. The kids also learn instruments, gardening (growing veggies), brail, English and I think construction. There is a third orphanage site that sounds like it is still being built so some of the people at this trade school were going there to help construct (although most are blind so it’s amazing to see their work).
After that we were exhausted. To be honest, we learned SO much today about Nicholas and the orphanage, etc. but I am just too tired and worn out to write it all down!
We took the bus back to the hotel and then headed out to dinner at..wait for it..drum roll please..PIZZA HUT! I know, I know, but honestly we were so tired and hungry and it was literally in front of us! We really think they must have just opened (like Subway) because there were a MILLION people working there (yes, we counted). We must have had 4 people opening the door for us and another 6 helping us to our table. Our pizza was so good and after a quick walk we headed back for some well needed showers and sleep!
Hugs and kisses from a very tired Julie.
Our plan for today was to head out to the orphanage. I thought it would be a good first day to go on the weekend where there are no other volunteers and the kids are in their rooms so it’s much more relaxed and less overwhelming. After a quick lunch of PB&J we headed out! On the walk towards the orphanage we ran into Nicholas (the man from California) who was VERY excited to see me (who can blame him..) well I guess see us! He was hoping to meet my mom (yay) and still had a few more things to go over on his list. He brought us around to each room to show us again what they needed, etc. Thoung was sleeping (so cute) so we decided we would come back. After a tour of the building (and rooms) and what we should get them, he asked us if we had been to the massage area (which we hadn’t!) He was saying how some older blind people (in their 20’s and 30’s) get trained in massage therapy and then give “free” massages at the Pagoda in exchange for room and board. The massage was very nice, although to be honest I think we both felt our time would have been better spent with the kids.
Nicholas was telling us about a second orphanage (not far from this one) that another monk had set up and asked us if we wanted to join him there in the afternoon. That gave us a little time with Thoung and he was all smiles when we picked him up from his room to bring him outside. But, Nicholas then told us the driver was leaving now which meant we really had to just bring Thoung back in his room. This did NOT make him happy as he through a little fit which broke my heart because we really didn’t get to spend any time with him!
We spent a lot of time with Nicholas and he filled us in with a lot about the orphanage. He told us that the monk in charge of the orphanage we visit is not a good guy and really corrupt. People think they are donating to the orphanage but really it goes to the monk, and he uses it to build new Pagodas. However, Nicholas said there was a second orphanage, which was started by a monk who used to work at this orphanage. The second orphanage really values education, while this orphanage is more of a warehouse.
We went to the second orphanage which was actually beautiful! Basically this orphanage is for people ages 18 and older (so some kids from the first orphanage will come here when they are older) and it’s sort of a “trade school”. This monk really believes in education, so they are working on building a school and as of now they have different trades they are taught, one of which is making incense, which is really cool. The kids also learn instruments, gardening (growing veggies), brail, English and I think construction. There is a third orphanage site that sounds like it is still being built so some of the people at this trade school were going there to help construct (although most are blind so it’s amazing to see their work).
After that we were exhausted. To be honest, we learned SO much today about Nicholas and the orphanage, etc. but I am just too tired and worn out to write it all down!
We took the bus back to the hotel and then headed out to dinner at..wait for it..drum roll please..PIZZA HUT! I know, I know, but honestly we were so tired and hungry and it was literally in front of us! We really think they must have just opened (like Subway) because there were a MILLION people working there (yes, we counted). We must have had 4 people opening the door for us and another 6 helping us to our table. Our pizza was so good and after a quick walk we headed back for some well needed showers and sleep!
Hugs and kisses from a very tired Julie.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Longest Cold in History?
Alright so to set the record straight, I do not think I have the longest cold in history. However, it did get me thinking, how long can someone have a cold? I mean a REAL cold?
Anyway moving on. Woke up this morning feeling no different (disappointing) but needed to get back to the orphanage. After breakfast, I managed to catch the most delightful bus to date (well, almost). I don’t think this driver knew this bus had a horn (wonderful!) and at one point I thought, “Hmmm I am a little chilly..” as the AC blew on my face! It was a wonderful thing. As the bus was nearing my stop I stood up near the back door (which is what I am supposed to do). They have a button to press if you want to get off, but I don’t usually do that. I don’t want to be the obnoxious American, and I always get let off, so I figured I don’t need to press it. However, when the bus driver pulled over he only opened the front door (for someone to get on). So I started walking towards the front door and he started driving away (not cool!) Luckily there was another woman wanting to get off as well who said something to him (maybe like, hey we need to get off) and he stopped and let us off. Minus that incident he is my favorite bus driver.
I couldn’t find Thoung when I get there (phew, I was actually nervous walking in, I figured I was going to get the death stare!) but figured he was outside with some volunteers so I took the opportunity to hang out with some of the other kids from last year! There is one boy in particular that could barely move last year and needed to be fed purée food, but this year he can walk (with help) and I fed him today and he was great! He is such a cutie and it is so cool to see his improvement. In the morning the kids have “physical therapy” and obviously it does seem to help some kids!
When it was time to eat I saw Thoung, who smiled, so I figured he wasn’t that mad at me. I got to hang out with him for a bit before naptime!
I then ran into Nickolas (the man from California) and it was great timing because he is leaving on Monday (he has been here for 7 weeks) and so he gave me a list of what every room needs. He kept saying how he didn’t want to feel cheated (as far as being used for his money) so it worked out really well because he said he was out of money and time to get the rest of the things the rooms need, so it is a nice little trade off!
On the bus ride back I stopped at the Big C (supermarket) to pick up a few things for my mom and was MORE than exhausted when I got back! After some cereal for lunch (yum) I had no other choice but to nap (really, I was half asleep eating and if you know me you know I never sleep when it comes to food!)
I didn’t set an alarm because the front desk calls my room at 3:30 every day to see if I need housekeeping and yes in the past three days I have had my room cleaned (once). I was VERY concerned when I woke up at 3:45 with no phone call! I had organized the room to make sure my mom felt welcomed (I can take over a room very easily) but I wanted fresh towels and for the trash to be taken out so I was expecting someone to come in! At 4 I went downstairs (my plan was to run some errands then) and asked if I could have someone change my towels and the woman said, “Ah yes we didn’t send anyone because you sleep everyday!” GREAT!! Now the hotel thinks I am a lazy bum! I said something to the effect of, “Oh yes I have been sick” in hopes she wasn’t judging, who knows!
Since I needed to kill some time, I walked down to a café to get a muffin and some hot tea. Hot tea in Vietnam probably isn’t the best idea but I figured it was good for my cold! I came back to a nice clean room ready for my mom!
Hugs and kisses from a girl on her way to pick up her mom!
Anyway moving on. Woke up this morning feeling no different (disappointing) but needed to get back to the orphanage. After breakfast, I managed to catch the most delightful bus to date (well, almost). I don’t think this driver knew this bus had a horn (wonderful!) and at one point I thought, “Hmmm I am a little chilly..” as the AC blew on my face! It was a wonderful thing. As the bus was nearing my stop I stood up near the back door (which is what I am supposed to do). They have a button to press if you want to get off, but I don’t usually do that. I don’t want to be the obnoxious American, and I always get let off, so I figured I don’t need to press it. However, when the bus driver pulled over he only opened the front door (for someone to get on). So I started walking towards the front door and he started driving away (not cool!) Luckily there was another woman wanting to get off as well who said something to him (maybe like, hey we need to get off) and he stopped and let us off. Minus that incident he is my favorite bus driver.
I couldn’t find Thoung when I get there (phew, I was actually nervous walking in, I figured I was going to get the death stare!) but figured he was outside with some volunteers so I took the opportunity to hang out with some of the other kids from last year! There is one boy in particular that could barely move last year and needed to be fed purée food, but this year he can walk (with help) and I fed him today and he was great! He is such a cutie and it is so cool to see his improvement. In the morning the kids have “physical therapy” and obviously it does seem to help some kids!
When it was time to eat I saw Thoung, who smiled, so I figured he wasn’t that mad at me. I got to hang out with him for a bit before naptime!
I then ran into Nickolas (the man from California) and it was great timing because he is leaving on Monday (he has been here for 7 weeks) and so he gave me a list of what every room needs. He kept saying how he didn’t want to feel cheated (as far as being used for his money) so it worked out really well because he said he was out of money and time to get the rest of the things the rooms need, so it is a nice little trade off!
On the bus ride back I stopped at the Big C (supermarket) to pick up a few things for my mom and was MORE than exhausted when I got back! After some cereal for lunch (yum) I had no other choice but to nap (really, I was half asleep eating and if you know me you know I never sleep when it comes to food!)
I didn’t set an alarm because the front desk calls my room at 3:30 every day to see if I need housekeeping and yes in the past three days I have had my room cleaned (once). I was VERY concerned when I woke up at 3:45 with no phone call! I had organized the room to make sure my mom felt welcomed (I can take over a room very easily) but I wanted fresh towels and for the trash to be taken out so I was expecting someone to come in! At 4 I went downstairs (my plan was to run some errands then) and asked if I could have someone change my towels and the woman said, “Ah yes we didn’t send anyone because you sleep everyday!” GREAT!! Now the hotel thinks I am a lazy bum! I said something to the effect of, “Oh yes I have been sick” in hopes she wasn’t judging, who knows!
Since I needed to kill some time, I walked down to a café to get a muffin and some hot tea. Hot tea in Vietnam probably isn’t the best idea but I figured it was good for my cold! I came back to a nice clean room ready for my mom!
Hugs and kisses from a girl on her way to pick up her mom!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Another day of..nothing
Last night I went to sleep feeling pretty optimistic. While I still wasn’t feeling great I thought my cough was now a dry cough which seemed promising. My plan was to head out to the orphanage in the morning and then come back so I could rest. The plan didn’t go so hot as I woke up feeling just as awful as before and the phlegm was back! Dislike!
I did head out to breakfast and ran into my new Australian friends who told me about their day yesterday. I also went to get more water and strepsils (this time I got the cooling ones, so far I love them!) On my way back in I saw my first little salamander. Last year when I was in Vietnam I had a salamander that I accidentally de-tailed (I was really trying to be nice and move him out of the way) so maybe this is his baby!
I laid around for a little while and next thing I knew I was waking up, lights on and everything. I hadn’t sleep for that long, but my little nap felt good, although I felt like an old lady falling asleep in the morning with the lights on! I decided I should venture out for lunch and I also needed some more cough syrup. This woman was prepared because when I asked for cough syrup she said, “dry or phlegm” so now I have some new stuff to try! Its raspberry flavored which I was very excited about, but it’s gross. Oh well! I then decided Subway was going to be it lunch and I saw a man there today that I think was “corporate”. He looked Western and was speaking to the man I spoke to the other day. I figured if this whole study abroad career doesn’t work out, maybe I can manage international Subways! I have also noticed that I get about half the “stuff” I get in my sandwich at home! I am sure these “portions” are correct, but when you look at my sandwich it looks like there is nothing in it! I remember last year Mom, Lorna and I were in Thailand and went to Dairy Queen for blizzards (are you noticing a trend) are their larges were our smalls!
I apologize that my blogs have been so boring lately, but that has pretty much been my life! I am so thankful for a nice room to be able to stay in so I can feel better, but I really miss my kids and am actually scared to go back to see Thoung..hopefully he will forgive me!
I cannot wait for my mom to come! Hopefully she won’t read this before she gets here (I don’t think she will) but she LOVES frozen grapes (if you haven’t tried them, they are good!) Grapes are a tough commodity around here, BUT my fruit stand has them, so I went and got her some and just put them in the “freezer” (which doesn’t really freeze..so we will see how that works out). She also loves Mountain Dew, which I have NOT been able to be find, although I have one more place in mind.
I guess I fell asleep again in the afternoon, which I hope means I will be able to sleep tonight (although for a day of doing nothing, I am exhausted!) I promise tomorrows blog will be better because 1) regardless of how I am feeling I am going to the orphanage and 2) MY MOM IS COMING!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hugs and kisses from a girl who can’t wait to see her mommy!
I did head out to breakfast and ran into my new Australian friends who told me about their day yesterday. I also went to get more water and strepsils (this time I got the cooling ones, so far I love them!) On my way back in I saw my first little salamander. Last year when I was in Vietnam I had a salamander that I accidentally de-tailed (I was really trying to be nice and move him out of the way) so maybe this is his baby!
I laid around for a little while and next thing I knew I was waking up, lights on and everything. I hadn’t sleep for that long, but my little nap felt good, although I felt like an old lady falling asleep in the morning with the lights on! I decided I should venture out for lunch and I also needed some more cough syrup. This woman was prepared because when I asked for cough syrup she said, “dry or phlegm” so now I have some new stuff to try! Its raspberry flavored which I was very excited about, but it’s gross. Oh well! I then decided Subway was going to be it lunch and I saw a man there today that I think was “corporate”. He looked Western and was speaking to the man I spoke to the other day. I figured if this whole study abroad career doesn’t work out, maybe I can manage international Subways! I have also noticed that I get about half the “stuff” I get in my sandwich at home! I am sure these “portions” are correct, but when you look at my sandwich it looks like there is nothing in it! I remember last year Mom, Lorna and I were in Thailand and went to Dairy Queen for blizzards (are you noticing a trend) are their larges were our smalls!
I apologize that my blogs have been so boring lately, but that has pretty much been my life! I am so thankful for a nice room to be able to stay in so I can feel better, but I really miss my kids and am actually scared to go back to see Thoung..hopefully he will forgive me!
I cannot wait for my mom to come! Hopefully she won’t read this before she gets here (I don’t think she will) but she LOVES frozen grapes (if you haven’t tried them, they are good!) Grapes are a tough commodity around here, BUT my fruit stand has them, so I went and got her some and just put them in the “freezer” (which doesn’t really freeze..so we will see how that works out). She also loves Mountain Dew, which I have NOT been able to be find, although I have one more place in mind.
I guess I fell asleep again in the afternoon, which I hope means I will be able to sleep tonight (although for a day of doing nothing, I am exhausted!) I promise tomorrows blog will be better because 1) regardless of how I am feeling I am going to the orphanage and 2) MY MOM IS COMING!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hugs and kisses from a girl who can’t wait to see her mommy!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
I think my body hates me..
I was very optimist last night after taking my cough syrup, but the night didn’t go so well. I was up at 4am feeling awful. I will do one paragraph of complaining and then I will be done (don’t you dare skip over this paragraph!) My throat is now really sore from coughing and clearing it. My head hurts from my coughing and I just overall feel blah. There, ok, I feel better already!
I did get up and go to breakfast (the weather in Vietnam is beautiful in the morning and night!) and met two older couples from Australia! It was nice talking to them (they are in Vietnam for 2 weeks sightseeing) and especially talking to them about Australia as one of the couples is from the gold coast which is where we will be the first weekend.
After breakfast I came back and loaded up on medicine and honestly just bummed around for a bit. I feel so silly that I just have a cold, but in another country it just seems worse (that’s my excuse at least). I was honestly hoping to feel a lot better, rest in the morning and then head out to the orphanage in the afternoon, but that was not happening. I know Thoung is going to be so mad at me that I haven’t showed up in two days, but I don’t really want to get him sick and I definitely want to feel better by the time my mom gets here!
I knew I couldn’t/didn’t want to stay inside all day, so I started thinking of things to do. The air is so bad here that it gets me coughing when I am outside, so I figured I would aim for an inside activity. I then remembered Bobby Brewers, which is an “American” type restaurant with a movie theater on the top floor. As long as you order food you can sit and watch the movies they play (in English with Vietnamese subtitles). So that is exactly what I did. I brought my blanket and spent the afternoon cuddled on one of their loveseats watching “The Last 3 Days” (very good, although got my heart racing too much!) and “Fair Game” (I liked that it was based on a true story). And to be honest, that was about all the excitement my body could handle for the day!
After a shower and a PB&J sandwich, I am ready for some more cough syrup and a good night sleep!
Hugs and kisses from a lazy bum!
I did get up and go to breakfast (the weather in Vietnam is beautiful in the morning and night!) and met two older couples from Australia! It was nice talking to them (they are in Vietnam for 2 weeks sightseeing) and especially talking to them about Australia as one of the couples is from the gold coast which is where we will be the first weekend.
After breakfast I came back and loaded up on medicine and honestly just bummed around for a bit. I feel so silly that I just have a cold, but in another country it just seems worse (that’s my excuse at least). I was honestly hoping to feel a lot better, rest in the morning and then head out to the orphanage in the afternoon, but that was not happening. I know Thoung is going to be so mad at me that I haven’t showed up in two days, but I don’t really want to get him sick and I definitely want to feel better by the time my mom gets here!
I knew I couldn’t/didn’t want to stay inside all day, so I started thinking of things to do. The air is so bad here that it gets me coughing when I am outside, so I figured I would aim for an inside activity. I then remembered Bobby Brewers, which is an “American” type restaurant with a movie theater on the top floor. As long as you order food you can sit and watch the movies they play (in English with Vietnamese subtitles). So that is exactly what I did. I brought my blanket and spent the afternoon cuddled on one of their loveseats watching “The Last 3 Days” (very good, although got my heart racing too much!) and “Fair Game” (I liked that it was based on a true story). And to be honest, that was about all the excitement my body could handle for the day!
After a shower and a PB&J sandwich, I am ready for some more cough syrup and a good night sleep!
Hugs and kisses from a lazy bum!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
A cold in 100 degree weather..really?
A cold in 100 degree weather..really? Last night after dinner everyone was staying out but I came back because I was literally hacking up a lung and losing my voice! I actually slept pretty well (I don’t think I had any nightmares, yay!) but woke up still feeling like I had a cold. I guess I started feeling bad on Monday, but thought it could just be the air quality, but now it seems like a cold. During the day I don’t feel as bad (just hot, which is when my heat rash comes out to play) but at night I start to lose my voice and cough a lot (I won’t say what color my phlegm is..gross).
I did go to the gym. I like the normalcy of it and I also think it helps me sleep better at night. Surprisingly both days it’s like I don’t have a cold when I am working out, weird huh? I guess maybe I am so tired and sore that it takes my mind off my cold, which is ok! I got in trouble with the “locker room police” (yes it’s true) for having the wrong type of lock on my locker. Oops!! I took step today and it KICKED MY BUTT! I really have never taken classes so hard! I could actually walk this morning (so maybe I didn’t work out as hard as I thought yesterday!) but this class was crazy! The tempo was twice what we do at home, and this instructor had us doing the craziest moves! My brain was seriously hurting (cue the blonde jokes) from these moves I was trying to do! Anyway somehow I made it out alive.
On my way back to the hotel I walk through the park (when I attempted to work out last year). Last year before I came I had read that you have to be careful about people posing as students wanting to practice their English. I guess what can happen is they take you to a coffee shop or something, run up your bill (they know the people who own it) and then make you pay for it? Or something like that! So anyway last year I would sometimes bring my lunch to eat in the park but would literally get swarmed (in seconds) by “students”. The sad thing is you become so paranoid that everyone is out to get you, and I am sure some of them were really just trying to learn, but I didn’t stick around to find out. So today I was walking through and was stopped by two boys asking if they could interview me for their class. They were so cute (very timid and intimidated..maybe I just have that effect on guys…) but I sat down with them. They had a full worksheet of questions they had to ask me (with directions saying they couldn’t just have me fill it out!). The worksheet was actually perfectly written, which is such a difference from when I was in China last year teaching English. The poor teachers were trying to teach a language they didn’t even understand, so a lot of times I was correcting their worksheets before they gave them to the students. I guess though that is also the difference between grade school and university. Anyway the questions were about where I am from, why I am here, etc. Their English was ok (I honestly think they were just nervous about speaking) but we talked about how Vietnam was SO hot and the food was spicy. The boys have been taking English for 6 years and they don’t live in the city but just come in to go to school. After my picture was taken of them (as evidence I guess?) I was on my way!
I stopped by the fruit stand to get some dragon fruit (yum) but my Jessica Simpson man was nowhere to be found. Maybe he has moved on to bigger and better things.
I realize I haven’t said anything about the hostel/hotel. In Vietnam it is definitely a hotel; in the US it might be considered more of a motel. It is really nice though. I am in room 202 (which is really the 3rd floor so I get good exercise) and the room has two twin beds and a bathroom. The bathroom has a TINY sink and a huge bathtub, which makes no sense to me because there is really no room for a bathtub! You have to stand at the side of the sink because the bathtub is in front of it, I don’t get it! But it is so nice having a nice clean room and bathroom to come back to after a crazy day!
After some lunch (cereal actually feels best on my throat) I was getting ready to head out for the afternoon. My plan was to stop by the pharmacy (which is on the way to the bus stop) to get some meds! I had texted Long and explained how I wasn’t feeling well and asked him if he could text me back the words for cough medicine or cough syrup in Vietnamese. That way if the pharmacist didn’t speak English I could show them the text and not end up with some crazy drugs that aren’t even for a cold! What would I do without Long!?
I was exhausted and decided I would lie down for 20 minutes. Well, I think we all know how that turned out. I actually didn’t fall asleep by the time my alarm went off, but I just realized how bad I felt! Just the thought of walking to the bus station made me tired. I feel so silly, I mean I just have a cold, but having a cold in another country is exhausting! Blake made me feel better (what a good boyfriend!) about staying home saying I would feel awful if I got any of the kids at the orphanage sick, which is so true, so I don’t feel as bad about staying in today. Plus, I need to be tour guide Julie when my mom gets here (woooohooooo) and we have a busy next few weeks, so I would much rather just rest and feel better now!
I could have slept all afternoon, but after a reasonable nap (less than 2 hours) I got myself out of bed. I headed out to drop off my laundry and to go to the pharmacy. In the hotel they have a little laundry basket and say they will do it for you, but I figured it would be overpriced compared to the place down the street (it pays to know your way around a city!) And, the funny thing is (or at least I think it is funny) yesterday I saw the bell boy at the laundry shop I go to! So I figured they charge a little bit more and then drop it off at the laundry place anyway! The price at the laundry shop seems reasonable ($3) and I can pick it up tomorrow!
There is a strip of “medical” shops, but most have things like slings, thermometers, etc. rather than medicine. However, I did find one the other day that seemed to have medicine, but since nothing was in English I left! Today I asked the woman if she spoke English but she replied, “No English” so I whipped out my phone! She reached underneath the counter and pulled out Ameflu C! YAY! Right on the packaging under the Vietnamese it said, “Cough, Cold and Flu!” Woo hooo! I can’t even tell you how happy I was! I also saw she had strepsils (which looked promising) so I got some of those too! Luckily those directions are in English (they are like throat lozenges with medicine) and I was able to find the Ameflu directions online (love the internet!) so I am going to be feeling better in no time!!!
I then decided I needed to get dinner and even though I hadn’t been in my room that long it felt like forever, so I figured I would take a walk on the “strip” (think Hampton beach..). As I walked about a minute away from the hotel, I thought, “Really Julie..really!?” There is a pharmacy one minute away and I know they speak English because I was there last year (getting Raid of all things..). Anyway having Long text me and getting medicine that way was MUCH more fun, but I did get some cough syrup that will hopefully help me sleep tonight!
I splurged tonight and went to Subway. I guess if there’s one good thing about not feeling well it’s that I don’t feel as bad doing “American things”. When you walk in they say “welcome to subway” which is nice! While the woman was making my sandwich (roast beef if you must know) I asked how long they had been here and this guy (who seemed to speak English very well but looked middle eastern) said, “Since Wednesday”. I looked at him and said, “As in a week ago?” and he said yes! I couldn’t believe it..what perfect timing! He also said they were the first one “here” (I am guessing he meant in Saigon).
My second splurge of the evening was on a massage..which sadly wasn’t even that good, but it felt nice just to relax! Now with some cough syrup in my system and a throat lozenge in my mouth, I am hoping for a good night sleep!
Hugs and kisses from a 100 degree weather cold!
I did go to the gym. I like the normalcy of it and I also think it helps me sleep better at night. Surprisingly both days it’s like I don’t have a cold when I am working out, weird huh? I guess maybe I am so tired and sore that it takes my mind off my cold, which is ok! I got in trouble with the “locker room police” (yes it’s true) for having the wrong type of lock on my locker. Oops!! I took step today and it KICKED MY BUTT! I really have never taken classes so hard! I could actually walk this morning (so maybe I didn’t work out as hard as I thought yesterday!) but this class was crazy! The tempo was twice what we do at home, and this instructor had us doing the craziest moves! My brain was seriously hurting (cue the blonde jokes) from these moves I was trying to do! Anyway somehow I made it out alive.
On my way back to the hotel I walk through the park (when I attempted to work out last year). Last year before I came I had read that you have to be careful about people posing as students wanting to practice their English. I guess what can happen is they take you to a coffee shop or something, run up your bill (they know the people who own it) and then make you pay for it? Or something like that! So anyway last year I would sometimes bring my lunch to eat in the park but would literally get swarmed (in seconds) by “students”. The sad thing is you become so paranoid that everyone is out to get you, and I am sure some of them were really just trying to learn, but I didn’t stick around to find out. So today I was walking through and was stopped by two boys asking if they could interview me for their class. They were so cute (very timid and intimidated..maybe I just have that effect on guys…) but I sat down with them. They had a full worksheet of questions they had to ask me (with directions saying they couldn’t just have me fill it out!). The worksheet was actually perfectly written, which is such a difference from when I was in China last year teaching English. The poor teachers were trying to teach a language they didn’t even understand, so a lot of times I was correcting their worksheets before they gave them to the students. I guess though that is also the difference between grade school and university. Anyway the questions were about where I am from, why I am here, etc. Their English was ok (I honestly think they were just nervous about speaking) but we talked about how Vietnam was SO hot and the food was spicy. The boys have been taking English for 6 years and they don’t live in the city but just come in to go to school. After my picture was taken of them (as evidence I guess?) I was on my way!
I stopped by the fruit stand to get some dragon fruit (yum) but my Jessica Simpson man was nowhere to be found. Maybe he has moved on to bigger and better things.
I realize I haven’t said anything about the hostel/hotel. In Vietnam it is definitely a hotel; in the US it might be considered more of a motel. It is really nice though. I am in room 202 (which is really the 3rd floor so I get good exercise) and the room has two twin beds and a bathroom. The bathroom has a TINY sink and a huge bathtub, which makes no sense to me because there is really no room for a bathtub! You have to stand at the side of the sink because the bathtub is in front of it, I don’t get it! But it is so nice having a nice clean room and bathroom to come back to after a crazy day!
After some lunch (cereal actually feels best on my throat) I was getting ready to head out for the afternoon. My plan was to stop by the pharmacy (which is on the way to the bus stop) to get some meds! I had texted Long and explained how I wasn’t feeling well and asked him if he could text me back the words for cough medicine or cough syrup in Vietnamese. That way if the pharmacist didn’t speak English I could show them the text and not end up with some crazy drugs that aren’t even for a cold! What would I do without Long!?
I was exhausted and decided I would lie down for 20 minutes. Well, I think we all know how that turned out. I actually didn’t fall asleep by the time my alarm went off, but I just realized how bad I felt! Just the thought of walking to the bus station made me tired. I feel so silly, I mean I just have a cold, but having a cold in another country is exhausting! Blake made me feel better (what a good boyfriend!) about staying home saying I would feel awful if I got any of the kids at the orphanage sick, which is so true, so I don’t feel as bad about staying in today. Plus, I need to be tour guide Julie when my mom gets here (woooohooooo) and we have a busy next few weeks, so I would much rather just rest and feel better now!
I could have slept all afternoon, but after a reasonable nap (less than 2 hours) I got myself out of bed. I headed out to drop off my laundry and to go to the pharmacy. In the hotel they have a little laundry basket and say they will do it for you, but I figured it would be overpriced compared to the place down the street (it pays to know your way around a city!) And, the funny thing is (or at least I think it is funny) yesterday I saw the bell boy at the laundry shop I go to! So I figured they charge a little bit more and then drop it off at the laundry place anyway! The price at the laundry shop seems reasonable ($3) and I can pick it up tomorrow!
There is a strip of “medical” shops, but most have things like slings, thermometers, etc. rather than medicine. However, I did find one the other day that seemed to have medicine, but since nothing was in English I left! Today I asked the woman if she spoke English but she replied, “No English” so I whipped out my phone! She reached underneath the counter and pulled out Ameflu C! YAY! Right on the packaging under the Vietnamese it said, “Cough, Cold and Flu!” Woo hooo! I can’t even tell you how happy I was! I also saw she had strepsils (which looked promising) so I got some of those too! Luckily those directions are in English (they are like throat lozenges with medicine) and I was able to find the Ameflu directions online (love the internet!) so I am going to be feeling better in no time!!!
I then decided I needed to get dinner and even though I hadn’t been in my room that long it felt like forever, so I figured I would take a walk on the “strip” (think Hampton beach..). As I walked about a minute away from the hotel, I thought, “Really Julie..really!?” There is a pharmacy one minute away and I know they speak English because I was there last year (getting Raid of all things..). Anyway having Long text me and getting medicine that way was MUCH more fun, but I did get some cough syrup that will hopefully help me sleep tonight!
I splurged tonight and went to Subway. I guess if there’s one good thing about not feeling well it’s that I don’t feel as bad doing “American things”. When you walk in they say “welcome to subway” which is nice! While the woman was making my sandwich (roast beef if you must know) I asked how long they had been here and this guy (who seemed to speak English very well but looked middle eastern) said, “Since Wednesday”. I looked at him and said, “As in a week ago?” and he said yes! I couldn’t believe it..what perfect timing! He also said they were the first one “here” (I am guessing he meant in Saigon).
My second splurge of the evening was on a massage..which sadly wasn’t even that good, but it felt nice just to relax! Now with some cough syrup in my system and a throat lozenge in my mouth, I am hoping for a good night sleep!
Hugs and kisses from a 100 degree weather cold!
Monday, February 21, 2011
I have created a monster...or at least a spoiled brat!
More nightmares last night!! I don’t know what the deal is..but I don’t like it! I was up again at 5am (at least it’s getting later) and was able to skype Scott so that was good! I woke up again at 8am to get some breakfast and head to the gym! I found a gym that is VERY western and has the same type of classes as my gym at home, so I figured it would be a good use of my time to join and take some of their group fitness classes. It is so hot and muggy and smoggy here that working out outside is out of the question (I learned that last year!)
I was MORE than impressed with the gym as it is really almost nicer than the gym at home (but equally as pricy). After a quick tour I decided I would take the Zumba class. At first I was the only western (uh oh) but then another woman joined and while I wasn’t sure she spoke English, I was pretty sure she didn’t speak Vietnamese, so figured I would be ok! The class was actually just like classes in the US. The people who knew what they were doing were up front, the people who didn’t were in the back, and there were a couple of weird guys in the middle! I was going along doing my best to follow her and I swear at one point she was either speaking English or I was understanding Vietnamese, and we all know it wasn’t the latter, so I figured she must know some English (she was saying things like 1,2,3 and let’s go). After Zumba there was a “bums and tums” class which sounded beneficial so I decided I would try that one too! Bad idea. Well, not so much a bad idea, but I don’t think I will be able to walk tomorrow. DJ (the instructor) came over to introduce himself and while it was a bit hard to understand him over the music it was nice to know he definitely spoke English. Zumba had about 30 people in it, this one only about 8, but DJ spoke a lot of English during the class. It was legit the hardest class I have ever taken! Squats and lunges, repeat. It definitely felt good to be working out, but this was a lot!
I wondered about the Vietnamese people who were members of the gym. It was definitely Western (aka expensive) so I figured they were the wealthy Vietnamese and probably well educated. When I was leaving class and walking down the stairs the Vietnamese woman behind me said, “Wow that was a hard class, huh?” It was actually nice to feel like I could communicate with someone and I wonder if most speak English or she was an exception.
On my walk, or should I say, hobble, back to the hotel, I found a Subway!! At first I was excited (I love their sandwiches) but then I was a bit disappointed. In only a year, a Subway, Pizza Hut and Adidas have gone in, and I am sure this is just the start of more to come. I also have forgotten to mention that on my way to breakfast in the morning I pass a “Boston Sports Bar” that I will have to try for dinner sometime!
After a well needed shower and lunch, I headed out to the orphanage. I have created a spoiled brat. Thoung lit up when I walked in (which, as always, melts my heart) and after a hug and a kiss I headed over to see some of the other kids who I haven’t been able to spend any time with. This did NOT make Thoung happy, as he burst into tears! I felt awful, but I also wanted to spend some time with the other kids. After a quick catch up, Thoung and I were off for our walk! We spent a good hour and a half walking in the pagoda. It’s about 5 stories and it’s a beautiful view on top, but the stairs are step and Thoung is still a little wobbly on his feet so I get a little nervous! I knew he wasn’t going to be happy coming back in, but I knew everyone would be eating (and yes, we were late for dinner!)
When I walked into the orphanage I saw most of the same women that were there last year, and I could be tooting my own horn, but I really think they remembered me! After catching up with the kids I did give them the pictures of us from last year, so if they didn’t remember before they definitely did by the time I left!
I met a lot of new people from a volunteer group and actually the first girl I met went to UNH! How crazy is that? Talk about a small world! It was actually very comforting knowing she knows Portsmouth! Another girl is from Pennsylvania, one form Canada and the rest from Australia. It’s always nice meeting new people!
After feeding time the kids are brought back to their rooms for the night so we all left. The volunteers live in a house about a 15 minute bus ride from the orphanage (the same bus I take) so it was nice to have some company for the first half of the bus ride! They were coming into district one (where I am staying) for dinner so we made plans to meet up.
After a welcomed shower, checking some emails and a quick nap, I met Lisa (UNH) Hannah (from Canada, 3 years out of high school, spent 6 months in Africa last year, is hoping to go back to school this fall) and Kim (a guy from Australia) for pizza at a restaurant down the street from my hotel. Nothing like pizza with some new friends!
Hugs and kisses from the spoiled brat I have created!
I was MORE than impressed with the gym as it is really almost nicer than the gym at home (but equally as pricy). After a quick tour I decided I would take the Zumba class. At first I was the only western (uh oh) but then another woman joined and while I wasn’t sure she spoke English, I was pretty sure she didn’t speak Vietnamese, so figured I would be ok! The class was actually just like classes in the US. The people who knew what they were doing were up front, the people who didn’t were in the back, and there were a couple of weird guys in the middle! I was going along doing my best to follow her and I swear at one point she was either speaking English or I was understanding Vietnamese, and we all know it wasn’t the latter, so I figured she must know some English (she was saying things like 1,2,3 and let’s go). After Zumba there was a “bums and tums” class which sounded beneficial so I decided I would try that one too! Bad idea. Well, not so much a bad idea, but I don’t think I will be able to walk tomorrow. DJ (the instructor) came over to introduce himself and while it was a bit hard to understand him over the music it was nice to know he definitely spoke English. Zumba had about 30 people in it, this one only about 8, but DJ spoke a lot of English during the class. It was legit the hardest class I have ever taken! Squats and lunges, repeat. It definitely felt good to be working out, but this was a lot!
I wondered about the Vietnamese people who were members of the gym. It was definitely Western (aka expensive) so I figured they were the wealthy Vietnamese and probably well educated. When I was leaving class and walking down the stairs the Vietnamese woman behind me said, “Wow that was a hard class, huh?” It was actually nice to feel like I could communicate with someone and I wonder if most speak English or she was an exception.
On my walk, or should I say, hobble, back to the hotel, I found a Subway!! At first I was excited (I love their sandwiches) but then I was a bit disappointed. In only a year, a Subway, Pizza Hut and Adidas have gone in, and I am sure this is just the start of more to come. I also have forgotten to mention that on my way to breakfast in the morning I pass a “Boston Sports Bar” that I will have to try for dinner sometime!
After a well needed shower and lunch, I headed out to the orphanage. I have created a spoiled brat. Thoung lit up when I walked in (which, as always, melts my heart) and after a hug and a kiss I headed over to see some of the other kids who I haven’t been able to spend any time with. This did NOT make Thoung happy, as he burst into tears! I felt awful, but I also wanted to spend some time with the other kids. After a quick catch up, Thoung and I were off for our walk! We spent a good hour and a half walking in the pagoda. It’s about 5 stories and it’s a beautiful view on top, but the stairs are step and Thoung is still a little wobbly on his feet so I get a little nervous! I knew he wasn’t going to be happy coming back in, but I knew everyone would be eating (and yes, we were late for dinner!)
When I walked into the orphanage I saw most of the same women that were there last year, and I could be tooting my own horn, but I really think they remembered me! After catching up with the kids I did give them the pictures of us from last year, so if they didn’t remember before they definitely did by the time I left!
I met a lot of new people from a volunteer group and actually the first girl I met went to UNH! How crazy is that? Talk about a small world! It was actually very comforting knowing she knows Portsmouth! Another girl is from Pennsylvania, one form Canada and the rest from Australia. It’s always nice meeting new people!
After feeding time the kids are brought back to their rooms for the night so we all left. The volunteers live in a house about a 15 minute bus ride from the orphanage (the same bus I take) so it was nice to have some company for the first half of the bus ride! They were coming into district one (where I am staying) for dinner so we made plans to meet up.
After a welcomed shower, checking some emails and a quick nap, I met Lisa (UNH) Hannah (from Canada, 3 years out of high school, spent 6 months in Africa last year, is hoping to go back to school this fall) and Kim (a guy from Australia) for pizza at a restaurant down the street from my hotel. Nothing like pizza with some new friends!
Hugs and kisses from the spoiled brat I have created!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Jet Lag..boooo!
I had a lot of nightmares last night..and I am not even on any crazy malaria drugs! I woke up at 4am wide awake aaaaand..sick! I had a sore scratchy throat and my sinus’ hurt. I know a lot of people at home at sick, but it could also be the air quality here (it’s terrible..or..Scott, Mom & Dad..it’s trrrrrrble!) Luckily though, the internet quality was great, so I was able to catch up on some emails. I woke up at 8 and went to get breakfast and then, being the good girl I am, I went to church! The Catholic Church here is beautiful (it’s a tourist stop) and at 930am on Sundays they have a mass in English. I went once last year, and we were late so I couldn’t even see the priest, making it very hard to following along. It’s about a 20 minute walk but I made it with time to spare and a good seat!
It was SO hot in that church I cannot explain..I felt like I was going to pass out the entire time. I was, however, very impressed with the Samsung flat screen TVs (probably 20 of them) that showed the words for songs (an upgrade from last year) and wondered what my offering might bring for next year! On the walk back to the hotel I stopped in every air conditioned place I could find and made it back with time to blog, check emails and most importantly cool down!
Long and I planned on meeting at the bus station at 1pm and on my walk I sort of heard someone yelling and then thought, “Is someone yelling my name?” You can imagine why I would find it strange that in the middle of Saigon someone was calling MY name, so as I turned around, who did I see but Long! I am actually still not really sure why he was in the park, but anyway, we were off! We spent the 45 minute bus ride catching up. Long is 25 and finishing up his last year at university. I found out he has a girlfriend (of 6 months, but don’t tell because his parents don’t know) and they usually go to the coffee shop for their dates. I tried, as best I could, to explain the orphanage to him so he was fully aware of what to expect.
When we got there, we went to Thoung’s room, where he was in the WORST mood. He would barely look at me and had the worst pouty face. I wanted to say, “Hey Thoung, I brought my friend here today, what’s your problem” but as Long started talking to the worker in the room, she said yesterday after I left he cried and cried and was not a happy camper. As cute as it was to know that, I figured he was mad at me today! Long started to talk with the woman in the room but I guess she was sort of a “substitute” so she didn’t know much. We decided to try another room and when we were leaving Thoung started crying and it broke my heart! I asked Long to tell him I was coming right back and we could go for a walk..can you see why I am in love with Thoung?
We went to a different room and ended up talking to a few different workers. To be honest, I didn’t really find out anything I didn’t already know. They said the head monk was in charge and I should go through him to ask about what they need, although then they continued to say if I donated there it wouldn’t get to them so I should deliver to the rooms individually. One woman actually said I shouldn’t even walk in to the pagoda with the stuff because they will snag it (although I don’t think that’s true). I was thinking they would be more greedy about stuff they wanted me to buy them but they didn’t have any crazy requests. I did get some ideas from the man I met yesterday (dishes, detergent, towels, etc.) and a couple of the rooms asked for diapers, etc. They also said everything comes from private donations. I think Long might come back again (he said he enjoyed going and giving back) so maybe we will be able to find out more information!
When we got back to Thoung’s room (and he was still pouty) I had Long ask if we could take him for a walk and Thoung melted my heart again with his smile. I was teasing him that now that I was taking him out he was being cute again. We put on his shoes (yes he has some, although not the ones from last year) and headed out! He had an even bigger smile when I put the camera around his neck and off we went.
He was on a mission and we walked out of the pagoda to the sugar cane (it’s a sweet drink) stand where he just sat down. I remember last year he didn’t really like it, but I bought a drink for myself, Long and Thoung (which they put in a cute kids cup with a Mickey Mouse lid). It amazed me because Long was talking to Thoung in Vietnamese and it was obvious he understood even though he wasn’t able to verbally respond. Thoung was showing Long the pictures he took yesterday and Long was asking him questions he could answer by pointing or shaking his head. I was so amazed to watch him interact in this way. We sat there sipping our drinks and I just thought, life is good!
Finally the substitute worker lady came and told us (well told Long) it was time for food and a shower so we brought Thoung back inside. I was ready for his breakdown again (which breaks my heart) but I asked Long to tell him I would be back tomorrow, and Thoung got a huge smile and waved by as we left. Ugh I just love this kid!
Long and I took the bus back and I was exhausted. This time difference is killing me and it’s always in the late afternoon (I remember the same when in China). I am making myself stay up until a reasonable hour tonight in the hopes I will get on a schedule soon! I ate dinner (spaghetti again) and to be honest I haven’t even enjoyed eating out because I am so sleepy! I literally want to lay down on the table..it is really awful. I did splurge tonight and get a massage, although my favorite massage place is GONE! Last year I had a favorite massage place because they did this cucumber wrap on your face and in the hot Saigon weather it felt so good..but I couldn’t find it! Anyway my massage felt GREAT and after a shower I am ready for bed!
Hugs and kisses from jet lagged Julie!
It was SO hot in that church I cannot explain..I felt like I was going to pass out the entire time. I was, however, very impressed with the Samsung flat screen TVs (probably 20 of them) that showed the words for songs (an upgrade from last year) and wondered what my offering might bring for next year! On the walk back to the hotel I stopped in every air conditioned place I could find and made it back with time to blog, check emails and most importantly cool down!
Long and I planned on meeting at the bus station at 1pm and on my walk I sort of heard someone yelling and then thought, “Is someone yelling my name?” You can imagine why I would find it strange that in the middle of Saigon someone was calling MY name, so as I turned around, who did I see but Long! I am actually still not really sure why he was in the park, but anyway, we were off! We spent the 45 minute bus ride catching up. Long is 25 and finishing up his last year at university. I found out he has a girlfriend (of 6 months, but don’t tell because his parents don’t know) and they usually go to the coffee shop for their dates. I tried, as best I could, to explain the orphanage to him so he was fully aware of what to expect.
When we got there, we went to Thoung’s room, where he was in the WORST mood. He would barely look at me and had the worst pouty face. I wanted to say, “Hey Thoung, I brought my friend here today, what’s your problem” but as Long started talking to the worker in the room, she said yesterday after I left he cried and cried and was not a happy camper. As cute as it was to know that, I figured he was mad at me today! Long started to talk with the woman in the room but I guess she was sort of a “substitute” so she didn’t know much. We decided to try another room and when we were leaving Thoung started crying and it broke my heart! I asked Long to tell him I was coming right back and we could go for a walk..can you see why I am in love with Thoung?
We went to a different room and ended up talking to a few different workers. To be honest, I didn’t really find out anything I didn’t already know. They said the head monk was in charge and I should go through him to ask about what they need, although then they continued to say if I donated there it wouldn’t get to them so I should deliver to the rooms individually. One woman actually said I shouldn’t even walk in to the pagoda with the stuff because they will snag it (although I don’t think that’s true). I was thinking they would be more greedy about stuff they wanted me to buy them but they didn’t have any crazy requests. I did get some ideas from the man I met yesterday (dishes, detergent, towels, etc.) and a couple of the rooms asked for diapers, etc. They also said everything comes from private donations. I think Long might come back again (he said he enjoyed going and giving back) so maybe we will be able to find out more information!
When we got back to Thoung’s room (and he was still pouty) I had Long ask if we could take him for a walk and Thoung melted my heart again with his smile. I was teasing him that now that I was taking him out he was being cute again. We put on his shoes (yes he has some, although not the ones from last year) and headed out! He had an even bigger smile when I put the camera around his neck and off we went.
He was on a mission and we walked out of the pagoda to the sugar cane (it’s a sweet drink) stand where he just sat down. I remember last year he didn’t really like it, but I bought a drink for myself, Long and Thoung (which they put in a cute kids cup with a Mickey Mouse lid). It amazed me because Long was talking to Thoung in Vietnamese and it was obvious he understood even though he wasn’t able to verbally respond. Thoung was showing Long the pictures he took yesterday and Long was asking him questions he could answer by pointing or shaking his head. I was so amazed to watch him interact in this way. We sat there sipping our drinks and I just thought, life is good!
Finally the substitute worker lady came and told us (well told Long) it was time for food and a shower so we brought Thoung back inside. I was ready for his breakdown again (which breaks my heart) but I asked Long to tell him I would be back tomorrow, and Thoung got a huge smile and waved by as we left. Ugh I just love this kid!
Long and I took the bus back and I was exhausted. This time difference is killing me and it’s always in the late afternoon (I remember the same when in China). I am making myself stay up until a reasonable hour tonight in the hopes I will get on a schedule soon! I ate dinner (spaghetti again) and to be honest I haven’t even enjoyed eating out because I am so sleepy! I literally want to lay down on the table..it is really awful. I did splurge tonight and get a massage, although my favorite massage place is GONE! Last year I had a favorite massage place because they did this cucumber wrap on your face and in the hot Saigon weather it felt so good..but I couldn’t find it! Anyway my massage felt GREAT and after a shower I am ready for bed!
Hugs and kisses from jet lagged Julie!
It's like I never left :)
I only woke up once last night and said “Ahh where am I?” and was up around 8am! My plan was first to get breakfast, as the hotel offered a little breakfast included. However, it was down the street a bit at their sister hotel. But it was actually decent. I had some pineapple and some rice (a very Vietnamese breakfast) and decided that was a good enough start for the day. I then went to the bank as I need to exchange my money. I had done a lot of research on where/how to exchange money and the bank is probably the worst rate, BUT the safest and at this point I don’t feel like dealing with counterfeit money, so the bank is was! The woman looked at me and said, “You look familiar, you been here before?” I tried to explain I was here last year and she says, “Yes I remember you, I sat right there” which is true, she did sit there! Anyway it was great and so nice to be “home”..even the bank lady remembers me!! I then made the hike to the Coop for groceries. At this point the city was HOT and loud, just the way I remember it! The walk was ALSO as long as I remember it and the Coop was just as crowded as I remembered! I found everything I needed except jelly! I know I found it there last year, so I have a couple of other options to look before I pass it on to the “mom these are the things I forgot” list! I really hate the Coop as it is SO crowded and I can never remember how to say “excuse me” so not only am I hot and sticky, I’m rude! Oh well! The walk back was again, long, and I gave myself a few minutes to cool down and rehydrate. I forgot that last time I was here I had already spent 5 weeks adjusting to the time zone, so I am actually really tired. My plan for the next 2 or so days is to take a slow and spend only a few hours at the orphanage and make sure I keep cool and hydrated! The LAST thing I want is to be sick HERE! After a quick rest stop I went out to get a sim card. I am meeting Long tomorrow at the bus station so I figured I really needed to have a phone and while I do have an international cell phone, it’s nice to have one that is cheaper for calls in Vietnam. I probably got ripped off, but heat and humidity do awful things to my haggling skills. I was exhausted, so I splurged and went to an “American” coffee place to get an ice coffee!! I also stopped by my fruit stand (my Jessica Simpson man was not there!) to pick up..DRAGON fruit!!! YES!!! I still have the free breeze at home and when Blake was shopping for air freshener I made him get dragon fruit! Now I can eat it! WAHOOOOOO! After that I came back for one “last rest” and food break before I headed out to the orphanage! Oh how could I forgot..about 20 steps from the hotel they have a PIZZA HUT! At first I was like YES comfort food, but actually I am kind of bummed. I feel like pretty soon the strip will be covered in chain restaurants.
I made the walk to the bus station and actually didn’t have to wait long for the number 3 bus. Last year when I was here, it was 3,000 dong for the ride, so at first I got that much out. Then I figured maybe it went up and I didn’t want to look like a fool, so I decided to get 4,000 out, which she took and handed me my ticket. I debated whether or not she ripped me off (I get so cynical here) until I looked at the ticket which said 4,000 dong! So there you have it! I was banking on the fact that the fence with red paint would still be there (my cue to stand up) and luckily, nobody has been painting so it was! I also wasn’t sure if I should press the button, but the bus wasn’t too full and I knew the guy could see me so he stopped!
I was so nervous walking to the orphanage. By biggest fear was that Thoung would want nothing to do with me or something like that. Over the past year I have had dreams that he hates me and that he speaks English fluently (weird) so I figured somewhere in the middle would be good!
When I got to the orphanage everyone was sleeping (which I figured because I was early) so now I had to start looking through the rooms to find him. The way its set up is there is one big “play room” where the kids who are not bed ridden come during the day to play, eat and have somewhat of occupational therapy (they do exercises and things like that) but, for sleeping (and apparently on the weekends) the kids spend their time in their assigned rooms. After some peaking around, I found him, sound asleep!! The kids share cribs (if you can even call them that!) and the boy he was with was very touchy and grabby. Thoung slowly woke up, but I could tell he had no idea what was going on. I figured I would give him time to wake up, go find Cho Con (my mom’s boy!) and come back! After no luck, I came back into the room and pulled out pictures I had printed of myself and Thoung from last year. Words cannot describe how his face lit up when he saw them. He pointed at the picture and then pointed at me and had this HUGE smile. It made the VERY long plane ride MORE than worth it! We went through the pictures together and he was smiling. At one point I got to a picture of Cho Con and I asked where he was (I swear Thoung understands English) and he pointed next door, so I figured he was around somewhere. One of the boys Khaly fed last year was in one of the pictures and it was so funny because as we got to his picture Thoung looked at me and pointed in the hallway, because this kid was walking by!
After some reminiscing I pulled out the Rubik cube (at this point I knew he remembered, but just to make sure) and we played with that for a bit. It was hard because if they were in the play room I could pull him aside to spoil him, but in this room all the kids were together. Anyway the woman worker in the room was trying to talk to me and at one point I swear she was saying Thoung was my child but that was definitely hard not being able to tell her what was going on.
It was time for them to eat, so I decide to visit the other rooms and actually met a guy who’s from California! He was probably in his 40’s and left Vietnam when he was 4. It was GREAT talking to him (he’s fluent in Vietnamese) because I learned so much about the orphanage. He has been going there for 14 years and he said when they first built it himself (and many other wealthier Vietnamese) gave the monk money to build the orphanage, but instead the monk spent the money on the Pagoda (which is in front of the orphanage, from the street you would have no clue there was an orphanage behind). He kept saying, “I don’t mean to be rude but I was PISSED” and he said many others were too, because the money wasn’t used for what they thought it would be used for. The government couldn’t do anything about it since it was private money. So he said he doesn’t like the head monk because there are a lot of politics involved. He said the monk gives the kids “basic” care and keeps them off the streets, but that’s about it. Most of the kids are literally left at the gate (some tied to a bench, one kid sat out all night and was bitten by bugs..it sounds awful) by teenage mothers who don’t know what else to do. They also find a lot of children in the trash. It’s disgusting. The women who work at the orphanage work 24/7 for under $50 a month, but when I asked about it, he said they do it because they’ve either been orphans themselves, or they really care about the kids. He said most of them have children of their own (not usually disabled) but they can have their kids with them at work. He said because of this the women take good care of the kids since their own kids are in the group. He also confirmed the fact that they are unadoptable because the monk says so. He works in pharmaceuticals and said he was able to bring a child to Boston to have surgery done and found a family to adopt, but the monk wouldn’t let the child stay because the monk wanted the recognition of getting the child help and them bringing him back. Again, it’s just one side to the story, but it sounds like the monk doesn’t want a better life for these kids. I also talked to this guy about ways to donate/help. He said don’t donate to the pagoda because the money rarely trickles down to the orphanage. At first he mentioned that he comes every 2-3 months (he retired now, sold his pharmaceuticals company) and said he would give me his email, but then decided he really thinks the best way is saving my money to come back. He said the kids crave attention and touch so BEING here is really best. He also said I could find out what each room needs and buy that while I am here, so I know where my money is going. He was great about saying when he comes he buys things here so he knows EXACTLY what it is being used for. Basically, each women worker is in charge of a room, so I could ask the room what they need. He also said I could leave money with the women, which I questioned, but he said again because their kids are in the room they’re really good about using that money as they should!
After that great talk, I went back because Thoung had finished lunch and “stole” him so we could go for a walk (again I wish you could have seen his face when I asked if he wanted to take a walk!) We went outside so I could give him his camera, which he LOVED! Last year he would love taking my digital camera to take pictures and when I bought him a plastic one I could tell he was disappointed that it didn’t have an LCD screen. So this year I got a plastic one WITH an LCD screen to bring with him and he was so excited! We sat outside for a while and took a walk, but then it was getting later and I wanted to back by dark, so I brought him back inside.
He is always sad when he has to go back inside and when I leave he kind of throws a little tantrum..I don’t think anyone really ever takes these kids outside! It was hard to leave him like that but I kept saying, I’ll be back tomorrow!
I took the bus to another grocery store to pick up a few more things and then home sweet home! I was SO tired (mentally and physically) but knew I was also hungry so made myself go back out to grab dinner. EVERY restaurant in the backpacker’s district has the SAME food, really. On their menu they have an American page, a Mexican Page, an Italian page, an Indian page, a Vietnamese pages, etc etc. After a bowl of spaghetti (I’m taking it slow with my stomach) I was back at the hotel for a WELL needed shower. Now, it is time for sleep since I am very very very tired!
Hugs and kisses from a happy Julie and Thoung!
I made the walk to the bus station and actually didn’t have to wait long for the number 3 bus. Last year when I was here, it was 3,000 dong for the ride, so at first I got that much out. Then I figured maybe it went up and I didn’t want to look like a fool, so I decided to get 4,000 out, which she took and handed me my ticket. I debated whether or not she ripped me off (I get so cynical here) until I looked at the ticket which said 4,000 dong! So there you have it! I was banking on the fact that the fence with red paint would still be there (my cue to stand up) and luckily, nobody has been painting so it was! I also wasn’t sure if I should press the button, but the bus wasn’t too full and I knew the guy could see me so he stopped!
I was so nervous walking to the orphanage. By biggest fear was that Thoung would want nothing to do with me or something like that. Over the past year I have had dreams that he hates me and that he speaks English fluently (weird) so I figured somewhere in the middle would be good!
When I got to the orphanage everyone was sleeping (which I figured because I was early) so now I had to start looking through the rooms to find him. The way its set up is there is one big “play room” where the kids who are not bed ridden come during the day to play, eat and have somewhat of occupational therapy (they do exercises and things like that) but, for sleeping (and apparently on the weekends) the kids spend their time in their assigned rooms. After some peaking around, I found him, sound asleep!! The kids share cribs (if you can even call them that!) and the boy he was with was very touchy and grabby. Thoung slowly woke up, but I could tell he had no idea what was going on. I figured I would give him time to wake up, go find Cho Con (my mom’s boy!) and come back! After no luck, I came back into the room and pulled out pictures I had printed of myself and Thoung from last year. Words cannot describe how his face lit up when he saw them. He pointed at the picture and then pointed at me and had this HUGE smile. It made the VERY long plane ride MORE than worth it! We went through the pictures together and he was smiling. At one point I got to a picture of Cho Con and I asked where he was (I swear Thoung understands English) and he pointed next door, so I figured he was around somewhere. One of the boys Khaly fed last year was in one of the pictures and it was so funny because as we got to his picture Thoung looked at me and pointed in the hallway, because this kid was walking by!
After some reminiscing I pulled out the Rubik cube (at this point I knew he remembered, but just to make sure) and we played with that for a bit. It was hard because if they were in the play room I could pull him aside to spoil him, but in this room all the kids were together. Anyway the woman worker in the room was trying to talk to me and at one point I swear she was saying Thoung was my child but that was definitely hard not being able to tell her what was going on.
It was time for them to eat, so I decide to visit the other rooms and actually met a guy who’s from California! He was probably in his 40’s and left Vietnam when he was 4. It was GREAT talking to him (he’s fluent in Vietnamese) because I learned so much about the orphanage. He has been going there for 14 years and he said when they first built it himself (and many other wealthier Vietnamese) gave the monk money to build the orphanage, but instead the monk spent the money on the Pagoda (which is in front of the orphanage, from the street you would have no clue there was an orphanage behind). He kept saying, “I don’t mean to be rude but I was PISSED” and he said many others were too, because the money wasn’t used for what they thought it would be used for. The government couldn’t do anything about it since it was private money. So he said he doesn’t like the head monk because there are a lot of politics involved. He said the monk gives the kids “basic” care and keeps them off the streets, but that’s about it. Most of the kids are literally left at the gate (some tied to a bench, one kid sat out all night and was bitten by bugs..it sounds awful) by teenage mothers who don’t know what else to do. They also find a lot of children in the trash. It’s disgusting. The women who work at the orphanage work 24/7 for under $50 a month, but when I asked about it, he said they do it because they’ve either been orphans themselves, or they really care about the kids. He said most of them have children of their own (not usually disabled) but they can have their kids with them at work. He said because of this the women take good care of the kids since their own kids are in the group. He also confirmed the fact that they are unadoptable because the monk says so. He works in pharmaceuticals and said he was able to bring a child to Boston to have surgery done and found a family to adopt, but the monk wouldn’t let the child stay because the monk wanted the recognition of getting the child help and them bringing him back. Again, it’s just one side to the story, but it sounds like the monk doesn’t want a better life for these kids. I also talked to this guy about ways to donate/help. He said don’t donate to the pagoda because the money rarely trickles down to the orphanage. At first he mentioned that he comes every 2-3 months (he retired now, sold his pharmaceuticals company) and said he would give me his email, but then decided he really thinks the best way is saving my money to come back. He said the kids crave attention and touch so BEING here is really best. He also said I could find out what each room needs and buy that while I am here, so I know where my money is going. He was great about saying when he comes he buys things here so he knows EXACTLY what it is being used for. Basically, each women worker is in charge of a room, so I could ask the room what they need. He also said I could leave money with the women, which I questioned, but he said again because their kids are in the room they’re really good about using that money as they should!
After that great talk, I went back because Thoung had finished lunch and “stole” him so we could go for a walk (again I wish you could have seen his face when I asked if he wanted to take a walk!) We went outside so I could give him his camera, which he LOVED! Last year he would love taking my digital camera to take pictures and when I bought him a plastic one I could tell he was disappointed that it didn’t have an LCD screen. So this year I got a plastic one WITH an LCD screen to bring with him and he was so excited! We sat outside for a while and took a walk, but then it was getting later and I wanted to back by dark, so I brought him back inside.
He is always sad when he has to go back inside and when I leave he kind of throws a little tantrum..I don’t think anyone really ever takes these kids outside! It was hard to leave him like that but I kept saying, I’ll be back tomorrow!
I took the bus to another grocery store to pick up a few more things and then home sweet home! I was SO tired (mentally and physically) but knew I was also hungry so made myself go back out to grab dinner. EVERY restaurant in the backpacker’s district has the SAME food, really. On their menu they have an American page, a Mexican Page, an Italian page, an Indian page, a Vietnamese pages, etc etc. After a bowl of spaghetti (I’m taking it slow with my stomach) I was back at the hotel for a WELL needed shower. Now, it is time for sleep since I am very very very tired!
Hugs and kisses from a happy Julie and Thoung!
Friday, February 18, 2011
A very sleepy Julie
I took a nice 3 hours nap and was up at 4am for some last minute packing (deodorant) and off we went! Dad dropped me off at the bus terminal (which was packed) and luckily we were able to skip Newburyport because our bus was so crowded! My only blond moment (for those of you who will be keeping track) was when the bus driver ticket taker said, “Where are you going” and I smiled and said, “Vietnam” and he gave me this stare and said, “What airline?” Um hello what kind of question is that? If you want to know what airline I am going to take just ask me WHAT AIRLINE! Sheeeesh, ha! Anyway I got to Logan around 6am (for my 7:55am flight) and had no problems checking in (weighed in at a respectable 48.5) and made it to my gate with time to spare. The flight was fine and I had a few hours in Chicago where I met a man and his wife from North Reading MA (I tell ya, I meet so many people with this Stonehill sweatshirt)! He was in Vietnam during the war and they are going back for a cruise. He also worked at the VA hospital in Brockton where I interned, so anyway, nice small world! The flight to Hong Kong was LONG, very, very long. I sat next to a nice, young married couple from Chicago who were sort of doing this as their honeymoon, spending time in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Japan! My pills worked wonders though because I was sleeping (or almost sleeping) most of the time! After a VERY foggy landing in Hong Kong, I was excepting to travel for 2 hours through the airport (which is what I did last time) but instead my next gate was 2 gates down! Amazing! I was able to get free wifi (amazing again) and quickly talked to Long (who will be my tour guide in Vietnam). Last year I found a group of college students who give free tours of the city. The idea is that it is a way for them to practice their English! Long story short we became very good friends even after I left and he is so excited I am returning! So we are meeting on Sunday and he will come with me to the orphanage to translate so he can answer all my questions! My flight to Ho Cho Minh was delayed (as it was last year, weird) so I finally arrived around 11:30pm. I was very tired, but luckily after getting by bags and passing through customs I saw a man with a sign with my name and off we went! The drive to the hotel was memorable, which I guess is a good thing and am currently sitting in room 202! The woman was a bit confused as to why I was staying a week and then checking out and back in the same day (when my mom comes) but I figured we would figure that out a different day! Well, I am so VERY sleep..so until tomorrow!
Hugs and kisses from a very sleepy Julie in Vietnam!
Hugs and kisses from a very sleepy Julie in Vietnam!
Vietnam bound Julie
So we meet again! I debated whether or not to blog again. Don’t get me wrong..I LOVED doing it last time, especially as a way to reflect, but it took a long time! I probably spent about an hour writing every night and while I enjoy looking back at my experiences, I debated whether or not it was worth the time and effort. Yet, here I am! So let’s see, where to begin. After my 4 month stint in SE Asia last year I knew I was hooked on international travel. After returning to the states, I knew I would be traveling again within the year (jobs are overrated, right?) I spent the summer waitressing at BGs and in the fall started looking for volunteer or internship opportunities in study abroad offices in colleges. To make a long story short, in September I started my internship at Merrimack College in North Andover MA in their international programs office. My time there has been incredible. It’s a small office, and Lauren (the director and my advisor) has been incredible and I have learned so much from her. Since I was talking travel every day, I decided it was time to start planning again. I knew I was going back to Vietnam. My kids are there (figuratively speaking Dad, don’t worry). Well there is this one boy in particular (I believe his name in Thoung, but will find out for sure this weekend) who has won over my heart. For the past year I have had countless dreams about going back to see him. And, as many of you know, I have a good way of convincing my mother to join me on my travels! So since I knew I was going to Ho Chi Minh City and I knew Erin (Scott’s girlfriend) was going to be studying abroad in Australia, I figured hey, while I am in the neighborhood I might as well stop by. Well it turns out it is not so much in the neighborhood (it will take about 12 hours to get from Vietnam to Australia) but, after 2 weeks in Vietnam mom and I will be off to Australia. Then, Merrimack has started a new partnership with a school in Melbourne, Australia so there is a great way to tie in some internship work while I am traveling (not too shabby of an internship huh!) So basically, I will be in Vietnam for a week, my mom will then join me for a week, we will then spend 10 days in Australia, she will leave and I will spend a few more days only to return home late on March 18th (party planners get ready!)
Ok so now to the good stuff, the itinerary! Ok well instead of retyping everything, you can just go to this link!
http://www.tripit.com/trip/public/id/73D8C552F33C
Tripit is this amazing website that lets you email confirmations and they put it into a nice little itinerary! There’s that for all of you who want to stalk my flights, hotels, etc!
So Wednesday night I was packed and ready to go. The plan was, one checked bag, one carry-on bag, and a backpack! I can openly admit I am an over packer, but honestly I was pretty impressed and everything fit in my bags. The last step was weighing them. The most important weight was that of my massive checked bag (couldn’t be over 50 pounds) and so I have this nifty little hand scale to weight it. The first time, 60 pounds. But I was so proud as it only took me one time to rearrange my bag so it was 50 pounds! I was all set and ready to go but wanted to weight it again JUST to make sure I didn’t have problems at the airport (as that has been an issue more than I’d like to admit). I was using the scale with my mom when all of a sudden I heard a snap. The right side of the handle had come undone and frayed to the point it was no longer a “handle”. So I had some choices. First, I called Kohl’s to see if they had the same thing is stock (which they did not) so then my mom offered some other luggage that was in the house but I wanted “my” luggage. (If you don’t already know by now I am a princess!) Last, but certainly not least, was to wait for Dr. Wilson to return home from work and that’s exactly what I did! The dining room table became the surgery room, with towels, screw drivers, pliers and wrenches. My job (in the beginning) was the important flashlight holder, but I quickly moved up ranks to screwdriver! The process was long, like a few hours actually, but we (ok, ok, DAD) managed to get the broken piece out to put a new piece in! A little duct tape and we are good to go!!! Well, I think those are all the details you need for now, at least enough to stalk me across the ocean. I am SO excited and feel so blessed to have this opportunity!
Hugs and kisses from a Vietnam bound Julie
Ok so now to the good stuff, the itinerary! Ok well instead of retyping everything, you can just go to this link!
http://www.tripit.com/trip/public/id/73D8C552F33C
Tripit is this amazing website that lets you email confirmations and they put it into a nice little itinerary! There’s that for all of you who want to stalk my flights, hotels, etc!
So Wednesday night I was packed and ready to go. The plan was, one checked bag, one carry-on bag, and a backpack! I can openly admit I am an over packer, but honestly I was pretty impressed and everything fit in my bags. The last step was weighing them. The most important weight was that of my massive checked bag (couldn’t be over 50 pounds) and so I have this nifty little hand scale to weight it. The first time, 60 pounds. But I was so proud as it only took me one time to rearrange my bag so it was 50 pounds! I was all set and ready to go but wanted to weight it again JUST to make sure I didn’t have problems at the airport (as that has been an issue more than I’d like to admit). I was using the scale with my mom when all of a sudden I heard a snap. The right side of the handle had come undone and frayed to the point it was no longer a “handle”. So I had some choices. First, I called Kohl’s to see if they had the same thing is stock (which they did not) so then my mom offered some other luggage that was in the house but I wanted “my” luggage. (If you don’t already know by now I am a princess!) Last, but certainly not least, was to wait for Dr. Wilson to return home from work and that’s exactly what I did! The dining room table became the surgery room, with towels, screw drivers, pliers and wrenches. My job (in the beginning) was the important flashlight holder, but I quickly moved up ranks to screwdriver! The process was long, like a few hours actually, but we (ok, ok, DAD) managed to get the broken piece out to put a new piece in! A little duct tape and we are good to go!!! Well, I think those are all the details you need for now, at least enough to stalk me across the ocean. I am SO excited and feel so blessed to have this opportunity!
Hugs and kisses from a Vietnam bound Julie
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