10/20 Angkor Wat

On another remok at 7:30a and off to Angkor Wat. My first real look at Siem Reap.  Definitely strange.  A lot of money and  a lot of poverty.  Similarities with India of course.  But here affluence is strangely present. A huge amount of money was infused in this little sleepy temple town in the 70's - and you can tell.  Strikingly luxurious boutique hotels are at every corner ... very very bizarre to see.  The thing that drew the money was Angkor Wat. And it is massive - hundreds of acres massive.  I'm dropped off at the entrance to be surrounded by kids selling hats, post cards and bracelets. This is a relatively new phenomenon as just five years ago you needed a police escort due to land minds. After the initial barrage, I'm greeted by a gentle man who says "You have a friendly face" and who really meant it.  I looked at him and he asked for my ticket.  I walked across the moat watching the sun rise over the temple and began to cry and couldn't believe that I was really here.

10/19 Buses and more buses

After an afternoon on a crowded Vietnamese bus showing gory animal flicks (the guy next to me thought they were hilarious), I arrived in Phnom Phen late at night to take a remok in search of a decent hotel.  After a few negotiations, I found a nice little hotel with a view of the palace and Silver Pagoda.  Tried to get online to Skype with my Echo Ladies with no luck.  Up early in the morning to get my Vietnam visa extension and tickets to Siem Reap. On a bus at 2p to arrive at 8p.  Although rushed, I could already see that Cambodia was different.  The faces, the smiles, the language, the script, ... the advertising ... so different.  In my eight hours to Siem Reap, the only billboards I saw were for political parties - The Cambodia People's Party and the Sam Rainsy Party.  The latter of which was very sporadic.  Arriving in Siem Reap, I was picked up by another remok and taken to my very substandard overpriced hotel on the river.  I arranged an early pick up for my day at Angkor Wat and hoped for the best.  Went for a drink at a lovely hotel in the "heart" of the city and felt pampered.  It was lovely after two days of buses.  Strangely quiet and luxurious, I just sat and watched and enjoyed Cambodia. 

10/18 Realization

After a run thru the park at dawn and  a trip to the early morning market to buy (or negotiate really) fruit, it hit me ... I'm doing what I always wanted to do.  Great moment - sadly followed by the one of the most stressful and annoying days of my short time in Saigon.  By the time I got home, it was really hard to remember the "great realization" of the am, but it managed to linger enough to calm me down - that and my ear plugs;). The street noise just doesn't stop.

10/17 Another First

Walking home way too late,a motorbike dashed by me attempting to grab my bag - with my laptop in it no less.  I fell to the ground with my bag - now mangled like my hand.  Five women ran to my aid making me sit in a little stool at the side of the road dusting me off and checking for injuries.  A women that must have been 90 came out and applied some pungent ointment to a wound on my hand.  I kept trying to get up but they insisted that I stay.  Made me check all my belongings.  At one point the police drove by and they all laughed. After about a half hour a younger women came over and gently said "five minutes". I figured she was going to put me on her motorbike and ride me home as I had given them my address in broken Vietnamese.  She came back, took my bag and then me by the waste and gently guided me home.  It was a long walk as I didn't know what to say and felt really awkward walking so closely knit with a woman I didn't know - I don't walk that close to women I do know.  But by the time I got home, we knew each other a little better and I was oh so gratefully to be home safe. I'm just a little in awe of the immediate and abundant generosity of Saigon women.

10/16 Badminton

Up at 5a for a walk in the park.  While doing lunges an older Vietnamese gentleman motioned me over to play badminton - he had a good laugh and I got a good work out;).  

10/15 New Shopping Experience

New shopping experience today.  Similar to the big market in District 1, Binh Thanh, but bigger and multi-leveled.  Also very difficult to bargain.  But I went with a seasoned friend and we managed to walk out with a few dresses and purses for a decent price.  Loved the architecture and cramped spaces, the Plexiglas 4x4 stalls and tiny walkways.  Will definitely visit again and soon;).

10/14 ABC

Spent over an hour with my new corporate class on the ABC's.  We had a blast.  Who knew you could have so much fun with the alphabet;).

10/13 Unhappy Vietnamese Americans

Strange phenomenon:  I have met three Vietnamese Americans in the last few months.  All of which were very disoriented and very eager to talk.  Mostly they wanted to talk about malls and hamburgers;). 

10/12 Frantic

Frantic scramble to organize a three day visa run to Cambodia.  Trying to make it a holiday as well, but looks as though 28 hours on the bus will dampen the "vacation" experience.  Too much to do, but of course grateful for the opportunity;).

10/11 Saigon

I'm cheating a bit on dates, but will catch up with Cambodia pics and stories soon.  Just wanted to say it's good to be back. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would call Saigon home;).

10/10 Home

Missing the family something fierce today.

10/9 Package from Denver

Got home early today surprised by a post ticket for a package from the States.  Had some time in between classes so I ran to the post office, paid the tax and decided to just open it there as it was from Denver.  Alyssa and Martha had obviously been reading the blog as everything that I said I missed was in there ... and more.  My goodness.  Organic heaven;).  Lotions, soaps, shower tablets, a box of laura bars, my favorite magazine, tons of Vias, and, to top it off, my favorite Bollywood Movie.  What love! Thanks Ladies.  Can't wait to see you in December.

10/8 Culture

Today we talked about culture in my corporate class.  It was very interesting to see how their priorities changes as we talked.  At first they listed institutions, the economy, and religion.  But as we got deeper into the discussion, the priorities became language, food, transportation and behavior.  Four hours later, I think we all came to the general, if not much disputed, consensus that language, religion, behavior, food and institutional policies are the first things to research when going to a new country.

10/7 Culprit

I feel so guilty. Guilty of egging on my little 3 year old laughing baby Buddhas to laugh more.  I live for it;).

10/6 Time

Today, we discussed time.  In Vietnam, it's acceptable to arrive a half hour even hour late ... if you are Vietnamese.  However, if you are a foreigner, you are expected to arrive on time.  I had read about this in the "culture shock" books and finally experienced it real time last week.  Despite the prior knowledge, I was still very very annoyed;)

10/5 Sober

While I'm very excited about my trip to Cambodia, I am very sobered by researching it's history.  I had a little knowledge of the "Killing Fields" and Pol Pot, a little knowledge of the mass genocide and bloody past, a little knowledge of the tense cultural relations with Vietnam from my students. After just a little research, I have realized that this will be quite a different experience than I was anticipating. More to come...

10/4 Fancy

Fancy new automatic red motorbike.  Very fast and worth the extra gas and money for more comfort and speed;).  A little comfort is all it takes to minimize the insanity of HCMC traffic and make a half hour trip to Phu Nhuan fun.

10/3 The Kingdom of Cambodia

Going to Cambodia on Sunday for a 3 day visa run.  Found out yesterday I can get a year's visa extension, so I'm off.  I'll be doing a little recon for a possible 40th Birthday trip in February with Sacha.  I'll be in Angkor Wat (picture above) all day Tuesday, back to work on Thursday. So very excited!

10/2 Central Vietnam

The director of one of my corporate classes invited me to central Vietnam for three days today.  They are going to donate resources and flood relief. If I had more notice, I would have gone in a heartbeat.  I'm so very disappointed, but can only hope the opportunity comes again;).

10/1 Sweet Seaweed Juice and Fried Fish Balls

Dinner with students on a tiny street on tiny stools.  Tiny fried fish balls, tofu and okra with sweet seaweed juice for desert.  Loved the former ... the latter not so good;).

9/30 Dried Squid

I'm now addicted to shredded green mango, fish sauce, lime, basil and dried squid. Sweet, sour, aromatic and salty but surprisingly not that fishy.

9/29 Yes or No

I'm finding that maybe is not an acceptable response.  Yes or No, but not maybe.  Is this a particularly Vietnamese trait? 

9/28 Superficial

Superficial moments: first highlights ever. Way too excited. Spending money on my hair.  Yes vain, but worth it.  Maybe I'm just trying to connect with my Mom ... miss you as always.

9/27 Ticket

It's been a week of firsts.  Got my first traffic ticket today.  I've avoided the beige uniforms until today.  Turning an innocent left, I was aggressively motioned to pull over by a beige battoned helmeted @#$@@, who proceeded to threaten me with impoundment.  In my mind I was thinking deportation.  He actually made me go to the ATM to get him money.  I have a few expat friends who have been pulled over and have been let go, but, no, I was charged 200VND ($10). My students said he was just hungry and needed money for dinner;).

9/26 Kids

I teach about 300 kids now ranging from the ages of 3 to 14.  Each class has it's own personality but they all share an amazingly genuine enthusiasm.  I'm still shocked every day by how excited and truly engaged they are, how responsive and intelligent they are.  Sure there are bad days and students, but they all seem to love a good song ... I sing a lot ... something I really never saw myself doing;). My only regret is that I can't give them more one on one time as some of them really need it and get lost in a class of forty.  I am grateful for my smaller classes but they have been getting bigger and bigger as the weeks go by so even with them I have to rely on group dynamics rather that personal interaction.   

9/25 40th

Sach and I are trying to figure out where to go for our 40th.  Borneo? Myanmar? Explore Vietnam? At one point we were going to take the motorbikes for a two week trek up to Hanoi, but have decided against it due to time and, well, age;).  I have also been struggling with the fact that I should be accomplishing something extraordinary in the next few months - a marathon, completing my 100 things to do list,etc. But I think I may already be accomplishing something by being abroad;).  I'm still working on this so we'll see what happens over the next four months;).

9/24 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

One of my favorite things in Saigon: ancient motorbikes that sound like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  I must have heard it a hundred times but it still makes me laugh.

9/23 Exploding

Searched for a pharmacist for over two hours in search of aspirin, ibuprofen, anything to make the exploding pain in my head stop.  Turns out it was right next door to my favorite cafe where the headache had started - very inconvenient and inconspicuous considering I drove by it about four times.

9/22 Moon Day

Today is Moon Day aka Mid-Autumn aka Children's Day.  My early morning class surprised me with a classroom fully decorated with large and small lanterns in the shape of butterflies, fish, pigs, etc.  - all of which had little tea lights in the them (the large ones looked to be highly flammable and are now hanging safely on my terrace).  They served moon cakes and told stories. Then we made small paper lanterns while listening to Katie Perry and Usher;).

9/21 Denver

For the first time in almost a year to the date, I missed Denver.  The feeling came from out of nowhere and lingered for a few days.  The crisp air, clean streets, Wash Park, walks with friends, triathlons, dinner with friends, riding my bike along Cherry Creek, Autumn, snow, organic stuff, a skyline full of mountains ... these images just kept flooding in.  It lasted for about three days.  It was really strange actually. 

9/20 Long Days

Long Days for the next few weeks: seven locations, four hours of driving, six different levels of students (from 3-50 years old) and four different methods of teaching.  While I love it, honestly I'm exhausted.

9/19 Scarves

When classes end, we usually have a party.  Go for coffee or have food delivered.  Today we took a walk through the park and sat at a lovely cafe. They ceremoniously gave me a beautiful pink and grey scarf as they knew I have been collecting them since my trip to India.  I'm starting to get very attached to my students - this group in particular and it was very hard to stay goodbye.  I just have to remember, there's always Facebook;)

9/18 Firsts

First new real phone since I left home - with email and very cheap.  I'm in heaven.  Especially since I have to go to the doctor for the first time as well.  So I sit and play games on my phone as I anxiously wait.  The whole experience is very western.  Down to every detail really - except for the fact that my doctor seems to take my questions for answers and just nods in recoginition;).  Regardless, I leave with a very inexpensive set of prescriptions and a phone that chimes every few minutes to let me know that I am loved;).

9/17 Sick, tired and grateful

Really really sick.  Head pounding want to cry sick.  But my kids are great.  The teens are a bit antsy and annoyed but all the lower grades, well they just make me feel better. I stay after class and get little presents, kisses on the cheek and I love you Ms. Amie Blue - better than cold medicine any day;).

9/16 Really?

Third cold in less than five months! and second eye infection.  Guess its just the combination of working 7 days a week, monsoon rains and contact with over 200 children a week.  Still love the kids ... and the motorbike in the rain;).

9/15 First Moon Cake

Tasted my first real Moon Cakes today.  Savory - strange mixture not sure was in it and didn't want to know (probably pork, egg and sugar;). Sweet - lovely, as I mentioned before, perfumy with a bit of vanilla and ginger and egg.  I'm told the egg in the middle symbolizes the moon. Can't wait till Moon Day!  Lanterns, cakes and stories;).

9/14 Late Night Coffee Shop

Went to a Cafe to meet a student.  A great little secret next to my house - or secret to me and my student.  Its hard to find I guess as I waited and waited.  Turns out he couldn't find it, so I sat and watched.  Watched as everyone drank their sweet avocado shakes and cafe sua da.  Watched as they played Vietnamese love ballads to animal documentaries - first a gazelle giving birth and then a cheetah being skewered by a buffalo both very graphic.  More and more families and groups of people showed up and the music got louder with more techno sans the gory animal movies thank god;). I sat in relative anonymity enjoying the huge waterfalls and beautiful greenery.  Gotta love the coffee shops in Saigon;)!

9/13 Language

I actually heard the language for the first time today.  All I've heard for the last six months was either the numbers or just a jumble of bouncy vowels and abrupt consonants.  But today, I heard it and it was quite beautiful for the first time.  Maybe even elegant in it's own way. ... the funny thing is the sentence I heard Toi khong biet - I don't know;)

9/12 30/4

Went to a beautiful open plan restaurant, 30/4 or April 3rd Club (the day of reunification) behind and on the grounds of the Reunification Palace today with some students.  Talked about tennis and learned some Vietnamese. 

9/11 Waterfalls

Waterfalls of rain in rush hour traffic with a stalling motorbike and flooded streets - so not a good combination!  I'm just amazed I survived.  To reiterate, you are inches away from other bikes, buses, cars and taxis and constant flow is mandatory. After I found a safe haven, I saw three accidents - mostly taxis knocking bikes over. The riders got up like nothing happened and then drove away even faster.  Crazy.