I'm a bit behind with updates, so I'm trying to get a bit caught up :) Last weekend, Jemma (another volunteer living at the house), Cecelia (orphanage volunteer), and Sach (a Canadian guy I met a while ago in Saigon) all decided to go to Dalat together. After an 8 hour bus ride, which I had mistakenly told everyone was only 5 hours, we drove into the beautiful city of Dalat. The drive in reminded me of driving up into the mountains in Colorado in summer...narrow winding paths up the mountain, greenery everywhere, cliffs overlooking vast valleys, etc. Right when we got dropped off by the bus at the Sinh Cafe office, people from nearby hotels all attacked us saying "good price for you. come take a look at my hotel. you stay there miss." Normally, I get annoyed by those people and tell them all no, but one lady seemed really nice and said "6 USD for 2 people room." Really? Since we were travelling on a tight budget, the other 3 jumped on the offer, but I said we needed to take a look at both rooms first. Much to my surprise, they seemd just fine - each had 2 double beds with mosquito nets, a mostly-functional bathroom, working locks on the doors...what else did we really need? So I'm proud to say I only paid $3 a night for our hotel room :)
We started our trip off by walking to the crazy house. I got put in charge of the map, and the streets of Dalat are really confusing to say the least (and don't actually match the maps). Regardless, we made it there, and the "crazy house" was certainly nothing short of "crazy." Apparently the lady who designed and built it spent 12 years in architecture school in Russia just to design this non-sense structure and hotel. It all looks like a giant tree house, and you feel like a kid climbing through a dangerous treehouse in order to see the various rooms. They can be booked for $100 per night, but a guy who works there says they're alomst always completely vacant. I wouldn't stay there...no AC, no fans, tiny rooms, kinda creepy, not my style. Some people in the group were fascinated by the ornate architecture of the place, but I was much more interested in going up and down the staircase that morphed a giraffe's neck with a tree trunk. Different strokes for different folks.....
THe next day, we hired "easy riders" to take Jemma, Cecilia, and I (Sach had already been to DaLat and done a similar day tour) around to all the areas of the countryside not typically visited by tourists. THe easy riders were really funny, and "My Eagle", "Dr. Hung," and "Professor Hoang" as they liked to call themselves gave a great tour. We saw tea and coffee planations, a silk weaving factory, a rice wine production site, learned how they make brooms, climbed a beautiful waterfall, ate lunch at a local streetside cafe with our drivers, visited a pagoda, buddah statue, and French church, and enjoyed the day riding around on the comfortable (as compared to in Saigon) motorbikes. Riding through the mountains on the back of a motorbike was really one of the most relaxing and peacful things I've ever done, with the crisp mountain air offering much needed releif from the unescapable heat and humidity of Saigon. That afternoon, we met back up with Sach and another guy he'd met a week earlier in HCMC for dinner at the Peace Cafe with the most high energy owner and waitress I've ever seen. She never stopped. I couldn't decide what to order, so she ordered for me and told me "not to worry." I ended up with a very nicely done mango chicken breast and rice dish...yum! After dinner we found a rooftop bar on the top of a big hotel and enjoyed the beautiful scenery below.
The next day, we'd enjoyed the Easy Rider tour so much, I wanted to do another one! Cece and Sach weren't interested, so Jemma and I called our drivers from the day before to organize another tour for us. They were both busy, but sent their son and friend (new to the easy riders group) to take us around. We wanted to visit Lat Village, an ethnic minority village we'd both read about, but when we got there, the drivers said there wasnt a whole lot to see because while the villages used to be poor, they've recently gained economic strenght and have become very "Vietnamessed" by clothing, house styles, etc. Disappointed by not seeing much, we asked the drivers what we should do, and they ended up taking us to a waterfall and a different ethinic mornity village. THe waterfall was cool, but the best part was the "roller coaster" we took down to the falls. It was basically a small seat/cart on tracks with a handle to control your speed. Hard to explain but really fun!!!! THe village we visited translates to "chicken village" becase there's a giant statue of a chicken in the center of the village. I'll spare you the hour long explanation we got, but basically, two lovers weren't allowed to marry because tehy were from different villages unless tehy could find a certain kind of chicken. They never did and both died, so the statue commemorates their lost love. Or something like that....
We had to take the bus back that night, so we walked the streets abit more, grabbed dinner on the sie of the road, and hopped on the bus for a long trip back. Jemma and Cecelia both got a bit sunburned, and I was so impressed that I didn't (wait for my Nha Trang stories coming soon though! haha). Overall our weekend in DaLat was wonderful! I still describe the town as feeling like a hollywood movie set though...it's either French trying to create a Vietnamese city or maybe Vietnamese trying to create a western city, but it's an odd combination of both and neither. When I get to it soon, I"ll post some pictures and see if you agree by the looks of it. It's a common honeymood location for locals, and although we didn't have a romantic weekend, we had a great one! I already miss the cool, dry air!!!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tea Farm Visit
Last week, I got invited to visit the tea farm run, owned, and staffed by the orphanage, and gladly accepted the offer. As instructed, I showed up at 5:30am the next morning, ready to go but not exactly sure what to expect.
I certainly didn't expect a 3 1/2 hour bus ride there... Oh well...on the way I got to talk to one of the nuns who works at the orphanage and speaks a little bit of English. She explained to me the purpose of the tea farm and how it works. Basically, when the children at the orphanage turn 16, they have one of two options: A. If they're able to walk, follow directions, and be productive, they move to the tea farm to work the fields, or B. If they're unable to walk, have behavioral difficulties or medical issues, or aren't fit for the farm, they move to the "alternative center about 30 minutes outside of Saigon.
At lunch time, we talked with the nuns about the orpahange, the children there, adoption processes, etc. I teared up and admitted how badly I wanted to adopt about 25 of the kids...every time I see the nuns in the orphanage now they say "you ready to take kids home???" I think they're more excited for me to leave hoping I might slip a few kids in my suitcase than they are to have me there volunteering :) But in all seriousness, I became extrememly upset to hear about the future of these children after they turn 16 if they aren't able to move to the farm. The "alternative center" they're put in has 1000 people with 80 staff and is for disabled people, drug addicts, street people, and any one else who doesn't have a proper home and requires care. The nuns told me that the drug addicts are typically given responsibilities and end up taking care of those who are bed-ridden. The whole scene literally gives me nightmares. I honstly can't imagine how miserable that would be living in a cot for the rest of your life if you're NEVER taken out (even for the bathroom, eating, bathing, etc).
I certainly didn't expect a 3 1/2 hour bus ride there... Oh well...on the way I got to talk to one of the nuns who works at the orphanage and speaks a little bit of English. She explained to me the purpose of the tea farm and how it works. Basically, when the children at the orphanage turn 16, they have one of two options: A. If they're able to walk, follow directions, and be productive, they move to the tea farm to work the fields, or B. If they're unable to walk, have behavioral difficulties or medical issues, or aren't fit for the farm, they move to the "alternative center about 30 minutes outside of Saigon.When we (2 other girls from the orphanage and I) arrived at the tea farm, we only had about 2 hours there before we had to begin our 3 1/2 hour bus ride home, so our time was short and sweet but we had a nice tour and visit. We saw the vegetable gardes, fruit gardens, and coffee and tea farms. When the kids move to the farm, they can be put in the main lodge 
or one of 4 independent living houses. The main lodge has about 40-50 kids, and each of the group homes have 7 people. I was particularly impressed by the indepenedent living homes....the houses have a small plot of land and a simple house frame. When the kids move in, they are given options of what to grow and how to arrange their houses. When they sell what they've grown, they keep the profits and decide, as a group, how to spend it (food, house decorations, fun stuff, etc). They are taught all the basic life skills, and when they need help with something (how to cook, clean, grow things, etc), they have to walk about 1/2 a mile to the main lodge to ask one of the nuns. The independence seems pretty well established and protected! Some of the 'kids' have been living there for over 10 years and have grown up, gotten married, had kids, and moved into their own houses (on the farm property).
or one of 4 independent living houses. The main lodge has about 40-50 kids, and each of the group homes have 7 people. I was particularly impressed by the indepenedent living homes....the houses have a small plot of land and a simple house frame. When the kids move in, they are given options of what to grow and how to arrange their houses. When they sell what they've grown, they keep the profits and decide, as a group, how to spend it (food, house decorations, fun stuff, etc). They are taught all the basic life skills, and when they need help with something (how to cook, clean, grow things, etc), they have to walk about 1/2 a mile to the main lodge to ask one of the nuns. The independence seems pretty well established and protected! Some of the 'kids' have been living there for over 10 years and have grown up, gotten married, had kids, and moved into their own houses (on the farm property).
At lunch time, we talked with the nuns about the orpahange, the children there, adoption processes, etc. I teared up and admitted how badly I wanted to adopt about 25 of the kids...every time I see the nuns in the orphanage now they say "you ready to take kids home???" I think they're more excited for me to leave hoping I might slip a few kids in my suitcase than they are to have me there volunteering :) But in all seriousness, I became extrememly upset to hear about the future of these children after they turn 16 if they aren't able to move to the farm. The "alternative center" they're put in has 1000 people with 80 staff and is for disabled people, drug addicts, street people, and any one else who doesn't have a proper home and requires care. The nuns told me that the drug addicts are typically given responsibilities and end up taking care of those who are bed-ridden. The whole scene literally gives me nightmares. I honstly can't imagine how miserable that would be living in a cot for the rest of your life if you're NEVER taken out (even for the bathroom, eating, bathing, etc). When I returned to the orphanage, I realized how heartbroken I was to play with the kids there and know how many of them will end up in the center in just a few years. BUT I learned how easy the adoption process is for the kids with disabilities... Adopting a child without a
disability from Phu My takes about 18 months from start to finish and costs around $20,000 USD while a child with a disability can typically be adopted in 1-2 months and is free. Now that I know that, sorry Mom, but I really am brining them all home.
disability from Phu My takes about 18 months from start to finish and costs around $20,000 USD while a child with a disability can typically be adopted in 1-2 months and is free. Now that I know that, sorry Mom, but I really am brining them all home.Sorry this post is so heavy...I didn't intend for it to come off that way, but this new info I learned on my tea farm visit has been sitting really heavy on my heart for several days. Today was my last day at the orphanage (i'll refrain from going into details about how tramatic leaving was), but I think it's a really good thing there are other wonderful volunteers there so I know I'm leaving my little ones in good hands. On that note - if anyone is every looking for an international volunteer opportunity....the Phu My is by far the best place to be for a few weeks or even a day or two!!!!
Pictures of the kiddos!
**More about the orphanage, visit to the orphanage-run tea farm, and trip to Dalat coming tomorrow, but thought I'd post some pictures of the kids for tonight...
My precious little Liem! (above). Sang is the coolest 7 year old I know and clearly rules Cot B room!!! (right)
My precious little Liem! (above). Sang is the coolest 7 year old I know and clearly rules Cot B room!!! (right)
Thuan...aka the one and only Mr. Flopster (above). Feisty big brother Hiep and calm litle bro Toan (right) 
Jemma (the other volunteer living in the same house as me) with her buddy Hien. (left). Anh in her cot after lunchtime to keep her from eating ALL the other kids food!! (below) 
More updates coming soon! I'm getting really upset that I only have 2 days left at the orphanage....I'm contemplating just running away with all these precious little angels :)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Finally settled and almost leaving :(
Happy Valentine's Day! Life is still wonderful in Vietnam, but I'm starting to panic just a bit that my time here is more than half way done. It feels like the first few weeks were busy exploring and getting a schedule planned out, and I'm just now settling into a normal day-to-day routine. Speaking of routine, one of my favorite things here is the motorbikes, and I've finally gotten drivers established who know me, wait for me, and don't make me play games to get a good price! Every morning, after getting my Ca Fe Sua Da (delicious Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk) and Asian pear from his wife's hawker stall, I ride to the orphanage wit
h Tien. Most drivers charge about 25,000 VND to get to Phu My because it's all the way across town, but I've worked out a deal with him that I'll ride with him every morning, and he'll only charge me 15,000 VND each day! Then, I usually take the bus to and from the market area for lunch because it only costs 3,000 dong each way(around 20 cents), and I really like Bus 46 that goes on that route (it looks like a trailer that would carry cattle or some type of animals, but I like it better than the other busses because it's open air!). Then, after going home to shower or change, I ride with Toan into Pham Ngu Lao for dinner. He's 47 and learning English, so I let him go the "long way" so we have more time to practice English. He asks pretty much the same questions every day, but he says he's just trying to practice his pronunciation and listening skills. He gave me his phone number and said if I'm ever stranded and can't find a driver I can call him to take me home, which was really nice, but there are almost always drivers every 5 feet saying “Moto m’am?”, so I don't imagine I'll ever take him up on the offer! At the end of the night, I always know Lem will be waiting outside the 999 store to take me home! It's great to have drivers I trust and can count on to take me to the right place without getting lost or ripping me off, and it makes me feel like a local or regular customer, which makes me feel cool J ha.
Speaking of the people here, I'm constantly overwhelmed by how genuinely kind and friendly the people are. There's no hostility towards Westerners, and while they may stare a bit too much, I've learned it's truthfully out of curiosity and interest. I was sitting at the bus stop the other afternoon, and I stuck out like a sore thumb. ONLY locals take the bus, and even Hang (my house mother) told me people would probably think I was lost if I got on a bus, but she still recommends it because it’s so much cheaper. Anyways, the lady next to me, probably around 70, said "where?" and I answered (in Vietnamese…yay me!) "Bus 14 to Rap Hat Hoa Binh." She smiled and nodded, and then went over to a hawker stall and bought a bag of these thing that I can't remember the name of (they look like giant peanuts but have a soft, sweet potato like center) to take home with her, but offered me one when she sat back down. I politely refused, as I didn't want to take what she had just bought. She insisted, so I took one, cracked open the shell, and tried it. I said "good, thank you" in Vietnamese because that's all I knew how to say, and she set a huge handful of them on my lap, motioning for me to put them in my bag. I again tried to refuse, but she insisted. While I was putting them in my purse, she saw my bus coming, flagged it down for me, helped me get on, and waved by. Maybe it was just me, but it stuck out to me as such a gracious and giving gesture by an absolute stranger; I expected her to ask for money or something in return, but it was truly just a random act of kindness.
Orphanage update for the week: I refuse to leave in 2 weeks, I’m adopting 25 kids, I’m sending the rest endless toys, clothes, and food, and I’m opening up on my own international orphanage for kids with disabilities. No but really, I’m obsessed with most of the kids, and I’m really not sure how I’ll be able to tear myself apart from them so soon. One of the guys who’s been volunteering (from Austral
ia) for several weeks left today, and when he said bye to his “favorites,” he didn’t cry, but I did. Typical. I’ve gotten really settled into one of the rooms of toddlers, and it’s much more comfortable now that I know most of the kid’s names, the staff recognizes me, and I feel like I belong as opposed to being some random kid who steals their kids twice a day. There’s one little baby in the room that I’ve gotten extremely attached to and am protective of to an extreme. Little Mae just got brought to the orphanage a few weeks before I got there, so she’s really easily agitated and does NOT like to be put down or left alone. I assumed she was about 5 months old, but when one of the nuns who speaks some English came by today, I asked and found out she’s actually 18 months. She can’t hold her head up alone, none the less sit up, walk, or talk. Most of the kids get dinner at 2:30, but Mae gets a bottle after all the volunteers have left. I’m always SO afraid that the staff might forget to give it to her, so I try to say around and watch to make sure she gets it (although they’re pretty serious about kicking us out at 4). A few days ago my favorite nurse caught on to my concerns, so now she always grabs my arm when I go to leave and points to Mae. I think they should hire me full time…my new job is to give Mae her afternoon bottle from 4:30-5 (it takes a while because she doesn’t like to eat), and get her to sleep for the night shortly after that. Someone told me today that I looked ready to steal her away, and I think they were right!
h Tien. Most drivers charge about 25,000 VND to get to Phu My because it's all the way across town, but I've worked out a deal with him that I'll ride with him every morning, and he'll only charge me 15,000 VND each day! Then, I usually take the bus to and from the market area for lunch because it only costs 3,000 dong each way(around 20 cents), and I really like Bus 46 that goes on that route (it looks like a trailer that would carry cattle or some type of animals, but I like it better than the other busses because it's open air!). Then, after going home to shower or change, I ride with Toan into Pham Ngu Lao for dinner. He's 47 and learning English, so I let him go the "long way" so we have more time to practice English. He asks pretty much the same questions every day, but he says he's just trying to practice his pronunciation and listening skills. He gave me his phone number and said if I'm ever stranded and can't find a driver I can call him to take me home, which was really nice, but there are almost always drivers every 5 feet saying “Moto m’am?”, so I don't imagine I'll ever take him up on the offer! At the end of the night, I always know Lem will be waiting outside the 999 store to take me home! It's great to have drivers I trust and can count on to take me to the right place without getting lost or ripping me off, and it makes me feel like a local or regular customer, which makes me feel cool J ha.Speaking of the people here, I'm constantly overwhelmed by how genuinely kind and friendly the people are. There's no hostility towards Westerners, and while they may stare a bit too much, I've learned it's truthfully out of curiosity and interest. I was sitting at the bus stop the other afternoon, and I stuck out like a sore thumb. ONLY locals take the bus, and even Hang (my house mother) told me people would probably think I was lost if I got on a bus, but she still recommends it because it’s so much cheaper. Anyways, the lady next to me, probably around 70, said "where?" and I answered (in Vietnamese…yay me!) "Bus 14 to Rap Hat Hoa Binh." She smiled and nodded, and then went over to a hawker stall and bought a bag of these thing that I can't remember the name of (they look like giant peanuts but have a soft, sweet potato like center) to take home with her, but offered me one when she sat back down. I politely refused, as I didn't want to take what she had just bought. She insisted, so I took one, cracked open the shell, and tried it. I said "good, thank you" in Vietnamese because that's all I knew how to say, and she set a huge handful of them on my lap, motioning for me to put them in my bag. I again tried to refuse, but she insisted. While I was putting them in my purse, she saw my bus coming, flagged it down for me, helped me get on, and waved by. Maybe it was just me, but it stuck out to me as such a gracious and giving gesture by an absolute stranger; I expected her to ask for money or something in return, but it was truly just a random act of kindness.
Orphanage update for the week: I refuse to leave in 2 weeks, I’m adopting 25 kids, I’m sending the rest endless toys, clothes, and food, and I’m opening up on my own international orphanage for kids with disabilities. No but really, I’m obsessed with most of the kids, and I’m really not sure how I’ll be able to tear myself apart from them so soon. One of the guys who’s been volunteering (from Austral
ia) for several weeks left today, and when he said bye to his “favorites,” he didn’t cry, but I did. Typical. I’ve gotten really settled into one of the rooms of toddlers, and it’s much more comfortable now that I know most of the kid’s names, the staff recognizes me, and I feel like I belong as opposed to being some random kid who steals their kids twice a day. There’s one little baby in the room that I’ve gotten extremely attached to and am protective of to an extreme. Little Mae just got brought to the orphanage a few weeks before I got there, so she’s really easily agitated and does NOT like to be put down or left alone. I assumed she was about 5 months old, but when one of the nuns who speaks some English came by today, I asked and found out she’s actually 18 months. She can’t hold her head up alone, none the less sit up, walk, or talk. Most of the kids get dinner at 2:30, but Mae gets a bottle after all the volunteers have left. I’m always SO afraid that the staff might forget to give it to her, so I try to say around and watch to make sure she gets it (although they’re pretty serious about kicking us out at 4). A few days ago my favorite nurse caught on to my concerns, so now she always grabs my arm when I go to leave and points to Mae. I think they should hire me full time…my new job is to give Mae her afternoon bottle from 4:30-5 (it takes a while because she doesn’t like to eat), and get her to sleep for the night shortly after that. Someone told me today that I looked ready to steal her away, and I think they were right!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
1 giant snake, 2 flat tires, 3 stubborn spiders, and 4 advil later.....
Shany (the other volunteer I'm sharing a room with) is leaving this afternoon to go back to Australia, so the two of us decided a few days ago we needed an 'end of trip adventure'....so we headed off into the jungles of Vietnam! We took a bus to Cat Tien National Park, because I'd read in a travel book that they had elephants, rhinos, and other cool animals wandering the park! When we checked in and found our bungalow, I was pleasantly surpr
ised to see the bed had a mosquito net and we had our own bathroom with a toilet and shower - impressive! Since we were there to explore nature, we set our stuff down and headed out into the wilderness right away, pretending not to be city girls :) The lady at the desk showed us a big map of the park and told us which trails to take to go see some rapids... we followed her directions and ended at a dried up river with absolutely beautiful rock formations - no rapids but wonderful sights! A Vietnamese couple was walking around on the rocks, so we did the same to explore the area. In the wet season, I figure it's a fast flowing river, but in the dry season (now), it looks more like volcanic rocks with a few trickles of water here and there. As we were leaving, I hoped from one rock to another and unfortunately, the rock I jumped onto wasn't too stable and wobbled over, leaving me sprawled out amidst the rocks! Needless to say, I was lucky to leave with nothing more than a scraped up ankle and mildly sprained wrist :) Life happens.....
We continued our hike, but not for long after our path was crossed by an unwelcomed slithering creature - a HUGE snake! About 4 feet in front of us, we saw a black snake, probably 7 ft long and the diameter of a tennis ball!!!! I couldn't believe it was a REAL snake, and when I realized
there was no snake trainer standing there holding it in the zoo, we quickly screamed, turned around, and made it back to the main path as quickly as possible! Glad to be back in our room without any snake wounds, we thought we'd shower and relax, but some lovely spiders beat us to the bathroom. After about 30 minutes of deliberation and strategic planning, we managed to kill the 'baby' spider (about an inch big), but when mama and papa spider appeared, we had to go get help from another traveler (who happened to be a wildlife conservationist!). That night we went on a night safari to see the elephants and rhinos we read about, but managed only to find some deer and rabbits....were we in Vietnam or Texas???
The next morning, we decided we'd catch the bus back a day early after realizing neither of us were cut out
for nature! Before we left we rented some bikes and went on a great 25km bike ride. One problem....halfway through, Shany's bike got a flat tire, and she didn't think she could ride it anymore, so I got to ride over the rocky path for the last 15km. OUCH! But other than a few minor setbacks and creepy crawlers, I really enjoyed the stunning scenery, adventure, and time in the "jungle." On our way to the bus stop, the motorbike I was riding on got a flat tire....the irony of yet another 'setback' was somewhere between frustrating and hilarious, but we got it fixed in time to make it to the bus stop and come back to Saigon where I was greeted with the comfort of a warm shower and mostly bug-free room!!!
Other than our jungle adventure, nothing exceptionally new...lots of time at the orphanage, backpacker's district, and walking around! Last night we ate a vegetarian buffet (vegetarians are really common here because of the high rate of Buddhism), and for the equivalent of $8 USD, I've never been more stuffed in my life...delicious food! In the orphanage, I found a new room....babies and toddlers! They are absolutely precious, and I feel that my time with them is even more appreciated t
han with the older kids (who are on the main level and get more frequent visitors). The baby room I was in has about 25 kids, aged 1-4. I walked around and played with each kid for a while....singing to them, playing peek-ab-boo, holding them, rocking them, taking them for walks outside, etc. None of them can walk due to their physical disabilities, but I think a couple have the ability to learn with some training and therapy, so my goal is to work on this and show the staff how to help teach them. I wish I had more training in physical therapy, but I think I've picked up enough to be able to do at least some good. My favorite little boy was all the way in the back corner, and he was crying, kicking, screaming, and scratching at his face. I went over to comfort him and noticed that he had no eyes. I didn't want to startle him since he couldn't see m
e, but I started talking to him calmly and eventually picked him up. He clung to me like a monkey, had his head immediately situated in the space between my shoulder and neck, and sighed a big sigh of relief. I carried him around for about an hour, and he never once budged. If I adjusted him at all, he tensed up, fearing I'd set him back down. When the staff told me to leave, I couldn't help but tear up as I set him down and he went back to kicking, screaming, and scratching himself. Without any Vietnamese language, I have no way to tell him I'll be back to visit soon. I can't even imagine how much fear and agony he must live in, having no idea of where he is or why. These babies and toddlers were SO receptive to touch and nurturing...I realized how impactful it is just to hold them and show them love and care.
ised to see the bed had a mosquito net and we had our own bathroom with a toilet and shower - impressive! Since we were there to explore nature, we set our stuff down and headed out into the wilderness right away, pretending not to be city girls :) The lady at the desk showed us a big map of the park and told us which trails to take to go see some rapids... we followed her directions and ended at a dried up river with absolutely beautiful rock formations - no rapids but wonderful sights! A Vietnamese couple was walking around on the rocks, so we did the same to explore the area. In the wet season, I figure it's a fast flowing river, but in the dry season (now), it looks more like volcanic rocks with a few trickles of water here and there. As we were leaving, I hoped from one rock to another and unfortunately, the rock I jumped onto wasn't too stable and wobbled over, leaving me sprawled out amidst the rocks! Needless to say, I was lucky to leave with nothing more than a scraped up ankle and mildly sprained wrist :) Life happens.....We continued our hike, but not for long after our path was crossed by an unwelcomed slithering creature - a HUGE snake! About 4 feet in front of us, we saw a black snake, probably 7 ft long and the diameter of a tennis ball!!!! I couldn't believe it was a REAL snake, and when I realized
there was no snake trainer standing there holding it in the zoo, we quickly screamed, turned around, and made it back to the main path as quickly as possible! Glad to be back in our room without any snake wounds, we thought we'd shower and relax, but some lovely spiders beat us to the bathroom. After about 30 minutes of deliberation and strategic planning, we managed to kill the 'baby' spider (about an inch big), but when mama and papa spider appeared, we had to go get help from another traveler (who happened to be a wildlife conservationist!). That night we went on a night safari to see the elephants and rhinos we read about, but managed only to find some deer and rabbits....were we in Vietnam or Texas???The next morning, we decided we'd catch the bus back a day early after realizing neither of us were cut out
for nature! Before we left we rented some bikes and went on a great 25km bike ride. One problem....halfway through, Shany's bike got a flat tire, and she didn't think she could ride it anymore, so I got to ride over the rocky path for the last 15km. OUCH! But other than a few minor setbacks and creepy crawlers, I really enjoyed the stunning scenery, adventure, and time in the "jungle." On our way to the bus stop, the motorbike I was riding on got a flat tire....the irony of yet another 'setback' was somewhere between frustrating and hilarious, but we got it fixed in time to make it to the bus stop and come back to Saigon where I was greeted with the comfort of a warm shower and mostly bug-free room!!!Other than our jungle adventure, nothing exceptionally new...lots of time at the orphanage, backpacker's district, and walking around! Last night we ate a vegetarian buffet (vegetarians are really common here because of the high rate of Buddhism), and for the equivalent of $8 USD, I've never been more stuffed in my life...delicious food! In the orphanage, I found a new room....babies and toddlers! They are absolutely precious, and I feel that my time with them is even more appreciated t
han with the older kids (who are on the main level and get more frequent visitors). The baby room I was in has about 25 kids, aged 1-4. I walked around and played with each kid for a while....singing to them, playing peek-ab-boo, holding them, rocking them, taking them for walks outside, etc. None of them can walk due to their physical disabilities, but I think a couple have the ability to learn with some training and therapy, so my goal is to work on this and show the staff how to help teach them. I wish I had more training in physical therapy, but I think I've picked up enough to be able to do at least some good. My favorite little boy was all the way in the back corner, and he was crying, kicking, screaming, and scratching at his face. I went over to comfort him and noticed that he had no eyes. I didn't want to startle him since he couldn't see m
e, but I started talking to him calmly and eventually picked him up. He clung to me like a monkey, had his head immediately situated in the space between my shoulder and neck, and sighed a big sigh of relief. I carried him around for about an hour, and he never once budged. If I adjusted him at all, he tensed up, fearing I'd set him back down. When the staff told me to leave, I couldn't help but tear up as I set him down and he went back to kicking, screaming, and scratching himself. Without any Vietnamese language, I have no way to tell him I'll be back to visit soon. I can't even imagine how much fear and agony he must live in, having no idea of where he is or why. These babies and toddlers were SO receptive to touch and nurturing...I realized how impactful it is just to hold them and show them love and care.Sunday, February 1, 2009
It's already February????
I’ve been here around 10 days, and I can’t decide if it feels like 2 days or 2 months. In one sense, every single day is new and exciting and I feel like I still have SO much to discover about this incredible city, and on the other hand, I’m already so comfortable, feel like I know my way around pretty well, and have mastered the art of motorbike price bargaining by saying “Not tourist. Live in Vietnam.”
Since I wrote last time, I’ve spent a lot of time at the Orphanage and in Pham Ngu Lao, the backpackers district. I’m really struggling to deal with some of the stuff at the orph
anage, and I feel so torn between wanting to help and being upset about how the children are treated. They’re really treated like objects, and are given NO sense of dignity or respect. Some of them are tied down to the metal crib frame, and although another volunteer who’s been there for 5 months told me it was to “prevent self-injurious stimming behaviors,” I’m pretty sure that’s not the real story. They don’t have enough staff to watch all the kids, so they literally tie them into the room to keep them from causing problem, leaving the room, or anything else. One little boy was running around during what was supposed to be nap time, and they grabbed him, picked him up, threw him in a crib with another sleeping boy, and tied his ankle to the frame. He burst into tears and tried to get away, but the staff 
looked back at him and motioned to go to sleep. I could feel my eyes tearing up, and I just couldn’t stand by and watch the boy cry, so I went over, sat in the bed with him, and rubbed his back. While the staff wasn’t looking, I untied his ankle but motioned to him to say in the bed (I didn’t want him to get in too much trouble). As I sat there with this boy, I found myself wondering “How in the world am I supposed to sit here every single day and watch this happen. And worst of all, when I leave, how do I live with myself knowing that I walked away from the orphanage without changing anything permanently.” So my new plan is to do something big. I have no idea what. I have no idea how. But I will…...trust me.
It’s really tough to work in the orphanage from 9-11:30am and then 2:30-5pm and not spend the rest of the day depressed and preoccupied with thoughts of how to help these children more than a visit, loving touch, and nurturing. I think this is good practice/training for being a social worker, because I know I’ll be faced with the same dilemma every day. So, as hard as it is not to spend the whole blog writing about the kids, I’ll tell you about the other stuff I’ve done here too!
I’ve spent a lot of time walking around District 1 (Ben Thanh markets, garden areas, Le Loi street, backpackers district) etc. It’s so nice to walk around with no real agenda, no end
goal, and no time constraints. Just wander, find a place to eat, sit down, people watch, try some new food, leave, continue wandering, find a shop, look around, repeat. The other day, I was walking around and ran into a guy we had met a few nights ago. Both of us were looking for a place to eat, so we ended up going to lunch together and talking for hours! We talked about travel experiences, our favorite cities, his starting photo career, the economy, global warming….literally A to Z. I love random encounters and conversations with a stranger you know you’ll never see again.
Thursday and Saturday, I took half day city tours. The first one was a tour by a cyclo driver I’d been passing every day who showed us a picture of himself in a magazine claiming he is “Saigon’s best tour guide.” I’m sure the picture was just another Asian man who looked somewhat like him, but the fact that he’s witty enough to know Westerners have a hard time telling Asians apart convinced me to give him a shot. So Shany, a guy Ryan she met, and I each got in our little cyclos and went around the city.
We saw the Saigon River (really dirty), Notre Dame Cathedral (beautiful), the Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum (equally as disheartening on my second visit). I had a conversation with my driver guy about Communism and what the people think of it here, and was surprised by how verbally opposed he was, even for living in the South. He said the people hate communism, realize the constraints it puts on their lives, and wishes they could have freedom. He talked about Clinton a lot, and couldn’t believe it when I said he’s not our president anymore! Apparently no one here knows who the Chairman of the Communist Part y is either…the last name he could remember is Ho Chi Minh (who’s been dead since 1969). The second city tour was in a taxi, organized by Ms. Hang, and was informative but somewhat unexciting. We visited a lot of temples, pagodas, and historical buildings, but they all started to look a little bit alike after a while. My favorite part was the “handicapped handicrafts” factory and market we visited. After watching the people make the crafts, of course I got suckered into buying a grossly overpriced painting (but it’s made of crushed egg shells and is really cool!). 
I could go on forever, but I guess I’ll leave some things for later posts. I’ve pretty much just been working at the orphanage, walking around, eating at yummy cafes, meeting tons of people, sleeping a little here and there, and enjoying life! Oh, and we found a tiny movie theater on the top of a café that has about 12 chairs, a decent size screen, and English movies with Vietnamese subtitles….for FREE! Shany and I watched Vicky Christina Barcelona there last night while eating delicious cheesecake, and it was lots of fun! Tonight we’re meeting a really nice group of Australians at this 5th floor rooftop patio place that does BBQ at you’re table….. some type of Asian BBQ/Habatchi! We’ve heard good things about it and I’m so excited to try it! I’ll update again soon, but feel free to email me in the mean time (oh, or leave me a comment on here if you want…it makes me feel special J)!! Miss you all!!
Since I wrote last time, I’ve spent a lot of time at the Orphanage and in Pham Ngu Lao, the backpackers district. I’m really struggling to deal with some of the stuff at the orph
anage, and I feel so torn between wanting to help and being upset about how the children are treated. They’re really treated like objects, and are given NO sense of dignity or respect. Some of them are tied down to the metal crib frame, and although another volunteer who’s been there for 5 months told me it was to “prevent self-injurious stimming behaviors,” I’m pretty sure that’s not the real story. They don’t have enough staff to watch all the kids, so they literally tie them into the room to keep them from causing problem, leaving the room, or anything else. One little boy was running around during what was supposed to be nap time, and they grabbed him, picked him up, threw him in a crib with another sleeping boy, and tied his ankle to the frame. He burst into tears and tried to get away, but the staff 
looked back at him and motioned to go to sleep. I could feel my eyes tearing up, and I just couldn’t stand by and watch the boy cry, so I went over, sat in the bed with him, and rubbed his back. While the staff wasn’t looking, I untied his ankle but motioned to him to say in the bed (I didn’t want him to get in too much trouble). As I sat there with this boy, I found myself wondering “How in the world am I supposed to sit here every single day and watch this happen. And worst of all, when I leave, how do I live with myself knowing that I walked away from the orphanage without changing anything permanently.” So my new plan is to do something big. I have no idea what. I have no idea how. But I will…...trust me.It’s really tough to work in the orphanage from 9-11:30am and then 2:30-5pm and not spend the rest of the day depressed and preoccupied with thoughts of how to help these children more than a visit, loving touch, and nurturing. I think this is good practice/training for being a social worker, because I know I’ll be faced with the same dilemma every day. So, as hard as it is not to spend the whole blog writing about the kids, I’ll tell you about the other stuff I’ve done here too!
I’ve spent a lot of time walking around District 1 (Ben Thanh markets, garden areas, Le Loi street, backpackers district) etc. It’s so nice to walk around with no real agenda, no end
goal, and no time constraints. Just wander, find a place to eat, sit down, people watch, try some new food, leave, continue wandering, find a shop, look around, repeat. The other day, I was walking around and ran into a guy we had met a few nights ago. Both of us were looking for a place to eat, so we ended up going to lunch together and talking for hours! We talked about travel experiences, our favorite cities, his starting photo career, the economy, global warming….literally A to Z. I love random encounters and conversations with a stranger you know you’ll never see again.Thursday and Saturday, I took half day city tours. The first one was a tour by a cyclo driver I’d been passing every day who showed us a picture of himself in a magazine claiming he is “Saigon’s best tour guide.” I’m sure the picture was just another Asian man who looked somewhat like him, but the fact that he’s witty enough to know Westerners have a hard time telling Asians apart convinced me to give him a shot. So Shany, a guy Ryan she met, and I each got in our little cyclos and went around the city.
We saw the Saigon River (really dirty), Notre Dame Cathedral (beautiful), the Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum (equally as disheartening on my second visit). I had a conversation with my driver guy about Communism and what the people think of it here, and was surprised by how verbally opposed he was, even for living in the South. He said the people hate communism, realize the constraints it puts on their lives, and wishes they could have freedom. He talked about Clinton a lot, and couldn’t believe it when I said he’s not our president anymore! Apparently no one here knows who the Chairman of the Communist Part y is either…the last name he could remember is Ho Chi Minh (who’s been dead since 1969). The second city tour was in a taxi, organized by Ms. Hang, and was informative but somewhat unexciting. We visited a lot of temples, pagodas, and historical buildings, but they all started to look a little bit alike after a while. My favorite part was the “handicapped handicrafts” factory and market we visited. After watching the people make the crafts, of course I got suckered into buying a grossly overpriced painting (but it’s made of crushed egg shells and is really cool!). 
I could go on forever, but I guess I’ll leave some things for later posts. I’ve pretty much just been working at the orphanage, walking around, eating at yummy cafes, meeting tons of people, sleeping a little here and there, and enjoying life! Oh, and we found a tiny movie theater on the top of a café that has about 12 chairs, a decent size screen, and English movies with Vietnamese subtitles….for FREE! Shany and I watched Vicky Christina Barcelona there last night while eating delicious cheesecake, and it was lots of fun! Tonight we’re meeting a really nice group of Australians at this 5th floor rooftop patio place that does BBQ at you’re table….. some type of Asian BBQ/Habatchi! We’ve heard good things about it and I’m so excited to try it! I’ll update again soon, but feel free to email me in the mean time (oh, or leave me a comment on here if you want…it makes me feel special J)!! Miss you all!!
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