Back from Phú Quốc

Hi there. I just got back from an amazing Christmas vacation to Phú Quốc island in the southern part of Vietnam. I'm too tired to write much now, so here's a link to a web album with lots of pics. I've put captions under most of the pictures to say what was going on. Enjoy!

https://plus.google.com/photos/113954388427837419799/albums/5962068205017931265?authkey=CJD_vKqnk7OzYQ

An Update

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I last updated. Things were (and still are) pretty stressful for a while, but I'm still here.

I don't like to talk about work too much on a public blog, but it has been an adjustment at times. I still find it challenging to plan 20 hours worth of a lessons each week. Sometimes I don't feel that creative or charismatic, but the show must go on! I don't think I'm a very good teacher yet, but I'm trying to get better.

There's been a lot of change at my company in the last few months. We have a contract with the government to put teachers into the public schools. The issue is that the classes are enormous in these public school classes, it's hard to manage the dozens of kids, and the teaching resources are rather lacking. Some schools don't have AC and are hot as a brick oven. For the moment, I only teach lessons at the private language centers, but I probably will have to change that soon. It might not be so bad. The public school kids seem nicer than the wealthy entitled kids I usually teach.

Second, I feel that I'm trapping myself in an expat bubble. Almost all of my friends work for the same company. One thing I learned from graduate school is that you don't want just one group of friends. I used to hang out with only chemists. Imagine how strange and awkward that must have been! (and it was) I want to have a mix of expats and locals for friends. The language barrier can be an issue sometimes with Vietnamese people. Time to learn the language fast, I suppose! Anyway, I'll try other social opportunities like clubs, organizations, and lessons in things like Salsa dancing. If I only wanted friends from the West...I would have stayed there!

Also, I need a motorcycle. I think I've said that before, but I'm moving on that now. It's not fun thinking about going places in terms of how much I'll need to pay the motorcycle taxi driver. Also, haggling all the time gets old.

There's more I have to say, but I'll let that wait for another blog post. What I write here is only a small fraction of what I'm experiencing on this grand adventure!

Back from Vung Tau!

I got back from Vung Tau and then I was very busy! Today I get to rest a little bit after a somewhat stressful week. Things are changing at my school very quickly after some new leadership was apparently brought in, and I'm not totally sure it's all for the best. We'll see how I feel about things several months from now.

Overall, Vung Tau was pretty nice. I was VERY glad to get out of the huge sprawling city of Saigon for a bit. The countryside was quite beautiful. I really, really missed seeing things like trees, hills, and water. I went with my friends Brian and Olivia. Traveling alone can still be fun, but it's so much more satisfying to share your experiences with others. We got there by taxi, although it would have been better to go by bus. We live and learn, I suppose...

A View of Vung Tau from a Hill.

We arrived on Monday evening not long before the sun set. The city is quite striking at night, but my camera is terrible with low-light situations! I should really purchase a new one soon. We had dinner, talked, and walked around. I can't think of many things that are more relaxing after dealing with the stress of working and adapting to a new life.

The next morning, we had breakfast and went for a swim. The beach was kind of dirty, but I momentarily ignored my need for cleanliness and enjoyed the warm waters of the South China Sea. We had an interesting interaction with some locals. We sat in some beach chairs for about an hour and a half. No one was around or bothered us until the end when we were asked to pay an enormous fee for using the chairs! We left in an awkward fashion. I would have been happy to pay a bit (not the full amount!), but I forgot to in the confusion. Lesson learned for the future: Always agree on prices before using any services around here! (if you can find someone, that is)

Oh...Have I mentioned how aggressive Vietnamese cats can be about getting a bite to eat? I was of course scared for my life.

In the afternoon, we walked around a lot and did some sightseeing. We went on a cable car ride to the top of a mountain, saw an old French lighthouse, and enjoyed some inexpensive local food. Vung Tau is famous for a colossal statue of Jesus, but we ran out of time to see it. We took some pictures from a distance though.

Old French Lighthouse from 1910

There are some beautiful temples all over in Vietnam!

That's a lot of pictures for one post! The next morning, we caught a bus back to Saigon and life went on as normal. Where do I want to go next? Perhaps Phu Quoc Island? I just love tropical islands! I hear the beaches are nice and clean, I could go hiking in some tropical forests, and there's great seafood!

Vung Tau

Today I'll take a hydrofoil down to Vung Tau. It should be interesting! I'll post pictures and other things in the coming days. Finally I'll be able to see the beach. I haven't left Saigon at all since I've been in Vietnam, so I'm really looking forward to this. I'll be going with a couple of friends from my CELTA course.

Also, I'm finally moving into an apartment. Goodbye hotel living!

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival is next week. There are already sights to see this week with fewer crowds too! I took some pictures. I'm afraid that I don't know all that much about this festival. I'm too busy to write much today (compared to yesterday), so I'll just post a couple of pictures and get back to work!

Colorful butterflies!

A crowded street with many lanterns and other things for sale in Saigon's Chinatown.

Still Getting Settled In...

Apparently it's very common. Almost everyone experiences this after living abroad for a while. The culture shock! Don't get me wrong. It's still a very exciting adventure and I have no regrets! Sometimes I just feel frustrated trying to do something that was easy back home. For instance, I know where to find some decent ice cream in the US. I had access to a kitchen. If I needed help, I could ask anyone on the street and understand them easily. Here....it's not quite the same. Also, I get an overwhelming amount of attention sometimes. I stand out. I get tons of messages on Facebook. Women can be almost aggressive trying to get me to date them.

The next step is to continue making myself more comfortable. I want to get an apartment with a balcony and a kitchen. That way, I can do bring back some of my former hobbies like cooking and growing strange houseplants. Also, I strive to have a mix of Vietnamese and Western friends.

I'm still learning how to drive a motorcycle. It's gotten much easier and I can drive on a number of roads without any problems. I hope to actually buy one soon! It will cost a few hundred dollars.

Teaching....It can be interesting sometimes. Teenagers are the most difficult to handle while kids can be fun. It was incredibly terrifying at first, but it's getting easier.

I might go to Nha Trang in the near future. It's about time to head to the beach for me!

A New Part of Town

I've moved to a hotel in the Tan Binh district of Saigon. I was not expecting such a big difference. I rarely see any foreigners here. There aren't very many signs in English and people rarely understand me. When I walk around, many people stare. I have friends that live in this district, so I'm not completely isolated! Of course, there is amazing food to be found around here.

I need to find an apartment soon. My ideal location would be near some shops. It might be nice to live near some westerners too. I really like the local Vietnamese people, but sometimes I feel a desire to socialize with someone from the same culture as me. At the same time, I love to experience the real Vietnam with a local guide. I strive to have a good mix of friends!

I tried driving a motorcycle for the first time a few days ago. It is sort of like riding a bicycle. A REALLY heavy bicycle. I will keep trying because it simply seems to be the best way to get around the city.

Speaking of food...Vietnamese people are adventurous compared to your average American! I've tried fish heads, fertilized duck eggs, and snails. It wasn't too bad, actually (except for the very bitter fish head). Nothing seems to go to waste either.

Mmmm...snails and some sort of shellfish.

This little adorable thing cleaned up after me when I spilled some chicken. Many restaurants I've eaten at have animals running around inside. It's pretty charming.

Back to Reality!

I finished the CELTA course, interviewed for a job, and got it. I started teaching some kids English last weekend. It was incredibly stressful, actually! They needed someone right away, so I didn't have a chance for orientation or training in teaching kids. I made it through though, and it's supposed to get easier. That's what my coworkers are telling me, at least! (very friendly people!)

Outside of work, I'm looking for a new place to stay. I've set up a reservation in a hotel near my school where I'm working. Eventually I'll need to rent an apartment.

Also, I really want to learn to ride a motorcycle! It would help me get around so much more easily!

The crazy streets of Saigon. Riding a motorcycle could be like riding a bike back home, but with some more distractions.

I'll be glad to be moving away from a tourist area. Every time I leave my hotel, I see tons of exploitation of people. The streets are filled with prostitutes, children being pressured by their parents into selling trinkets to tourists, and thieves. Some of my friends have had their phones and purses stolen. Fortunately, I haven't lost anything yet (and hopefully it stays that way!)

In general, I'm finding that the locals here are very friendly. They really invite me to many things and help me out. Oh how I wish I could speak and understand Vietnamese though. The language barrier can be crazy at times! Finally, here are some random pictures (I need to take more though!):

I'm preeeettty sure that wasn't one of the Tintin books that Hergé wrote. Unfortunately, this was just a poster. I was kind of hoping there would be some sort of made up story inside in broken French or something.

The Temple of King Hung Vuong, an early leader (dynasty?) of Vietnam. Near the gate are also...

...Vietnamese dragons!

Very Busy!

Well, I don't have much time to update my blog at the moment. I'm very busy earning my CELTA. In a little over 2 weeks, I'll be done and will have more time to explore this very interesting country! Right now, my world consists of my hotel, the school where I'm studying, and a few restaurants between those 2 places.

Oh, I got a cold. It's not food poisoning again, fortunately, but my immune system is getting a chance to strengthen itself here!

Recovery and a Big Course

After extreme amounts of sleep for several days along with a bland diet of things such as yogurt and bananas, I'm back to eating (almost) regularly again and it's wonderful! I don't really have any desire to eat any more pho at the moment though (which is what made me quite sick in the first place)

Yesterday, I began my CELTA course. This 4-week course will help me learn how to teach English as a second language. It is very, very intense. I've already taught some English in front of actual Vietnamese students. In a way though, it feels great to be busy again. My long "vacation" in Seattle was driving me crazy. I just love to have some order in my life!

I've had many adventures in Vietnam so far. Life is so different here, it's been a big adjustment so far, and I'm forming some interesting memories. Here are some reasons why:

-I stand out here. In Seattle, I can blend into a crowd and enjoy anonymity when I feel like it. Here in HCMC, that's definitely not the case since I don't look like the vast majority of the population! I was sitting in a park with an acquaintance the other day when a Vietnamese university student approached me asking to practice English with me. That's fine with me since I love to talk, so we chatted a bit. However, we had around 10 Vietnamese students around us within minutes wanting to talk and see what was going on. You don't talk to strangers in Seattle in the park. They're probably crazy and/or hostile. Now I know what to do if I'm feeling lonely here...

-Traffic laws are guidelines here. Crossing the street terrified me at first since people blatantly ignore red lights. Now I know that you're supposed to just walk across the street and let the motorbikes go around you, for the most part (like fish in a lake). Cars are too expensive for most people here, so it's motorbikes all the way.

Motocycles galore. I should get a picture of rush hour here. It's incredible.

-Speaking of motorbikes...Poverty is fairly widespread here. With that comes plenty of petty crime. Vietnam is famous for "purse snatchers" that drive by on motorbikes. I haven't personally seen that yet, fortunately. I try to watch my belongings closely, but I might slip up at some point.

-The rain! It's incredibly heavy here. Seattle rain has nothing on the rain here. I saw a local family actually showering in the rain yesterday (clothed of course!) under a gutter pipe. I suppose the "water pressure" was high enough for a good cleaning.

-Strange fruit. Different things grow here, obviously. There are things from the markets that I'd like to try at some point.

What the heck is this thing? Is it even from this planet? (dragon fruit...tastes kind of like a flowery watermelon to me)

-The shadow of the Vietnam War looms large here. I've seen people with missing limbs and other injuries fairly regularly I occasionally will see a public poster with something involving Ho Chi Minh or the Communist Party of Vietnam on it. Since I'm strangely fascinated by propaganda, my goal is take pictures of interesting governmental posters.

Poster outside the Ho Chi Minh City Museum (worth a visit!) Next time I need to not have a utility pole in front of this interesting poster!

I Have Arrived!

Well, I made it to Vietnam. My plane landed Tuesday night in HCMC. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my laptop with me! I remembered the power cable and backup hard drive, but somehow forgot the computer part. That's why I haven't updated in a few days. I recently bought a laptop and got it connected to the internet this afternoon.

I would LOVE to write a profound blog entry, but I am suffering from some food poisoning at the moment as a result of the amazing food here. Apart from the illness, the local cuisine is something you have to try. Perhaps it would be safer to find your local pho shop if you're in the US...

Well, This is it

In about 12 hours, I'll be on a plane headed for Tokyo, followed by another trip to Saigon from there. Usually I don't finish packing my bags until the taxi pulls up to the driveway, but I'm actually pretty much ready to head out! The next time I post will probably NOT be from Seattle.

Here are some things that I've learned and prepared for over the last few days:

-It's a good idea to get your important online accounts ready for your departure. For instance, Google isn't always too happy if it detects someone logging into your account from a far away land, and you could end up with a locked account.. I was able to create some verification codes that I could save to my computer or print out. This way, I should be able to access email and other services when I'm abroad. I don't want to use my cell phone to verify myself, so having an alternate secure way to log in is important.

-Also remember to let your banks know that you're leaving! I will be using my credit card overseas soon. What a shame it would be to lose access to that. I still use the University of Wisconsin Credit Union once in a while,  and I was able to put an alert on my account that I'll be all the way over in Vietnam.

-When applying for a tourist visa, make sure you provide the correct date of arrival. I just learned a $20 lesson a few days ago...

About One Week Left!

Soon enough I'll be leaving for Vietnam. I've taken care of my vaccines, my hotel accommodations, my first aid kit, and more. However, I'm beginning to feel a bit nervous. Very shortly, I will be thousands of miles away in a strange land with a different culture. It will be an adventure for sure, but it makes me think about many things such as what I'm leaving behind in Seattle!

So what's left for me? Well, I need some more dressy clothes for my teaching duties as well as some good hot weather wear. I've also been doing some brushing up on English grammar skills.

Finally, the weather is amazing in Seattle right now! What a wonderful way to end my time here!

(A picture my dad took in Gasworks Park this morning)

Preparing for the Big Trip!

I thought I would give a little more information on my preparation. I can only give so much information before I'm actually in Vietnam, but here we go...

On July 8th, I'll leave for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). I'll have about a week to explore the city before I have to work hard for my teaching certification course. That CELTA certificate will pretty much be necessary to get a reputable job in Vietnam from what I hear. One might wonder, "Why not go to a country like South Korea? You just need a bachelor's degree to get any job!" That's true, but I'm not interested in going to South Korea. I want to go somewhere off the beaten path somewhat, and there are many things I find fascinating about Vietnam, such as the culture, the food, the weather, and the architecture.

I ordered my plane tickets weeks ago. It cost about $800 one-way through ANA. I'm supposed to have my tourist visa prepared about a week before I leave. I'll get it processed and finalized when I'm in Ho Chi Minh City. I almost have my hotel accommodations set up. Let's just say the US dollar goes quite a bit further in Vietnam than it does here in Seattle...

At some point I will need a work visa. For that, I need to get a criminal background check and university diploma certified by the Secretary of State in Olympia and then by the Vietnamese Consulate in San Francisco. The college diploma part has been easy so far. I just made a copy of my diploma with my scanner, got that notarized by the UW, then certified by Olympia. The background check is a little trickier. It will need to be less than 2 months old by the time I get a job in Vietnam, so I've been holding off on getting that done as long as I can. I might have to get my parents to send me some important documents by the time I'm already overseas.

Finally, there are minor things that are quite important like strong sunscreen and bug repellant:

Here's the climate for HCMC.

I think you can see why I've got the weather on my mind for the area.

On July 8th, I leave for Vietnam. As some of my friends and family are interested in what I'm doing over there, I've decided to start a blog to keep track of things that I'll see. My plan is to teach English after I earn my CELTA (ESL certificate). It's certainly a bit of a risk to travel to a strange country without a job already lined up, but I feel that it's worth it!

My name's Thomas. My background is in chemistry, but after a good amount of deliberation, I decided that I'm not really interested in pursuing a career in that field at the moment. My long-term goals are unclear right now, but in the mean time, I'd like to see the world. For years I have wanted to travel, but I wasn't quite brave enough to actually take things to the next level. As a result, I haven't left the US in over a decade. That's all about to change.