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...