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!