Danang was a breeze compared to this wretched mess. I can’t go w/o swearing at every intersection and almost getting into accidents at least two times per trip….

The evils:
Roundabouts–no lanes and at least 5 entry ways…un vrai cauchemar!

Cars, buses, trucks–another disaster b/c they don’t know how to/like to brake and so, if in front of them or behind them or freakin’ near them, you will surely “nearly” die and have a heart flip while you drive

Horns–why is everything so loud here? Even if I scream, no one hears me! (And it’s a good thing most ppl don’t hear my cursing anyway….) Earplugs to the rescue!

Pollution–8 million ppl and one motorbike for every 2 ppl…in 2010, there may be a metro system in HCMC. Let’s hope so! To combat this, one needs sunglasses/goggles, a filtered facemask, good facewash for post-ride clean up (try a Lush product why don’t cha?), and a strong motivational system (inner mantra: I can do it; I can do it!). A comfy bed or couch and a stiff drink are also recommended at your destination b/c there will be days where you weep or have stinging eyes and need to numb your frazzled nerves.

Other drivers–I want to know how ppl are taught to drive here. As for me, I have no official license (I’m meaning to, I promise!) and I bet that’s also the case for millions of others on the road. BUT I do proceed with caution and never tailgate or zigzag/weave through traffic like some ppl on the roads.

The only good thing I can think of is that you can actually drive for more than 10 minutes in Saigon cuz in DN, everything was so close so we could hardly go “cruising” in the city…but it’s not like any drive in the ‘Gon is a breeze so I don’t/won’t cruise here. The last time I tried to relax, a taxi almost hit me.

So all this stress makes me dislike driving very much but it allows you the freedom of going where you need to go when you need to go. But for unfamiliar roads and urgent times and hot dates, best to stick to the xe oms =motorbike taxis or car taxis.

Let’s hope I don’t die this way!

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Did I mention I’m supposed to be on a budget? But no studio would be complete sans delicious Korean products and chili sauces!

In Danang, I had the best Korean roommate (Hye Jung/Sharon)for over a year and now that I’ve just left (weep ) I’m realized how influential she was….I’m a heck of a lot cleaner now! And she cooked some pretty darn good food. We had a switcheroo/trade of cultures and cuisine going on in our household. I traded chicken wings, risotto, tacos, salads, and baked goods for homemade kimchi, seaweed soup, cute lil K-packets of fried rice mixtures, awesomely amazing candies, and a new and exciting experience.

Koreans are the Asians of my Vietnam experience so far (believe it or not). Through my roomie, I met my best bud Boram-shi who’s my K-grocery shop guide/chick flick pal/sport-o-holic (he has a ski fan club!)/eating partner/K-language teacher (today I learned sexy-hada) etc..I’ve also attended an all K-lang fitness class in a K-taekwando gym equipped with very sexy-hada K-instructor, Hyun Sung (BUFFED and easily the best bod in DN!), and watched K-movies and oohed and ahhed over more actors than ever in my life!

The K-drama = one of the best earthly pleasures!!!
Q: Why are Korean actors so hot?
A: I don’t care but I like it Ppl close to me say that it’s all fake and I kinda know it but also luv it. Now the guys’ names are hard to pronounce but I’ll post some pics to convince u = pure hotness!

I won’t gush on the blog but man, if you don’t want K-tv (I love Ariang and KBS channels), you are missing out. I know, “American Idol” is pretty sweet but “My Lovely Kim Sam Soon” (on youtube hint, hint) kicks all other dramas’ butts except,just maybe, “The OC”…? YOU DECIDE!

Opa Boram (big bro) and I stocked up on the K-food for my kitchen today. We got the fundamental K-chili paste (made w/plum juice says KBS tv), cutesy K-drinks, rice rolls that Boram has an awesome recipe for, udon (K-style), and well it all came to one heavy bag worth $35. But I still need my Soju (yummy K-liquor of choice), big bag of bestest candy ever; my K-lang book and dicto, and filtered mask to shield me from the motorbike traffic and you know who’s going to Seoul to hook me up? You got it: BORAM!

YES, me = one hooked up gal
–counting the blessings, one Korean at a time

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OK obviously tardy! But I need to describe this for recordkeeping’s sake. Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse! Ummmm yeah rite, this is VN and it’s a noisy place even in the village.

From 430am to 7am, I would wake multiple times due to a variety of oh-so-wonderful sounds
–Early church bells
–Blaring coffee shop raver music at 6ish
–Auntie’s loud voice/snores/jingle jangle
–Mosquito terrors

No wonder I was cranky when I finally got out of bed at the obscenely late 8am…ok once I did sleep til 10…sue me!

Last Christmas, my fave gals were in town. This Christmas, I was among family, just not the ones I usually see at this time.
Here were the notables of the visit:

–Construction outside gram’s….of course they don’t use safety barriers so they were swinging that jaw-like contraption that breaks up dirt and scoops it away until I hollered that I needed to get in the house! (No alternate route to the ppl’s homes either)

–Midnight Mass, no, not really! It was at hmmmmmmmm 7ish til 11ish? It was loud and outdoors and the temperature was slightly warm with a cool periwinkle sky and stars to match…I noticed that many ppl were staring at me on this evening and I thought “ok, I’m obviously a foreigner but whatever.” Reasons: I was like the only person apart from a toddler wearing glasses, and I had on a delicate dress which didn’t fly with the fact that there were no benches and so everyone except me was sitting on their sandals…that was a bit painful! And yes, I’m a foreigner who thought we might have church inside the actual building.

It was a nice service with lots of storytelling and VNese dancing…

–Prices slashed down to zero! I don’t usually pay for much when I visit grams cuz auntie and all lo (take care) of me. This time around I also got a sweet haircut and nails painted for less than a buck! Sweet!

–Family! I hung out w/grams, 2 aunties and 1 cousin and parents’ friends etc. Highly notable: present from Daddy = cornichons, or should I say N.American style pickles, packed in a plastic jar and wrapped tightly to avoid leakage. Now, that’s a gift from s/o who loves ya!

All in all, not a bad way to spend Christmas away from home!

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I bought:

–metal jello moulds for my muffins…no measure cups/spoons to be found!
–a cloth, air freshener, and disinfectant for my office….there’s a mouse or smthg that only likes my desk…how do I know: the chewed up food bags and droppings that it leaves behind! But no one else seems to have this problem! Oh whatever!
–milk even though I never drink any here

Three staff asked me if I wanted a basket, and they helped me find what I needed. Then at the checkout, this lady cuts right in front of me at the scanner…wow! And all I can do is give her a dirrrrrrrrrty look but the clerk takes her order….argh! IT’s the last thing you see that stays in your head!

Issues:

You are not allowed to bring bags or purses into the store so you gotta check in everything…problem is that today, I had a laptop bag, helmut, purse w/camera, and a bag of mangoes, which I had to leave in my bike’s basket outside (risky). And then the girl, whom I see all the time, wanted to leave my items on the counter….as if they would be safe there when things get taken off ur motorbike all the time (another story for later)….She tells me that they’ll be taken care of, but I refused to go into the store until she put them away…and she actually didn’t want to do this…For one minute, I was thinking that if she didn’t put them away properly, I’d just take them into the store…but then I’d get thrown out and all this just for the taste of mango muffins that aren’t even muffins b/c I don’t have the tools…g’fab I know So there you go, some daily Danang for ya!

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Hello all and esp. to Ms. Dana Landry:)

So out of a fun-filled girls’ weekend in Hoi An came an opportunity to share some of East Meets West Foundation’s work projects with some travelers. Three buffet breakfasts later, a visit to the orphanage was arranged.

Dana’s from Nova Scotia and is in the midst of her grand voyage right now….probably sipping beers at La Louisiane.
Anyway, for me, any visit to the VOH is something new and exciting. I went once as a guest at Christmas Eve and then again for a visit from the California Naval Academy’s students and staff in early June. This time, it was just me and Dana and our lovely guide, Bich and the other friendly staff and of course, the kids. Everything was a highlight but especially their artwork and having lunch together. They have a couple dogs and heart throb posters on their walls, and the entire place is filled with calm and
a sense of tranquility/security that is encouraging. And the kids are so polite and much cleaner than I am today. It was a good visit.

Oooh how could I forget seeing the HP books in VNese…that was cool! And also I learned smthng new bout plants growing in the front yard. In the pic, I’m standing near an orange bush/tree and its leaves are like spicy citrus. The staff, my colleagues by extension, told me that they boil the leaves and pour over girls’ hair to make it smell good and also that they use the long thorns to open up clam shells. I thought that was very cool….so I took some home to try…Hopefully, I’ll have time one of these days and I’ll let you know the results of my experiment.

Please check out the photos cuz they are awwwwwwwwsome!

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Hey hey!

Briefly, just went to an EMW orphanage today and it was great…the visit, the kids, the buildings. I learned a lot and must elaborate later….But it all went down the wrong way at the end cuz I got a xe om back to the city and it was a piece of junk that just fell apart once we hit the beach road and my cell had no credits and I was stranded on the beach so I took pics til my batteries ran out and finally this girl on a motorbike saved the day and took me back to the office.

Lessons learned:
–things can go from great to crap easily here
–take a look at the motorbike and driver b4 u hop on and agreed to a price
–VN ppl can be really friendly and generous
–patience will save u in many circumstances
–whatever happens, i still live near the beach
–breathe, Cathy, breathe!

To make up for the stress, had to release with a quick jot to Hoi An for some clothes making….this is what we saw on the way:

And then all was rite in the world once again

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Good day folks

As a family obligation, I spent my weekend in Nha Trang. I had to drag my bro down to visit Grams for the first time. So while he stays there and gets acquainted (in Cam Duc Hamlet by the airport actually), I had to scramble back to NT to catch my train back home.

But waiting for the train has never been so fun….I’m working by day poolside with a fast wifi connection and wondering why my regular office couldn’t be so pleasant.

Nha Trang, where my parents grew up, is, well, magical! It’s a hip n happening beach town with fabulous views, pools, beaches, people, seafood, and internet….all in all, definitely worth a stop while you’re in VN. And I am lucky that my parents are from here so I always have reason to come back.

I usually visit Grams then stay in my fave hotel in the city, the Sun Hotel, in the street perpendicular to the Sailing Club, and spend my mornings blowing bubbles in the clear, blue sea with the early rising fishies and my days eating raw oysters and doing facials or going to the mud baths. Night time is for cruising around on a motorbike or walking along the boardwalk….I don’t know why NT has it all, but it does

However, this time, I have to work so I’m online editing reports on compassion homes and water towers and writing speeches and cannot go to all my favourite haunts….I’m waiting for Junella:) But it’s still an amazingly pleasant, if somewhat short, escape.

Coincidently, it’s also the time for Festival Bien 2007 and so that means big outdoor concerts and ppl milling around cheering on Vietnamese celebrities…and they’re big! I only know two VNese singers and I’ve seen them both in Nha Trang, par hasard! Yesterday, I attended the nightly affair on until June 15th or so and My Tam, this young and quite beautiful VNese girl who’s also incredibly famous, from Danang of all places, was the final act. It was cool and the dances and music that I can’t understand were great fun. Wait til I post my photos. And the best part of it all is that I just stumbled across this beach party….I came to visit Grams and ended up seeing a swimsuit fashion show and some big time celebs. And this festival only takes place every 2 years so I AM LUCKY!

The other celeb, Quang Dung, and I first laid eyes on each other in December while I was singing BSB on the lovely beaches to my sisters. Quang Dung is quite good-looking and has a good, solid, soothing voice and well, he was sitting on the beach chairs just about a meter away from me and I didn’t recognize him cuz I only have seen him on CD covers….anyway, I did notice a well-dressed guy kinda staring at me and well, that was him. Can you imagine, a real singer having to listen to my hysterical renditions of BSB….I mean I don’t suck but still, kinda embarrassing. How did I find out he was there, my friend, Mimi, texted me to get my attention….I am truly in love with the BSB and don’t stop singing unless I have to…..at least next time I see QD, he may remember me from the beaches of Nha Trang.

YES I AM BLESSED (as we all are). AND I want to share with you….so come here anytime and I guarantee there’s a VN beach hot and waiting for you

take care

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When the social/personal and professional life collide, I cannot update my blog!

So in the last couple weeks, I bought a motorbike who’s also named Cathy, had my best friend visit, went to Saigon, got a haircut and nails done, saw Vietnam as a traveller again, and also made progress professionally.

So, b/c I am homeless, I decided to buy a bike although I don’t have a license, have never been on a scooter before, don’t even know where to buy a helmut etc….Slightly dangerous I know, but didn’t s/o say that the only way to improve is jump right in?
I’m learning by doing and well, within the first two days, I had a flat tire, smashed my left blinker, and ran out of petrol but since then, I’ve been cruising! I’ve even driven w/two ppl on the back of the bike and ppl say that I am quite the safe driver!

This may seem crazy for North Americans but it’s all in good fun. I will get my licence as soon as I take the test so that will be great

ttyl!

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So I went to have lunch at this awesome fish noodle place (sorry MK) and as I was waiting for my bowl of fresh, steaming, warm-your-throat, $0.70 noodles, I saw a little mouse crawli into the back of this place and stand on its tippy toes to grab a piece of basil or Vietnamese plant. Then he came again and again like he was scrounging for food for his family. Since the food’s prepared at the front of the store, no one was watching except me. Then a girl came by and put this bowl of leaves on a higher spot so lil Mr. Mouse couldn’t reach it anymore.

The weird thing is that I don’t like mice. I have memories of being 10 and seeing a mouse in my cat’s paws and almost touching it. I hate them usually and don’t want my salad near their paws. I jump and shriek like many of you when you think about such creepy crawlies (though I like spiders = welcome in my room anytime) but after about a month here, I realized that this guy also needs food and we’re just animals who are hungry at lunchtime. I didn’t mind and almost wanted to videotape it. Weird eh?

But if that mouse comes w/in a metre of me, it’s DEAD MEAT or either I’m outta there so fast that you’ll have to call me speedy Marisa! (my marathon running friend)

In fact mice thrive in Vietnam and maybe ppl eat them. You get used to it after awhile and so it’s not too bad. It’s kinda like the ants…in my new place, I don’t mind them b/c they stay on the floor and not in my food.

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So where do I write my posts from anyway? Yes, sometimes I write while at work but I try to avoid that…SWIVEL…so I go to coffee bars and use my laptop. But coffee bars here are pretty different.

-People (all the guys) smoke!
-They are pretty “shi-shi” (sp.!) if they have a wireless connection.
-There are no groups of girls here alone (’cept me) and it’s about 95% male!)
-Music is either raver, cheesy old American pop, or VNese pop. At the moment, “I’m a genie in a bottle.” Seriously, that’s me, in a bottle of smoke! Ugh!
-The coffee is VN style and very cute..I have to remember to take pics.
-The drinks w/alcohol are only $1!
-The boys are cuter! And there’s a lot of staff and they give you free, delicious, cold tea.

“If you wanna be with me, there’s a price to pay. I’m a genie in a bottle…” Seriously, one can get pretty brainwashed here!

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