Fish & Motorbikes

Today was our Student Orientation for all the new students and their parents to come tour the school and meet their teachers. I served as a tour guide of sorts taking students to their rooms and introducing myself to them. It was pretty cool getting to meet lots of the families and really made me excited to start teaching. Today it really hit me that starting Wednesday, I'm in charge of my own classroom, no cooperating teacher, no supervisor watching over, it's mine. Pretty scary but exciting too. Mostly scaring because for probably the first month I'll be in a regular size classroom teaching phy ed. The room has a sink in the corner also and four ceiling fans, so really limits what I can do. But I have faith that the floor will be put down in my "gym" and the pool will be finished in September.

After working 7 days straight we were all pretty tired and my feet were killing me. A group of us went to this Thai restaurant and Todd ordered us lots of dishes to try. He lived there for 7 years and can speak thai. The food was delicious and actually tried everything, even a green vegetable. I really enjoyed all the dishes, well except the morning glory veggie one, yuck!

After Vicky and I really wanted to go try out the fish massage at this place Diane went to. So some people went shopping, others went home and we headed to the fish massage place. Wow, what an experience. It was the weirdest, coolest, creepiest feeling ever. You put your feet in this pool of water and the fish just swarm to you, it is crazy and we just couldn't stop laughing for the first 10 minutes about. It was really funny with two Vietnamese people came in half way through. Watching them experience what we did, was hilarious and we were all laughing together and we didn't speak a lick of the same language. And the fish actually did a good job getting rid of most of my crusty heel, all for 5 bucks for 30 minutes in the water.

Next we walked a little bit, we grabbed some ice cream at this fabulous place that makes your dessert look like a masterpiece, all for about $3.50. Then came the helmet shop. Vicky and I were like we should buy helmets in case we ever ride a motorbike taxi. So I got a cute blue one and her a matching cute yellow one. All for about $11 each. (Don't be mad mom, I bought the more expensive and nicer one). Well then we are like, well we need to take a motorbike taxi home to try out our new helmets (Sorry Mom). So we find two that are suppose to take us together back home. Well when we first take off, I'm like "Oh crap!" But after a little bit, I'm like this is awesome and lots of fun, until we lose Vicky. Soon we are going the wrong way and I have no idea where I am and he stops and is like "Here" and points. I'm like no, and pull out the card for the school. At this point I'm thinking he is going to take me away and kill me or something and start hearing my mom's voice in my head. Well e turn around and stop again and he asks some security guards how to get there and I tell them the address as well. Finally we are headed in the right direction. I figure by this point Vicky is already home and wondering where I am. We are cruising down the road and all of a sudden, "Oh my god, Jenn!" and Vicky goes flying by me. They got lost too. Both of us and our drivers are laughing. Finally we get home, all for $2.50, totally worth it. Needless to say this was a long a stressful week and tonight I laughed more than I have in a long long time and it was a great time.

Texas BBQ & Boom Boom

So tonight Stephanie, Vicky, and I wanted to go out to eat and then just come back home and crash because it has been a long and stressful week at school getting things ready and we will all be working tomorrow and sunday. Linda suggested Texas BBQ and we were like sure, why not. Well I ordered a hamburger, hoping this place wouuld actually give me one, everywhere else a hamburger is a meatloaf sandwich basically. It was yummy. Vicky had her Texas shirt on and me my Wisconsin one so we started to a table of people (one turned out to be the owner) and got some ideas for other places to eat and places to shop for items from home that are hard to find. The place was so much fun, it was kind of like a dive bar back home, even had country music playing. Another man we told us about places to go bought us all a beer and chatted with us. It was just a really friendly place that we definiately want to go back to.

After we decided to walk a little bit in the rain and we were looking at a few cute restaurants and then see this cute little alley and decide to go check it up. I'm looking at the places and thinking wow that places looks cool, I'd like to eat there and check out that place. Then we all realize we are in the prostitution alley. There are ladies in the same dresses in each place and some even had numbers on them. Needless to say it was an eye opening experience. Can't imagine what people thought seeing three tall American girls walking down the alley looking around.

So tonight I had some Texas bbq and got to see the boom boom rooms ;-)

The school is coming along slowly. I found out today that I won't be able to use the mutli-purpose room (gym) when school starts until they put a real floor down and that I need to find another place. Kind of hard when there is no grass around our building or development. But detective Jenn found a ballet studio on the third floor that is almost finished that I can use for the first month of school. The pool also won't be done until at least september so I will have the kids three times a week for pe. When the pool opens up, it will be PE twice, swimming once for all the ages except nursery, they get swimming twice and no PE.

I've been making signs to put up in my room when it is finished but really need to crack down on lesson plans tomorrow. It is going to be tricky having the kids in a little ballet studio and also the older classes don't have many students so that should be interesting. Haven't really made lesson plans for a class of 4 and 6 but I'm up for the challenge. Oh on a high note I got more pe equipment in, not the stuff I ordered yet but some good stuff that I can use. Also they put a floor in my office/storage area and lighting, whohoo!!

Oh and I've discovered that I like Sauvignon Blanc better than Chardonnay!

Vietnamese Hospital Visit

Today I went to the get my health check up for my work permit. Last week we toured a very nice hospital in the city that is covered by our insurance and I’ll be using. But today we went to another one because the school decided to pay for our check-ups.

Wow, it was quite an experience. First we had to get our blood drawn to check for HIV and other diseases and of course luck have it, I had to go first. The girl that is terrified of needles is the first to go. So I go into the room where you can actually see out little blinds to the people waiting. There in the room I have another guy sitting seriously 2 inches away in another chair while I put my arm out to give the blood. The needle came out of a pack and then I just looked away.

After I was given my cup to pee in, I walk down the hall to the bathroom. The bathroom has 3 stalls, 2 are holes in the ground and the third a real toilet with no toilet paper. I take the toilet. There is a lady cleaning the bathroom with a hose when I go in. I am in the stall and you can see out blinds and I can see people waiting in the waiting room, lots of privacy. So here I am trying to pee in my cup and the cleaning lady is spraying my feet with a hose, talk about performance anxiety. After I walk down the hall with my pee cup past everyone still waiting to see the doctor. We also saw the ear, nose, and throat doctor would just took his hand and moved my ear to look into it and then talked to me about where Wisconsin was located in the states. Overall it was an “experience.” But I’m alive and kicking still so that is good.

Last night I went out to dinner with my roommate Sophie, and Stephanie and Vicky. We went to this place that has these pancake meals the size of huge plates. We each got one and two beers, two smoothies, and two waters. After tip we spent $15. It was nuts. We probably could have done with only two of the pancakes too. It was pretty good though. We walked around after and looked at some shops.

My gym is coming along, the floor won’t be put in when we start but the rest should be done but lots to do. There are 4 pillars in there that I told them they must put mats around. Since it is a multi-purpose room they don’t have a “gym” ceiling with rafters. This makes it hard to attach climbing equipment that they bought. My office/storage room is still without electricity or completed floor. Part of the room has a ceiling that is only 3 inches taller than me. But on the bright side I did get some equipment today. I have some soccer balls, basketballs, jump ropes, rubber chickens, soxtail balls, and the savior – the parachute!!!! So I’m feeling better about that but it would be nice to actually have an office and storage area that is finished. But it is coming. Still sweating like it is my job though! 

Time is Water

We were told in Vietnam that time is like water, there is always more of it. It is hard to get use to not being prompt and right on time all the time. I still show up early and I’m all alone. I’m still struggling with the weather. All the ladies are wearing capris and shirts and don’t seem to be bothered by the weather but I’m in my shorts and tshirts and dying. Everyone seems to have lots of cute “teacher” clothes that are really cute and classy. I feel like a tomboy, but then I remember I am a tomboy and even back home I am not as dressed up as everyone else. One teacher who has been here for a few years said that we should all live the life we are meant to live and I really think that is true. I am trying to not worry about my “normal” clothes and just be me. I am the girl that would rather be in sweats and wears shorts and tshirts for work. I’m the phy ed teacher.

Today we went to a young international women’s networking group in the city. I met women from New Zealand, Australia, Finland, and Germany. They were really nice and I hope I can go again to this gathering. After was the International Ladies in Vietnam weekly get together. They were really awesome and a great group to be a part of, I think I will join just for the networking and connections I could make. I met women from all over the place and the group has an evening meeting for the teachers that are here.

After we went to a restaurant called Nam Son, it was kind of scary walking into. It is the type of place that you don’t use the bathroom and you sit on stools at a table. It isn’t the cleanest place but they specialize in ostrich and beefsteak. I had beefsteak and an egg sunny side up (how they do it in Vietnam). It was really good, I’m glad I broke out of my shell a bit and tried something new. Last night I even had a mushroom, and for the record, I still HATE them!!!

Things are going well, but I get real tired around 7-8pm. But all the other teachers are really awesome and I am enjoying getting to know them. Last night we had dinner at Mary’s apartment, it has an amazing view and the decorations look great. One thing I have learned is that all of the teachers like to drink. We will sit and have a glass of wine or beer (errr cocktail for me). Well time to wake up and get moving!!!

AC is my savior!!

The view from my apartment!!!!

Apparently it is unusually cool for the summer right now and I'm dying in this heat. It is like going from a nice cool comfortable room to the beach, yet you aren't at the beach. But I'm getting use to it, I hope or think.

My apartment is amazing, the view of the city is incredible and just unreal to think this is what I will be looking out at for the next year or two years. Still haven't really unpacked. I'm living in the one of the smaller rooms for the first half of the year, but I get to use the other room as well until we have guests. Sophie is in the master bedroom which is huge and awesome. I will hopefully take some more pictures and post them soon. But we have orientation from 7:30 to 3:30 everyday and at night I die. We are going on friday to get stuff for the apartment. Yesterday we went to a place that is kind of like sam's club and I bought a few things for my room and bathroom but we need to get more stuff. Unfortunately we have to pay first and then get reimbursed by the school later but things are pretty cheap here. You can get mixed drinks for about 3-4 bucks and beers for 2 bucks. All of the teachers and the head of our school went to dinner at this Viet bbq and we ordered tons of apps, food, and drinks and it was only $160 for 16 people, $10 each. I had an app, a smoothie, bottled water, glass of wine, and a combo plate of bbq. It was amazingly delicious. It kind of reminded me of melting pot but you had a grill in front of you.

I am still nervous about washing my clothes because they don't have dryers here and it is so humid I bet it will take forever to dry clothes. I can't find a drying rack yet but hopefully on friday when we do more apt shopping. House help is really cheap here though. I had a maid come through our apartment before we moved in to clean the floors, counters, wipe down everything, she did an awesome job and it cost $8. I can totally afford that once a week! Well time to go unpack some stuff before dinner at the head of the school's apartment.

Good Morning Vietnam

Hey guys,

I'm starting this back up again to tell you about my adventure in Vietnam. I arrived at 10pm saturday and had to change my watch to 10am sunday morning. It was 90 when i got here with high, high humidity. The flights over weren't too bad. The first flight was tough because I was still a little emotional from saying good bye to everyone but once I was en route to Taipei I started to get excited again. I met one of the other teachers from my school on my flight from MSP to LAX so we chatted in the airports, which made things easier and more comfortable.

I have met a few of the other teachers and walked around and went to lunch with 3 of them today. The food was amazing and delicious! We went to a few markets and shopping centers and walked around the area. I didn't make it too long until the jet lag really set in. But all in all, it is so gorgeous and exciting. I've never seen so many scooters and motorcycles. They told us "don't hesitate" when crossing the street or they will hit you. It was a little scary and nerve racking crossing, just kept my eyes forward and walked.

Tomorrow I get to go see the school and how construction is going and hopefully take a look at our apartment. I can't believe I will be living on the 26th floor of a high rise, so crazy. I am sharing a 3 bedroom furnished apartment with Sophie, she is the art teacher. She is from MN, my age, and a new teacher so I think we will be a great fit and I'm excited to finally met her in two days. Well it is 2am here and I have orientation at 8:30am so I should try to sleep some more. I miss everyone but appreciate all the love and support!!

The end is near!

Downtown with Kelly
Innocent bystander!
The return of gray and black squirrel
The Vous, the place to be! Kelly's getting lucky!!

I'm super excited because I know where I am doing my Ed blocks next month. I am contacting the girls basketball coach to see if I can help out this fall in any way. This week power soccer starts again and I am going to try to help out on wednesday nights with wheelchair basketball. I can't believe I am doing my ed blocks in a high school, but my teacher is really good I hear. I'm also getting back into the school to volunteer right now. I'm just so excited to get back my busy schedule with the kids, yeah! More later.



Kelly came home this weekend for my birthday. I forgot how much I need my best friends until something happens. Last weekend was a blast with Kelly. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure!