1 January 2010
Happy New Year!!!
First, well no, second (since first was to wish everyone a Happy New Year) let me say that things have been insanely busy and so I've fallen off the bloggin wagon..so sorry. So much has happened!
I have been very busy with teaching, which I love. I am a classroom teacher for Kindergarten, and I feel like it is my first year of teaching all over again! Most days I do what I can just to stay on top of things! I'll write more about teaching in a subsequent entry, though.
Some of the big things that have happened this semester are:
*I participated in an olympic distance triathlon in late August,
*We spent our Fall Break (in October) in MuiNe, Vietnam,
*In November I went to Hong Kong Disney with my friend and her son,
*My family (mom, dad, sister, brother) arrived Thanksgiving weekend! We've had loads of fun traveling and hanging out.
So, I'm going to try and recap some of these things, in individual entries. I am committed to writing and posting more often..so I can keep you all up to date with the going-ons about Vietnam!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Back in Vietnam
2 August, 2009
3:05 a.m.
After a month of family and friends in the U.S., we returned to our home in Vietnam. The flights were smooth and easy, with a free upgrade to Economy Plus (traveling on your birthday isn't all bad). I tried taking a homeopathic medicine for jetlag, Jetzone, and it seemed to help. I have more energy, am not tired or foggy during the day, and feel like my body is getting back onto a schedule, of some sort. But then again, the weather here is mild and cooler than what I remember it being in the past, and I've been waking up at 2 in the morning..hmm
Coming home to our apartment in the tropics after being away for a month was interesting. I half expected critters to have moved in, ransacked the food in the cabinets, and generally left a BIG mess. Fortunately we only had wee ants and mold/mildew, and some scat that could be mouse or gecko.
Saturday, our first day back, we went out for a late breakfast. We had our hearts set on the baguette and egg sandwiches that Ms. Hieu makes at her cart near the tennis club. When we arrived, much to our sadness, she told us that the bread was "het", or gone. Bummer. (We ended up getting up early enough to enjoy them on Sunday morning!) On our way back to the house, one of my regular moto drivers, Mr. Hong, came by. Before we left I told him we would be gone for a month or so..I wonder if he drove by every day to see if we'd returned? I wonder if he tried calling my cell to see if I was going in to school? Hmm. What happens when you are not there, I wonder?
School won't start for another 1 1/2 weeks, but the teachers are back, sort of. The new staff had to report on Sunday afternoon for the beginning of orientation. The returning teachers will not be at school until Wednesday. I am very excited and very nervous about the upcoming year. I feel like I have so much to do to get ready! I'll just need to breathe and remind myself that I'll do my best, and if it doesn't get done, then it doesn't get done!
3:05 a.m.
After a month of family and friends in the U.S., we returned to our home in Vietnam. The flights were smooth and easy, with a free upgrade to Economy Plus (traveling on your birthday isn't all bad). I tried taking a homeopathic medicine for jetlag, Jetzone, and it seemed to help. I have more energy, am not tired or foggy during the day, and feel like my body is getting back onto a schedule, of some sort. But then again, the weather here is mild and cooler than what I remember it being in the past, and I've been waking up at 2 in the morning..hmm
Coming home to our apartment in the tropics after being away for a month was interesting. I half expected critters to have moved in, ransacked the food in the cabinets, and generally left a BIG mess. Fortunately we only had wee ants and mold/mildew, and some scat that could be mouse or gecko.
Saturday, our first day back, we went out for a late breakfast. We had our hearts set on the baguette and egg sandwiches that Ms. Hieu makes at her cart near the tennis club. When we arrived, much to our sadness, she told us that the bread was "het", or gone. Bummer. (We ended up getting up early enough to enjoy them on Sunday morning!) On our way back to the house, one of my regular moto drivers, Mr. Hong, came by. Before we left I told him we would be gone for a month or so..I wonder if he drove by every day to see if we'd returned? I wonder if he tried calling my cell to see if I was going in to school? Hmm. What happens when you are not there, I wonder?
School won't start for another 1 1/2 weeks, but the teachers are back, sort of. The new staff had to report on Sunday afternoon for the beginning of orientation. The returning teachers will not be at school until Wednesday. I am very excited and very nervous about the upcoming year. I feel like I have so much to do to get ready! I'll just need to breathe and remind myself that I'll do my best, and if it doesn't get done, then it doesn't get done!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
New Apartment
25 May, 2009
When I returned from MuiNe, I spent my very first night in my new apartment! It is a wonderfully comfortable place with 2 bedrooms, a large kitchen, washing machine, 2 bathrooms, and a veranda. My landlord, Mr. Dan, is fantastic! Right now he is staying downstairs, which makes both Jonathan and me feel safer. I am on the 3rd floor in a 4-story home. All the apartments are identical, with some slight variations in decor.
Well, safer..that's kind of funny. I rarely, if EVER, feel unsafe in Vietnam. My most anxious moments are in traffic. People talk about being robbed and the like, but I feel pretty safe here. I guess we just like that Mr. Dan is so attentive and helpful. He helped us order bottled water, and helped to show me the nearest market, and is very responsive if there is ever a problem or concern.
This is the front of the house. Number 60, street number 3.
This is the living room. The veranda overlooks the street and Singapore International School right across the street. In the mornings, older folks play badminton. In the evenings, young men play football (soccer).
The breakfast bar. It is actually the first thing you see when you walk in the door!
The superfantastic kitchen! Look at the microwave way down on the ground! Kind of a funny place to put it, considering that almost all microwaves in the US are above the stove or sitting on countertops.
The guest bathroom..and George the Giraffe from DaLat. Expect to see more of him soon!
The guest bedroom.
The hallway from the kitchen to the master bedroom. The guest bath and bedroom are on the left.
The master bedroom. I just added a couple of small bookshelves to the room, not in the picture..
The master bathroom. The bidet is so bizarre...and brand new...and just at the right level to be a foot bath!
The veranda. The orange tree was put there by Mr. Dan.
When I returned from MuiNe, I spent my very first night in my new apartment! It is a wonderfully comfortable place with 2 bedrooms, a large kitchen, washing machine, 2 bathrooms, and a veranda. My landlord, Mr. Dan, is fantastic! Right now he is staying downstairs, which makes both Jonathan and me feel safer. I am on the 3rd floor in a 4-story home. All the apartments are identical, with some slight variations in decor.
Well, safer..that's kind of funny. I rarely, if EVER, feel unsafe in Vietnam. My most anxious moments are in traffic. People talk about being robbed and the like, but I feel pretty safe here. I guess we just like that Mr. Dan is so attentive and helpful. He helped us order bottled water, and helped to show me the nearest market, and is very responsive if there is ever a problem or concern.
This is the front of the house. Number 60, street number 3.
This is the living room. The veranda overlooks the street and Singapore International School right across the street. In the mornings, older folks play badminton. In the evenings, young men play football (soccer).
The breakfast bar. It is actually the first thing you see when you walk in the door!
The superfantastic kitchen! Look at the microwave way down on the ground! Kind of a funny place to put it, considering that almost all microwaves in the US are above the stove or sitting on countertops.
The guest bathroom..and George the Giraffe from DaLat. Expect to see more of him soon!
The guest bedroom.
The hallway from the kitchen to the master bedroom. The guest bath and bedroom are on the left.
The master bedroom. I just added a couple of small bookshelves to the room, not in the picture..
The master bathroom. The bidet is so bizarre...and brand new...and just at the right level to be a foot bath!
The veranda. The orange tree was put there by Mr. Dan.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Can-do Attitude
May 9, 2009
One of the reasons why I love Vietnam is because everyone has a can-do attitude...except when they don't. I know that doesn't seem to make much sense, so I'll explain. I would have to say that most people make magic happen. If you want something done, people respond with an enthusiastic "OK! OK!" It could be the most bizarre request imaginable and they will help you get it done. Like:
"Hey! We're stuck in a traffic jam! Can you bring us a beverage?"
"Sure! What do you want?"
I have to run 3 errands. Can you take me here, wait 5 minutes, take me there, wait another minute, then drop me off here?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know where a market is?"
"Um, yes. But it is too difficult to explain. I will take you there, and then drop you off wherever you need to go."
"Really? That is too much. I cannot ask you to do that."
"No problem. I have free time now."
When people are not like that, it is the polar opposite...
"Um, I..am..looking for Ms. Mai...I rent the apartment there (pointing downstairs)..and I want..to give..her.. money.."
"No." (with the ubiquitous hand-wave that means "no" or "not possible" or "I don't understand")
Relationships
Another thing I love, and find very interesting, are relationships. Not like couple-relationships, but business ones. I realize that I am not a business, but I do help provide an income for motorbike drivers. Right now I am living in District one and commuting every morning to school...in District 7. This takes about 30 minutes (even though it's only about 3 miles as the crow flies).
I have a couple of motorbike drivers that I use regularly: Mr. Cai and Mr. Hiep. Mr. Cai has taken me to the nearby market, which is near the gym. He also took me to run my errands (mentioned above). Mr. Hiep has been my commuting buddy. One day I asked Mr. Cai if he could meet me the next day to take me to school for an afternoon meeting. He said that I should ask Mr. Hiep, since he was the one that always takes me. Typically, when a relationship hasn't been established, motorbike drivers will do whatever possible to get your business.
Bargaining
Bargaining is still one of my favorite things, and I have enjoyed it even more as I learn more of the language. I was looking at belts today. Here's how our conversation went:
"How much for this one?"
"200,000"
"Really?! That's too much! How about this one?"
"Same price."
"And this one?"
"That's 150,000."
"So expensive! Hmm. How much for these 2?"
"For those 2? 250,000."
"Would you take 200,000?"
"I can't. 250,00."
"Are you sure you can't take 200,000?"
"No. 250,000 is a good price. You are my friend. You speak Vietnamese."
"No special price for your friend?" (wink. nudge)
"OK. 200,000."
It's always so playful and fun. I probably pay too much for stuff and don't bargain hard enough, but it's all good fun, and I don't want to insult anyone by offering too little.
Market Day
The 5th grade students with whom I work just had their market day, the culmination of an Economics unit. It was so funny watching the kids decide whether to go shopping or to stay and man their "shop". It was also really funny to see how the kids marketed things. Some kids gave away free candy with the purchase of their items. Others made colorful signs or pamphlets to tell people about how cool their items were. And still others yelled. I was standing in one classroom when the first "shopper" came it. All the students began to yell the child's name. "Hey BOB!! Come over HERE! You want to buy this!" When a shopper went near one "shop" all the nearby "shop owners" would yell and try to encourage the shopper to buy from them as well. Frequently, kids would bargain on their prices. I did see some kids lowering their prices as a strategy to sell more- like a sale, but more often than not bargaining was the strategy they used to get someone to buy their item.
I have to say that I am absolutely LOVING being back in the classroom. The transition from public to private school presents interesting challenges and ways of thinking..it's new and eye-opening, and a part of my learning process.
One of the reasons why I love Vietnam is because everyone has a can-do attitude...except when they don't. I know that doesn't seem to make much sense, so I'll explain. I would have to say that most people make magic happen. If you want something done, people respond with an enthusiastic "OK! OK!" It could be the most bizarre request imaginable and they will help you get it done. Like:
"Hey! We're stuck in a traffic jam! Can you bring us a beverage?"
"Sure! What do you want?"
I have to run 3 errands. Can you take me here, wait 5 minutes, take me there, wait another minute, then drop me off here?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know where a market is?"
"Um, yes. But it is too difficult to explain. I will take you there, and then drop you off wherever you need to go."
"Really? That is too much. I cannot ask you to do that."
"No problem. I have free time now."
When people are not like that, it is the polar opposite...
"Um, I..am..looking for Ms. Mai...I rent the apartment there (pointing downstairs)..and I want..to give..her.. money.."
"No." (with the ubiquitous hand-wave that means "no" or "not possible" or "I don't understand")
Relationships
Another thing I love, and find very interesting, are relationships. Not like couple-relationships, but business ones. I realize that I am not a business, but I do help provide an income for motorbike drivers. Right now I am living in District one and commuting every morning to school...in District 7. This takes about 30 minutes (even though it's only about 3 miles as the crow flies).
I have a couple of motorbike drivers that I use regularly: Mr. Cai and Mr. Hiep. Mr. Cai has taken me to the nearby market, which is near the gym. He also took me to run my errands (mentioned above). Mr. Hiep has been my commuting buddy. One day I asked Mr. Cai if he could meet me the next day to take me to school for an afternoon meeting. He said that I should ask Mr. Hiep, since he was the one that always takes me. Typically, when a relationship hasn't been established, motorbike drivers will do whatever possible to get your business.
Bargaining
Bargaining is still one of my favorite things, and I have enjoyed it even more as I learn more of the language. I was looking at belts today. Here's how our conversation went:
"How much for this one?"
"200,000"
"Really?! That's too much! How about this one?"
"Same price."
"And this one?"
"That's 150,000."
"So expensive! Hmm. How much for these 2?"
"For those 2? 250,000."
"Would you take 200,000?"
"I can't. 250,00."
"Are you sure you can't take 200,000?"
"No. 250,000 is a good price. You are my friend. You speak Vietnamese."
"No special price for your friend?" (wink. nudge)
"OK. 200,000."
It's always so playful and fun. I probably pay too much for stuff and don't bargain hard enough, but it's all good fun, and I don't want to insult anyone by offering too little.
Market Day
The 5th grade students with whom I work just had their market day, the culmination of an Economics unit. It was so funny watching the kids decide whether to go shopping or to stay and man their "shop". It was also really funny to see how the kids marketed things. Some kids gave away free candy with the purchase of their items. Others made colorful signs or pamphlets to tell people about how cool their items were. And still others yelled. I was standing in one classroom when the first "shopper" came it. All the students began to yell the child's name. "Hey BOB!! Come over HERE! You want to buy this!" When a shopper went near one "shop" all the nearby "shop owners" would yell and try to encourage the shopper to buy from them as well. Frequently, kids would bargain on their prices. I did see some kids lowering their prices as a strategy to sell more- like a sale, but more often than not bargaining was the strategy they used to get someone to buy their item.
I have to say that I am absolutely LOVING being back in the classroom. The transition from public to private school presents interesting challenges and ways of thinking..it's new and eye-opening, and a part of my learning process.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Living in The City
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Happy Tax Day! That's only so funny right now, since we have just filed-one of the most complicated years ever...after putting my parents through a ton of FUN!!!! Thanks, Mom and Dad! You are truly the BEST!!)
I am sitting in the "living room" of the house that I am subleasing from a friend in the area of Ho Chi Minh City known as "Little Tokyo" watching one of my favorite shows on TV...Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations..He's in Japan for this episode. Phew! Commercial break, now I can type!
So, living in the city is really zany fun! I have been studying Vietnamese 3 evenings a week and really enjoy it! My teacher is really helpful when it comes to everything, but I love the way she corrects my pronunciation, because I NEED the work! I am in class with 3 other people, who are all from Korea! It's so much fun!
At the moment, I am not very busy with organized stuff, and it's hard for me to deal with that! I am trying to just be (ohm)...Anthony is back on, wandering the streets of Osaka eating wonderful street food, and it makes me think about all the street food in Asia..In China the fast food served on the street, xiao chu, was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Here, in Vietnam, the food on the street is also wonderful. I can't wait to go out for banh xeo again! Last night as I left the gym, I walked by the Ben Thanh Market. This is one of the most famous markets in Ho Chi Minh City. When cruise ships come to port they bus guests to the market. During the day the colonial style building is filled with stalls selling everything from lovely hand-made pottery and lacquer to raw meat and fresh vegetables.
...So what IS the thing with Karaoke, anyway?!
Happy Tax Day! That's only so funny right now, since we have just filed-one of the most complicated years ever...after putting my parents through a ton of FUN!!!! Thanks, Mom and Dad! You are truly the BEST!!)
I am sitting in the "living room" of the house that I am subleasing from a friend in the area of Ho Chi Minh City known as "Little Tokyo" watching one of my favorite shows on TV...Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations..He's in Japan for this episode. Phew! Commercial break, now I can type!
So, living in the city is really zany fun! I have been studying Vietnamese 3 evenings a week and really enjoy it! My teacher is really helpful when it comes to everything, but I love the way she corrects my pronunciation, because I NEED the work! I am in class with 3 other people, who are all from Korea! It's so much fun!
At the moment, I am not very busy with organized stuff, and it's hard for me to deal with that! I am trying to just be (ohm)...Anthony is back on, wandering the streets of Osaka eating wonderful street food, and it makes me think about all the street food in Asia..In China the fast food served on the street, xiao chu, was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Here, in Vietnam, the food on the street is also wonderful. I can't wait to go out for banh xeo again! Last night as I left the gym, I walked by the Ben Thanh Market. This is one of the most famous markets in Ho Chi Minh City. When cruise ships come to port they bus guests to the market. During the day the colonial style building is filled with stalls selling everything from lovely hand-made pottery and lacquer to raw meat and fresh vegetables.
...So what IS the thing with Karaoke, anyway?!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Some Beach Photos
Even in Vietnam, or maybe especially in Vietnam, kids love to get their picture taken! This little guy was with his family where we had coffee.
Vietnamese iced coffee, or "ca phe sua da" is served this way. The grounds are placed in the metal press, and then hot water is added. The coffee slowly drips down to the cup below. The white goo at the bottom of the cup is sweetened condensed milk. Once the coffee has dripped, you stir it up together. If you want it iced, you then pour it over ice! Yum! Very sweet and intense.
A wee little crab made this design! It must have spent hours making little sand balls and then moving them around to make this. The rocky beach where people were fishing was covered with these designs.
This fisherman is watching the water, looking for fish. In his right hand he holds a rock, and in his left, a net. He will through the rock at the school of fish to scare them into his net. 
A starfish we saw on the beach.
Vung Tau
March 27, 2009
Today Sherri and I took a trip to Vung Tau, a small community and local beach resort. This is a popular beach destination for many Vietnamese tourists, and some foreign tourists, too. The draw is not only that it is a lovely beach, but that it is so close to Ho Chi Minh City..only 1 1/2 hours by hydrofoil!
We left at 8 a.m. and arrived by 9:30. We had some coffee at a little restaurant across the street from the ferry station, and then walked the 2 km to Back Beach. On our way we walked along the rocky Front Beach, where many people were fishing. We saw wee crabs pushing their balls of sand, a starfish, and even some goats in the park! Before arriving in VT, I had been warned about: a) the crowds, b) the trash, and c) the vendors who come up to you every 5 minutes and sell you all sorts of things from food to little plastic necklaces and guns. To my surprise, it was beautiful! Peaceful, quiet, empty, and hardly any vendors..
There are makeshift shacks along the beach that might be used as houses, or for storage of chairs and other things people rent to visitors. In front of the shacks are lines of lounge chairs and umbrellas. You can rent a chair for 15,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND, less than $1 US) and an umbrella for 20,000 VND; $1= about 17,000 VND). You can buy drinks, so we had some soda, and when you get hungry you can buy food..A woman walked by selling noodles. We both decided that we were hungry and wanted some, but when we tried to flag her down to get some, she didn't see us. We got some spring rolls from the next woman who walked by.
We sat on the beach relaxing, then did some swimming and exploring. We saw some little squid and some shells. When we decided to work our way back to our 5 p.m. ferry, we walked up the beach a bit further and watched some fishermen pulling in their net. We also so a BUNCH of jellyfish washed up onshore.
We decided to take motorbikes back to the ferry, but we both had wrap-around sarongs on...so we chose to ride on the bikes SIDE-SADDLE. Vietnamese women are skilled at this! They perch on the back of the motorbike and sit so gracefully in their beautiful skirts and high-heels. I was not very good at it-I was off-balance the whole way back (up-hill and around on curvy roads...fortunately there was hardly any traffic!). When we arrived, the drivers were guffawing..I can only guess that this is what they were saying:
How's your drive?
Not good, foreign lady can't ride side-saddle!
Yeah! Mine either! She kept squirming..I thought she was gonna throw us to the ground!
Oh, yeah!
She was so bad she had to hang on..wrapped her arms 'round my waist..I'm still trying to get a full breath of air!
Hehe.
Today Sherri and I took a trip to Vung Tau, a small community and local beach resort. This is a popular beach destination for many Vietnamese tourists, and some foreign tourists, too. The draw is not only that it is a lovely beach, but that it is so close to Ho Chi Minh City..only 1 1/2 hours by hydrofoil!
We left at 8 a.m. and arrived by 9:30. We had some coffee at a little restaurant across the street from the ferry station, and then walked the 2 km to Back Beach. On our way we walked along the rocky Front Beach, where many people were fishing. We saw wee crabs pushing their balls of sand, a starfish, and even some goats in the park! Before arriving in VT, I had been warned about: a) the crowds, b) the trash, and c) the vendors who come up to you every 5 minutes and sell you all sorts of things from food to little plastic necklaces and guns. To my surprise, it was beautiful! Peaceful, quiet, empty, and hardly any vendors..
There are makeshift shacks along the beach that might be used as houses, or for storage of chairs and other things people rent to visitors. In front of the shacks are lines of lounge chairs and umbrellas. You can rent a chair for 15,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND, less than $1 US) and an umbrella for 20,000 VND; $1= about 17,000 VND). You can buy drinks, so we had some soda, and when you get hungry you can buy food..A woman walked by selling noodles. We both decided that we were hungry and wanted some, but when we tried to flag her down to get some, she didn't see us. We got some spring rolls from the next woman who walked by.
We sat on the beach relaxing, then did some swimming and exploring. We saw some little squid and some shells. When we decided to work our way back to our 5 p.m. ferry, we walked up the beach a bit further and watched some fishermen pulling in their net. We also so a BUNCH of jellyfish washed up onshore.
We decided to take motorbikes back to the ferry, but we both had wrap-around sarongs on...so we chose to ride on the bikes SIDE-SADDLE. Vietnamese women are skilled at this! They perch on the back of the motorbike and sit so gracefully in their beautiful skirts and high-heels. I was not very good at it-I was off-balance the whole way back (up-hill and around on curvy roads...fortunately there was hardly any traffic!). When we arrived, the drivers were guffawing..I can only guess that this is what they were saying:
How's your drive?
Not good, foreign lady can't ride side-saddle!
Yeah! Mine either! She kept squirming..I thought she was gonna throw us to the ground!
Oh, yeah!
She was so bad she had to hang on..wrapped her arms 'round my waist..I'm still trying to get a full breath of air!
Hehe.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Kuala Lumpur
March 17, 2009
Jonathan and I just returned from a visit/conference in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur, or KL, is the capital of Malaysia. It is a very sparkling, modern city famous for the Petronas Towers. During our time there we stayed in the KLCC, or KL City Center. It was pretty fascinating spending time in a city with ultra-modern shopping. As the plane landed, one of the first things I noticed, aside from all of the palm oil plantations, was that the traffic was on the left side of the road. Although I have flown through London, this was really the first time I had ever spent any time walking around with the traffic flow being opposite of what I am used to! How strange and fun! In Vietnam I am now used to negotiating the traffic: it is literally EVERYWHERE! I am in more danger of getting run over by a motorbike while walking ON the sidewalk than I am crossing the street. I am so comfortable with the traffic, I have taken to doing my runs along the roads! After my visit to Phnom Penh in February I really got into the obstacle course nature of running in traffic. It's actually kind of fun, unless you are looking for a situation where you want to really open it up and get into a groove...In KL, though, I had to constantly look to see where the cars were coming from. They were not on the sidewalk, but I am trained to look left, right, and left again..and I had to look RIGHT more often than not. (I just had to talk myself through that..because I couldn't actually remember what traffic in the US looks like! HaHa.)
Kuala Lumpur is absolutely fascinating for so many reasons. Maybe my intrigue is heightened because I have been in Vietnam for 7 months now and am very used to this situation and while the population is not homogenous, it is definitely not as diverse as the United States. After our time in China, one of the most amazing experiences was flying into LAX, the international airport in Los Angeles. Before this moment, I really didn't like LAX, but I gained a whole new appreciation for the airport, and for the US after this experience. As we walked through the concourse, I was amazed and intrigued by the diversity of people around me. In Mianyang, China everyone mostly looks the same: black hair, my height or shorter, slim. In LAX there were people of all shapes, sizes, and skin color. It was beautiful! I remember feeling very happy and proud as I noticed this. I am an American and we are a diverse population, a population of immigrants, of an attitude and dream not a "look".
KL had a similar diversity, but again, something I had never really witnessed. The population of KL is composed of 3 major groups of people: Chinese, Muslim, and Hindu. In the city there are neighborhoods where these three groups congregated and moved in together. One of the best things to do in KL is to walk through these neighborhoods. Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Baru are interesting in their cultural influence and variation from one other. Outside of Chinatown I wandered around an old cemetery in search of a temple. I never found the temple but had a wonderful time looking out over the rolling hills of graves as the city rose up in the background. One day we visited Kampong Baru, where there is a strong Muslim influence. The market was fascinating as people yelled out the prices of fruits to passersby. Many women wore hijabs, or scarves, on their heads. In all honesty I had never been around so many Muslims. It was wonderful to see the women exercising in their hijabs, hearing the call to prayer, and seeing the beautiful mosques. I am curious to learn more about the Muslim culture from Muslims. All we hear about is what is told to us in our own culture of fear. I imagine that the message and concept of the muslim culture is very different from what we hear about in the news..In the same way that American culture is not really anything like what people see and hear about in soap operas like Dynasty or in the news. Little India was also fun: different smells, different things being sold, different clothing. How incredible that in some parts of the world groups cannot live together, but in Malaysia there is harmony.
Why is it that we hold so strongly to our beliefs that we become intolerant, to the point of violence, towards others who believe something different? Religion is a funny one. We do not really KNOW how our world was created or what happens when we die. We have been told something, read about it, various people have shared what they believe with others, but in reality no one knows for sure. We just have ideas. How can one idea be wrong? I guess if it is not based in any kind of scientific evidence then perhaps it could be considered "wrong". But then again, isn't that just my "idea" speaking? My understanding of the world and how it works is based on my 5 senses: what I can see, feel, taste, smell, and hear. People talk about ghosts, for example. For some, these are very real. Because I have never seen, smelled, tasted, heard, or felt a ghost, does that mean that it does not exist? Maybe I am such a product of my world that I have trained my body to NOT "see" something that someone else can..like a ghost. Other people could be very attuned to something that my body cannot fathom, cannot even register. What about light that I cannot see? or a sound that is outside the range of my ears? Dog whistles are a perfect example: I cannot hear it, so does that mean that it doesn't make a sound? Someone else, some THING else (like a dog) can hear it. Should I start fighting with someone who hears a whistle when I don't?
Jonathan and I just returned from a visit/conference in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur, or KL, is the capital of Malaysia. It is a very sparkling, modern city famous for the Petronas Towers. During our time there we stayed in the KLCC, or KL City Center. It was pretty fascinating spending time in a city with ultra-modern shopping. As the plane landed, one of the first things I noticed, aside from all of the palm oil plantations, was that the traffic was on the left side of the road. Although I have flown through London, this was really the first time I had ever spent any time walking around with the traffic flow being opposite of what I am used to! How strange and fun! In Vietnam I am now used to negotiating the traffic: it is literally EVERYWHERE! I am in more danger of getting run over by a motorbike while walking ON the sidewalk than I am crossing the street. I am so comfortable with the traffic, I have taken to doing my runs along the roads! After my visit to Phnom Penh in February I really got into the obstacle course nature of running in traffic. It's actually kind of fun, unless you are looking for a situation where you want to really open it up and get into a groove...In KL, though, I had to constantly look to see where the cars were coming from. They were not on the sidewalk, but I am trained to look left, right, and left again..and I had to look RIGHT more often than not. (I just had to talk myself through that..because I couldn't actually remember what traffic in the US looks like! HaHa.)
Kuala Lumpur is absolutely fascinating for so many reasons. Maybe my intrigue is heightened because I have been in Vietnam for 7 months now and am very used to this situation and while the population is not homogenous, it is definitely not as diverse as the United States. After our time in China, one of the most amazing experiences was flying into LAX, the international airport in Los Angeles. Before this moment, I really didn't like LAX, but I gained a whole new appreciation for the airport, and for the US after this experience. As we walked through the concourse, I was amazed and intrigued by the diversity of people around me. In Mianyang, China everyone mostly looks the same: black hair, my height or shorter, slim. In LAX there were people of all shapes, sizes, and skin color. It was beautiful! I remember feeling very happy and proud as I noticed this. I am an American and we are a diverse population, a population of immigrants, of an attitude and dream not a "look".
KL had a similar diversity, but again, something I had never really witnessed. The population of KL is composed of 3 major groups of people: Chinese, Muslim, and Hindu. In the city there are neighborhoods where these three groups congregated and moved in together. One of the best things to do in KL is to walk through these neighborhoods. Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Baru are interesting in their cultural influence and variation from one other. Outside of Chinatown I wandered around an old cemetery in search of a temple. I never found the temple but had a wonderful time looking out over the rolling hills of graves as the city rose up in the background. One day we visited Kampong Baru, where there is a strong Muslim influence. The market was fascinating as people yelled out the prices of fruits to passersby. Many women wore hijabs, or scarves, on their heads. In all honesty I had never been around so many Muslims. It was wonderful to see the women exercising in their hijabs, hearing the call to prayer, and seeing the beautiful mosques. I am curious to learn more about the Muslim culture from Muslims. All we hear about is what is told to us in our own culture of fear. I imagine that the message and concept of the muslim culture is very different from what we hear about in the news..In the same way that American culture is not really anything like what people see and hear about in soap operas like Dynasty or in the news. Little India was also fun: different smells, different things being sold, different clothing. How incredible that in some parts of the world groups cannot live together, but in Malaysia there is harmony.
Why is it that we hold so strongly to our beliefs that we become intolerant, to the point of violence, towards others who believe something different? Religion is a funny one. We do not really KNOW how our world was created or what happens when we die. We have been told something, read about it, various people have shared what they believe with others, but in reality no one knows for sure. We just have ideas. How can one idea be wrong? I guess if it is not based in any kind of scientific evidence then perhaps it could be considered "wrong". But then again, isn't that just my "idea" speaking? My understanding of the world and how it works is based on my 5 senses: what I can see, feel, taste, smell, and hear. People talk about ghosts, for example. For some, these are very real. Because I have never seen, smelled, tasted, heard, or felt a ghost, does that mean that it does not exist? Maybe I am such a product of my world that I have trained my body to NOT "see" something that someone else can..like a ghost. Other people could be very attuned to something that my body cannot fathom, cannot even register. What about light that I cannot see? or a sound that is outside the range of my ears? Dog whistles are a perfect example: I cannot hear it, so does that mean that it doesn't make a sound? Someone else, some THING else (like a dog) can hear it. Should I start fighting with someone who hears a whistle when I don't?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sustainable Development
February 25, 2009
One of the reasons why I chose to stay in Cambodia for a few days longer than the conference was so that I could visit Chrark Teak, a small, rural community about 2 hours from Phnom Penh. In all honesty, I know very little about this place, except for the fact that a woman from Ft. Collins, Colorado has invested a great deal of time and money over the last few years to improve this community by building a school.
In November of 2007 I attended an IB meeting in Denver with some fellow teachers. The most impressive part of the meeting was the guest speakers. An author and Cambodian-American, Luong Ung, spoke about her books: First they Killed my Father, and Lucky Child, both books were written about her experiences of growing up during the time of the Khmer Rouge. The second person to speak was Kari Grossman. Her son, Grady, was adopted from Cambodia. She also wrote a book, Bones that Float, that tells of her experiences in finding Grady's birth-mother, who was still living in Cambodia. In finding her, she learned about where her son would have grown up if he had stayed in Cambodia- he would have lived in Chrark Teak. Kari decided to essentially adopt the community, build a school, and is currently working to guide the community to improve their standard of living by engaging in sustainable development activities. Until I visited the community, I really had no idea what that actually meant.
Driving north from Phnom Penh, we go through several small communities: The land is flat, except for the old capital Phnom Oudong. The land is green, with rice paddies and farmland. Scattered throughout are tall palm trees that look like they could be found in a Dr. Seuss book. Huts and houses are on either side of the road..some very lavish with a car or two parked underneath, while others look like they would fall down in a pile of rubble if you just approached them.
We cross a river and I notice a sign that reads: Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary. I look around the sign and it is the same thing: houses, rice paddies, and random trees. Ox carts, trucks, and cars are loaded down with large tree trunks: trees cut down from the nearby forest. These will be used to make charcoal, the widely used fuel of not just rural households but most restaurants and homes in Phnom Penh. About 15 minutes later we arrive at the school, a typical single-story, pale yellow building amid a field of dust and grass.
There are many things about this area that reveal itself after a few hours of conversation. One is that it is illegal to go into the forest and cut down trees. The sad part about this is that every year more and more trees are taken out of the forest and used for charcoal. The forest once extended to the sign that I saw on the way in to the school. That was less than 10 years ago! Most of the community didn't even really exist. People have moved in from other places because they have been kicked off their land and out of their homes by people who are wealthier and more powerful. Even if it is illegal, lines of carts, like the ones in the photo here, go into the forest and cut down trees.
Theirs is a life from one day to the next: what do I need TODAY? When outsiders have tried to convince people not to log the forest, because the forest won't last forever and animals live there, it doesn't matter. That is TOMORROW. Their needs are real and they are immediate.
While in Chrark Teak, I sat in on 2 community meetings. I didn't really understand the importance of these meetings until I had sat through one and was half-way through the second. You may think nothing of them. community meetings..they happen all the time. But that's the trick of it! In Cambodia they don't! Here is a group of representatives from the larger community. They have come together to discuss problems and upcoming projects. They are writing a proposal for an agricultural area that they intend to build. AS A COMMUNITY they are doing this. Again, you may think: "so!?" Keep reading.
This year is the 30-year anniversary of the Khmer Rouge being removed from power: 1979. The worst of their rule was the 4 years preceding this: 1975-1979. During this time people were forced to leave the cities and flee to the countryside. The leaders of the Khmer Rouge wanted to return the country to a simpler time. They idealized the lives of the poor farmers and forced city-dwellers, people who were educated professionals living in nice houses, wearing nice clothes and jewelry, to leave their lives and go to re-education camps in the countryside. Here they would learn about farming.
Perhaps that was the intention, but that is not what happened. People fled and were forced to hide or be killed. Fancy clothes were taken and in their place people were given all-black pants and shirts. People worked day and night. Their only personal property was their bowl and their spoon. Food was rationed, until it was no longer provided. People starved. People did what they could to protect themselves and their families...and then they did what they had to to protect themselves. Everyone was watched, no one was trusted. Spirits were broken.
Thirty years later, people still have scars. Some are visible, but the invisible ones are the ones that are hardest to overcome. In a land where people worry only about TODAY, a person will do whatever is necessary in order to provide for his family and make it another day. It is in this environment, under these conditions, that in a small community outside of Phnom Penh, people are gathering to talk about how they can work TOGETHER, TRUST EACH OTHER, and LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE in order to make their lives more livable and give their children better opportunities than they had.
It was an honor for me to be a part of these meetings, and to hear these people, some men and some women, talk about what they needed from each other and from outsiders. It was on honor to hear that 3 of the 4 women who spoke had never spoken at a meeting before. Thank you for trusting me and trusting each other enough to take a risk and share your ideas. It means more to me than you know and I honor you for that.
One of the reasons why I chose to stay in Cambodia for a few days longer than the conference was so that I could visit Chrark Teak, a small, rural community about 2 hours from Phnom Penh. In all honesty, I know very little about this place, except for the fact that a woman from Ft. Collins, Colorado has invested a great deal of time and money over the last few years to improve this community by building a school.
In November of 2007 I attended an IB meeting in Denver with some fellow teachers. The most impressive part of the meeting was the guest speakers. An author and Cambodian-American, Luong Ung, spoke about her books: First they Killed my Father, and Lucky Child, both books were written about her experiences of growing up during the time of the Khmer Rouge. The second person to speak was Kari Grossman. Her son, Grady, was adopted from Cambodia. She also wrote a book, Bones that Float, that tells of her experiences in finding Grady's birth-mother, who was still living in Cambodia. In finding her, she learned about where her son would have grown up if he had stayed in Cambodia- he would have lived in Chrark Teak. Kari decided to essentially adopt the community, build a school, and is currently working to guide the community to improve their standard of living by engaging in sustainable development activities. Until I visited the community, I really had no idea what that actually meant.
Driving north from Phnom Penh, we go through several small communities: The land is flat, except for the old capital Phnom Oudong. The land is green, with rice paddies and farmland. Scattered throughout are tall palm trees that look like they could be found in a Dr. Seuss book. Huts and houses are on either side of the road..some very lavish with a car or two parked underneath, while others look like they would fall down in a pile of rubble if you just approached them.
We cross a river and I notice a sign that reads: Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary. I look around the sign and it is the same thing: houses, rice paddies, and random trees. Ox carts, trucks, and cars are loaded down with large tree trunks: trees cut down from the nearby forest. These will be used to make charcoal, the widely used fuel of not just rural households but most restaurants and homes in Phnom Penh. About 15 minutes later we arrive at the school, a typical single-story, pale yellow building amid a field of dust and grass.
There are many things about this area that reveal itself after a few hours of conversation. One is that it is illegal to go into the forest and cut down trees. The sad part about this is that every year more and more trees are taken out of the forest and used for charcoal. The forest once extended to the sign that I saw on the way in to the school. That was less than 10 years ago! Most of the community didn't even really exist. People have moved in from other places because they have been kicked off their land and out of their homes by people who are wealthier and more powerful. Even if it is illegal, lines of carts, like the ones in the photo here, go into the forest and cut down trees.
Theirs is a life from one day to the next: what do I need TODAY? When outsiders have tried to convince people not to log the forest, because the forest won't last forever and animals live there, it doesn't matter. That is TOMORROW. Their needs are real and they are immediate.
While in Chrark Teak, I sat in on 2 community meetings. I didn't really understand the importance of these meetings until I had sat through one and was half-way through the second. You may think nothing of them. community meetings..they happen all the time. But that's the trick of it! In Cambodia they don't! Here is a group of representatives from the larger community. They have come together to discuss problems and upcoming projects. They are writing a proposal for an agricultural area that they intend to build. AS A COMMUNITY they are doing this. Again, you may think: "so!?" Keep reading.
This year is the 30-year anniversary of the Khmer Rouge being removed from power: 1979. The worst of their rule was the 4 years preceding this: 1975-1979. During this time people were forced to leave the cities and flee to the countryside. The leaders of the Khmer Rouge wanted to return the country to a simpler time. They idealized the lives of the poor farmers and forced city-dwellers, people who were educated professionals living in nice houses, wearing nice clothes and jewelry, to leave their lives and go to re-education camps in the countryside. Here they would learn about farming.
Perhaps that was the intention, but that is not what happened. People fled and were forced to hide or be killed. Fancy clothes were taken and in their place people were given all-black pants and shirts. People worked day and night. Their only personal property was their bowl and their spoon. Food was rationed, until it was no longer provided. People starved. People did what they could to protect themselves and their families...and then they did what they had to to protect themselves. Everyone was watched, no one was trusted. Spirits were broken.
Thirty years later, people still have scars. Some are visible, but the invisible ones are the ones that are hardest to overcome. In a land where people worry only about TODAY, a person will do whatever is necessary in order to provide for his family and make it another day. It is in this environment, under these conditions, that in a small community outside of Phnom Penh, people are gathering to talk about how they can work TOGETHER, TRUST EACH OTHER, and LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE in order to make their lives more livable and give their children better opportunities than they had.
It was an honor for me to be a part of these meetings, and to hear these people, some men and some women, talk about what they needed from each other and from outsiders. It was on honor to hear that 3 of the 4 women who spoke had never spoken at a meeting before. Thank you for trusting me and trusting each other enough to take a risk and share your ideas. It means more to me than you know and I honor you for that.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Back in Phnom Penh
Friday, February 20, 2009
It is 7:00 a.m. and I am sitting in my hotel room in Phnom Penh. I decided that having internet in my room was important so I sought a room that would be affordable and comfortable. I am here attending the CamTESOL conference, a conference on the teaching of English in Cambodia. Today we will go on a field trip and the meetings will begin on Saturday morning. I am looking forward to it. Some folks that I met up in Hanoi will also be attending. I am very excited to learn about teaching methods and ideas here in Southeast Asia, as well as networking with fellow educators.
On Tuesday, I went to visit Phnom Tamao Rescue Center and Zoo. This is an incredible place! Animals that have been confiscated from illegal animal trade or other situations have been given large enclosures to be wild and mostly free. There were some elephants, a couple of tigers, some gibbons, various birds, and more than 100 bears! The bear center is incredible! They have at least 5 large enclosures and an education center that is really done nicely. They have several sun bears, and a nursery with a few sun bear cubs. They were adorable!
It is 7:00 a.m. and I am sitting in my hotel room in Phnom Penh. I decided that having internet in my room was important so I sought a room that would be affordable and comfortable. I am here attending the CamTESOL conference, a conference on the teaching of English in Cambodia. Today we will go on a field trip and the meetings will begin on Saturday morning. I am looking forward to it. Some folks that I met up in Hanoi will also be attending. I am very excited to learn about teaching methods and ideas here in Southeast Asia, as well as networking with fellow educators.
On Tuesday, I went to visit Phnom Tamao Rescue Center and Zoo. This is an incredible place! Animals that have been confiscated from illegal animal trade or other situations have been given large enclosures to be wild and mostly free. There were some elephants, a couple of tigers, some gibbons, various birds, and more than 100 bears! The bear center is incredible! They have at least 5 large enclosures and an education center that is really done nicely. They have several sun bears, and a nursery with a few sun bear cubs. They were adorable!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Another Planet
February 9, 2009
I began this entry thinking that I was going to write about our visit to District 7, under the same title: Another Planet. But then I got to thinking about it, and there are several moments when I feel like I'm on another planet. It is fun to watch myself in these situations and see what my reactions are. One day I may laugh, the next I may get upset. Most of the time I just go with it and smile.
Every day is like an adventure here. I don't know why I don't see the world that way at home..it seems easier to release control when I am not at home, in the U.S. I tend to think of the moments of discomfort and stress as moments for growing. "O.K. You are upset. That's fine. What can you learn from this?" Again, I am not so good at doing this at home...
Some of our "other-worldly" adventures have included:
The Com Chay: 'Com chay' means vegetarian restaurant. Vegetarianism is not rare in Asia, but it is unusual. Our friends call us "not normal". Around Hanoi or HCMC you can find vegetarian restaurants. They are interesting. The cooks, who are truly masters, take tofu and manipulate it into shapes with flavors and textures that so closely resemble meat, I frequently have to ask, "is this vegetarian?" The menus at restaurants like these list the items like you'd see them on a regular menu: Bun Bo Hue, a famous noodle dish from Hue, in central Vietnam, is one such example. The dish arrives and it looks just like meat. When I taste it I am freaked out a little bit. When our omnivorous friends eat it, they KNOW it is not meat.
We ordered "vegetable beer" there, assuming that it would be beer made of vegetables. OK. When it arrived we learned that it was really "near beer". Maybe everything in a com chay is fake?
The Market: The markets are always my favorite! I love learning the language there-informal and quick, and how people buy things. Every market experience is an opportunity to learn. I typically try to ask how to say something (what is this called?). That never seems to work- a woman yesterday wouldn't listen to my question. She thought I was asking the price. I had to give her an explanation: "This is a banana, what is this?"
It is funny how the mind works. People get a bit nervous dealing with foreigners. They see us and categorize us as non-speakers, so they don't listen. People who work with us often have gotten used to our way of pronouncing things and saying them grammatically incorrect. They listen and gather what they can from what we are saying. At times like the one in the market, my reflection is: I need to start studying again so I can be understood. But then I think that it might not make a difference- even if I spoke the most perfect Vietnamese, they would not hear me, at first.
Development Zones: District 7: We took a city bus out to District 7 yesterday. The main roads are wide, divided highways with very little traffic. There are tall apartment buildings that look like they've been beamed to Vietnam from New York or any other city in the U.S. or Europe. There are wide sidewalks in front of cafes, and cars outnumber the motorbikes. That's not saying much since there is very little traffic on the roads. We were walking along and didn't feel like we were in Vietnam anymore.
It is disturbing: it is too quiet.
I am walking on the sidewalk and getting run over by motorbikes.
The roads are wide, and empty
The vehicles are not swervinig wildly out of their lanes.
There are big cars- SUVs, Mercedes, and Hummers
It is too quiet.
As we walk back out to the main road, a motorbike drives up on the sidewalk. As I get to the end of the walk, I notice that the transition from sidewalk to street is sharp, vertical..the driver still managed to get his bike up onto the sidewalk. I smile. I am still in Vietnam.
These 2 photos are of the wide, empty streets of District 7, in the southern part of HCMC. Most of Vietnam doesn't look like this.
I began this entry thinking that I was going to write about our visit to District 7, under the same title: Another Planet. But then I got to thinking about it, and there are several moments when I feel like I'm on another planet. It is fun to watch myself in these situations and see what my reactions are. One day I may laugh, the next I may get upset. Most of the time I just go with it and smile.
Every day is like an adventure here. I don't know why I don't see the world that way at home..it seems easier to release control when I am not at home, in the U.S. I tend to think of the moments of discomfort and stress as moments for growing. "O.K. You are upset. That's fine. What can you learn from this?" Again, I am not so good at doing this at home...
Some of our "other-worldly" adventures have included:
The Com Chay: 'Com chay' means vegetarian restaurant. Vegetarianism is not rare in Asia, but it is unusual. Our friends call us "not normal". Around Hanoi or HCMC you can find vegetarian restaurants. They are interesting. The cooks, who are truly masters, take tofu and manipulate it into shapes with flavors and textures that so closely resemble meat, I frequently have to ask, "is this vegetarian?" The menus at restaurants like these list the items like you'd see them on a regular menu: Bun Bo Hue, a famous noodle dish from Hue, in central Vietnam, is one such example. The dish arrives and it looks just like meat. When I taste it I am freaked out a little bit. When our omnivorous friends eat it, they KNOW it is not meat.
We ordered "vegetable beer" there, assuming that it would be beer made of vegetables. OK. When it arrived we learned that it was really "near beer". Maybe everything in a com chay is fake?
The Market: The markets are always my favorite! I love learning the language there-informal and quick, and how people buy things. Every market experience is an opportunity to learn. I typically try to ask how to say something (what is this called?). That never seems to work- a woman yesterday wouldn't listen to my question. She thought I was asking the price. I had to give her an explanation: "This is a banana, what is this?"
It is funny how the mind works. People get a bit nervous dealing with foreigners. They see us and categorize us as non-speakers, so they don't listen. People who work with us often have gotten used to our way of pronouncing things and saying them grammatically incorrect. They listen and gather what they can from what we are saying. At times like the one in the market, my reflection is: I need to start studying again so I can be understood. But then I think that it might not make a difference- even if I spoke the most perfect Vietnamese, they would not hear me, at first.
Development Zones: District 7: We took a city bus out to District 7 yesterday. The main roads are wide, divided highways with very little traffic. There are tall apartment buildings that look like they've been beamed to Vietnam from New York or any other city in the U.S. or Europe. There are wide sidewalks in front of cafes, and cars outnumber the motorbikes. That's not saying much since there is very little traffic on the roads. We were walking along and didn't feel like we were in Vietnam anymore.
It is disturbing: it is too quiet.
I am walking on the sidewalk and getting run over by motorbikes.
The roads are wide, and empty
The vehicles are not swervinig wildly out of their lanes.
There are big cars- SUVs, Mercedes, and Hummers
It is too quiet.
As we walk back out to the main road, a motorbike drives up on the sidewalk. As I get to the end of the walk, I notice that the transition from sidewalk to street is sharp, vertical..the driver still managed to get his bike up onto the sidewalk. I smile. I am still in Vietnam.
These 2 photos are of the wide, empty streets of District 7, in the southern part of HCMC. Most of Vietnam doesn't look like this.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Conservation Work
February 2, 2009
Coming back into the city, I rode with some friends who work with Free the Bears. They, and Wildlife at Risk (WAR), frequently get reports of animals that have been confiscated and need a place to live. They also get reports of places that keep animals illegally. For a couple of days I went with these guys to investigate these rumors.
I have mentioned previously the belief in Southeast Asia of the medicinal value of bear bile. Thousands of bears are kept in tiny cages and are milked for their bile. The law in Vietnam states that people may keep bears, but it is illegal to milk the bears. We spent some time visiting locations that are rumored to have bears and may be milking them.
We also got to visit the Cu Chi rescue center, a place where confiscated animals are taken and given a better living situation. Unfortunately, many of these animals are either unhealthy or have been near humans for too long. It would be unsafe, for them and for people, to release them back into the wild, meaning that they will spend their lives in cages. The hope is that they, like the bears in Cat Tien, can have a chance to spend some time in larger, more stimulating enclosures than the tiny metal cages they are usually kept in as pets or as "milking bears".
3 bears were out behind a gas station out of Cu Chi, heading towards Cambodia. They were big, and beautiful- gentle and friendly.
Crocodiles..tons of them, in three tanks right next to the bears. A restaurant next to the gas station serves croc.
The facilities at the Cu Chi rescue center. It's small but well-kept and good for the animals. Some animals will stay here while others, like the bears, will only stay until they can be taken to another center.
There are 6 otters at the Cu Chi center. Isn't he cute?
Coming back into the city, I rode with some friends who work with Free the Bears. They, and Wildlife at Risk (WAR), frequently get reports of animals that have been confiscated and need a place to live. They also get reports of places that keep animals illegally. For a couple of days I went with these guys to investigate these rumors.
I have mentioned previously the belief in Southeast Asia of the medicinal value of bear bile. Thousands of bears are kept in tiny cages and are milked for their bile. The law in Vietnam states that people may keep bears, but it is illegal to milk the bears. We spent some time visiting locations that are rumored to have bears and may be milking them.
We also got to visit the Cu Chi rescue center, a place where confiscated animals are taken and given a better living situation. Unfortunately, many of these animals are either unhealthy or have been near humans for too long. It would be unsafe, for them and for people, to release them back into the wild, meaning that they will spend their lives in cages. The hope is that they, like the bears in Cat Tien, can have a chance to spend some time in larger, more stimulating enclosures than the tiny metal cages they are usually kept in as pets or as "milking bears".
3 bears were out behind a gas station out of Cu Chi, heading towards Cambodia. They were big, and beautiful- gentle and friendly.
Crocodiles..tons of them, in three tanks right next to the bears. A restaurant next to the gas station serves croc.
The facilities at the Cu Chi rescue center. It's small but well-kept and good for the animals. Some animals will stay here while others, like the bears, will only stay until they can be taken to another center.
There are 6 otters at the Cu Chi center. Isn't he cute?
Some Photos of Tet
Mid-January, 2009
In mid-January I spent a few days in Hanoi. I attended an English Language teaching conference sponsored by the British Council. The conference was great fun and a fantastic way to get my brain back into teaching, as well as meet other people interested in teaching. I got to meander through the streets of the old quarter around Hoan Kiem Lake and see some of the preparations for Tet.
This temple is next to Hoan Kiem Lake. Usually the gates are closed, but one afternoon I walked by and the temple had just received a new coat of paint and it was open! These two photos are of the temple.
As part of the preparations for Tet, people clean their houses-like spring cleaning for us in the U.S. Buildings get a new coat of paint, old junk is discarded or sold, and tons of flowers are bought to make the house beautiful for all of the visitors. I understand this to represent the cleansing of the old year to welcome good luck for the new year. On the flight up to Hanoi, I read about a junk market that begins a week before Tet. On the morning of January 18th I headed through the streets of the old quarter and found the impromptu market and all of the shops along the street selling decorations for Tet. This is a family's "junk" laid out on the street to sell- cleaning for Tet and a way to make some money. Like Christmas for us, Tet can be very expensive and quite a strain on some families.
This shop is stocked with Tet decorations. Red and gold are the colors that represent good luck.
In mid-January I spent a few days in Hanoi. I attended an English Language teaching conference sponsored by the British Council. The conference was great fun and a fantastic way to get my brain back into teaching, as well as meet other people interested in teaching. I got to meander through the streets of the old quarter around Hoan Kiem Lake and see some of the preparations for Tet.
This temple is next to Hoan Kiem Lake. Usually the gates are closed, but one afternoon I walked by and the temple had just received a new coat of paint and it was open! These two photos are of the temple.
As part of the preparations for Tet, people clean their houses-like spring cleaning for us in the U.S. Buildings get a new coat of paint, old junk is discarded or sold, and tons of flowers are bought to make the house beautiful for all of the visitors. I understand this to represent the cleansing of the old year to welcome good luck for the new year. On the flight up to Hanoi, I read about a junk market that begins a week before Tet. On the morning of January 18th I headed through the streets of the old quarter and found the impromptu market and all of the shops along the street selling decorations for Tet. This is a family's "junk" laid out on the street to sell- cleaning for Tet and a way to make some money. Like Christmas for us, Tet can be very expensive and quite a strain on some families.
This shop is stocked with Tet decorations. Red and gold are the colors that represent good luck.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Getting ready for Tet
January 15, 2009
Happy New Year! Although January 1st is a big new year celebration for many, the most celebrated holiday here in Vietnam is Tet, or the lunar new year. The date changes from year to year, because a lunar month is 30 days long...times 12 months...equals 360 days instead of the 366 days of the calendar we follow in the United States. Actually, people in both Vietnam and China follow BOTH calendars, which makes it very interesting and fun!
This summer, in our Vietnamese class, we read about Tet and how people in Vietnam prepare for and celebrate Tet. Now that I am here in the midst of the chaos and excitement, I am reminded of what we read and it's very fun! I remember reading that people clean and paint their houses...It's true! Many buildings have a fresh coat of paint and everywhere I look, especially in Cat Tien where I notice the changes a bit more, people ARE cleaning! Bunches of leaves and other plant matter are being burned, even in and around the cities...leaving a gray haze and the worrisome smell of fire.
We also read that people buy flowers. This is really cool: all over town there are little shops that sell seasonal things. For the mid-autumn festival we saw lots of moon-cakes and red boxes (red and gold or yellow signify good fortune-women used to wear red wedding dresses before the influence of the west and white wedding dresses became so popular...white is the color of mourning here-people wear white for a funeral). Right now all the little seasonal shops are selling cakes in red boxes, and tons of beautiful flowers: pink, yellow, and red. Remember the cleaning I just mentioned? Well, many people are riding around selling feather-dusters on long bamboo sticks and lots of other cleaning supplies. The ebb and flow of life is so fascinating and new!
People also buy new clothes. Can you guess what else we've seen? Lots of shops selling clothing! Along the highway between Ho Chi Minh City and Cat Tien there are lots more tents set up selling clothes. I wonder how many people are driving on their motorbikes and suddenly decide, "I need to buy a new shirt RIGHT NOW!" and pull off to get one?
Something else very interesting...we met up with a few scholars in the city last week. Jonathan and I were sitting down at an outdoor cafe. I looked at the shop next store and noticed a man ripping the leaves off of a tree. At first I thought maybe he was taking off the dead leaves, but he wasn't. He was ripping ALL the leaves off! I couldn't figure it out. Once he finished with that tree, he moved to another one and did the same thing! Another young man brought out a bonsai tree and did the same thing to it...When we got back to Cat Tien people were taking the leaves off of the trees on BOTH sides of the road! I stopped to ask:
What are you doing?
Taking the leaves off of the trees.
Why?
To get ready for Tet.
Why?
Flowers will grow.
Oh.
I felt like the 2-year old who has just learned the power of the question "why?"
Still a bit confused, I asked someone else the next day. Mr. Chinh said that flowers would grow...and he was right! On the tree outside our room, where once bunches of luscious green leaves once grew, little tiny yellow flowers are coming in! Hmm.
Happy New Year! Although January 1st is a big new year celebration for many, the most celebrated holiday here in Vietnam is Tet, or the lunar new year. The date changes from year to year, because a lunar month is 30 days long...times 12 months...equals 360 days instead of the 366 days of the calendar we follow in the United States. Actually, people in both Vietnam and China follow BOTH calendars, which makes it very interesting and fun!
This summer, in our Vietnamese class, we read about Tet and how people in Vietnam prepare for and celebrate Tet. Now that I am here in the midst of the chaos and excitement, I am reminded of what we read and it's very fun! I remember reading that people clean and paint their houses...It's true! Many buildings have a fresh coat of paint and everywhere I look, especially in Cat Tien where I notice the changes a bit more, people ARE cleaning! Bunches of leaves and other plant matter are being burned, even in and around the cities...leaving a gray haze and the worrisome smell of fire.
We also read that people buy flowers. This is really cool: all over town there are little shops that sell seasonal things. For the mid-autumn festival we saw lots of moon-cakes and red boxes (red and gold or yellow signify good fortune-women used to wear red wedding dresses before the influence of the west and white wedding dresses became so popular...white is the color of mourning here-people wear white for a funeral). Right now all the little seasonal shops are selling cakes in red boxes, and tons of beautiful flowers: pink, yellow, and red. Remember the cleaning I just mentioned? Well, many people are riding around selling feather-dusters on long bamboo sticks and lots of other cleaning supplies. The ebb and flow of life is so fascinating and new!
People also buy new clothes. Can you guess what else we've seen? Lots of shops selling clothing! Along the highway between Ho Chi Minh City and Cat Tien there are lots more tents set up selling clothes. I wonder how many people are driving on their motorbikes and suddenly decide, "I need to buy a new shirt RIGHT NOW!" and pull off to get one?
Something else very interesting...we met up with a few scholars in the city last week. Jonathan and I were sitting down at an outdoor cafe. I looked at the shop next store and noticed a man ripping the leaves off of a tree. At first I thought maybe he was taking off the dead leaves, but he wasn't. He was ripping ALL the leaves off! I couldn't figure it out. Once he finished with that tree, he moved to another one and did the same thing! Another young man brought out a bonsai tree and did the same thing to it...When we got back to Cat Tien people were taking the leaves off of the trees on BOTH sides of the road! I stopped to ask:
What are you doing?
Taking the leaves off of the trees.
Why?
To get ready for Tet.
Why?
Flowers will grow.
Oh.
I felt like the 2-year old who has just learned the power of the question "why?"
Still a bit confused, I asked someone else the next day. Mr. Chinh said that flowers would grow...and he was right! On the tree outside our room, where once bunches of luscious green leaves once grew, little tiny yellow flowers are coming in! Hmm.
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