Jul 2008

So over the last couple of days, I have done quite a few things. The weather's been even hotter, around 33 degrees, not 30ish. The humidity is just crazy!

I met a woman on the bus (after my first teaching class, which by the way, was awesome), whose name was Anh. She is Vietnamese, but her accent sounds American, and so I thought she was actually foreign. It's so nice to meet friendly people, who (as a bonus) can speak English as well. She lives a couple of minutes away, so yesterday we went out for a coconut juice. This was just a "cafe" on the footpath opposite my house.

A really friendly person who makes my trip a little more exciting!

A friend and I went out for dinner Monday night. It was my first time that I had ever had shellfish, so was really reluctant to try it. I thought at first that they were snails! Goes to show, how little I know about fish, and how little I eat it.

We had "Vodka Hanoi" with it, as apparently those two just go together. The shellfish was actually really delicious. In Australia I would never try anything as "exotic" as shellfish, so I'm glad I go to experience it here.

After a drink at a lovely restaurant next to St Joseph's Cathedral (with no other tourists), we headed home.

I went into Hanoi on Tuesday. The hottest day yet. We walked around for a little bit, had some lunch, and paid way too much for food that wasn't particularly special, and crappy service. It was right on Hoan Kiem Lake, so I guess you pay for the atmosphere.

Hoan Kiem lake is right in the midddle of the city. A fantastic location and really beautiful. Couples grace the banks of the river, as well as locals having a snooze, tourists taking pictures and your odd street seller or two.

While I was in the city, I saw "Nine West", my favourite shoe shop! Mum, this picture is for you! We both love shoes from here, and although the shoes were different than in Melbourne, they were still really nice.

When I'm not motorbiking around the city, I can cycle, as depicted here. Unlike Melbourne, there are no rules to adhere to, and no helmets to wear! Easy!

Oh and beware, car taxi's with metre's can also easily rip you off. We spent 80000 Dong to get into the city, and 210000 Dong to get back home with the same taxi company! It's hard to dispute a metre reading. In Lonely Planet I once read that they press a button for foreigner's and a button for locals. So maybe he did that. It will be great once I know the language well. I can negotiate!

Tomorrow I am going to Nha Hang province, as well as Ba Bey Lake. 6 hours to Na Hang and 4 hours to Ba Be, all on the bus. Aaaaaa! I will be helping with a volunteer project running there, so not entirely sure what type of stuff I'll be doing. Apparently the lake is really pretty.

That's all to report! I doubt I'll have internet access while I'm away, so won't be contactable till Saturday, maybe Friday.

Love.
Cat.

No I'm not a traditional tourist. A friend of Son's was kind enough to take me to a couple of places in Hanoi with him and and his family. The normal tourist would be doing this with other foreigners, however I got to experience it the true Vietnamese way!

My Vietnamese friend and I went out with a friend of Son's, his wife, and his two children, Lien and Khai.

Travelling via xe may (motorbike), it was very exciting just getting there. One on motorbike, there was the father Long, and his daughter Lien, and Tien. On my motorbike was Long's wife, Khai (their 6 year old son) and myself on the back. What an exciting way to get there. It's so easy to just pile all the children onto the bike and off you go. No messing about with seatbelts, and complaining about who get's the front seat, and what radio station you listen to. But then again, there is a reason that motorcycle helmet's are not made for children, and that is that children (and babies) are not supposed to be on motorcycles! I even saw a child with a bicycle helmet while he was on a motorcycle. I don't think that would protect much!

But these type of sights just add to the excitement that is in every second of every day in this country.

Anyway, we went to the Museum of Ethnology which was extremely interesting. Mostly in Vietnamese, but that was good, as with Tien's help, I learnt some new words. It is amazing how many hill tribes there are in Vietnam, even in 2008. One tribe alone, the Hmong & Dao people, make up 1.05 million people. One third of Melbourne......

At the Museum, I saw this. Baskets used for fishing, all carried on one bicycle. Pretty impressive......

After lunch down the road, we went to a pagoda (NOT a temple). It is ethnically Chinese. Very interesting, as there were Vietnamese women singing a chant in the pagoda. I did a little prayer (with guidance of course) and I prayed for good luck, happiness etc. etc.

I have met a couple of new volunteers. One is from Mauritius, who speaks French and English, and one is from France, here doing research in the Sapa region of Vietnam. It is so interesting speaking to other travellers, especially when they are from countries so different to where I grew up!

I am taking an English lesson tomorrow, for kids 4-5 years old, and its late, so had better go prepare.

Love.
Cat.

Drinking ca phe on a hot afternoon. Condensed milk, hot coffee and ice. Very refreshing!

Overlooking West Lake just before sunset

With Buddha.

Just a general glimpse of everyday life.

And we complain about Connex? Hard to believe this is 2008. Down the road there are multiple signs advertising free wi-fi (wireless internet).

Dad, I think you will like this. Quick, easy, cheap, and they do an excellent job (I saw the results myself!)

Fishing. No wonder Australian's are so overweight. We seem to have a machine for everything! Over here, in comparison, everything is manual!

It’s absolutely incredible over here in Hanoi. This is the second time I have been here, but this time its a lot different, as I am by myself, and with only Vietnamese people. I have not yet met any foreigners. I have the best opportunity to learn the language, and to learn about true Vietnamese culture and its people.

I am volunteering with an organisation in Hanoi, which is fantastic, and these people are friends already. Next week, once the school’s begin again after their summer holidays, I will start volunteering teaching English at a kid’s English centre in Tay Ho district in Hanoi. For the moment, the other Vietnamese staff and volunteers all need assistance with their English, and they are helping me learn Vietnamese (I knew nothing when I arrived). Just today, I have learnt quite a few words which I can think of instantly, just by being here, and being told the correct pronunciation. Seeing words on signs and in amongst the streets, on posters etc. also makes it a lot easier to learn.

One of the Vietnamese staff took me around on a bit of a tour in Hanoi today on a motorbike (xe may). It was scary at first, but he didn’t drive very fast, probably because I was “freaking out” a little when I said I had never been on a motorbike, even in Australia. He took me to the other parts of Tay Ho district, Hoan Kiem and the main part of the city (more “touristy”) in the Old Quarter and the French Quarter. It was nice when it rained (more like poured!) as it was very refreshing and you dry off in a second after it stops anyway. We stopped for coffee (ca phe) on a busy corner, and sat 6 floors up overlooking West Lake, the biggest lake in Hanoi.

Of we went again into the main city, Hoan Kiem district, where we stopped for pho ga (chicken noodle soup). It is a common Vietnamese dish, and very popular. The restaurant sell only that dish, and cook 100 chickens a day to service the amount of customers they get. The dead, de-feathered chickens were right there in front of me as I was eating.

Everything is very pretty. Small roads, except for some larger highways and main roads, and lots of trees, but also lots and lots of motorbikes and some cars. Its amazing to think that there are the same amount of people in Melbourne, than in Hanoi. It seems like that in Hanoi, there are people everywhere all the time.

So far, so good. I love it here. I have thrown myself in the deep end, and there is a severe language barrier - but I love it. And I don’t regret it at all. Its too soon to miss the comfort and convenience of Melbourne, but I do miss my friends and family there.

I’ll sign off now - its late, its hot and its muggy.

Love.
Cat.