Saturday, May 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Post 23 - Sa Pa
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to join Ted and a visiting group from Concordia NY for a trip to Sa Pa. We took the night train Saturday evening and arrived in Sa Pa at 7 a.m. Sunday morning. After breakfast at the hotel, we set off on a walking tour of local villages inhabited by Hmong and Dao, a couple of the ethnic minority groups in Viet Nam. The region has become more and more touristy over the years, and many of the local women and girls walked with us to trying to sell to us.
It was raining during the first part of our walk, but it cleared up as we walked to the Dao village where we stopped to eat lunch. The fog of the morning gave the area a mysterious quality that created a mystical ambiance, but I was glad the rain gave way to sun by the end of the afternoon so we could see the beautiful scenery.
After lunch we returned to the hotel and split into different groups to explore the town of Sa Pa before dinner. I joined a group that explored the market place. I was proud of myself for only buying two scarves despite how ubiquitous they were and my weakness for colorful shawls.
The next morning it was pouring rain, but about half the group refused to be daunted by something as paltry as the weather and set out on a hike to see Cat Cat village, the waterfall and a demonstration of the traditional dancers. Some of the students even joined in the dancing at the end of the show.
We left Sa Pa that afternoon and traveled to another village for another hike in the rain before driving to Lao Cai to see the Chinese boarder and eating dinner. After dinner we boarded the train to return to Hanoi. We were scheduled to arrive in Hanoi at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, but due to some problems with the tracks, we were delayed and didn’t get back until 11:30. But as one of my students said today when I told them this story, “that’s so Vietnam.”
It was raining during the first part of our walk, but it cleared up as we walked to the Dao village where we stopped to eat lunch. The fog of the morning gave the area a mysterious quality that created a mystical ambiance, but I was glad the rain gave way to sun by the end of the afternoon so we could see the beautiful scenery.
After lunch we returned to the hotel and split into different groups to explore the town of Sa Pa before dinner. I joined a group that explored the market place. I was proud of myself for only buying two scarves despite how ubiquitous they were and my weakness for colorful shawls.
The next morning it was pouring rain, but about half the group refused to be daunted by something as paltry as the weather and set out on a hike to see Cat Cat village, the waterfall and a demonstration of the traditional dancers. Some of the students even joined in the dancing at the end of the show.
We left Sa Pa that afternoon and traveled to another village for another hike in the rain before driving to Lao Cai to see the Chinese boarder and eating dinner. After dinner we boarded the train to return to Hanoi. We were scheduled to arrive in Hanoi at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, but due to some problems with the tracks, we were delayed and didn’t get back until 11:30. But as one of my students said today when I told them this story, “that’s so Vietnam.”
Friday, May 13, 2011
Post 22 - What I love about Vietnam
They don't play Frisbee here so I am automatically considered a good player based solely on the fact that I know how to play. Awesome.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Post 21
It is very hot and very humid in this country. This is how I feel most of the time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7GJcKuVGm8
Except I am not dead.
Except I am not dead.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Post 20 - In which I battle a Cockroach.
This morning began like most Sunday mornings. I wasted some time on the internet. I considered getting some work done. I watched some T.V. instead. Eventually I decided I should shower and get ready to go to Church.
I rolled off my bed and went to the bathroom. Just as I was about to step into shower, I was confronted by a gigantic cockroach poised for battle! (And by gigantic cockroach poised for battle, I mean a 2 cm cockroach lying on its back looking dead. But that is practically the same).
Though the cockroach had the upper hand thanks to its sneak attack tactic (very sneaky; it had not been in the bathroom 5 minutes earlier), I quickly ran from the bathroom to prepare to meet my foe. I donned my battle dress (i.e. I put my pajamas back on) and carefully chose a weapon: 6 paper towels and a plastic bag (nothing special about the number 6; that’s just the number that was left on the roll. If it had been a full roll it would have been 20 paper towels). I returned to the bathroom physically, if not mentally prepared to defeat my enemy.
My plan was to create a stack of paper towels and place them over the dead body of the cockroach and then pick up the stack of paper towel with the plastic bag and not have to see or touch or feel the body of the cockroach. The plan would have worked wonderfully except for one tiny, tiny problem. THE COCKROACH WASN’T DEAD! AHHHHH! SOO GROSS! It moved! And Tried to Escape! And I had to Squish it! And It Stabbed Me! (no joke, I had a splinter of cockroach I had to dig out of my finger. Yuck, yuck, yuck!)
After a fierce struggle, I managed to get the cockroach into the plastic bag and out to trash. It may seem that I prevailed since the cockroach is now out of my room and most likely dead, but now I am traumatized and scared to go into my bathroom. Who is really the winner here?
I rolled off my bed and went to the bathroom. Just as I was about to step into shower, I was confronted by a gigantic cockroach poised for battle! (And by gigantic cockroach poised for battle, I mean a 2 cm cockroach lying on its back looking dead. But that is practically the same).
Though the cockroach had the upper hand thanks to its sneak attack tactic (very sneaky; it had not been in the bathroom 5 minutes earlier), I quickly ran from the bathroom to prepare to meet my foe. I donned my battle dress (i.e. I put my pajamas back on) and carefully chose a weapon: 6 paper towels and a plastic bag (nothing special about the number 6; that’s just the number that was left on the roll. If it had been a full roll it would have been 20 paper towels). I returned to the bathroom physically, if not mentally prepared to defeat my enemy.
My plan was to create a stack of paper towels and place them over the dead body of the cockroach and then pick up the stack of paper towel with the plastic bag and not have to see or touch or feel the body of the cockroach. The plan would have worked wonderfully except for one tiny, tiny problem. THE COCKROACH WASN’T DEAD! AHHHHH! SOO GROSS! It moved! And Tried to Escape! And I had to Squish it! And It Stabbed Me! (no joke, I had a splinter of cockroach I had to dig out of my finger. Yuck, yuck, yuck!)
After a fierce struggle, I managed to get the cockroach into the plastic bag and out to trash. It may seem that I prevailed since the cockroach is now out of my room and most likely dead, but now I am traumatized and scared to go into my bathroom. Who is really the winner here?
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Post 19 - My Burn and a beautiful sky
This is how my burn looks now. It doesn't hurt very much even though it looks nasty.
I keep it covered to prevent infection. It doesn't look as bad when you can't see it.
I went to Ba Vi on a team retreat this weekend. This is what the sky looked like when we got there. Then there was a huge thunderstorm. I didn't take a picture of the storm.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Post 18 - Some Pictures
My Ao Dai!
The beginning of my "Hanoi Tattoo." The blister is way more impressive now.
Sarah and I went on a hike/picnic with students yesterday. We climbed a mountain to see a waterfall.
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