Month 1 in Review

Hard to believe it's already been a month ... sometimes it feels like I've been here much longer, other times that I've only just arrived.  In the past month, I've been sick and struggled with jetlag, moved into an apartment, figured out more about Hanoi, and traveled to Bangkok for four days ... among other things.  

Things I've learned thus far (in no particular order):

1. I may as well be speaking Martian.  While English is compulsory in Vietnamese schools, the practice of it outside of the classroom is not.  Trying to direct a cab driver to my house and saying "go straight ... now, left - no no no - LEFT!"is a daily reminder of just how different English is from Vietnamese.  Folks in our office speak fabulous English - no problem speaking with them.  It's the day to day stuff - like ... communicating with the cleaning lady who brings you a bill for 473,000 dong (about $20 USD, and yes, the Vietnamese currency is called dong) and you have no idea why ... or ... trying to ask the salesman if the clock you bought needs batteries or if they're included in the total ... or ... trying to order your hamburger "well done."  You know - the normal "living" type of stuff.  So - I'm signing up to learn Vietnamese.  I figured it'd be a good thing to do - you know, become one with the culture and what not - but now I'm realizing it's a necessity - even if only to be able to direct a cab to my house which, turns out, isn't that easy to find.

2. Vietnamese food is delicious - or grotesque.  And you really don't know until you take that first bite.  You find your standard, go-to foods (i.e. Pho or Bun Cha) but there are absolutely situations where you're not quite sure what you're eating, and you have to go with it for fear of offending the company you're with.  

3. I must learn how to ride a motorbike.  I realize this isn't the first time this subject has graced my blog, but - it's official - I must learn how to ride a motorbike.  The freedom it will allow outweighs any fear I have of crashing and getting run over by the 400,000 OTHER motorbikes coming right behind me.  Oh, and the fact that Western helmets don't exist over here, so you're basically wearing a hard top beanie.  Nevertheless, learning how to ride a motorbike is my #1 priority in the month of February.

4. Chili sauce is a gift from God.  That is all.  

5. Hanoi weather is miserable.  It's technically "winter" here, so temps hover around 50-65 degrees - meaning all the locals are bundled into their parkas and hunkering down around open flames on the side of the street (not kidding).  The temperature isn't the unmanageable part - it's the gray.  In the 30 days that I have been here, I haven't seen blue sky once save for the 4 days I was in Bangkok.  It's always this foggy/gray/hazy/smoggy? thickness - and when it starts to mist - fugghedaboutit.  For example, it's "sunny" right now meaning, I can see a bright orb in the sky and I have a shadow - but ... I can't actually see any sky through the cloud cover.  Starting to think I should ask for those lamps that provide the fake sunlight for people with that sunshine disorder.  Worst part?  Summer is just around the corner.  Like sitting directly on the sun with 400% humidity, but still no blue skies.  Awesome.

6. I love my job.  It's true - I absolutely do love my job.  BUT - I am a bit worried about my own time management skills.  By the time I get home in the evening, the U.S. is just about coming online ... meaning I have about an hour and a half before I'm deluged by emails.  And to do list items.  And Skype chats.  And conference calls.  This is not unique to my situation, nor is it something that I didn't expect - just something I need to learn how to better manage. 

7. The metric system and Celsius can kiss my ass.  The standard measurement units in the US (inches, feet, pounds, miles, FAHRENHEIT) mean squat over here.  At the butcher shop today, I asked for a pound of ground beef - and she look at me, again, like I was speaking Martian.  Oh that's right - cause it's KILOGRAMS here.  Sh*t.  This is going to be tough.  

8. I know a little bit about a lot of things.  Great for trivia, but - who wants to talk to someone that isn't passionate and/or at least knowledgable about something beyond just surface information (or Gone With the Wind)?  I'm excited to learn a LOT about a few things while I'm here.  Namely, Vietnam - probably a good idea to know a little bit more about the people I'm living amongst, right??

9. Homesickness is an issue.  Not a pervading issue - not an all day thing - not unmanageable ... but it's there.  I miss my family.  I miss my friends.  I miss my dog.  Turns out I haven't met the love of my life or my new Vietnam bestie in the 4 weeks that I've arrived ... YET (and I stress yet) ... so it can get a bit lonely.  BUT - it's only been 4 weeks - and I've got 48 more to change that.  And yes, I'm checking into social clubs and options every single day - suggestions, while they're always welcome, probably WON'T yield options I haven't already thought of and/or explored.  It takes time, and I'm learning to give myself a break.

10.  Turns out I am self-reliant.  I mean, I lived alone at home and all that, but - this is a whole 'nother ball of wax.  And I'm doing just fine ... sure, moments of homesickness and some doubt, but ... all in all, I'd say things are going pretty swimmingly 1 month in.

And the best part?  I can't wait to see what happens next.

Some pics!

Panoramic view of my neighborhood, standing on my balcony.
Oh right - and this is a "sunny" day.

Huh.

Advertisement for a barber shop.
Because Cary Grant is the epitome of cool hairstyles in the 2000's.

Desperately needed rum and diet coke on a Friday night.
(BTW, that bottle of Captain cost 50 cents)

Took the Director of Global Health (VIP boss) sightseeing on Saturday -
pic from the Temple of Literature

Reminded me of the flat iron building (or whatever it's called) in NYC.
How do you decorate THAT space?  I love the WD-40 sign in front :)

My night with Robert Burns ... and whisky.

And what a night it was!

The event was held at the Sheraton here in Tay Ho (my neighborhood), and was a formal affair.  Most folks were in tuxes and long ball gowns - I was so happy I had the foresight to pack one cocktail dress!  Kilts were the fashion of the evening for most men - and they wore them well.

The haggis was piped in - and was actually ABSOLUTELY delicious.  The dinner was good - steak and veggies - and after dinner was traditional Scottish dancing.

And of course - the whisky.  Wow.

All in all, a fabulous evening ... good times with David and Julienne, met some nice people that have the potential to become real friends, and I felt pretty (always important!) ... I definitely enjoyed my first big Saturday night out in Hanoi!!

Enjoy the pics and videos!!

Yup - that's the haggis being piped in!

Scottish dancing!

David and Julienne pre-event

Haggis!!  And it was DELICIOUS!

Whisky.  Ouch.

Me and the founding member of the International Whisky Club

I've become a YES (wo)man.

Living in Hanoi is a great way to try new things.  Will I try that mystery meat floating in my soup?  YES!  Will I plan a trip to the beach during Tet?  YES!  Will I rent a motorbike and take motorbike lessons?  YES!

Will I attend the Indochina Whisky Club's Annual Burns' Night event?  ABSOLUTELY!

That's right, folks ... on Saturday night, David, David's wife Julienne, Felicity and I will be donning our kilts and joining the likes of Braveheart himself to celebrate the 254th birthday of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

Do I know anything about Robert Burns?  Absolutely not.  BUT - I will enjoy meeting Hanoian Scots in their kilts.  Don't mind if I do :)

And of course, pictures will follow.

I'm jazzed.

Tet Plans

Tet planning is all the rage in Vietnam right now ... so I had to join in on the fun!

Per Wikipedia, Tet is ...

Vietnamese New Year, more commonly known by its shortened name Tết or "Tết Nguyên Đán", is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Chinese calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Vietnam New Year is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the First Morning, derived from the Hán nôm characters 節 元 旦.

Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year, though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.

Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân (spring festival).

For non-Vietnamese individuals living in Vietnam, Tet is a 5 day period where the office is closed.  Yay!

According to all of my new Vietnamese friends, Hanoi literally shuts down over Tet ... people go out of town to visit their ancestral homes, stores are closed, taxis don't run as often (if at all) ... this bustling, ridiculously busy city becomes a ghost town.  EVERYONE says you should get the hell out of dodge ...

... which is EXACTLY what I'm going to do!

I am heading to Da Nang, Vietnam - coastal city ... beaches ... historical landmarks in town - sounds perfect.  For about $500 USD, I've booked my flight and 3 nights in a 4-star hotel.  I could get used to travel prices like this ;)

I fly to Da Nang on Saturday, February 9th and return Tuesday, February 12th - I'll work the rest of the week from home and enjoy a nice little stay-cation.  Become one with my new home away from home.  Find the best restaurants.  Finish picking up the little things I need for my apartment.  Catch up on movies.  Catch up on work (it's a little crazy these days).  Basically, enjoy the best combination of fun and adventure + relaxation at home.  Yes please!!!

Check it out!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Nang ... in case you're interested in Da Nang's history

http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/cdv/cdv_default.asp#.UPd1byc4u4g ... my hotel in Da Nang - not too shabby for $80/night!!

And of course ... here are some non-Tet planning related pics :)

Was selling for $200 USD.  Really?!?!?!

How does THAT work?  

Motorbike insanity.  I'm reluctant to join the motorbike crew, but
might have to ... taking taxis everywhere is annoying.

The electrical grid in Hanoi ... and this is one of the
better examples I've seen!

Interesting way to advertise foot massages.

Bangkok! (aka, Week 2 in Pics, cont'd.)

So I had to come to Bangkok to work with the team here and Monday and Tuesday ... what a hardship (hoping you can hear the sarcasm dripping from my tone) ...

This town is awesome.  It's super overwhelming (huge city), noisy, HOT and crowded - but turn a corner and you're looking at this amazing temple that was constructed 100's of years ago.  Very cool melding of old and new.

Pool day!

I arrived Saturday and spent a lovely afternoon lounging by the pool - the weather here is GLORIOUS compared to Hanoi - and doing some shopping.  Turns out you can buy pretty much anything here ... my find of the day was Goldfish crackers.  Do I eat Goldfish in the US?  Nope.  Do I miss them at all?  Absolutely not.  But did they remind me of home and entice me to buy them with their cool fish picture on the front and memories of the "gotta go fishin'" song in the commercial?  YES.

And for that reason, I enjoyed Goldfish as my afternoon snack.

On Saturday afternoon, I also explored day trip options for Sunday with a very helpful travel agent based in my hotel.  Since I lounged the day away on Saturday, I wanted to be sure I got out and saw some of the cultural sights of Bangkok.  And did I ever ...

Bussin'

For about $60 USD, I took a day trip to Ayutthaya, capital city of Thailand for 417 years before Bangkok.  I was picked up by bus at 6:45 a.m. (ouch) to begin the 1 hour drive outside of the city.  Our first stop was Bang Pa-In Palace, the summer resort for Thai royalty ... I prefer to call it Yul Brenner's house - for anyone who grew up watching The King and I - this reference makes sense ... and for those of you that didn't ... you must go out and rent the Rodgers & Hammerstein masterpiece immediately if not sooner.  It's fantabulous.

I digress.

The Bang Pa-In Palace was built by King Rama IV, the king portrayed by Yul Brenner in the aforementioned masterpiece (seriously, go out and rent it.  Now.).  It's a beautiful location - lots of lakes and ponds - beautifully manicured grounds - cool combination of colonial and Asian architecture ... not too shabby for a summer residence.

Thanks!  Happy to be here!

See - I was really there!!
Watchtower and building that was a gift from the Chinese.

Um - this is the GUEST house.  Riiiigggghhhhtttttt.  Gives you a feel for the massive-ness of this "summer home."

Residential hall and pavilion nestled on a lake filled with koi fish and soft-shelled turtles.

We jumped right back on the bus and headed to Wat Maha That ... a temple (Wat) from the 14th century ... as in 1350's ... as in ... that's freaking OLD.  

Buddha statue IN a tree.  Pretty badass.

PS - there has GOT to be some way to rotate pictures within a blog, but damned if I can find it (have been struggling for  hours now to fix this picture).  For now, please just rotate your heads to see the cool-ness that was this Buddha.

Another Buddha

Amazingly old temples - it was unbelievable.

See what I mean?  Cool right?

So then we jumped on the bus again to go and see ANOTHER temple ... this one was Wat Na Phra Mane - and forgive me, again, for having to rotate your heads again to see these pics - I'm going to write Google a letter about my discontent with their blogging/photo editing capabilities.

An art student playing a xylophone-like instrument as we walked into the temple.  Added to the ambiance.

Buddha in the smaller temple - notice the monk in the right hand corner.

Big Buddha in the bigger temple ...

... his monk had a larger seating area.

THEN ... we jumped on the bus again to go and see ANOTHER temple - Wat Lokayasutharam - the home of the reclining Buddha.

See - I really WAS there - me and the Reclining Buddha!

Another of the Reclining Buddha

And so ended the educational part of the journey.  From there, we were whisked away by boat back to Bangkok - some pics:

Temple along the river ... 

... and another one ... 

... and another one ... 

... and another one ... LOTS of temples in Thailand 

Naval center - reminded me of the monument along the sea wall at the Naval Academy

Back into Bangkok!

All in all, it was a GREAT day.  Met some really cool people (2 from Czech Republic that live in NYC and Italy, 1 from Ireland that's living in New Zealand) ... saw some really cool things ... and got a nice little suntan(burn) ... pretty productive Sunday!

Here are some other pics I've taken around town - Bangkok how I see it! ;)  

7-11 in the ancient Thai capital.  Makes sense.

A sentiment echoed around the country.  I should have been counting the number of pictures/memorials/signs/BILLBOARDS (yes, billboards)/etc. they had in honor of the king.  In fact, I'm looking at a poster of the king and his wife on the back of the monthly calendar as we speak.  The King is everywhere - kinda cool, kinda creepy.

Tuk tuk!  

Have to rotate your head again ... :(

Not as refreshing as I thought ... the milk was warm (but tasty), and the coconut itself (the part you eat) was grainy.  BUT - it was very refreshing after traipsing through Wats in 85+ degree heat!

Baby monks!

An especially creepy poster of the King overlooking the main road on the way back to my hotel. 

Dude's selling eels.  On the side of the road.  Eels.

Ridiculously large shopping mall ... I was able to find things here that I couldn't find in Hanoi ... i.e. bathmats, a shower curtain, candles, and king sheets.  Super exciting purchases, huh?

Sunset in Bangkok

Hot pink taxi cabs!!!!

View of Bangkok from my hotel room ... on the 41st floor.  As Deb put it "anything over the 10th floor and you're a goner."  Awesome (and true).

All moved in! (aka, Week 2 in Pics)

Phase 1 of really getting settled in Hanoi is complete ... I've officially moved in!!  As of last Thursday, I am officially a resident of Vietnam (well, kind of a resident), living in Tay Ho.  My landlord is awesome - she literally let me move in even though the security deposit and advance payment hadn't been made yet by RTI (was in process, but confirmation hadn't been received) ... where in the US would that happen??

I'm 2 blocks away from David's house (Chief of Party and fellow English speaker), 1 block away from a mini mart, and right across the street from the park, lotus pond and lake.  I couldn't be happier with my new digs.  Now that I'm in and unpacked, I can take the time to really become a Hanoian - while always staying true to my American roots, of course :)

Many (probably all) of you have likely seen the photos on Facebook, but - humor me ... I'm so excited about my new pad!

My dancing solar powered flower - might be my favorite part of my kitchen.

Welcome cake from my landlord, Madame Nga.  

Living room (well, really - flatscreen TV pic - yay!!!)
Family - notice the African birds hanging on the lamp in the corner??

Living room -  the sliding glass doors lead out onto a balcony overlooking the park, lotus pond and lake.  Very posh.

Kitchen!  I bought Christmas lights (of course) to hang and brighten the place up a bit.  It's how I roll.

Bedroom - nothing says home like my super comfortable comforter!
Too bad the bed's as hard as a rock.

I keep throwing hints out there, but ... guest bedroom - private bathroom - ready for visitors!!!