First week's rundown

It’s been a solid and good first week here in Saigon. Seven days and I feel like I’m already forgetting.

I went to see Love & Other Drugs with Julie and Laurant. In the middle I wanted to get up, buy a plane ticket, and hitch home. Now at the end, I’ve decided no more “RomComs” for the next year.

My birthday was alright, nothing to really “write home about” as they say. Dinner with Danielle, Julien, Romy, Romain, Julie, Laurant, Ernst, and Isabelle. then one drink at Boston Bar with Danielle, Romy, Romain, and Julien.

Today was rough – wrong way to the bank, sequestered to pay for directions, told I was FAR from the bank by a xe om (motorbike driver). The text I’m reading gets worse every day. Plenty of expletives later, I’m happy to be back in my hotel. There will be more days like this…

I wish the internet was more reliable here. Oh, the bosses bought me beautiful flowers for my birthday – turns out everyone gets lunch or flowers. Had I been given the choice, I would have picked lunch. Romain also gave me flowers, which Danielle says is just him being French; what ever it is, it was really nice to feel completely welcomed by a practical stranger. It was nice of everyone to come out and help me celebrate my birthday when I’m so far away from my loves.

Thursday: Arrived. Two hours at immigration. Hard Rock with Danielle and her roommates for some DJ, drinks and dancing. Sleep over at Danielle’s.

Friday: Bullshitted around. Checked in Madam Cuc’s 127. Fake eye lashes; one and a half hours and one eye glued shut later, drinks at Lilly’s. Quick tour of the city and shopping for Danielle’s birthday thing. Back to her place, dinner, booze with her friends, T&R (a bar with open iTunes), Pho (all beef, so I didn’t have any), Go 2 (I’m convinced there’s no one in there that you’d want to see in the daylight. I do not plan on going there again). Bed at 5am.

Saturday: Walking and getting to know district 1 (tourist district) on my own. First xe om ride! Dull apartment, sort of a hole with a bed. Bill’s friend’s band with everyone.

Sunday: Successfully got a phone with no help from anyone. Another dull apartment visit. Drinks wit Danielle and Romy to meet Tracey and Hannah at Le Pub. T&R with Tracey and Hannah… new roommate?

Monday: First day of work, dull text about landscapes. Early night in zZz.

Tuesday: Work. Facial with Dani and Isabelle. Dinner at Le Pub. Lush for ladies night with Tracey; met Lizzy from Ann Arbor, a guy from Ventnor (!), and few wealthy Vietnamese girls, and Chris from Chicago (who insisted on buying shots to celebrate my birthday after midnight). Got to utilize “Rory.”

Wednesday: Happy birthday to me! Lunch at Angel’s Garden, dinner at Coriander, drinks at Boston Bar. First outside Vietnam Skype contact.

Thursday: Work. First bad day. Amazing bruchetta on Bui Vien. Cheap DVDs (Entire Audrey Hepburn collection and Season 4 of Mad Med for, like, $4). Bed early.