Just do it...

Hello my dear loved ones, I know I still owe you a whole month's worth of update, but I'm running out of time to post THIS post and I'm leaving for Thailand in the morning.

So, my request, please please please go see Red Tails next weekend. There's a bunch of controversy surrounding it and who doesn't love proving Hollywood wrong? Of course, I'd go myself but films are about a month and a half behind in Vietnam. Here's an article with more precise details to light your fire in case the idea of an amazing black cast in a film about the Tuskegee Airmen and it being George Lucas' second film in years and years that has nothing to do with Star Wars or Indiana Jones isn't enough. (Ugh, the links never work, copy and paste: http://www.theroot.com/buzz/red-tails-travails-highlight-hollywoods-racism)

Now that I've stated my piece, I'm off to pack for 2 weeks schlepping through Thailand and Cambodia. Love to all <3

True Life: I live in HCMC

Check out this link to get an idea of what it's like getting around in Saigon. It looks crazier watching it than being in it.

http://vimeo.com/32958521

I owe you all lots of backlog. It'll come in time. I need a new laptop, mine has nearly given up on me completely. Look for: the necessary Thanksgiving post, reggae fest, karaoke and goodbye parties, as well as the bittersweet end of my contract here.

Love to all <3

Good Morning... Singapore

Just doesn't have the same ring as Good Morning Vietnam.

The idea of Singapore is really wonderful - but the practice kinda sucks. I've been here for four hours and haven't met anyone. I know how whiny that sounds, but I guess Vietnam has spoiled me a bit in that sense. Plus, nothing is in walking distance and there's cars, cars, and more cars - but the city is cleaner than a shiny penny.

I've been wandering around this mall structure, trapped due to a downpour of lake-making proportions, thinking how lovely and western, yet so far from America it is. It might be nice to live here and shirk one more year of being a full-fledged American with American responsibilities and debt. Of course, it's only a mild escape because it's super expensive here (I just paid 13 Singapore dollars (just under 11USD) for a Kilkenny, but I certainly would never find it at "home", so I'll enjoy it).

It's so clean you could eat toast that fell jelly side down off the street, no kidding. Eating and drinking are banned in the streets, chewing gum is "forbidden" (as the Euros would say), and it seems you can't smoke any where, not just inside. Hefty fines come along with these and the police carry gun in hand (as opposed to Vietnam where it's just slung over one's shoulder). I wouldn't mess around.

Airport Sightings

Note: When travelling and passing through customs is required, always get behind the tourist group. It's very likely that the tour guide will be at the front to make sure the entire group gets through quickly without much hassle. Rather than waiting 45 minutes, I magically jumped ahead because I just happened to be in the right line.

Anyway, sitting in the airport terminal, I've got this whole travelling thing down to a science. I only have to wait 15 minutes to board! Pretty sure this is only useful in South East Asia and may be limited to Vietnam.

I just watched a mother run away from her child - it was obvious to me that she was coming right back, but he can't be more than five. He slowly broke down as she got further away, but he never made an effort to run after her, which was the most interesting part. When she finally started back, the biggest smile broke across his face. He waved like he hadn't seen her in a really like time and wiped his barely wet eyes. Totally broke my heart.

This is my first flight, let alone trip out of Vietnam since I've been here (ten months). I'm unusually sad about it, even if I'm coming back tomorrow. I hate travelling alone, but this experience has given me so much. I'm starting to miss it already.

Off we go to Singapore. Hey, if you need a new visa, what better place to go than the up and coming shopping capital of the world?

Reggae > Christmas Music

I'm so so happy to be out of the US for this time of year. I can't stand Christmas music and the excessive waste of energy and money.

That said, there was a Reggae "Festival" in one of the nicer areas of HCMC. I put festival in quotes because it wasn't much of a festival at all, but the music was good - the band was great even if they weren't actually playing reggae - the food, what little without meat in it they had, was delicious, and of course anyone that is going to spend an entire day at a reggae show is probably pretty laid back, so the company was great.

However, it must be said time and time again - have no expectations and you'll never find yourself disappointed. I hope there's another before I leave!

I'm rounding out on my last few champagne brunches. Turkey twice in one week, unbelievable.

Thanksgiving

Here we are at the obligatory Thanksgiving post. I went to dinner at a friend of a friend's apartment. The food didn't compare even a little, but it was my first time having turkey since I've been here... apparently they don't have turkeys in Vietnam. I can't imagine where they get it from when it is available - it's expensive enough to come from Indiana. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese, all good enough. I met some other Americans, which is always nice, none I think I'll see again though.

We showed up a little late and so missed the "I'm thankful for ..." round, which I'm incredibly thankful for because I never know what to say. I'm aware of the irony. Anyway, I will share with you all what I'm thankful for: this amazing year abroad, all of the people I've met, the love and support of my family and friends, the job experience and assurance that this is something I deeply enjoy and would be happy to do forever. I'm thankful for all of the travelling I will get to do in up coming months. I'm sure there are other things, but you know the magical powers of turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

One Year

It's been one year since my surgery.... one year without a single stomach ache or any other effects of cronhs. Most days I don't even think about it and that's a huge relief.

Hope you're all gearing up for lots of familial holidays and delicious foods! I hope the snow doesn't get you too bad ... believe me, I'm not missing that here. xo

Classic randoms from the past few months

Here is a random selection of photos from random evenings.

Graffiti

Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

Fish tank in the bathroom... kinda creepy, gotta say, especially since that fish follows you.

So true. Beer cozies in the Bread and Butter; you would only find this in an American owned establishment I'm betting.


Double date Friday:

Maria and Duy

Random cat and I, ha

More from Nha Trang, Round 2

Here are a few photos from my second trip to Nha Trang back in the beginning of October. There were 11 of us and it was really rare that we were all able to agree to do the same thing except get on the train.

View from the beach at 8am

Where Bill laid nearly all day Saturday... that's what you get for drinking on the train all night :P

The Euros (and their two token Americans)... All 11 of us in one place! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSICA

Before the mist...

The mist before the storm that inevitably sees you out of Nha Trang

Maids

I think it's a well known fact that I have a maid... and I'm going to start off by saying that I feel like an over-privileged jerk even complaining about the situation, but:

I don't know what this woman does. She folds our blankets and sheets and puts them on the pillow as opposed to making the bed, so when I come home late, like tonight, I have to make my bed before I can sleep. She washes dishes, but she doesn't put them away. She moves stale/bad food from one place to another in the refrigerator as opposed to throwing it away. She washes the toilets and some sinks, but doesn't clean the mold or soap scum in the showers. I don't think she mops the floors in our bedrooms. She doesn't wash, hang, take down, or fold our laundry. She throws away perfectly good contact lens cases with contacts in them. She doesn't clean behind, under, or around anything. I don't know what she does?!

Oh wait, she makes sure our bills get paid, as long as we lay the appropriate amount of money out on the table, but we have to wait a week or two to get refunds or change.

The icing on the "I have an awful maid" cake: my flatmate came home to pen drawings on his wall... know who will have to pay for the repaint? Us.

I'm not very happy with this woman. But then again, I feel immense guilt complaining about a luxury that I will probably never be able to afford in the western world.

My friend has a studio and pays his maid $25 more dollars than we pay ours a month and she does all the things my maid doesn't PLUS his grocery shopping. I seriously think it's time to switch. (Or maybe start doing these things for myself in the event that I move to a place that I can't afford to have a maid and realise how much I really appreciated what little my current maid does ... I know, you don't have to remind me.)

But really, as I told a friend, if more people in the US had maids, more people would have jobs. Just like if more states had gas attendants. Sure, they aren't the most exciting or prestigious jobs, but I'm just saying.

Goodnight!