Monte

My youngest brother, Monte, just turned 14 years old. Though I would love to think that I have attained the "coolness" factor by just being me, I know that I have to work harder at it...especially because I have always lived so far away. So for his birthday, he stayed with me in the Boulder area for a few days and I took him to a Denver Nuggets game. We had a great time and I even learned a few things about basketball!

Les Runaways

“My mama says, ‘Sing the blues child, sing it from now on.’” (Koko Taylor—I’m a Woman) Well, my mama may not be black or know much about the blues, but she thinks I have some soul.

My band (Les Runaways) had its first gig…the place was packed and the energy high. Our drummer is from Australia and I’m convinced that he contacted half of Australia as the whole back room was filled with Australians who had received word about the live band. Most of the crowd consisted of foreigners with the exception of some of my friends and students who represented the Vietnamese population.

We had a great time and I’m looking forward to future opportunities. I have never seen that bar so packed as it was the night that we played. We have 5 people in the band: Mike (Canada/guitar), Matt (USA/guitar), Pierre (France/bass), and Nick (Australia/drums). As we don’t have much competition in Hanoi, we might just make a name for ourselves.

I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane…Again

It was a bit crazy as I wrapped things up in Hanoi this past week. A lot happened. Even though I’ll be returning in about 6 weeks after a Christmas break and meetings in the States, my students have been treating me as if they will never see me again and that they just might not have enough strength to get through it. They threw parties for me and sent endless text messages and emails. They fail to see that I’m the lucky one in that I’m blessed by having the chance to be part of their lives.

I need this break, though. I’m looking forward to being with my friends and family. I’m currently in Korea but will be leaving on a plane this afternoon for Colorado via California. It is snowing outside! It is beautiful!

A Shopper's Paradise

I recently returned from a business trip to Thailand. I really enjoy Thailand, but I have to admit that I wish that I didn't have to do all my travel by myself. Of course I always have the knack of meeting random people, but it is better to hang out with people that know you well and that you can laugh at your experiences or yourself at later. However, I did get to meet up with some people in Bangkok, which made my trip a lot of fun. I was able to see an old college friend and his wife (Lonnie and Courtney) who I went to Ozark with and who have been living in Thailand for almost two years. It was very uplifting to be able to hear about the past 4-5 years and the road that they have traveled. I also had a friend from Hanoi, Scot, who met up with me in Bangkok for the weekend. That was fun because we were able to do some shopping and enjoy some good food.

Bangkok is known for many things...but one of them is shopping. I have never seen so many shopping malls in such a small space. It is insane! So you may ask what did I acquire on my shopping frenzy? Other than my very cool Nazi Germany motorbike helmet (which now everyone in Hanoi wants), I passed the Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Dior shops and heading right over to the department store to buy a rice cooker. I'm the biggest dork ever, but I needed one and it was there calling my name. We all know that there is nothing more fashionable than a woman heating up rice in a rice cooker...forget the fancy leather bags and name brand clothing...its making rice that turns up the heat here in Vietnam.

A Trip to the Homeland

Many of my Vietnamese friends in Hanoi ask, “Why do you want go to Quy Nhon? It is poor and boring!” Maybe for some, but this city has defined me a great deal and has captured my heart. I look back on my two years there and cannot help but smile and laugh. I have so many fond memories with my students and colleagues in the university. They will be forever part of me and hold a very special place in my heart. I cannot express how it felt to walk back into an old classroom and see the faces of students who are more than just participants of an English class I once taught but are a significant part of journey marking who I once was and who I have become. I can say that I know the students and teachers well because they allowed me access into their lives and I know a part of me will always be with them. Now that is an investment that money can’t buy.

Halloween

Bobbing for apples, rolling one another up in toilet paper, and carving pumpkins are all the rave in Hanoi. I had organized a party last year and as soon as my Vietnamese friends knew that I’d be back in Hanoi for the holiday, they began expressing their dire need for another party. Well, I love hosting parties and this just provided me another opportunity to introduce some of my students to other native speakers while enjoying the benefits of getting a group of people together. Since I have about 130 students, I chose about 5 students from each of my four classes who had come prepared for class…which is a rare occasion and must be celebrated. The night was nothing less than a hit as I watched even my expat friends diving in for the apples, which were half bitten into by students who had been unsuccessful.

A Ceremony for the Honor Students

A Blood Drinkin', Honda Dream Drivin' Diva

The weather in Hanoi is cooling off, providing a remedy to the common ailment faced by many of us here… “chronic sweating.” Other big news is that I’m now working the streets…not like you may think…but as I maneuver my way through the crowded-no-rules-I’m-lucky-if-I-survive traffic. I have a motorbike (the infamous Honda Dream) and I’m as bad as ever. I love it because it allows me more freedom and is always a source of adventure. I received one of the best compliments from the Dean of the English department the other day, who said, “You are like one of us and I love it because we can take you everywhere we go.” This was said after I ate blood pudding, which came after the boiled duck that you eat with the skin and tendons attached. Being the only foreign teacher at the university, I’m invited to about every eating event and because I want to show respect and bridge the cultural gaps, I have “immersed” myself into each experience. My steam is running out a bit but I feel like I have crossed over many cultural barriers and am now seen as truly part of their community. As many of you know, I’m now singing for an expat band with 4 guys who are from the States, Canada, France, and Australia. I’ve been doing some low-key stuff with one of the guitarists at a small tavern in the Old French Quarter of Hanoi on Saturday nights. The audience? Mostly older men from the UK who are regulars at this little pub. The fun times just keep on coming!

Do Men Hate Their Wives In America?

As a young, female in Vietnam, I have found it to be quite interesting. I'm usually in the company of men...on occassion with a few women who are secretaries or assistants. I'm treated differently then most women in Vietnam, and it is difficult for me to see the fairness in it. It makes me feel strange when my friend Phuong is asked to make me coffee in the morning or take care of minial things for me. I should be doing it for her because of all the kindness she has shown me! Now not all share the same ideas regarding women. Dr. Dan, the Dean that I work with, treats his assistants as an important part of the team.

My life is filled with many special lunch and dinner meetings...the food and brandy wine are never ending. In one meeting, I was asked by a group of men if American husbands hate their wives as husbands in Vietnam do. I didn't know how to answer that one exactly. My response was that marriage is difficult in all cultures. Unfortunately, many Westerners resort to divorce as the answer to their problems, making things worse in the end. I realized how easy it is for me to look at another culture and deem things as "unfair" or as a social injustice, all the while my own culture boasts its own.

A Home--A location or a community?

Ngan, is one of my dearest friends. She was a fourth-year student at Quy Nhon University when I taught there 3 years ago. She was my first real friend in Vietnam and was my language tutor and cultural informant those first few months. Ngan and I both moved to Hanoi from Quy Nhon and were able to experience it together. Most people thought she was crazy to move to the North, but I was able to see her develop and thrive in her new surroundings. We only had each other during that time and I have some very sweet memories that I will always hold dear. When I left for the States, she took it the hardest. Friends and family in Vietnam don’t leave each other because the loyalty to stay together is so important. So when she heard that I was coming back, it was something very special for the both of us. She is now working for a Canadian company as an interpreter/secretary, sending home half of her paycheck to her family who lives in a rural area in the South-Central region (about 20 hours by train), and supporting two of her siblings who she invited to live with her in Hanoi to go to university. She is an amazing person. Last weekend, I went to her house for dinner. It was so exciting to see her have a place of her own (rented, of course)…though it is only a bedroom, shared by three, and a little cement square of a kitchen, it is more of a home than many places I’ve been. I enjoyed dinner (a 6 hour event) and the company of Ngan, her sister, brother, and boyfriend. We laughed, ate, and enjoyed being together. Now that is living a life of meaning.

Something Unexpected

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will always get “foreigner” prices. Even though I speak some Vietnamese and some may realize that I’m here teaching, I live downtown where all the tourist spend their time and I become just another foreigner who deserves to pay two to four times the regular price. I can spend my time being frustrated or pondering the American value of equality…or just take it as it is. Well, today I was pleasantly surprised. I went to buy one of my favorite desserts, “che,” which is a sweetened bean dessert that is sold in little Tupperware bowels on the side of the street, and the lady who has consistently charged me 4.000 VND, charged me only 2.000 VND today. Now the 2.000 VND discount is equivalent to about 15 cents, so it has nothing to do with the money but that the woman treated me as one of her own. Today is going to be a good day.

Meals on Wheels

A Good Couple?

Crash & Burn

Well, some people leave their heart in Hanoi…I left the skin of my arm. I was in my first traffic accident in Vietnam….which is a surprise that I’m just now getting into my first one after living in the crazy traffic all these years. I was just riding my bike, minding my own business, when some guy on a motorbike came barreling down the road and ran into me, making the bike and myself slide across the road. Luckily, it was not that bad and I just have a bit of road burn on the top of my left arm and elbow. It was a bit of a shock, especially as the guy rode off and a big crowd of Vietnamese crowded around the American girl laying on the road. I got up, flashed a smile, and tried to get out of the middle of the road. Some woman who was selling lottery tickets scotch taped a Kleenex to my bleeding elbow and I got on my bike and headed back home. I had planned to visit a friend, but I decided that I’d just go back to the guesthouse. I was a bit sore and was trying to muster up all the strength I had not to cry. It wasn’t because of the physical pain but the wave of loneliness that hit me as I made my way back feeling so distant and strange in my surroundings. However, all was remedied after I went out with a Vietnamese friend of mine that evening and we walked through the night market. The liveliness of the city reminded me that this is going to be a great adventure…even if I must endure a few cuts and bruises in the process.

The Streets of Hanoi

I woke up this morning to join the rest of Hanoi in their morning exercises. You can find people of all ages walking around the famous Hoan Kiem Lake, stretching, and playing badminton. Though it was only 6:00 am, the streets were bustling and the street vendors were walking around selling xoi, sticky rice with ground peanuts and shredded pork wrapped up in a banana leaf. Little shops line the streets with tiny plastic tables and chairs that look like my play kitchen that I had as a child. Steam billows out of the large metal pots that contain the stock for the various noodle soups, such as pho, bun, & mien, served with pork, beef, duck, or chicken. As I walk the streets I breathe in Hanoi to take in all the smells, sounds, and sights that once were so commonplace to me. Though familiar, I cannot help but realize how the person that walked these streets a year ago is so different than the person who walks them now. The person now must culturally readjust when before she had become so accustom to life in Vietnam. For example, not letting the xe om drivers (motorbike taxis) who badger and follow all the foreigners around annoy me. Or the extreme high prices that they try to make you pay because you are a foreigner. I was used to the American value of equality but must readjust again. However, I now walk these streets with greater self-realization as this past year has been a road with a lot of tears and yet a lot of laughter. I come to Vietnam with a greater understanding of my weakness and my need for Him and look forward to what He has in store.

A Kiss to Remember

I have always considered myself to be adventurous. I'm willing to try almost anything and love to be able to say that I've at least tried it. Joseph, the professor who was my host while I was in Busan, had a great time trying to see how far he could push me. He wanted to see how adventurous I truly was as each meal (about every 2 hours) was like a new episode of fear factor. I can now say that I have eaten whale and I can now admit that it wasn't my favorite. A bit too blubbery and chewy for my taste. Joseph took me out for raw fish, which I like. However, I must explain that there is a difference between Japanese raw fish and Korean raw fish. In Korea, they kill it and then bring it to your table. This means that it is still moving because the nerve endings have not figured out that death has beckoned. At one meal, I ate some kind of octopus-like fish that had tenacles and as it squirmed around in my mouth, the suction cups attached to the inside of my check. A new way to have some non-commital lip action.

Dongseo University, Busan

Exposed Once Again

After my previous experience in the subway, I guess I felt the need to expose myself just to make things even. I took the subway to the university that I was supposed to be presenting at, taking all my things for my trip to Busan along with me since I had to leave directly from the university to the train station. I had packed my carry-on with all my work stuff and then had a medium sized gift bag that I had put a few changes of clothes so that I could leave my bigger bag in Seoul. I had put all my personals at the bottom so that they wouldn't sneak out of the top. So as soon as the train arrived at my stop, I stood up and to my horror, the bottom of the bag broke. The doors opened and several teenage boys and business men tried to help me as they gathered up my lace panties and blue nightie that decorated the floor and helped me get out in time before the doors closed. I was utterly embarrassed.

Beware of Subways

After a day in Korea, I have to say that of all the countries I have been to, Koreans are the most friendly and helpful people...in direct competition with the Irish who are also extremely friendly and hospitable. I went out today to explore the city and locate a few schools. What better way than to try to figure out the public transportation system? I was surprised to see how few people actually spoke English but how willing they were to try to help me. I had people who couldn't explain to me how to get there in English, so they walked with me the 3 to 4 blocks to the bus stop and communicated with the driver in order to get me in the place I needed to be. This happened several times! I love Korea! I met so many wonderful people today as these strangers took the time to talk with me a little and help me get around. It reminded me that places don't leave you with the fond memories but the people that you've met and shared time with in that place. I'm a girl that loves to see the sights but the truth is that the landmarks will soon fade from my memory and be nothing more than just a place that I marked off of my sights-to-see list. It is the cultural exchanges, conversations, negotiation of meaning (when you can't speak the language) that remain in my memory and form my overall impression of a place.
With all that said, I do have to share with you an interesting story that I could have done without...though it does not change my initial love for Korea and the people here. So, I'm feeling great, getting around, and bounding up the stairs of the subway station. All of the sudden, a man passes me on my left, stands about 5 steps ahead of me and pulls down his pants. Whoa! That was something that I could have done without. I just rolled my eyes and went around him. This was a time that I wished a friend would have been with me because it would have produced a lot of conversation and laughter afterwards. Any takers for the next time around? I'm sure he'd be willing to do an encore!

The Start of My Adventure

I arrived in Seoul about an hour and a half ago. I was able to buy a bus ticket and some how found out which one to actually get on...this was a miracle in itself. I took a seat next to an older gentleman who didn't speak a great deal of English but was able to communicate that he taught "sports" which later translated into teeball. We made a connection right away because years ago at the ripe age of seven, I was a teeball star! They put their best players in left field, right? Anyway, the man proceeded to confirm my hotel on his cell phone and then helped me get off at the right place in order to snag me a taxi to get me to the location that I needed to go. He went out of his way for me and missed his stop because of it. I love Korea already.

Back Home In Colorado with Friends

Brooke, Lan, Kathryn

Dan, Tuck, Tracee

Matt, Kathryn, Jody, Justin, Chris

Thought of the Day: Life as an American

I was reading a book today that discussed American culture and values. Paul Goodman, a social commentator said, "America has a high standard of living of low average quality." In a country that seems to have so much in regards to opportunity and wealth, there seems to be few who are actually enjoying the luxuries and conveniences. Why? In my opinion, it is because we have forgotten that real joy in life comes in the relationships that we surround our lives with...not the conveniences or luxuries that we think will make those relationships or life in general better. We spend more time trying to accomplish or attain the things that our society deems as important while we miss out on the happiness found in the simplicity of relationships.

Teaching at University of California, Irvine

I have been so lucky to be able to teach and spend time with my students at UCI. As I was eager to get back into the classroom again, it provided me that opportunity while allowing me to continue to cultivate my passion for other cultures. Being back in the States for the past eight months has been good, but I would definitely give up Southern California traffic and the materialism for life abroad. The majority of my students are from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan...all countries that I will most likely visit while working with Hope International University overseas so I'll have friends when I go there. Above is Ertan, the token Turkish student, my roomate Lisa, and Lisa (my student). The second picture is a few of my students at a picnic that we had together.