because i love you...

ahhh...

What a relaxing weekend! I could do it again and again...although it'd be boring by myself, but I won't let that stop me from repeating this wonderful experience, even simply returning to Vung Tau. We took numerous pictures on a few different cameras; thus, I do not have all the pictures just yet, but when I do, I will quickly share them with you. For now, since my blog has been so boring, I will urgently post some of the pics that I do have and tell you about this amazing trip. THIS is something you can "ahh" about.

You may be wondering, what's with the post title?! Oh, I will answer that nagging question by the end of this post...so read carefully and enjoy the pictures. THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A VERY, VERY LONG POST...feel free to skim or skip whatever you choose.

Before the trip, I went out with Elliot, as the dear, considerate person that I am. He took me to a little burger joint that he had been to once or twice called Cafe Zoom located in Pham Ngu Lau, what is known as "the backpackers' district. I guess it's where a lot of foreigners are because Elliot had told me on the cab ride there that "this is white people central"...but well, there weren't as many of them as I thought there would be.

However, this district is full of people carrying little baskets of thingy-mabobs and they'd come up to you and ask you to purchase this or that. There are also a good amount of people who come up to you in hopes that you'd hand over some money. This occurred after I ate my zoom burger (which was juicy and delicious). A flurry of individuals from all ages approached me among others (mostly foreigners) trying to sell something or get some money. It was easy to ignore and deny the older people who were mostly women, but when they got younger and younger - to the point where this little girl who was carrying a small basket like something some place would serve french fries in, came to me and could not even speak; she simply held up a bracelet or something (I didn't notice because I was still shocked at how young she was) and quickly returned to her mother's side when I shook my head at her - I grew more and more sad, and consequently, more and more inclined to purchase something. It's a good thing we did not stay there long because I may have just purchased something every person who came to me eventually.

In the end I did make a purchase - a yellow fan - and only because I was already at a very weak point, the little boy who sold it to me was soooooooo cute with big eyes and a cute voice when he said "are you going to buy anything from me?", and well, because it was yellow. Funny thing was, he started getting less cute when he wouldn't budge on the cost (not that it was that much to begin with) but man, that boy was a hard bargainer. He would not go down much at all...and so, because I was already a sucker and in a huge state of pitying others, I purchased the fan for about USD 2 (maybe less).

I should add that at the point of purchase, I had already been approached by 2 very young children, a boy and a girl, separately, during the course of my lounging at Cafe Zoom, people watching. My first experience was with the boy who was young and dark and shirtless...he also had big pleading eyes and I could not look at him while he stood at my side, though I had observed him earlier with others so I was prepared to "ignore" him. But when he walked away from me, I looked and realized that he was shoeless as well. I watched him meet up with a younger boy (who I will assume is his younger brother) and he was also wearing neither shoes nor shirt. As I watched the older boy place his hands over the younger one, sort of in a manner saying "let's go" but with the reassurance of "we'll be okay, don't worry," I could not help myself from feeling a strong pain in my chest and fighting the tears I feared would come uncontrollably. Thank goodness there were no tears but I could not help but feel that I could have at least given him USD 5 which I cannot assume is a lot in Vietnam but I know would be able to buy the two of them dinner that night. Till now I am full of regret for being so selfish of my money and time (because part of it must have been that I did not want to be bothered by others like the two little boys)...USD 5 could have fed them at least one meal each, and if they conserved well, who knows how far they could have gone with that money...possibly days. I had quickly expressed my sadness and heartache and regret to Elliot who simply told me "this is the real world" and brushed off my concerns. We sorta had a discussion about slums (and Slumdog Millionaire) and other like topics.

And then I was approached by the young girl. She had shoes on but her eyes were still big and pleading...and I honestly started in the opposite direction, knowing that she was there, and counting every second until the finally moved along. It was sad and unbearable, sort of like parting from a good love...and I was left with an indescribable feeling. Elliot further explained to me (and I will just take it as an attempt to cheer me up) that, again, this was reality, and that seeing the slums of 3rd world countries was an experience, and a spiritual one at that. Maybe because we have been a bit against each other this trip, (and this is not to offend anyone who views it this way) but I felt like he saw 3rd world and slums as simply tourist attractions - you go there because you don't belong there and you're observing life there, all the while you know that you will be able to return every night to your overpriced hotel room and eventually, at the end of the trip, to your life of luxury. I wish that I could witness and observe this kind of life AND be able to do something to make some sort of change or to help, even if it really is just one person and one day at a time. Where do I begin?

*sigh*

Let's depart from the depressing stuff, shall we...

We all headed out to Vung Tau (which I am assuming is an of-shore island) early-ish Saturday morning via a hydrofoil (basically a boat). I was exhausted and made it there literally 5 minutes before the boat left...all the others said they were scared I wasn't going to make it (and Elliot was afraid something had happened the night before since we had gone out and then I had headed home myself while he partied on). But I made it and we rode to Vung Tau in no time - 1.5 hours.

Here we all are...during the boat ride...

We checked into a "mini hotel" (those were the only words on the sign that I could read) and headed out for lunch. Oh we had lunch at the most beautiful place. It was located seaside and the family of one of the colleagues used to own it.

The view was just beautiful and the food was uber delicious and unbelievably cheap. I love, love, LOVE seafood! But while we waited for the food, we took a few pictures here and there.

After the fantastic lunch, we headed straight to the beach. It wasn't a sunny day but still warm and humid and in the end, I realized my shoulders got some brown in them...noticeably. It was such a beautiful relaxing day...

We rented a room/cabana and relaxed there...

View from inside the cabana

...before heading out to the beach and the ocean...

Some really small crab...

...who happens to live in these small holes that covered the shore...and these are little small sand balls made by them as they dig their homes..super cool!

...and then making a stop at the pool...

...before finally resting on lounge chairs pool-side while listening to great songs that prepped us for a night of dancing..

Elliot

Quyen (I'll correct this later)

Nhan (he sits to my right at work)

Ly - we call her step-mother (she is so sweet and takes care of us like we were her children)

Tuyen - so sweet and cute

Khanh - I owe this wonderful weekend to him

I must reiterate how lucky and thankful I am that they are so wonderful to me!! =D

My favorite picture of the trip:

 For dinner, we went for more seafood and I am sorry to be repetitive, but it was just delicious. Funny thing at dinner - Khanh asked me, and in a serious manner, whether or not I was sincere whenever I said some dish was delicious? I was a bit unprepared for the question because it never occurred to me that I may come off insincere (the issue was because I thought EVERYTHING was delicious). But I assured them that everything REALLY was delicious...and I also added that I simply LOVE to eat. Khanh explained himself saying that most girls he knew were often reluctant to try new food or to eat too much or something of the sort (you know, the whole "they just order salads" thing). He didn't mean anything offensive by it but he was simply trying to express his appreciation for a girl that could and would eat just about anything. Man, that makes me sound like a gluttonous pig...which I may very well be...but food is SOOO good! =D

During dinner it rained, and somewhat heavily too, but by the time we left the restaurant, the rain had come down to a slight drizzle...and then we were on our way to the first venue of the night. Black Pearl. It was a great place and a great way to start and spend the majority of the night. And unbeknownst to me, this was a night I'd be falling in love all over again...

I regret not bringing my camera along or stealing the one camera that we did bring (we decided to bring only one so that it would be less of a hassle) because, in the end, no pictures were taken at Black Pearl or TGT, the next bar/club that we went to. *sad face* It really would have a been a worthwhile picture-taking frenzy because most of us went dancing and let loose, enjoying every minute that we could away from work. The band at Black Pearl was beyond fantastic (okay, maybe I exaggerate, but only a little) and it would have been nice to have walked away with some physical tokens to remember the night by rather than just depending on my memory. It was a Filipino band, with two girls and a guy doing the singing, doing covers of English songs (save one - Nobody by The Wonder Girls) that ranged from Shakin Stevens to Alanis Morrisette to Bon Jovi to Justin Bieber (yes, they covered Baby...and surprisingly, it was freakin' good...well, the guy did Luda's part and he made it his own...it was beautiful...one of the girls did Justin's part which was nothing outstanding, just the same..).

So...what I loved about this bar and the covers were not only because they were done well (even if different) and not because the front members of the band were charismatic and entertaining...all bands have to be both of these things to be considered good (in my opinion). But, what made this band so great? Read and learn, baby...

As the music was getting good and upbeat enough for dancing, I moved from where we were situated when we arrived at the bar towards the stage; we had decided to sit together near the pool table and just "listen" to the live music.

 psssh...live music is meant for watching just as well!! It's all about interaction between the performers and the audience...so I couldn't refrain from getting closer to the good stuff. One of the girls, Ly, and I went to find the dance floor, which was right next to the stage and turned out to be this really, really small area. Honestly, I don't think they meant to have a dance floor. People were just dancing by their tall tables. But Ly and I jumped right in next to these few other people (who were prolly just dancing by their tables) and made a dance floor out of the little area that was enough room for prolly 10-12 people only. And boy, it was a freakin' blast!! People were basically dancing right up on each other, but I think that's what made it so much more fun than it prolly woulda been.

Eventually we found our way to the front of the stage, dancing and singing along. And this was when I began to fall in love. Why? How? Simply because the male singer would sing to me..and point to me...and smile at me...and reach down and touch my chin...and put the mic in front of me so I could sing a line or two...and what girl would not fall madly in love with a guy who gives her this much attention?!?!?!?! I kid, but not really.  But really, it was exciting when he'd point to me every time he sang "I'm yours" and mesmerizing when he'd smile at me each time I approached the stage. And then, when I was just ready to sit down, he crooned an unexpected ballad - Because I Love You (Shakin Stevens). Oh golly, it was beautiful. And I could not take my eyes off of him. And it was then, I knew. Naw, it's not that serious...but I was literally going gaga. It really was great.. but enough with the mushy stuff.

After Black Pearl, we left with the intention of returning to the hotel and calling it a night. It was already past 1 a.m. at least. But I think because Elliot had been so moody at Black Pearl and because the others wanted to "humor him," no one objected when Elliot asked "so what next?" and Khanh answered "what do you wanna do?" and we found ourselves obeying Elliot;s order to "go to the next joint." So to TGT it was. This was, I think, more of what clubs are like here in Vietnam ( whereas Black Pearl was a bar). There was a DJ but I don't think the music was too enjoyable and at that moment, on the dance floor, I made a decision to make sure I go clubbing at least once when I get back before law school starts up again. We didn't stay here long, even though we were treated as VIP since Khanh had some fantastic connections. Again, Elliot was moody and didn't join in the fun...so we were all pretty bothered by his "party-pooping" on top of the fact that we were all pretty much worn out from Black Pearl.

Even so, it was a fun-filled day and evening and when we left the next morning (without Elliot who wanted to sleep in and decided to take a later boat back to HCMC), we were all still happy. The two girls and I went out for breakfast in the morning and also took a quick stroll along a different stretch of the beach.

When the group arrived back in HCMC, we went to eat at this cozy and ballsy little restaurant - CUC GACH QUAN. It was hidden from the world, it seemed, and you'd prolly only be able to find it if someone were to take you there. It was beautiful and I cannot describe it properly, and I have very few photos to show that will not do it justice. There is an area that feels like eating in a treehouse, though I think it would've been better had the roof been more open. Instead, there were only a few tiny windows to let in some light. We ate on the first floor however, and it felt, to me, like having lunch in someone's family cottage in some wooded area. There was even a pond-like feature in one room where the floor was basically a pond and there were wooden planks to cross over from one room to the next. That was such a cute little room and I wish I had taken pictures of it. But for some reason (maybe hanging out with Elliot too much), I had the thought that doing so would make me too touristy and would not be so welcomed by my peers.

The decor was meant to be pre-unification of Vietnam and the music was old classics. What I thought was interesting was a large, old map of Vietnam (pre-1975). Ly explained how you could tell it was pre-unification - the spelling of some names had not been changed to signify the different Northern and Southern Vietnamese accents.

There was also a piece of writing that symbolized pre-unification and the attitude of people in the South in the room that we sat in. In the room next to us, there was an English translation of the piece. However, I did not get a chance to read the English translation so I can only take the words of my colleagues...and I'm sure it's a beautiful piece.

 

Also a cool note...they had slanted cups!! and the straws were made of Morning Glory, which the Vietnamese love to eat. Even the group I was with got excited at this realization and enjoyed such uniqueness; they pulled out their camera for a few pictures too.

 

Okay. I'm gonna call it quits with this post. I've been working on it for 2.5 days, trying to collect and upload pics and writing about my falling in love experience and so on...and well, if you really did read it all the way through, my goodness you really are a good friend to me...and I love you for it! =]

one down, seven to go..

It’s been a few days since my last post…and you’d think some good stuff has happened since then. Boy would you be wrong! I have been waking up every day to prepare for my 9 hours at the firm and by the time I get off at 6 pm, it’s already darker outside, which still surprises me, and I just want to go home, shower and sleep. When Elliot and I leave each day, all the other associates are still busily working, showing no sign of resigning from their work any time soon. We usually head over to some restaurant/café/coffee shop and sit and sip a drink. Sometimes he goes to work out. Most of the time we grab dinner at one or two places (depending on the portion sizes given us at the first place) and I am quick to call it a night after that. That, in sum, is how each weekday passes by. Tiring and boring and, well, not worth blogging about.

The other day I did get my ao dai (the traditional Vietnamese dress) and I think it turned out better than expected. It’s quite thin but, well, let’s be practical, I wasn’t going to wear it much, if at all, on a regular basis or without proper cause/occasion.

Blurry but sufficient.

I did get another dress tailored from a different place and it was less satisfactory. In fact, I will never return to that place. For some reason, I expected a much better result since these items were being tailored. But I guess I should simply remember that I am in Vietnam, and sometimes, you pay for what you get. I just wish I paid a WHOLE lot less, like maybe US $5-10. Sadly, that is not the case for this time around, but I’ve learned my lesson, and I will be much smarter, more patient, and more aggressive the next time. Or more willing to "walk" if I do not get a reasonable (and dirt cheap, lol) price..

Oh, today is “smart casual” day at work and so you get to wear jeans and even t-shirts (plain or printed). I spose this is what is considered “business casual” in America; however, since that is their daily dress code, they go even more casual on Fridays. I love it! I wore jeans, but no pic of it....BUT...

This is where I work. You can't really see it and I haven't taken a better picture...because..well, I'm sposed to be working, silly!!

I just wish I had brought at least one or two pairs of heels. I have been suffering wearing flats everywhere. Now I really know never to assume that heels might be questionable, and I will learn from this as well – heels are a girl’s first love, and this love exists universally. Oh my sweet, beautiful heels, how I miss you all!

But on a more law school related note – let me forewarn you, the following is detailed and long and extremely boring and it’s more for me to remember what miserable things I did at work rather than for you to read and go “ahh, she did THAT in Vietnam…I wanna do it too.”

I finished my second assignment before lunch today and it was intense the whole 2-2.5 days that I was working on it. Someone else had written a memo on a transaction that was happening (a very big deal, I just learned) and I had to review it, revise it, and cite the legal sources as well as the references to the various agreements/contracts. Now it started out being only a four-page memo. Simple enough, right? Wrong! It was about enterprises and joint stock companies and share purchasing and other stuff that I couldn’t grasp the context of because the memo seemed directed to someone who was already knowledgeable about the case/transaction. But then, all of this was Vietnamese law…and I had to do lots of google searching and the likes to even gain a slight understanding of what any one sentence in this memo was about.

The first day I had the memo, I simply read it over and tried to understand what was kinda going on. Realizing that that was not the best way to go about it, since there was a lot of law that I did not know, I started citing the sources of law and reading into the various laws that governed this transaction: Law on Enterprises, Securities Law, Ordinance on Foreign Investment, and so forth. I did a lot of article-reading about the general economy of Vietnam and its outlook on incorporating, foreign investment, share purchasing, and basically doing business there. Then I reread the memo, and well, things seemed to make a bit more sense. 

The second day, I sent the memo to the senior associate who assigned it to me, and *sigh* he did not seem very pleased with it. I had told him it was incomplete and I just wanted to make sure I was going in the right direction, but well, he basically said that I could do better…and that I had to fix my grammatical errors. Oh that last part was a bit of a “wtf” moment…considering I had spent much of the first day fixing sentences, rearranging words, putting in commas and semi-colons in an attempt to make the legalese more clear…but it seemed to have been an unsuccessful attempt. So I tried it again. Also, Day 2 I got two agreements referenced in the memo and had to cite the noted provisions; this was nothing but tedious process of guess and search. I literally had no idea what most of the things in the contracts meant so it prolly took me two-three times longer than it would have taken someone else. Of course, the contracts being quite long and the print quite small (from the copies I received), I did not finish the citations until morning of Day 3.

The third and final day, I finished my citations. Double-checked that the articles and sections correlated to the information/law used/referred to. Then I tried my best to make my citations in accordance with how it is done here. How is it done in Vietnam? I’m not really sure; and neither is anyone else from what I was told. But I followed someone’s example, Tuyen’s actually, and it seemed to have been done pretty well. And then, of course, I did one final read-through. I made some sentences shorter, divided one-paragraph sentences into multiple sentences, cut out redundant wordings (though they seem to prefer things written that way), and rearranged words and sentences again and again. I’ve sent it in again, and have yet to hear back.

Project/Assignment 2 – DONE!

Just counting down the few hours till work week #1 can be considered “successfully” tackled…

Tomorrow: Plans to go to Vung Tau beach with Elliot and three other colleagues. I promise I’ll take pictures (even if Elliot grimaces at my touristy ways). There are other people joining us on this trip and I would like to capture the moment…and I don’t need to ask Elliot to take my picture….so mua-haha-haha…

I sure hope it goes well.

Oh, by the way, I had my first cocktail here..it had orange and lychee and some long c-word in the name..it was pretty good..but I wouldn't say anything outstanding. I guess by saying that I had no trouble drinking it shows, in itself, how "good" the drink was...my first alcoholic drink here was some beer at some place...and it was disgusting... I don't think I will understand the NEED to UNDERSTAND and ACCEPT why drinkers have the right to be angry/upset at an individual who goes to a bar/club (or whatever places where alcoholic drinks make up most of the menu) but chooses not to drink (and is not "party-pooping" because he/she is having a good time and not making anyone feel bad for drinking)...Doesn't it make sense to not force someone to do something they don't wanna do, especially if they are having a good time and are not preventing or causing another to NOT have a good time. Seems pretty crystal clear actually. Then again, no one should be friends with such a jerk who doesn't care about whether you are having a good time but rather that you're doing what he/she is doing even if it means you're miserable. A-hole.

(okay, rant is over...for the post.blog at least)...

Till next time, toodles…

first day of work...

...and counting down every hour until the work day is over...every day until the week is over...and every week until the minimum 8-week requirement is over...

I can do this.

What I wore today..

but I would consider this pretty dressy for what the girls seem to wear here to go to work. (and I'm quite lazy so not even gonna bother to crop this picture or whatnot.)

They are always wearing dresses that are summery and cute and well, not what I would have imagined for a law firm. But I like that! And the environment at the firm is soooooo chillax and everyone is so nice to me, ready to help whenever I may need their assistance...so I should not complain...because it could be a lot worse.

What did I do today at "work?" Wasted it away, waiting till 6 pm for my escape. But really, for the first hour or so, I simply stared at my laptop screen. I did read some interesting articles on CNN. Eventually I got my own email account that ends with @ykvn-law.com and then a mass email was sent out introducing and welcoming me. The subject line: female intern. I laughed at it. I guess it was their way of distinguishing me from Elliot.

Then I got my first assignment!! I was to write a Due Diligence request list regarding a merger and acquisition transaction. Piece of cake! But not really. I had no idea what was going on and what to do and the samples they sent me were not as clear as I would have liked them to be. I read over some documents to get a better understanding of the transaction and the context of which my request had to be created. Tough stuff. It took me till lunch time to read the documents and understand that one company was trying to become majority shareholder of another company, essentially taking it over (I think).

After returning from lunch, I had to ask the colleague who gave me the assignment for a meeting/discussion. Let's just say the meeting reflects how casual the firm environment is - there was a dropping of the f-word and s-word in just about every sentence. I must admit, I was a bit weirded out...but I like it. Eventually I "drafted" the DD request, sent it in for review, made changes as suggested, and did so multiple times. I finally finished this specific assignment one hour before it was time to go. Phew! It was only about five pages long, but man, it took the whole 8 hours to "understand" and "complete" this assignment, which I'm pretty sure is considered easy.

Was it fun? Not really. Did I learn something? Definitely. Was it a worthwhile first day? No doubt. Am I excited for tomorrow? Hell no. But I'll go and take it one hour at a time, one day at a time.

On a different note, though not a happy one, I went out Saturday afternoon, while it was drizzling and thundering, with Elliot and some other colleagues to a public pool.

Me and Tuyen

 The people were such serious swimmers, doing stretches and laps and all that jazz. Of course I can't swim, so I didn't. Point of this story: I got four additional mosquito bites (that I'm aware of) and they're freakin' itchy and huge and annoying. After the others were done swimming, we took this long trip to someplace outside of District 1 and sat on little stools eating bun thit nuong - it was delicious. They do have something similar in the states but the experience here is completely different. It was pleasant and I would have taken pictures, but I think Elliot seems to not appreciate my eagerness to capture every new experience (even the new/different dishes I eat - or my first meal in Vietnam though just a simple croissant)...so I didn't and there are no pictures. But maybe if I go again another time and he's not around...I'll try to snap one or two pictures...for me..and for you.

Well, I've been tired all day today. I think it's about time for some sleep.

Last day of jet-lag recovery

Today I woke up at 6:30 am and, having finally moved into my own apartment yesterday afternoon, I unloaded my suitcase full of American brands, carefully and strategically placing every item exactly where I felt they belonged. I must not yet have fixed the jet lag since I normally would never wake up that early on my own free will and without an alarm. Of course, having gone out to get a few items to stock up my fridge, mainly water and orange juice, it is now almost 3 pm and I'm feeling  quite ready for a nap.

But I will first blog about my fantastic new apartment. It's nice and cozy, very quiet, and I feel it'd be just perfect to stay in such a place as a single person, even in America, except....

There are geckos living in my apartment!!

I am not sure how many at the moment, but I know there are at least two. They're tiny - about the size of my pinky - and a dull lime greenish color (booger green); they move super fast (which is what gives me the creeps). When I see them, they give me chills so while I'm building up the courage to move closer to them to kill them or chase them out of my apartment, they hurriedly scurry under cupboards or couches and then it's the end of the confrontation...until next time. But I've decided, based on what I've been told, that I will let them be...since they kill bugs, aren't hideous in comparison to the thumb-size cockroaches that I have seen outside at night, and are probably more scared of me than I am of them. Please just don't crawl into my mouth while I'm sleeping. A friend I met here suggested I give them names...since I can't tell them apart, I've decided they will all share the name Ben...and then I can hum MJ's song every time I get goosebumps.

Other than my new pets, this apartment is just about perfect...ready for some pictures?

The bedroom.

I've got a balcony!

A kitchen I will never use.

The living room.

It's cozy.

Having a nice bathtub was a must for me. I love baths!

And it's quite safe too! Although I would never risk leaving anything unlocked or out in the open to be snatched away in my absence. But...yesterday night I for some reason forgot to lock the main door to my apartment. There's not simple lock so I have to use the key and well, by the time I walk from the main road to the apartment, climb up the five spiraling flights of narrow stairs, and open the door, I'm exhausted and sweaty and just ready to drop the keys on the \TV stand, switch the aircon on and flop on the couch for some kdrama. Excitingly, I've discovered the channel where they air Korean dramas with English subs this morning while turning the apartment into "home" for the next two months. Lucky, eh? Well, anyway, I forgot to lock the main door last night and did not realize it until this morning when the question came to my mind: Did I ever lock the door after I got in last night? No worries. I was a bit paranoid last night, being my first night alone in Vietnam, so I locked my bedroom door. Now I will remember to lock my main door, and maybe I'll continue to lock my bedroom door as well...just in case.
I still have not done a lot of traveling or taking much pictures. But I will make a point of doing so in the evenings after I get off work (although that may not play out since they work 9-hour shifts at the firm). It's depressing. Tomorrow (Monday) is my first day, and I so am not looking forward to it. I just want to be able to roam around freely as though I were on a long vacation. I'll try to make the most of this working experience. I promise.

Yesterday I slept in until 10:30 but it wasn't a pleasant, continuous sort of sleep. I woke up twice and forced myself to fall back asleep. And my back was hurting throughout the entire night so I was unable to sleep comfortably at all. But well, Elliot and I went out for breakfast and had bun bo hue (a thick, round noodle soup) at a nearby place. I don't think the servers like Americans that much because they didn't look happy serving us. Or maybe they just don't normally look happy. Afterwards we decided to go visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda which is supposed to be the ONE worth visiting. Let's just say, it was sunny, it was humid, we walked, we walked, we took some turns, we retraced our steps, we walked some more, and then we gave up, sat down at some corner with some old Vietnamese men (that was more Elliot's doing than mine) and waited for two of our friends/colleagues to find us on their motorbikes and take us (or save us) to lunch. Elliot and I walked around, not aimlessly but surely in inevitable failure, for a total of at least 3 hours. I'm surprised no one fainted or anything of the likes.

But we did take a nice stroll in this beautiful park during this time so...

And I did get to buy this dress for about 8 USD. That's a steal!

Like I said, our friends saved us, took us to an air-conditioned refuge called The Sushi Bar, and we had some good sushi. (Elliot and I got into a little argument...but we're over it now...and Buks, the thought of your potential encouraging and understanding words definitely calmed me =] ) My favorite item there was the deep-fried fatty salmon; it was tasty!

Because of the tension in the air at that time, I was quite happy to get the call from my agent regarding the completion of the apartment. It was ready for me to move in asap! And I did. Right after lunch, I headed back to Elliot's with the two friends, got my things, met the agent, and headed to my new "home." Almost immediately after placing my luggage in the apartment, I headed out for a girls' night out with Tuyen (one of the two friends and the first Vietnamese person I met - formally - since my arrival).

She's a lovely girl and she took me on her motorbike to a few of her favorite shops and then we had frozen yogurt at yogen fruz. With a good getting-to-know-you conversation had, we headed to Acoustic Bar, the place even Lonely Planet raves has fantastic live music. And I'm sure it does...we were just unlucky last night. The place was packed, as I would like them to be, but people were smoking like crazy, there was no place to sit because we did not realize to have to phone ahead to reserve tables, and a bunch of tall people kept blocking our ways. Oh, not only that, the music selection was less than good and we decided not to stay long.

After leaving the Acoustic Bar, which had taken us forever to find in the first place, it took us awhile to get a taxi...by the time we finally did, we were a bit hungry...so Pho 24 we went. It's like a fast-food chain for pho...but it's delicious!!
--

I took an extremely long break between when I started this post and when I'm actually posting it. So much more to blog about, but I'm exhausted and tomorrow is Day 1, so to bed I go.

Good night, Vietnam.

Becoming a local

Well, not really. I've yet to venture out beyond the city center but I can proudly say that I have mastered being a passenger of the motorbike!! And it's a beautiful thing actually as I learned today (except that these freakin' motorbike taxi drivers love to overcharge, in my opinion). I love the feel of a slightly cool, sorta warm wind that is constantly washing over you as you coast along on a motorbike. The sun beams down on you, you've been sweating increasingly since the start of the day, and the ride definitely cools you off and calms you. It's comparable to a nice cool shower or a calming bubble bath. Ahh, just yesterday I feared for my life because motorbikes are all over the place, going in every direction, barely obeying the traffic rules...but today, I take it as it is - a wonderful experience that is so worthwhile (if you can push away the fear of being scammed and kidnapped by the driver, which I am able to do after some time and then am able to enjoy the ride).

Of course, I only realized all this today as I ventured out and about, alone, waiting for the call regarding my potential apartment for the next two months. I decided to explore Dong Khoi Street, looking for a place to purchase heels actually, and found myself resting at a little park-like area. I had seen a building that looked unique enough to be considered a touristy sorta thing and wanted to know what it was, not that I was interested in going inside, so I turned to good ol' trusty Lonely Planet.

Sitting on a stone bench, staring deeply into the book, looking 110% like a foreigner, I was approached by some guy who spoke pretty good English, surprisingly. He told me the building was an Opera House. How did he know that's what I was trying to find? I've no idea. Had he been watching me for awhile? Who knows. Lo and behold, he was a motorbike taxi driver who gave tours to people like me. He had these little laminated things that listed the places he'd take me to for touristy purposes and also how much he charged. Oh, I wasn't really ready to explore the city with a stranger. I wasn't willing to pay an amount when I was unsure of what a good deal was. But his English was quite good. There was some places on the list that I wanted to get to (because they may sell cheaper items than what I was seeing in the nearby shops and because I did want to get a pair of heels since I had persuaded myself not to bring any with me but then realized upon arrival that the women here love, love, LOVE heels)...so I agreed. Fine, take me to Chinatown where the goods are cheap and plentiful. And so we went. And so I realized the beauty of a motorbike ride.

The best part was this guy spoke pretty darn good English, which is hard to come by here. He was willing to show me around where we would stop and wait along, acting as translator. In the end, I got a pair of heels (sandalish heels) and some flats. I got some things tailored just for me, including an ao dai, the Vietnamese women's traditional dress. I sure hope they all turn out nice. And, I improved my bargaining skills...at least, that is what I would like to believe. For this two and a half hour trip and his services, I paid him the equivalent of about 20 USD. Not bad right? And the three items I ordered, 125 USD. That may seem expensive, but considering that the ladies were planning to charge me 140 USD and that these items are meant to fit me like a glove, I'll say the money was well spent. Well, I hope so.

After what seemed like a successful morning, I received a call from the agent telling me that the apartment I had reserved had not yet been completely prepared for me by the darn landlords and I would have to wait another day. Seriously, I want it now!! The area may seem a bit dodgy, but well, all the living here seems that way, except for the Sheraton hotel maybe. But I cannot afford to stay there, so I will man-up and try my hand at this apartment that costs 450 USD a month and is in walking distance of the firm. I just hope they hurry up and get it ready for me so I can move in by tomorrow evening at the latest. I'm also hoping I can find it again after I start living there because everything here sorta looks the same but not really and it's quite hard to distinguish one "alley" from another. I've already had one "lost" experience, which was unpleasant but definitely helped me realize I need to be more observant and, as I think back about it now, helped me learn more about Vietnamese streets and addresses and people.

Tangent - In sum, I was trying to find Elliot's apartment and forgot which alley to turn into. I eventually found the place because some nice Vietnamese guy (who was actually a French national) helped me to figure out that there is a complex system of distinguishing the alleyways. Of course it wasn't much help since, at the moment, I had no idea what the specific address of Elliot's place was. I asked Elliot for the proper address but he didn't know; he only knew by walking and such. But the French guy helped me to figure out where the apt was and he even drove me around on his motorbike, and in the end, when I offered to give him some money, he declined it all. what a sweetheart. He then tried to make out with me but...just kidding. That was the ending Elliot was expecting when I told him the story, but that's not how the story really ended. He simply declined my offer and left as I repeatedly thanked him. I especially appreciated that he spoke great English as well as fluent French and Vietnamese. Thank god!

Anyway, Mr. Agent, please call me tomorrow with good news...

Having gained a small ounce of confidence to travel the surrounding area by myself and to dare to bargain low, my next task, of course, is to master crossing the streets. I've done it a countless number of times already, but still, every time I approach the crosswalk, I sorta hold my breath and pray I make it to the other side. The motorbikes are numerous and the traffic is endless and you really never know what is going to come at you from which direction. Also, the people here seem to love using their horns and there is never a moment where honking ceases. I'm hoping that by the end of this trip, I'll be crossing the streets like a local, fearlessly and with an air of ownership - like, you can't touch me! Until then, I will clutch my bag tightly, take deep breaths, and move slow and steady from one side to the other.

On to what I've eaten since the croissant yesterday(not that you care but I'm determined to keep track of what I've eaten):

Yesterday (June 2):
Lunch - I forget the name but its like a spring roll with ground pork (we have something similar in Hmong). I had this with a fresh guava drink - not as good as the canned pink guava juice I am used to.
Dinner - I wanted fried rice (or was it just rice?) with garlic flavored chicken, but since they had run out of it, I had rice with meat (pork) and eggroll (which was not actually an eggroll but an omelet - literally an egg rolled). Either that or they definitely gave me the wrong dish.

Today (June 3):
Breakfast - Salmon and egg sandwich (which the buns were like soaked in butter - yeck) and I did get my cup of orange juice - turned out to be the child-size drinks that fast food restaurants serve in the US so I was highly disappointed; actually, the portions here are quite small; they make our appetizers seem like ginormous meals.
Lunch - Carl's Jr. No joke. The charcoaled chicken sandwich combo meal. It was kinda disappointing but I was really thirsty and they gave me a big cup. Yay.
Dinner - Yet to be determined.

Well that was boring...What a long post. I will end with some quick snapshots of a few places worth taking a picture of.

The Metropolitan - the place I will soon call work. You can't see it but to the right is the Coffee Bean where I had my first meal in Vietnam.

This is a post office, seriously. I think it's beautiful.

A cool statue in a cool little flowered area. Behind is the Notre Dame Cathedral. This is right across the street from the Metropolitan.

A man wearing a conical hat watering some flowers in the cool little flowered area.

And that's all for today, folks.


AHHH!!! I just got my first mosquito bite in Vietnam while writing this post. Dammit! Please, no more...

Flying solo

I never want to travel by myself ever again. Okay, that may be a rash thing to say at the moment. And of course I still dream that my future will be full of excursions to various cities and countries. But I would like it not all to be for work and enjoy those moments of travel too. I suppose this is just the start. It’s definitely a rough one. I’m having a hard time adjusting and I’m still only at Narita airport waiting for my connecting flight.

Well, at least my trip so far has been as comfortable as can be expected. Window seat. Lots of leg room. And individual TVs for movie-watching, game-playing, music-listening. It’s a shame I spent a good number of days prior to the trip watching a bunch of movies, which left for only a very small handful of options to choose from during the long flight.

I rewatched My Best Friend’s Wedding; it was the second of the three I watched on my Chicago-Narita trip, and I watched it mainly because I forgot that I had already seen it. Good thing was that I could not remember much of the movie anyway so it seemed more worthwhile to have watched it again.

The first movie I watched, and which I found quite enjoyable, was The Young Victoria. I don’t like history much but some historical movies are quite intriguing. While watching this, I truly felt that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had really found true love and that their relationship was simply beautiful. I found myself questioning if their love had really been that powerful and amazing or if Hollywood had made it much more dramatic. I’d like to believe that they had indeed been lucky and found what most would label as mystical or fantastical. And I’d like to believe that we normal people can also find it: a friendship where you can find strength, courage, and comfort; where the love really is based on a deep, mutual trust (although of course it didn’t start out that way in the movie and realistically so); where the understanding is deep and not forced and just simply beautiful.

Okay. I’ve ranted enough about The Young Victoria and love and blah blah blah. But hey, you wanted updates, and frequent ones at that, so I will be detailed and boring and write and write and write for your reading pleasure. 

The last movie I watched which I was unable to fully finish but I could imagine the ending was You’ve Got Mail. I’ve got no real comment for it. It passed the time. It wasn’t bad. But it doesn’t put any other movies to shame. So that’s that.

---

Good morning, Vietnam!!

I’ve arrived. Safe and sound. And Elliot was true to his word. He found me among the crowd, at least an hour after the time I was supposed to arrive, and I felt so much weight lifted off my shoulder just seeing a familiar face. It was like a lost child hearing the forever remembered voices of her parents. I prolly heaved such a big sigh of relief when I hear him call my name and found his face in the large swarm of individuals waiting for their own arriving friends/families. 

 Of course I still have so much to worry about: finding a place to stay for the next 2 months, going to work and actually trying to understand law stuff, feeling comfortable in this whole new world. So much to do and so little time to adjust. Well, I do have at least two months here, which now to me seems like an extremely long time, but I’ve only got about four days to get over my jet lag and get nicely settled in.

The only thing I’ve done my first day in Ho Chi Minh City (June 2nd here) is walk with Elliot to work. Since I’m not yet working, I am sitting at the nearby Coffee Bean where I had my first meal in Vietnam!! It was only scrambled eggs and a huge croissant (a Western meal, I know) but it was quite delicious. Maybe I should have ordered some orange juice to go with it. Maybe tomorrow. Is that too much Western food? Bah – by the end of the day today, I’m sure I’ll have eaten a fair amount of Vietnamese food. I’m not worried at all about getting my fix for authentic Vietnamese cooking. I am sure, by the end of my time here, I’ll be welcoming a delicious Big Mac as soon as possible; right off the airplane at O’Hare…or maybe even Narita.

I will try to make the best of my being here…since there is no escape. As Elliot said – I shall embrace it all.