Precious.....

Some times you ask the question why.....???

And you don't always have the answer. So you just keep plodding on, hoping you're heading in the right direction.

Today as I was sitting outside the workshop, a motorbike taxi, dropped off a young girl, probably the same age as Ali, she looked 'lost'..

So I asked if she needed help.

She said she was part of a Contiki group, but her taxi somehow got separated from the others and she ended up outside our shop. She wasn't feeling well, and had no idea, where to meet her friends. After showing her a map, and naming a few local restaurants, we worked out where she should've been. So I decided to walk with her, to the place she was looking for. When she walked into the restaurant and saw her friends, she was SO relieved, and kept saying, "if it wasn't for this lady....."

As i walked back to the workshop...i thought, ...Today has been a 'good day'....

Later this afternoon, the 'ice cream' man came past our store. I asked him to wait, as I ran inside to see if the ladies would like ice cream. The rule is.."no eating in the shop" and as all the ladies are disabled, you're never sure if they can be bothered with the effort to walk down the stairs, or shuffle outside for an ice cream?

But due to the extensive heat wave we're enduring at the moment, it seemed like a stupid question....."of course we want ice cream" !!!!!

So for the outrageous price of a buck fifty, I shouted everyone, not one, but two ice creams ......

simple pleasures.....

Yesterday, as I was spending my time outside the shop, I noticed a wave.....one of the young boys from the shelter, was going past in a wheelchair. It took a moment to register, because these guys, never see the outside of the walls of the shelter. 

Then I noticed another one , and another. You know when you see someone out of context, it takes a minute to work out, what or where....

Anyway, it turns out, a lovely young group of kids, under the guidance of an outreach program from New Castle Australia, were tripping though Vietnam, and part of their mission, was to bring joy to people less fortunate. 

One by one the young people wheeled these guys into the coffee shop opposite out store. "of all the gin joints in all the world...."... Sorry, I digress....

Of all the coffee shops in Hoi An, they pulled into our one. NEP

So I headed over to join them... I gave everyone 'hi fives, and hugs'...and spent the next half hour talking to the young kids and leaders, and assuring them that their efforts had "made their day".... The residents of Hoi An homeless shelter, enjoyed ice creams, cakes, cokes, and other drinks...treats I'm sure, they haven't had in a very long time..the young kids were so good with them, sharing their sunnies around, doing the peace symbols,  and posing for pics together with the residents, everyone laughing together, and treating them like old friends.

I got such a buzz from seeing them out and enjoying themselves. Even as the ice cream spread from one side of their gorgeous faces to the other...

I  wonder how long its been since some of them have been for a stroll down the street, and taken out for morning tea.....

I bet they'll all sleep well tonight....

Other treats for the week....somehow miraculously getting the night shift off work and being able to watch Origin 2...... Go Maroons!!!!

With many other Aussies who made their way to the one bar in town that has 4 large screen TVs and plenty of cold beer @ 3 Dragons restaurant and bar

And tonight heading to the beach with friends....

Both me and Andrew sitting on the back of LANs motorbike cruising along in the cooling night air....yep, that's 3 of us on one bike.....Viet style !!!!

Nice after a long HOT day at the shop.......PRECIOUS..

Thanks Lan......love you xx

Hugs all mumma bear

In the summer rain...

I've been here a month and for the first time since I arrived, it's raining!!! Not just rain. "RAIN" !!!

I mean the heavens opened up, and chucked it down !!!

As I sit here outside the workshop, it's interesting watching people's reactions. The kids love it. They're running around jumping in the puddles, which are quickly turning into streams as the water gushes passed the shops.

 The streets don't seem to be able to handle the volume of water. And the streams on both sides seem to be getting closer, as the streets slowly flood.

The guys selling ponchos/raincoats are making a killing. Making up for the rest of the dry month. They'll go home happy tonight..

The grandparents are running round chasing the kids with brooms, trying to herd them back inside.

Taxis are picking up extra fares, as the average tourist turns into an idiot when it rains, not knowing quite what to do with themselves.

So the traffic is going in six different directions now, instead of the usual five...

It is raining 'water'..not blood, or hot coffee....

The only group of people who seem to be completely unaffected by the deluge are the guys sitting out the front of the coffee shop on the porch, across the street.

The are still in their usual evening position, with their feet up on the tables, watching TV or chatting, looking like they're totally comatose.

I guess I can sit and laugh, coz I don't have anywhere to go or be at this moment, so I just sit back, observe and smirk. 

Two of our makers heading home between showers.....tough for some !!!

I'm thankful for the rain....it smells great...and it may have even dropped the temperature a little...although...maybe not !!!

Mumma bear....

Bound to happen...

You put enough westerners in one super 'hotspot' long enough, and someone's bound to get sick!!!

Well apparently.. This is the week!!

One by one everybody seemed to drop like flies..

Sunday was Lisa's day, Monday & Tuesday were Chris's days, including a rush trip to hospital. Lan his partner, was super sleep deprived, from worry so she didn't make it in.

Wednesday, Sally spent the day in bed.

Me, I just felt a little odd yesterday evening, so I avoided heavy food, and just ate fruit and frozen yoghurt. That seemed to work. 

Touch wood...so far, Andrews been the tough guy.....So Far !!!

Even a few of our 'makers' have had sore backs and shoulder aches....

Hmmm....lucky we didn't ALL drop on the same day, at least going down one at a time, we can look after each other....

Anyway.....We all lived through another week.....

These things happen...thank goodness for FRiENDS?.....

Be there for each other..that's what life's all about 

Hug and be hugged Mumma bear :)

The heat is on...

You'd think after being here for four weeks already, I'd have gotten used to this heat....yeah, NO!!

I swear today was the hottest day so far. Andrew and I had a long break between shifts, so we decided to ride out towards the beach for a relaxing lunch by the river. It was superb, but I hadn't realised how hot it was. Relaxing a tad too long meant a speedy cycle back to the workshop for our second shift.

Two middle aged people shouldn't do such extreme sports in this weather..

I am however used to feeling clammy and grimey ALL the time, aside from a few precious minutes each day, straight after a shower.

Pretty sure the heat kept all potential customers, back in their hotels and swimming pools. I couldn't drag people in no matter how I tried. If they were out and about, they were probably heading for a cafe or bar.

As I sat out the front of the workshop, I will admit, ( sorry Karen), that I actually fell asleep. How does that even happen, when you're sitting upright.

I'm wondering if it was something in the (sua - milk) that one of our ladies kindly bought for me. I really don't know what it was, but it was super sweet, looked like regular milk, came in a 300ml 'la vie' water bottle, obviously refilled....so goodness knows.....

And what is it with the locals, how come none of them seem to sweat.....even when they're pushing or pulling massive loads along the street in the blazing sun....

Their hair doesn't stick to their face, like mine, they aren't glowing in drippy sweat, like me, they still have energy. Long after mines' gone....

Aargh.

Ok...whinge over...at least I have aircon to help me sleep....Sorry!!

 Mumma bear sending hugs

Lazy Sundays.

Weekends here are such a contrast to the week days......hmmm..how is that any different to home.

Early Sunday morning I woke up, and after looking in the mirror, I decided "I can't stand this mass of fuzzy hair any more". So 8:15am...I leave Andrew happily reading a book, and head out to get a hair cut.

And yes, no surprise, the hairdressers are open at that hour.

So there would be no "lost in translation" wicked hairdos...I took a picture, I'd torn out of a magazine.

And 1 hour later, I looked 10 years younger...well that's what I told myself anyway.

And of course, later that day, after being dumped by rough surf, I was back to looking "Fuzzy" again.

Oh well, I felt good for awhile.

I had in my mind that Andrew and I would attempt to ride our bikes to Danang, Andrew wasn't totally convinced we'd make it, but didn't argue. 30 kms roughly , 60 kms round trip.....do-able I thought.

Anyway plans changed, when I got a txt from Lisa, another volunteer, saying she was feeling really ill and would I go round to her place and sit with her. Lisa had given me acupuncture and a massage the day before for my tired old back, so I was happy to be able to return the favour.

I stayed for a couple of hours, took her round the corner for a bite, when she started feeling better, then left her to sleep the rest of the afternoon.

Andrew and I had a dinner invite from Lan and Chris, for a BBQ on the beach.

Here, there are no bbqs on the beach , you take or make your own. So in true Viet style, Lan and Chris managed to bring not only a three course meal, the BBQ, four deck chairs, wine, beer, salad entree and dessert with cheese....AMAZiNG !!!!!

and SO yummy....

Actually I think the word 'yummy' over here means something else...will verify that before I mention it again...haha

We swam about an hour, getting completely dumped by the waves, but it was so much fun. And refreshing!!

Thus ends another wonderful weekend in Vietnam.

Hugs and more hugs mumma bear

My baby's 20!!!!

Today my baby turns twenty....and although I've met so many wonderful people since my journey in Vietnam began...right now...all I want to do is give Ali the biggest CUDDLE.... 

We're at the beach and there's a vietnamese family here, Mum Dad and two small girls around 2 and 4yrs, and they are jumping all over their daddy and giggling...The sweetest thing in any country

HAPPiEST BiRTHDAY WiSHES  to my beautiful little angel xxxxxxxxx

Moments.....

Everyday is full of 'moments'....some good, some not so good....today I woke up feeling really flat...sleep is something I don't always do well, and after a couple of restless nights, I can sometimes wake up feeling sorry for myself . Nothing new, and I'm quite used to it, and most days I suck it up, do some stretches and get on with my day.

So feeling somewhat poopy, I decided to go for a walk....a few minutes out on the street, and I decided to purposely walk by the homeless shelter. I guess lots of people would walk by this place and look the other way, but now that I've been part of a group that do regular visits to this place i can't walk by without looking through the gates and seeing some of the folks I know, who through no fault or choice of their own, have come to call it home. 

Under no circumstance, would you or I choose this place to reside..but not everyone has the luxury of choice. A young boy I've come to know is sitting alone in the courtyard, and sees me, I give him a wave and a smile and I call hello. His face lights up..and he points towards the rooms that we do our sessions in. Sadly I have to tell him, today is not our visiting day, even though we don't speak the same language, I think he understands, because his smile fades a little. I tell him I'll be back...and keep walking. 

As I continue my walk, I pass a door down a tiny alley, and I looked in briefly as I kept walking, but I noticed a very old lady sitting in a wheelchair, facing out towards the street. I bet she'd rather be up and healthy too.

I've also noticed that alot of people in this town, sleep on bed frames without mattresses.

So my short walk, has taken my self pity and pushed it somewhere deep inside.

The good moments today, were many..we had a school group from Melbourne, who were on a school trip, they came  to our workshop and did our "Painting and Lantern making class" along with the principal and two teachers. They were all so pleasant and I think, made aware of the fact that they are 'privileged' to live in a country where a good education is easy to come by. After the class they had shopping time, and for the next 20 minutes our staff all went  into full speed, trying to keep up with the kids all clambering to get their purchases.

Today is a special holiday here in Hoi An, like a mini Tet. And my lovely landlady once again offered us lunch, so in a break I headed home to a tray of food, enough for four...Andrew couldn't join me, due to meetings, so I made a pretty good effort on my own, but it didn't look like it...I called Andrew and asked " are you coming home to help me out, cause there's tonnes of food here." Alas, no! It was a solo effort. Sweet people...interesting food!!!!!

Today, just seemed to go well, we had lots of lovely customers, who bought items and expressed their genuine love for what it is that our shop achieves.

We also had two young girls walk in early evening and it turns out they are journalists, and write a column for the Saigon Times, their area is charity organisations. Another good connection, as Karen was in store at the time, she was able to fill them in on everything they wanted to know.

Tired but happy, we ride home after another long day, and stop off at one of our local 'eats'....and refuel. 

Hospitality at its best....

Templestowe Valley Primary School.

Lots of little moments make up our days....try to remember the 'good ones'.....

Karen and her granddaughter.

The pros and cons....

Although I'm seeing a lot of hardship and people who live with sick and crippled bodies over here in Vietnam, the average person seems 'happy' which is more than I could say if I had my leg blown off, or    sick with disease.

These people are amazing at focusing on what they do have, and not letting obstacles stop them from getting on with life. I guess that comes with necessity. No work, No food !! Simple as that..

There's no such thing as 'cant', when it comes to transporting something from here to there. You or I would hire a small van to take some of the loads I've seen go down the street..On the back of a bike ! 

I counted 9 water bottles ( I'm talking the size you have in the office, 20lt) on one bike, all I was thinking is if one rolls off, it's going to be real ugly..

Entire mobile cafes balanced on the back of ladies pushbikes, and these ladies aren't teenagers..

Today I saw a man with a length of wood strapped across the bar behind his seat, with 2 nails either end and two  20lt buckets of paint...wouldn't want to get that one wrong.

A three door glass and wood kitchen cabinet and 6 sheets of glass on the same load.

A stack of what looked like 100 sheets of polystyrene stacked behinds a guys seat.

Mum, dad and two kids and grandma, all hugging each other real tight..flying past.

Incredible....

The Vietnamese are also fantastic cooks, with lots of their recipes being taught down through the generations..YUM 

Here we're getting 7 spring rolls for $3 or less, at home it's more like 3 spring rolls for $7.

They are extremely good at sewing and copying anything....sometimes the logos on tee shirts get mixed up in translation, that can be funny.

They are very hospitable people. I finally was able to say yes to a lunch invite from Tan our landlady. But as it turned out she had lots of family eating at her kitchen table, and we got ours delivered up to us on a tray, and we ate out on the roof top garden....too funny 

This country is very family oriented, no-one, be it grandparents or children seem to be left out, and the sound of children laughing is the same the world over....pure music!!

Their sense of fashion varies and amuses me, lots of the women wear these pyjama looking outfits...All day!....I was thinking about getting a set.....not sure how Andrew will feel about that.....sexy..

Some of the older gents still prefer to wear their shirt tucked in with a belt, while others wear these grey pj looking things that look like they've just escaped from an asylum...

The Viets have an amazing work ethic, if you ever have the chance to employ one back home, DO IT....they work so long and hard...my work day began today at 8am and though I'll have a couple of breaks in there, I finish tonight at 9pm when we close the workshop.....not a long day by their standard..

Probably the only thing that doesn't impress me over here, is their driving skills......ok, I have recently been mowed down by a motorbike, so I may be biased....but honestly if anyone out there has been praying for our safe travels and safe return to Oz....."Please" keep praying......

THEY ARE NUTS !!!!!! 

the only road rule here is...........don't get hit!!!

Stay safe and keep hugging each other ....mumma bear

Today's mission...

I have no idea who, if anyone is reading these little stories I write each day....but on the off chance that someone out there is spending a few moments daily tapping into what it is that Andrew and I are doing over here...let me try and connect you on the most intimate and raw level.

Yes, we answered the call to come over to this little town in Vietnam, far away from all that we know and love. And hopefully in some way, we will make a difference.

And as many of you have expressed..." Wow, that's awesome, I wish I could do that"... Obviously it's not the sort of opportunity that everyone can afford to do.

I feel so privileged to be able to be here. On the ground, being the hands and feet for people who can't speak for themselves.

It's yet to be determined whether this will simply be a 3 month post, that we'll come and participate in, and then return back to our previously normal daily routines, or whether it turns into something more.

But whichever way the spirit moves us, we will never be able to forget the things that we see and the people that we meet along the way.

During our time here, and let's assume is may only be for the next 3 months, I feel that not only are Andrew and I here, but in a way, all of our friends are sort of connected to this town and this project also.

We all have connections, and we all can do something, no matter how small it may seem.

This is a call out for help. If you had the privilege like us, to meet these beautiful people and see the way they have to live and work daily just to feed themselves, you would, I know, want to help.

I choose my friends wisely, and am blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people with big hearts.

I know there are many needs closer to home, and many charities that call on us daily, to give give give, but in the short time that Andrew and I may be in this town, and associated with this need, I'm going to be bold enough, to use our friendships, to see what support I can raise collectively from my circle of friends.

The easiest way to make that happen right now whilst I'm out of Australia would be, if you're feeling like contributing to us here, to contact Ali or Lauren, as they will be travelling over to see us in July. If you want to put any amount in an envelope (with your name on or anonymously)
and pass it to them over the next couple of weeks, you have no idea, what the smallest amount of money, (small change to us), can do for these people over here.

Once we return to Australia and our time here is over. It may be someone else's turn to connect and call on their respective friends for the same support. But right now, I'M HERE, and it's my turn to reach out to those I know..

For anyone who's in the luckier position of maybe being able to consider sponsoring the foundation on a regular basis..I'm putting in the link to Lifestart Foundations website..

You may not have heard of them up until now, but that doesn't make the need go away..

They are real, and we are here!!!!

Simple as that....

Think on it........I'll be here !!!

"If you've done it unto the least of these my people, you've done it unto me...."

Have a super day everyone ..BE BLESSED :)

..

Mumma bear. 

www.lifestartfoundation.org.au/

Friends friends everywhere......

I don't know what I expected before I left Australia, in terms of friends and socialising here in Vietnam..I guess my plans all happened so fast, I really didn't give it much thought at all. I did think about the friends I would miss from home...but I couldn't anticipate the ones I was yet to meet.. I mean, how can you.....

Aside from very quickly becoming a welcomed part of life at the workshop, with all the staff and our ladies (makers) who come and go every day..

There are all the other volunteers, Lisa, Sally, Emma, Lan, Hien, Karen, Sinh, Robyn, Sondra, Phuong, Sang...I'm sure I've missed some...

Even the customers.....one minute I'm serving them in the shop, the next I'm sitting at a table beside them in a cafe...

You wouldn't want to do anything bad to anyone in this town....it's very small..

Almost every time I eat at '43' I see someone there I've met.

As I'm riding my bike around town, I see people I know and exchange friendly waves.( whilst trying not to crash again.)

Tonight as LAN was leaving the shop, she invited Andrew and I to join her and Chris her partner, for a BBQ on the beach one night.

After work tonight Andrew and I dropped into a restaurant where Andrew joined Lisa, Tan (not my landlady, another Tan)  and David, for dinner, while I was at the shop working.   

My Tan has taken me to yoga. And invited me to a family dinner, which I had to miss, due to working..

I spent last Saturday at the beach with Lisa and Sally, lounging in palapas for the afternoon, before meeting many children, and then some of the parents afterwards.

In the evening as Lisa and I made our way along the beach choosing where to eat, we saw Karen and her boys and daughter in law Phuong and Karens' granddaughter. We were invited to join them for dinner, but we just stayed for a drink, as I know family time is precious.

Whilst walking home from the shop last night ( pre Andrew getting his bike) we heard a 'hello' and it was Hien, another of our volunteers, who just happens to live in the street behind us. 

I was early morning walking Tuesday and heard someone calling "Ish" amidst the buzzing of the traffic, only to see Karen and Robyn having coffee in a lovely outdoor garden cafe, so over I go to join them. I don't have anywhere to be for an hour, so I have another opportunity to spend time with these beautiful ladies, hearing more about their stories.

 Karen has to leave, which gave me time to get to know Robyn better..She is the founder of CHIA...a children's foundation.

Emma only had about a week left of her time here before heading back to New Zealand, but every time I bumped into her, it was like we were old friends...she will be greatly missed !!

Thuy and I do a few of the evening shifts together, and have plenty of time in between customers to sit on our little bamboo stools out the front of the shop and chat...He makes me laugh.. He's so sweet. The other day, he came to work and said, " we are having lunch together today Ish " he had brought 2 lots of lunch from home, and a dish especially for me, ( as they all seem to eat their meals out of the pots they cook them in). So I shared in a meal of rice, steamed fish in chili sauce and morning glory...

All prepared and shared in a loving gesture of friendship.

So blessed !!

The lesson here is..no matter where you go in this world, if you put out love it will come back to you..

Night all....hug someone...mumma bear x

Well that's embarrassing

So after being in my small but terribly cute apartment on my own for the past two weeks, spreading out my stuff and filling all the available cupboard and bench spaces, I now have to learn to share again.

I'm making that sound bad.. The good news is "ANDREW's arrived!!

Poor guy, after sitting on planes and in airports for the past 18 hrs...he finally touches down in Vietnam. "Welcome" it's only 100 degrees and 150% humidity..

Me and Mr Bill..my driver are waiting with smiles.

Let me just say..earlier that day I had to pop into the rehab centre to pick up a couple of shirts for Andrew, and Karen was in the office, so I popped my head in to say 'hi'. She asked if I was getting ready and excited to be picking up Andrew that afternoon. I said, yes..but was still deciding whether or not to have a shower and do my hair and makeup....as its fast becoming apparent that looking lovely, is just not sustainable in this heat. Or should I just let Andrew see me for what I am. Or have become..

Karen suggested I at least have a shower...poor Andrew, he won't recognise me.

Ok, so I decide to make the effort. It may be the last time he sees me looking half decent for the next three months.

My driver 'Mr Bill, totally Vietnamese.... Picks me up, and we start our 35 minute drive to Danang airport. Mr Bill speaks very good English, but still as is the Viet culture, he wants to know how old I am. He guesses....wait......"50 or 52" he says........

S#*^#.......... Imagine how old he would have thought I was if I hadn't  bothered with the hair and makeup.

He then asked if I had children, another common question here. I told him "yes two big girls' and he says...having children makes us look old on the outside..

Ooh, I'm feeling really good about myself now....

oh well, lucky I love my kids to bits.....I guess they're  worth ALL the wrinkles.

So Andrew arrives and we jump back in Mr Bills car and head back to Hoi An. As we pull up to the furniture shop in 'Ly Thuong Kiet' St....Andrew says surprised..."is this where we live?"....yep. Welcome to your new home.........

28kg suitcase...3 flights of stairs......too funny!!

Blah blah blah....I give Andrew literally 5 mins to get changed, and then we head into the workshop...wandering thru the streets and alleys that he remembers from our last trip.

we sit outside the shop for the next 4 hrs, chatting to customers and staff as everyone gets acquainted. Andrews always been tall, but here he's a giant..

  He even got serenaded by our neighbour Chau.

Thuy bought us banh mi and I bought some fruit off the lady who walks past our shop numerous times a day. A Saigon cafe from Neps' and dinner is complete...

At 9pm we shut up shop and walk home, the streets are still full of people, eating shopping and get tangled in traffic.

 Back in  'our' apartment, Andrew unpacks etc, and I go to pop outside to the landing to get some drinking water, and I can't open our door. After looking around for the key, I realise we've left it in the lock....On the outside ....we are locked in our room..

Ok, wait, I can climb out the window and open the door from the other side...except that the other door from the patio inside, is also locked.....poop...

The only thing to do, is wait til the morning and hope that Tan or Thien or the cleaner comes upstairs to do some washing...

The next  morning I flung my washing out the window into the garden, then flung myself out also...I do have access to the laundry , so why waste a perfectly good morning. I'll just blog while I wait for the washing , and hope that someone comes upstairs soon and let's us out of our room....

That  really is embarrassing.................

Mumma and now pappa bear.......be hugged :)

'Tim the tool-man' is now living with me in my apartment.....

Dinner with Angels..

This morning I managed to sneak out of my room early...see, I live above a furniture store, and the family that owns it, also live on the 2nd floor, I live on the 3rd floor. And although I've asked about having a key to the roller door that locks the store ( and the house) at night, the landlady isn't keen. So I thought I was trapped until the store opened everyday  at 8am...but I found out Tan goes walking quite early, and she leaves the roller door open just slightly....so.. I'm Free...

Today was the first time I've put on closed in shoes. My feet felt very tight and squeezy.

I wandered thru lots of small streets, working my way around town, observing life at the early hrs in this small town. Many school kids were already making their way to school. Lots of workers were already up, doing their thing, digging, building etc, this includes many woman, shovelling spadefulls of sand into wheelbarrows, and lifting piles of bricks up to the men on the next level. The building sites are usually 50/50 men and women..crazy!!

I met Karen at her favourite breaky bar..you maybe visualising "3 monkeys" or "Uncle Joes" or somewhere similar, but this is literally a hole in the wall, that fills up with people early in the morning, all sitting shoulder to shoulder, side by side eating the one thing (I'd say on the menu, but there is no menu)..Mi Quang.

That's all they make, they don't do coffee or anything else..and as soon as I walked in and shuffled in next to Karen, I was served a large bowl of noodles, and a plate of salad greens. And that's mi Quang..

And this delightful bowl of flavour cost me 15000 vnd - 75c

Should you happen to go past this same alley in the afternoon, you would assume you'd picked the wrong alley, as there is no sign of food or tables, it now looks like someone's small and unassuming front porch.  They only do breakfast !!!

After breaky and the integral part of the day.....Saigon cafe, I'm off to the shelter, for another hysterical session of music therapy and games.

As soon as I sweep thru the gates into the courtyard on my bike, I get a bunch of hands going up, waving, they've met me twice, and already they know I'm here to visit and hang out with them..

Some are smiling from their rooms, waiting to be put In wheelchairs and taken to our rooms, some make their own way there.

Two young boys Khahn and Phuc head into the room at lightning speed, excited to help set up the tables, get out the stereo and put the fan on etc. no words, just smiling happy faces.

I'm starting to work out what each person is capable of, and what makes each of them happy.

Some of them sing to the songs we play on the cd. Some just enjoy banging their instruments (albeit plastic bottles with a few bead inside them).

Games time is always fun, and today I managed to get more organised, getting them to watch my hand and all wait til I finished standing up all the bowling pins, and then I stood back, and counted to 3 and made a signal for them all to throw the balls at once, Raws of laughter go up, as their combined efforts knock over all or most of the pins. However after a number of goes, they decide it would be 'more' fun to wait til I'm in the middle, standing up the pins, and one, then all of them begins to throw the balls AT me...this just kills them with laughter...... I thought one lady wasn't going to breathe again, she laughed so long...if it brings them this much pleasure, I'm happy to be the 'human bowling pin'...

Lots of hugs are already happening at the end of our sessions, they are so full of love, and I fear no one else loves them til the next time we come to visit!!

The rest of my day is taken up with more hotel visits, marketing thru town. I really should be wearing a hat.. Am starting to look like a red Indian! But if anyone wants tips on we're to stay or eat in this town...I am the new 'trip advisor' ...

Four hrs in the workshop chatting to many various customers...and my work day is done..Finished at 5pm..an early one .

After a much needed shower ( you think you're getting a tan, and then realise most of it washes off in the shower...dirt!!) 

A txt from Karen, and I'm over the road at "Beer in a bowl" for a fabulous pomelo and shrimp salad. ($2:75) street food at its best..

At the table with Karen, are two other ladies, Robyn who works with a childrens foundation, and Sondra who, with her husband, run Streets, the cafe that trains disadvantaged young people. As I sit and listen to the conversation between these 3 beautiful women, who all have hearts of gold...I feel like I'm having dinner with  'angels'..........

Eat, Pray Love...

I just remembered I haven't shared my "Yoga" experience. So after getting home from a 9-5pm day at work..I've been in my apartment for 2 minutes and Tan my landlady is knocking on my door. She's all keen for me to go with her to her yoga class. So without time to shower, I head down stairs and after stealing a helmet from her friend, I get loaded up with her bag, my bag and a yoga mat, slung over my shoulder. Now I just have to get a free hand to try and hang on. Ps: (I'm on the back of Tans' motorbike)

We're off....weaving our way through the streets of crazy traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and all sorts.

As the wind is blowing over my face in the cooling night air, I suddenly feel like 'Julia Roberts' in a scene out of Eat, Pray, Love....unfortunately that's where the resemblance ends...

What is it about riding through narrow streets filled with all sorts of crazy activities and interesting people, that is just so invigorating....I LOVE IT !!!!

So, the yoga class. Eight ladies, clearly they'd all been many times before, as they 'could' bend and squat, whilst sticking their chins on the floor, whereas I needed the teacher, (a very agile young beauty) to help me into the correct position, by pushing on my back til  my body did something I didn't think it was capable of...I am now double jointed !!!!

Anyway, I tried to keep up with my nimble friends....a few times I slowly over leaned and then gracefully landed on the floor.

A couple of times everyone was looking at me, and talking ( in Viet)... and I could only wonder what they were saying.

At the end of the class, Tan asked if I'd ever done yoga before, I said no, then she asked if I'd done dance, to which I again, said no!  And then she said...."you're very good"...

Hmmm. So I'm not sure what all the laughing was about.

I did enjoy my first yoga experience....

Although I'm wondering if its acceptable to fall asleep during the meditation part at the end.....Oops !!

My little faux pas..

I guess it's the same anywhere you go, and they say you learn by your mistakes.

1. Remove foot from out of the way 'before' riding over it when parking the 3 wheel motorbikes for the ladies at the workshop....foot's fine..need new thongs though !! ....those bikes are Heavy!!

2. Don't send a boy with CP out to get your lunch...( just to save a few cents, because he's local and will get it cheaper)...I asked Dung and Thuy where they got the banh mi we ate last night, as I wanted to buy one for lunch. And Dung said she'd get Mai our boy who paints the conical hats and tees to go get one for me, to save me money. He took off with my 15000 vnd - 75c and 30 mins later, still hadn't returned. I only had an hour for lunch, so I decided to duck around to '43' and grab a quick curry. When I got there a lovely young couple from Melbourne whom I'd met there a few days earlier were having lunch. They offered for me to join them at their table. We chatted like old friends, and shared what we'd all been up to over the past few days. (Including my accident..and a warning to be careful in traffic)

It was so nice to have company for what was a quick lunch.. Nick and Amelia....it was great to meet and hang out with you both...twice :)

I had to say goodbye and stick to my timetable, as punctuality is very important for the volunteers to set a good example to the local staff.

On returning to the workshop, my banh mi was waiting for me....apparently Mai's push me pull me got a flat tyre..

I didn't have the heart to tell anyone I'd already eaten...and they insisted I sit down and enjoy my lunch....so that day I had 2 lunches .....

3.Barter, barter, barter....after the demise of my one and only pair of thongs, I shot down to the market to buy a new pair, as the thought of wearing my closed shoes from home was not appealing.

The Vietnamese are super at copying anything, but I'm not too sure about the quality, so I check out all the thongs and sandals, and settle on a comfy leather sandal. Asking price 450000 vnd - "tell 'em their dreamin".....$22:50...no way...so me and the stall holder do the dance where I say a price, she says a price, I say another one, she says another one....etc...til finally we met at 250000 vnd-$12:50.

I still probably got ripped off, but I felt good about getting her to half!!

 Unlike my bike parking skills at An Bang beach.. I knew you had to pay to park your bike at the beach, they "watch" your bike for you under a big tin shed, give you a tag with a number on it, and write that number on your bike seat in chalk.

I asked how much he said 50000.... That's $2:50.. I said no way, he said 20000. That's a buck, I can live with that, I gave him 50000 and he gave me 20000 back, so actually I got charged $1:50...hmmm

 When at 'Soul kitchen' where I had breaky I asked if there was anywhere else I could leave my bike, and she said no, leave it at the shed, it's only 5000 ....surprised and ticked...I said "he charged me 30000" she looked shocked...wait til I go back to pickup my bike.......

Live And Learn !!!!!

4. Brush up on my French...I had a French man walk past the shop yesterday, I can't remember what it was that he said that made me realise he was French, but I said " je parle le francias en petite peu.."...well..he began speaking French one hundred miles an hour....and completely Lost me!!!

A little Russian wouldn't go astray either....this place is so multicultural....

I was trying to think of a way to describe how I was feeling at the end of a long day at the workshop....and this description came to mind....

DEEP FRIED AND CRUMBED IN DIRT !!!!

hot hot hot sweaty and covered in dust!!

Still I'm making up for it today. Sitting at the beach in a palapa...sipping Saigon cafe (coffee) 

And sharing all my thoughts and adventures!!!!!

 Wishing you we're here...hugs mumma bear :)