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.