HaPPy hALloWeEN! After a long week...

Elsbeth writing...

Yet again, it’s been a long time since I’ve written an update for this blog. This last week as been absolutely crazy and a lot has happened. First, my birthday was last Sunday! It was a fantastic day celebrated Vietnamese style. I had the day off of work (we had just finished working 10 days in a row and needed a break). We were pretty lazy—sleeping in late, watching TV, and generally being bums. In the evening we went to Pineapple Beach, which is at the foot of the bluff where the Jesus statue is. It’s behind a café and down the hill. It’s our favorite secluded beach. There are rocks to climb on, big waves, and few people. We played Frisbee and I read for a bit. Afterwards we went to a nice seafood restaurant. I wanted a change in venue so we went in the opposite direction than we usually go when looking for a restaurant. We had a traditional Vietnamese hotpot dinner. A metal pot is placed over a small burner on your table. In the pot they cook a stew right there. We had mixed seafood with fresh vegetables. It also comes with big bowls of rice noodles, rice, and vegetables. It was delicious. After dinner we went back to the hotel, had cake, and watched the second half of Harry Potter on TV. Ellyn bought a fancy cake for my birthday with roses and everything. It was so good. There were four of us so we had a quarter each of this huge cake. I also got a lot of birthday wishes and it was great to talk to my parents and Sarah over Skype. Overall it was a great day.

Also later that week I received a package from my parents at ILA. Thanks heaps by the way! I knew they were sending me some things we needed, but they also put in some b-day presents. A couple used books—the first Twilight series book and a biography about L.M. Montgomery. I was so excited. So now I have even more to read. I also got a beautiful old fashioned necklace and earrings that my mom bought from an estate sale. Apparently the previous owner had traveled and collected jewelry from all over the world. So typical of our family to buy used things. It was a little piece of home. Ellyn also got a package from her parents today. It’s always nice to get mail, but it’s ten times better when you’re halfway around the world.

Those were some of the main highlights of my week. The rest of the week was super busy. We had meetings and workshops all week. Monday my boss observed one of my classes as the first observation for new teachers. I also started a new seniors class (middle school age). So now I have three seniors classes and one adult class. I didn’t particularly want the adult class, but they’ve invited me out for coffee and have offered me rides home so they seem pretty nice. Still, it’s very difficult to teach them because they’re beginners. It’s so hard to explain a concept, give directions, or get them to do something interactive. I’m glad I have mostly seniors classes, since that was the age I originally wanted to teach in Minnesota. They’re good kids.

We also had to spend our Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the hospital getting health checks for our work permits. That was an experience to say the least. Ellyn’s writing a blog about that, too. On the first day we had our blood drawn and then they gave us these tiny test tubes and pointed to the bathrooms. I just started laughing and laughing the entire time. Not only did we have to somehow use these tiny tubes, but there were dirty squat toilets. Then we had to carry them back in plain sight of our co-workers (there were five of us—two guys and three girls) and put them in this rack in the open air where everyone was walking by. How embarrassing. But that was just the start. The next day wasn’t so funny for us three ladies and we were pretty upset with ILA. Ellyn can tell you more about that…. Anyway, complain all you want about healthcare in the states, but it really makes you thankful for the quality of care we have back home.

Then on Thursday morning we had two friends—a couple our age—from our CELTA class visit us. They work at ILA in HCMC and needed a break by the beach. It was great to have them over, although I didn’t see them until later that evening. I had to plan my lessons and get books for my new class. We met for dinner on All Night Street (as it’s dubbed, even though it’s not really open all night—late, though, for Vietnamese people). We usually eat somewhere on this street every day after work. There’s a lot of cheap Vietnamese food. Can you believe that I haven’t had potatoes for two weeks now?! Crazy. After dinner we went to the Monte Carlo Casino in town. We got free beers (because we look like rich Westerners) in exchange for gambling. I just exchanged 100,000 (about $5) into USD, but didn’t spend anything. I don’t care for that much, plus I’m still dirt poor. Then they slept overnight in our hotel room, since we have two queen-size beds and we introduced them to the world of quality late-night movies on cable….

Yes, that’s our new thing in this small town. Every night after work we flip on the TV to see what great, new movie is on the Star Movies or Cinemax Channels. We’ve seen some doozies. Let’s see… "Ants on a Plane" as we call it (really, “Destination: Infestation”) where these vicious ants attack people on a plane. I think that’s where they got the idea for “Snakes on a Plane.” Then there was “Tremors” with the sand monsters who try to eat Kevin Bacon in the desert. That night we watched a “scary” movie called “Storm Warning.” There was a storm, but I don’t recall hearing a warning. It was just a couple crazy Aussie guys trying to kill this couple who trespass on their land.

Anyway, the next morning we went to Belly’s and had a real American breakfast—French toast, bacon, orange juice, and an omelet with cheese. So good. We played cards and later saw them off on the ferry. It’s so nice to have visitors.

Anyway, speaking of scary things, on Halloween we had a special scare for the students. In both my classes I talked to them about Halloween, showed them pictures, and for my seniors I had them say “Trick-or-Treat” to get candy. Then during break time all of a sudden they shut off the lights and some of the teachers, who wore scary costumes, came up and freaked out the kids. And they were really freaking out, even the TAs and the girls in my adult class were scared. I thought it was kind of hazardous to have it pitch black and have kids running all over. Someone also accidentally tipped over a bucket of water so the floor was all slippery. I’m surprised no one got hurt. But that’s Vietnam for you. It’s the law for adults to wear helmets when riding a motorbike, but not kids under 12. They weld without face masks. They’re pretty lax about safety.

So that’s an update for now on our lives here. Jeez, yet another long blog.