Six Candles

     It's hard to believe that it was six years ago that Maeve Waugh came into our lives.  It is so fun to see her happy, flourishing, and enjoying life.  It's also a good thing that Asia has fancy dress up princess dresses even at the grocery store.  Sophie had a bit of a  problem with the "only presents for Maeve" idea, but I think, overall, it was a successful 6th birthday.

      Part of Maeve's birthday present was a girls spa day out.  We started at the nail studio where the girls got beautiful little flowers painted on their toenails.  Mom treated herself to a foot massage, callus slough, and general shape up.  (Almost a necessity after wearing sandals for almost a year without putting any other type of footwear on.)

      Then we were off for new dos, shampoo and pampering included!  It is so fun to watch these guys just eat up the salon attention.  We had the run of the place, and the girls all of the attention, because we were the only ones in there.  Fun.  Total bill for three cuts, washes, styles, and tips?  200,00 Dong or $12.00.

      My colleague and friend Bonnie is an extraordinary baker and she made Maeve a beeayoutiful birthday cake. So thoughtful!  Anyone want to come over for a piece?   We have some to share.  : )

     Our trip to Vung Tau gave us a few nights away from the hustle and bustle of HCMC.  The girls are getting better and better at traveling, which is wonderful.  One of my favorite memories of the trip was walking up the gazillion steps of the Jesus statue atop small mountain, happily, when Charles said to the girls "You guys are great travelers!"  Maeve turned around with her sweet smile and said "I want to see the world."

     Yes, you may notice that the following pictures are not mine.  The definite lowlight of the trip was when I left my camera in my pocket and it must have slipped out into one of the many taxis that we took around the town.  Yes...*%#$^%&!!!!!  I had a good cry over that one - seeing that it was a treasured and well used gift from my colleagues at the Center.  Realizing that it was worth more than two months salary of most Vietnamese and probably long gone made me have to let go of it.  (Although I am still a little upset with myself...) Hardest was loosing the cool pictures form our trip.  You probably also noticed that I replaced it with a not so fabulous camera, thanks to the Lotte Mart.  It is Maeve's birthday after all.

     We did truly enjoy our climb up to the Jesus statue.  Don't pay attention to the Lonely Planet Vietnam guide (In fact we are ready to ditch the Lonely PLanet Vietnam guide because it has not served us well many times.), it was a great experience and they did not have any caged animals anywhere on site.

      We took a boat like this one down the Saigon river.  A little over an hour trip.  It was  an interesting journey.  Had it not been hot, sweaty, and close inside the cabin, it would have been downright delightful.

     Vung Tau is a clean, smaller beach town.  

     We stayed on Back Beach, at a clean and well kept hotel.  Service?  Well, that's another story as we are finding in Vietnam.  The inconsistency is consistent.  By the way, if you have mental illness of hypertension, you are not allowed to swim in the hotel pool.  And, if you are an expat foreigner staying with a Vietnamese native you have to present your marriage certificate before being allowed to stay at the hotel.  Very interesting.  (Vung Tau is famous for its extracurricular offerings that cater to people who work the many, many oil rigs, refineries, and oil platforms that dot the oceanscape.)

     Charles found some interesting sea life specimens in the ocean, like starfish and cuttle fish, and both girls enjoyed the surf.  We have this little family tradition of night walks on the beach with light sticks which is always fun.  We could see the stars! So beautiful, and so long since I have seen them. There is something wonderful about all falling asleep in the same room, and watching TV before bed in a hotel room.  It was a good getaway. 

    And we were reminded of the extra challenge of traveling with small children, like the fact that I had to take at least one, if not two, little people to the bathroom after the very first bite of each and every meal, which involves communicating the word "toilet", finding it given the directions, and quickly finishing as Sophie decides she wants to go back to the table "by herself" instead of waiting for us. I often returned to a cold meal that was mediocre at best when it was hot.

    We are still nursing our colds, Charles a bad back flare up, and I am wishing for another week of break. I am missing oatmeal and Orangina - two things that we could consistently buy on each visit to the store. Now that are NOWHERE to be found.  It is so weird. I think that what happens is that lots or bundles of things become available and cheap for import. Vietnamese companies buy them.  When it is gone, it is gone.  Looking for that silver lining....who knows what we will be able to buy tomorrow?  : )

    Love, especially, to all of our friends' new babies I follow copiously via my friend the internet.

    Sleep tight little ones.  

Mangoes and Lemongrass

    Spring break!  It is a wonderful feeling right now - everyone is either napping or having personal in room times on a Sunday afternoon and I don't have to worry about school work today.  It's break, and it's glorious.  This last stretch at school feels like it has been a lot of work.

     We are off tomorrow for a two day jaunt to Vung Tau, a beach resort one hour's hydrofoil boat ride down the Saigon river.  Hotel with a pool on the beach - that's about all we need for a getaway that we'll enjoy.  I'll be sure to post pictures when we return.

     It is always fun to ask my students where people are going for the break.  I think by the time I saw all of my students, I found out that they were scattering to at least 12 different countries.

     We also have confirmed tickets for the summer, which is a great feeling.  We will be in New Jersey with my parents the third week in June, and again at the end of July.  In between we will spend a month at the cabin in Michigan.  Sorry South Carolina friends, it doesn't look like we will make it south this summer.  We will make an effort for next summer to be sure. 

     Each week things get more comfortable, more routine, but there are always things, and will always be things that remind us how far we are away from the familiar.

     When Maeve and I were in a taxi to school the other day, the taxi driver was listening to a "learn English" tape.  "A robber is someone who steals from a store.  A tenant is someone who rents from a landlord.  A shoplifter is someone who takes something from a store without paying for it. A client is someone who buys something from a shop."  Maeve got her furrowed brow look - it was funny - she knew she understood it was English but she wasn't quite sure... The content alone sends messages about the relations ship between Vietnamese and English speakers doesn't it? 

     Sophie gets funnier.  She starts many sentences with what we think is a Vietnamese phrase that sounds like "Mee Mow"?  She seems to be blending languages a bit.  The other day when I was frustrated because of something in the kitchen - and it could have been a veritable array of things that seem to go wrong all of the time - kitchen sink spurting water, being out of milk or ice, drinking water running out.  One things that is for sure about living here is that it feels like you can't count on anything to be the same as it has been before.  Everything seems to take a deliberate effort still.  We have plans to get more full time house help next year which I hope will make the daily working of eating and living easier.)  In any case, amidst my frustration Sophie said "Calm down Mom!  Breathe."   :  )

     She's also quite the 3D artist.  After watching me make a marionette out of chopsticks, foil, and string, she constructed this one completely on her own the next day.  (By the way, did you know that chopsticks can not only make a marionette, but be a magic wand or a back scratcher too?)

     Maeve had her first official friend over after school last week.  Rae is Vietnamese but from North Carolina.  She's in Maeve's class and is a real cutie.  I love hearing her dad talk who is clearly Vietnamese but speaks English with a southern accent.

     Sophie and Charles have been learning about different countries in the world, keeping a journal, and keeping this map in her room with pictures of famous places.

     Here, Charles shares both of our favorite house chore, hanging up laundry.  See how excited he is to do this?

     I got the nicest notice form the phone company the other day on our box, that I wanted to be sure to share it on my blog.  

     Announcement Re: The Fixed Telephone service is interrupted provisionally.

To: VALUABLE CUSTOMERS OF THE FIXED TELEPHONE SERVICE.

    First of all, Saigon South Telephone Center (SST) would like to than our valuable customers for using the fixed telephone service during the last time.

    Aim to ensure the quality of service, Saigon Postel Corp. will upgrade the telephone exchange system.  On behalf of Saigon Postel Corp., Saigon South Telephone Center would like to inform you that during the time of performance from 00h00 to 04h00 Sunday, March 22, 2009 we need to interrupt your services. 

Wishing your help and cooperation.

Sincerely Yours,

Translation?  Please use Skype to contact us for at least a week.  :  )

     Here is a picture of the courtyard in our apartment complex - Hung Vuong 2.  When asked "Where are your from?" Maeve answers "USA".  Sophie says "Hung Vuong Hai."

      Here is our friends' smoothie stand on the corner. This one came after her stand at school, so we were already regulars.  Days just aren't the same without a mango smoothie.

     Lemongrass is my absolute favorite new spice.  I think it may be more Thai than Vietnamese, but many restaurants cook meats in it.  Delicious.

     We went downtown today for a lunch treat at our favorite restaurant called "Juice"

and followed it with a trip to the Reunification Plaza.  It is the former presidential palace of South Vietnam, planned by Soviet Architects ala 1960s, and the North Vietnamese tank that collapsed the gates in 1975 showing North Vietnam's victory is still in the front yard.

     The architecture is pretty cool.  It is all open with many of those wonderful 60s modern lines.

      Charles and I agreed that the "Gambling Room" was our favorite.

     We will hopefully soon be over our latest round of colds.  Guess who got it last and is sniffing as she types? This latest round included hives for Maeve, a little disconcerting, but all fears were allayed when we saw our great Israeli pediatrician who did not seem too alarmed.

     Maeve will be six on Friday!  It's hard to believe. I remember my mom picking me up in our little kitchen on Coldspring Drive on the morning of my birthday and saying "How did you get to be six?"I understand where she was coming from.  : )

     I have joined the "jungle" of Facebook as my sister calls it.  I must admit that I poo-pooed it so, probably because of how obsessive it is for my students.  But it is right up my alley because it is about something I have enjoyed doing for years and did before simply by snail mail ...keeping in touch with people.  It is a hoot to see all of my contemporaries and friend with little ones in their pictures.  So if I haven't invited you as a friend yet, don't hesitate!

    There have been a few hard moments for me this month feeling so far away from friends who are having babies or having hard times.  I must admit that the internet is amazing for at least communicating.

      There way joy and surprises too.  My friend Francis sent me hardback copies of all of the Newberry winners this year.  What a treat!  Books are especially golden here.

   I close with a picture acquired by the very same Facebook.  Bonus points this month for anyone who can properly identify someone we know in this rockin' picture:

It's a small pic, sorry, so I'll give you a hint.  Look in the lower left corner...

     Don't be a stranger!