English Department Farewell

On Sunday night, I had the first of many farewell parties with my colleagues in the English Department. It, of course, involved great food, lots of beer, and karaoke. Since it is my last week in Long Xuyen, I consented to singing (despite warning everyone that it would be much worse for them as “the listeners” than for me), and they seemed to really appreciate my pitchy, tone-deaf wailing of ‘New York New York’ (but really, they were probably just being polite). It was a great night with a very special group of people. Every one of my colleagues in the English Department has treated me with such kindness, and has gone out of their way to be available to help me with various hiccups along the way. I am really going to miss these incredible friends. They have made my time in Vietnam truly special.

English Department Ladies

Standard.

Jillian dedicated MANY songs to me…she is a karaoke queen.

Mr Hoa and his fabulous shirt.

I don’t know what I would have done without Mr. Hanh and Mr. Ngo. My knights-in-shining-armor!

She’d kill me for this, but it’s just so great.

Mr. Tri was on fire! (figuratively, of course)

The French-speaking end of the table.

Post-karaoke, feeling mortified!

Beer in one hand, microphone in the other= Vietnam

What am I going to do without her in my life?!

My rocks.

I can’t get enough of Mr. Hoa’s face in this picture.

FOOD

Some days, it just feels like rice rice rice rice rice ricerice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice ricericerice ricerice rice rice rice rice rice ricerice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice ricericerice rice rice rice ricerice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice rice. RICE.

So, in my spare time, I’ve been making a list of the foods I just can’t wait to eat when I get home (read: will devour on site, get out of my way there’s no stopping me, ANDREA HUUUUNGRY![said in deep monster voice]).

You can witness this masterpiece-in-the-making below. I’ll be taking suggestions, on the good chance that I have forgotten one of the many culinary delights offered in the good ol’ US of A. Just one rule: no rice! (Unless it’s stuffed in a burrito, mixed with a hearty dose of black beans and smothered in cheese, oh STOP!)

The trick will be to somehow not gain 30 lbs upon arrival. I’ll take suggestions for that, too.

FOOD!

The Cao Dai Religion

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, you might recall an earlier post which included pictures of a Cao Dai temple. Cao Dai is a fascinating religion, unique to Vietnam, and is responsible for some of the most beautiful (and bizarre!) temples dotted throughout the Delta. The New York Times just published a great article about Cao Dai worshipers that is worth checking out if you’re interested in learning more: http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/travel/in-vietnam-the-cao-dai-temple-mixes-religions-and-styles.html?pagewanted=1

As my time in Vietnam grows shorter my life gets more and more silly…

What happens when you go out to celebrate the end of an English contest (that took 4 months of planning and practicing) with your students?

You drink lots of beer and end up with a lotus seed in your nose.

Troi oi!

 

Tis the Season…

…for bugs. Living here, I have been in a constant battle with bugs. However, we are just wrapping up the rice harvesting season, when the farmers burn their rice fields. This means that all of the bugs that usually live in the rice paddies need to find new digs. So they have invaded the city and my house. Every morning, I wake up to a heap of dead bugs and sweep them out, preparing for the next nightly onslaught. Such a lovely thing to see first thing in the morning.

A Hard Day’s Work

Since I’m not home to share the dog-parenting responsibilities, Pat has been bringing Desmond to work with him. It’s a long, hard day’s work for the little guy and by the end of the day he is just exhausted! See exhibit A. Lucky for Desmond, when I get home his days will be filled with snuggling & kisses.

Exhibit A.

I get to see this sleepy furball in just about 30 days!!

The Cow Project

One of the new foreigners in Long Xuyen has started a non-profit which donates cows to families in the countryside who are living below the poverty line. In Vietnam, that means that families of 5-7 people are living on less than 60 cents a day. On Sunday, we went with him to visit a couple of the families that will receive a cow. The preliminary visit is to make sure the family knows how to raise a cow, has enough land to sustain a cow, and agrees to the contract. The idea is, each family will give the 1st calf to another poor family, thus starting a ripple effect. Each subsequent calf can be sold at the market, making a considerable impact on the family’s financial situation. One man receiving a cow said, “Yesterday, they told me I would receive a cow. I was so excited that I built a cow house.” And sure enough, across from his house, there was a rudimentary cow-sized hut, awaiting the cow’s arrival.

We started the day by meeting government officials. Which, of course, meant having lunch and shots of rice wine.

And more shots of rice wine.

And cigarettes (not me!)

And more wine.

Christian, who started the NGO

Lunch-party-crasher

One of the homes we visited

This family will also receive a cow

We saw an amazing rain shower on the way home

Jillian’s very fashionable and not at all dorky night-riding get-up

We were quite the spectacle as we were very likely the only foreigners to ever visit that neighborhood