Hello Again.....We are still here and still having fun. Although, things have finally settled a bit.
We have moved from our hotel to a very nice house. We have been here 2 weeks already, but it seems like longer. Our house is in District 3, probably about the distance Plympton is from Adelaide. So really quite close to the busiest part of Ho Chi Minh City. We are about a five minute walk from where I am working and have all the conveniences around us. We are in a little alley which at first presented as quiet and deserted but we have quickly found that it can get rather busy. Our house is 3 stories with access to a rooftop garden too. The ground floor has lounge, kitchen and bathroom, and each of the two other floors have 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Our bedroom and study is on the second floor and the third floor is reserved for visitors. We have everything we need and feel very safe and secure. We have been told that this is one of the better areas to live. There is a great vegetarian restaurant around the corner that prepares delicious meals for about $3-$4 for the two of us, so needless to say we haven't been cooking.
The day we moved in, an old gentleman living 2 doors up passed away. His family and friends started congregating in the alley, very well set up with tables, chairs and a tarp to keep the rain off. There were lots of stands of flowers and baskets of fruit as they kept their vigil for 3 days. Buddhist monks were chanting and ringing bells. It really was a great thing to witness, although I did feel sad for them. The coffin was set up in the lounge room and they had a little altar with candles and photos. I said to James that I really wanted to be here when they took him out, just to witness the ceremony. Well, next morning at 5.30 am we were stunned into the new day with a brass band, complete with trumpets, drums and baton twirler. I just exclaimed "What the!!!" We were both hanging over the balcony in no time.....no worries, we were not going to miss it, Cameras to record it all. We couldn't believe what we were seeing....and hearing. Once that band was finished its repertoire, another came along. All the family and friends were dressed in disposable white robes with Ku Klux Clan style hoods. After a string of Buddhist monks had arrived and sang chants and rang bells, the pall bearers (obviously a professional mob in uniform) came and carried out the coffin, which looked incredibly heavy and richly adorned with lots of brass and trimmings. Everybody followed out of the alley and into the street and then it was all over. And the sun was just coming up. We went back to bed and they headed to the crematorium.
Life here is just so different. There is a real relaxed atmosphere to the place. Even with all those people on the roads going in different directions, there is no hostility or threatening, just a tolerance of each other. And if you do something wrong or go in the wrong direction, you don't have abuse thrown at you, just a tooting of horns then everyone ignores you.
The roads are something different. James has purchased a motorbike, and it is nice to see him come home safely at the end of the day. Really, I think he is game getting out there but he is managing to find his way around. Currently he is working within about 5 schools, but he has got sick of the changing of schedule all the time so has applied for a job at CitySmart, the people I work for. At least he won't get messed about so much. The other day, having spent 3 hours preparing for an English class, not only did he have a change of school, but he had to teach Drama. I think that was the last straw.
The kindergarten that I am supposed to be working in starts on Monday, but when I asked about it, I was told that my schedule stays the same at the moment. They don't have enough teachers, so I guess they are going to make the most of me while they can.
This coming Tuesday is the Autumn Festival, a big moon festival here. The school is having a celebration on Sunday but apparently there is a big party in the city on Tues, so we are planning to go in after work, should be fun. But I will save that for next time.
We hope all our friends are safe and well, and that you are planning your next holiday here with us.....plenty of room. Our love to everyone...till next time.
Love Di and James
