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Hi everyone
I have finally got around to writing another blog and I am really sorry that it has been so long since my last blog entry. So much has happened it is hard to remember it all. I have certainly had my ups and downs in the last month or so.
At the beginning of the month we welcomed many new volunteers to Danang. In Tam Ky we welcomed 3 new volunteers, Jaye from NZ would be staying a month before moving on to completed the rest of her travels around Asia, Amber and Alisha who are Canadian twins would be with us for 2 months in Tam Ky.
Last month was also Vietnam Independence, many people in Vietnam travel back to their home towns for the 4 day holiday. As I am sure you can imagine the traffic in Vietnam at the best times is chaos but during the holiday that traffic was mental. We had to travel to Danang in the GVN vehicle and got stuck on a bridge with loads of lorries and trucks. It was totally gridlocked. It was also about 36oC and being stuck in a car in traffic was not the best place to be. Eventually we were able to move after a lot of yelling in every direction.
Suzanne also celebrated her birthday during the month. She took us all (13 people) for dinner at a local restaurant. It was really nice of her to take us all out and we all had a great time. It was also quite an expensive shout for her as she works with the NZ dollar (poor her).
At the baby orphanage things are going well, all the kids know me really well now which is good. I have also been teaching them English once a week and have been surprised at how well it has been going. We have also had 5 new borns arrive in the orphanage in the last month. One was dropped of be her mother just after birth, the others arrived or were found at the gate by the security guard. One of the babies (Thao) who is about 5 weeks old also has downs syndrome it will be interesting to see what happens to her when she gets older. I am not sure weather she will stay in the orphanage or go somewhere else. In Vietnam you just never know. The volunteers have also started cleaning once a week at the orphanage using bleach. We mopped all the floors with sodium hyper chloride to try and prevent the sores and scabies from coming back. It seems to be working well in terms of keeping away infections but it did not go down to well with some of the mothers as the label on the container says 'for laundry' so they think it will make the kids sick. It's a constant battle in Vietnam with things like this, trying to make the mothers understand and believe that this stuff kills infections and bacteria is a huge task on its own.
Things at Home of Affection are going well with my class but they have been a naughty lot in the last couple of weeks. I still feel they respect me and listen to me when they can bothered. I have had to remind myself a few times that they are very young and their attention span it not long.
At the disable hospital it has been difficult because a lot of the kids don't come for regular treatment and we also have some new kids. It is hard each week working with kids that don't know you and you don't know them. We have also had a 4 year old child from the hospital died of a regular infection. She went to hospital I believe on a number of occasions and they sent her home. Her infection got worse and she sadly passed away. I did not know her that well because she sometimes came to the hospital for treatment and sometimes didn't. Still it is hard to think that she died of a regular infection.
On the second weekend of the month we went to Tam Hai resort which is about 30 minutes south of Tam Ky. We all went for a bit of rest and relaxation on the private beach and in the swimming pool. On the way to the resort I had a closer than wanted 'Hello' with a bus and a truck. I was on the back of a motorbike taxi and traveling at about 65mph. My motorbike driver and me arrived at a bridge. We quickly caught up with the huge lorry on our side of the road that was about half way across. There was a bus coming in the other direction and I was thinking my guy would just wait for the bus to pass before over taking. But he decided different and swung out at 65mph to over take the lorry. There was just enough room between the lorry and the bus for the bike. It was a hairy experience but now looking back its all part of the adventure in nam.
Ok on to crashing my bike in Hoi An, well I was sober for a start before anyone starts messaging me saying 'I bet you were drunk'. It was in the afternoon and I was probably going a bit fast round a corner on some gravel. The bike went from under me and it hurt. But I was lucky that all I had was a big cut on my knee that needed two stitches and a gash on the top of my left foot. Like my friend Harry said 'you definitely used one of your nine lives you POM!'.
Now into my fifth month I have found that I have put everything I have into the placements. I am very physically and mentally drained. I have lost a lot of weight (yes I know I needed to) and am sick to death of rice lol. I have also found myself recently getting frustrated (wrongly) with some of the Vietnamese not wanting to help themselves. I wasn't expecting it ever to be easy and it certainly hasn't been. It has been the hardiest thing I have ever done but it has been extremely rewarding. My adventure in Vietnam is not over quite yet though .
Auntie Shona and my sister Alison arrive this week, I am really looking forward to seeing them. I can't wait to find out what they think of Vietnam.
p.s. sorry for any of the old spelling or grammar mistakes.
hen gap lai (see you again)
Alistair x
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