Arrival and adjustment - Hanoi Sept 2007

Dear Friends,
Yes! I am finally writing a blog! I have had this account since I started traveling but was never inspired enough to write.
SO...
For the few of you that may not know- I am living in Hanoi this year! (yes, as in Hanoi,Vietnam)
So here are some of my impressions so far + a bit about what I am doing here.

*This place*
-Crossing the road in Hanoi is like playing real life frogger (Sienfeld, George..). You have to avoid countless motorbike, bicycles, cyclos (bike taxis like a toktok), taxis and once in a while an actual car (Luxury) without any sense of order. I think I got used to that by now, you just go with the flow, I just try to remember that these people avoid pedestrians all day, so they are pros.
-The people seem to be nice, though half of the time you feel like a walking dollar bill, they all want your money! but I guess I feel that because I am in the touristy area. My students seem to be much nicer (more about that later). No one will ever help you if you fall on the street here (which happened to me, of course) but I think once you befriend them, they tend to be very helpfull (and some will even help you shop so you won't have to bargain).
-You don't get harrassed like in other thirdworld countries.. Aside from the whatever-mongers on the street, no one really cares you are here. They don't look at western women as a sex object or get stared down like in India. They have seen enough wide-eyes in their life to not care. Though I think it might be different for men.. since the women here seem to like'm white (and their white pockets).
-Talking about white people.. I have never seen so many UGLY WHITE people in my life! I mean really!! Some of the ones that work here and travellers.. just big, red faced people with a horrible sense of style.. and.. get this.. most of them aren't American. I am such a NY snob... You always see these fat tourist on the back of a cyclo (bike taxi) like little emporers thinking their euro, pound or dollar can buy them the world..
-This maze of a city is actually cool, there are tons of cafes to sit in, and cheap enough that I can choose a new place to try every day, but I've already got my favourites (ones that have wi-fi and vegeterian food of course). I am not sure about pubs and places to go out, because.. well too many drunk whities. I did go out on a get together from work once, and was surprised to see the place close down at midnight (on a Friday) while the patrons stayed inside (you had to be let out when you wanted to) then once I was on the street, at 12:30am, the place was deserted! they shutter down all the shops and there is no one on the street! the crazy noisy city I knew all day, was gone. A bit different for some one who has lived in NY, Tel-Aviv and Madrid. And I don't think I'll be going to Indie rock concerts any time soon.. but I guess I could take a year's break.

*WORK*
So.. I am still doing the teaching thing (no photography for now). For those who don't know, I took a teaching English as Foriegn Language course and taught English for a year in Madrid. And yes, we all know I can't spell! but I actually really got into grammar! I am working on the spelling thing.. luckily, I have a very clear none discript American accent so I think my students are happy with my English.
(and of course, my English has improved immensely, though I am sure there are many mistakes in this blog..)
I am teaching at a place called Language Link, that apparently is a well known international language academy.
So far I am teaching teens on Sunday, and adults in the evenings (4-9pm!). Work is a bit challenging, the students have a lot of expectations from you and you also have to entertain them for an hour and a half three times a week! you fail if you don't make the students laugh at least three times a class.. soo.. I have to break out into a song and dance every once in a while.
It's a bit harder than Spain because need to teach them better pronunciation.. it's so hard to understand what they are saying.
The adults are really fun! some of them want to know a bit too much about me, which I feel is weird. I had a class ask me personal questions the entire first class (I avoided talking about the Israel-Palestine conflict and the Vietnam war, which were part of the questions.. I don't think they would have understood me if I had answer anyway).
The teens.. well.. they are teens... they all love high school musical, talk throughout class, don't listen to any thing I say and of course hate coming to class on the one day they have off. Of course, I've got some nice nerdy kids, whom do listen.
Anyway, work is nice, though I only work 20-25 hours a week, I have to plan my classes like 15 hours a week so it's a full load. The other teachers are quite nice, very friendly and helpfull, though there are quite a few of those "white drunk poeple" amongst them, which are actually entertaining. I haven't really made any friends, but I think I am too uptight right now.

*HOUSING*
After a month of looking, I found a house to share with another American English teacher that works at my school (but a different branch). BUT we cannot move in till November 1st, so I am still living in a hotel room with my mom. (For those who did not know, my mom came here with me to visit her friends, she'll be leaving in a couple of weeks). It is so frustrating.. I am tired all the time and frazzled cause I can't find any of my things. can't wait to move in.
The house is quite cool, it's 5 FLOORS (normal here) there is a roof terrace and a Budhist alter on the top, then three floors, each have a huge bedroom and it's own bathroom then another floor with a kitchen and dining area then the first floor which is the entrance and scooter parking (and another bathroom! so you don't have to walk up 3 flights). I still don't know how we will clean all this, we also are looking for another roommate, hopefully we will be three girls and get on well. If not, I may be a bit lonely.

I am sitting in a cafe called "highlands" which is like the Asian Starbucks.. they hav'em every where but I still like it.. I guess cause it's the only place that feels like America to me + they have wi-fi. it's dark so you can't really see me:




OK THAT'S IT FOR NOW

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