An Irish Story

2017-08-04/05

Today I woke up very late as I was out last night. Let me start off by saying that I will write yesterday and today’s together. Yesterday was a slow day until the evening. So I finally decided to unpack my things.  This took a while as I was talking to my friends and family online while also watching the Olympics at the same time. At around 6pm I went to grab something to eat.  While out, Folly, the Irish guy called me and wanted to know what I was up to. His friend was going back home so he asked me to come to a party so that he may introduce me to some people.  

I met up with him at a bar; we went straight to another bar to meet up with other people.  While there he introduced me to some people.  The most interesting person was another Irish guy name John.  Now, things happen to me and I get myself in a whole lot of messes but, man, John takes the cake!  John had arrived 6 weeks ago from Ireland.  He came because he had met a girl online and he decided to move down here and be with her.  According to him, when he got here, two days later he found out that the girl is nothing like what she presented online.  So he confronted the girl and the girl walked out of their apartment, since he has been here in Vietnam, it appears that she leave for several days when he confronts her with something.  

According to him, they went to a bar and there was an expatriate there and he realized that this guy and his girlfriend appear to have great dislike for one another.  He asked her if they knew one another, she said she went on a date with him but it did not work out.  He said he became suspicious and then kept pursuing the question because he has been talking to this girl for a while and if they hated each other after one date, then it may be more than that. Finally the girl admits it to him that yes she went out with him; “they slept together but nothing happen”. 

Now that sentence does not seem right.  So after this fight she leaves for several days.  Now he goes to a bar and he sees a girl that he likes. With his smart phone, he uses Google translate and tells the girl that he wants her to go home with him to have some fun.  So the girl follows him home and well the girl sleeps over.  

The next morning, John calls his girlfriend and tells her that he went out last night, he brought a girl home and the girl is currently in his bed but nothing happened.  

Wow, can you believe it?  Man, it was a night to remember, and yes I did it all sober, you know how I don’t really drink

So yes this was my night

 

But the funny thing is after this story, Folly and I watched John use his Google translate to pick up too more girls.  Man, I only wanted a smart phone for GPS as I have no sense of direction, but I did not realize what it could also be used for.  

 Today like I said I woke up late and went to the market to get some silk sleeping bag for my trip tomorrow.  After I met up with John, a Nigerian I met on Wednesday when I went to a store.  I forgot to mention him on my Wednesday’s post. I met this guy at the store and I was so excited to see a black person. But of course I wanted to meet a quality guy not just any body. Who am I to complain? So John is a computer analyst for the university here, he has been working or the university for two years and build websites for embassies as well as the university.  

So yes I met up with John, very nice guy, he asked about how I liked it here and I told him what you already know, however I mentioned that I was not as bothered as I use to be.  As I was in a rush to get home and catch my train for the Nghe An district, I called it an early night.  

Oh for tomorrow, I know I am going to a smaller city compare to Hanoi, so I suspect the stares would be double and all.  I will tell you how I would handle it.  

Absence

2012-08-22

Sorry I have not been posing. I was in the field and I was censored. I attempted to fix the problem but I think I made it worse. When I came home, I still could not post.  Additionally things became very hectic with my apartment.  I will provide you with the rundown on later post

Sorry for the delay

Moving Can Be A Disappointment

2012-08-02

I woke today at 6am. One I was upset about this apartment and I was also thinking about something else.  So I went to the bathroom. Well I was a bit surprise. I got there, and in my bathtub was a cockroach there to introduce him/herself. I was not too sure; it must have been a she because she was up very early and just going about her business as if I did not exist. I was a bit upset by this as in my contract it stipulates that they were supposed to spray it and get rid of any pest. So I killed it. 

This morning, I went to work and wrote to the real estate agent. I asked her to forward my mail to the landlord.  To sum up the mail, I pointed out that the landlord has already broken the contact agreement which indicated that the list which included that they would spray the apartment to get rid of pest, as well as fix the bathtub along with other things would be done before I move into the apart would be done.

The just of it is that while I really like the place, let the landlord know that I will only pay the deposit once all of these are completed. As agreed in the contract. For now he has broken the contract agreement.  If he/she does not think he would be able to fulfill the agreement, let them tell me so that I may find a place elsewhere, the sooner the better.     

I contacted the real estate agent later and asked if she has received my mail and forwarded it to the landlord. She said she has and had indeed done so. 

After work I went home and looked at the apartment.  The cleaning has been done, thank God, but the other part of my contact has still yet to be fulfilled.  I was expecting the landlord to call me. However I spent the evening of my day talking to friends, by the time I realized it, it was very late so I will contact her tomorrow. 

Out of the Hotel in to My Apartment

2012-08-01

So today I tried to get some of my things together as I will be moving to my new place.  I am excited to be having my own place finally after all that looking and searching for an apartment. As indicated before its good that I sign the contact for 6 months just in case

  

I left work early today so that I may come home and pack more before I leave. My things are all over my hotel as I had to take some clothes and materials out to use for work. It did not take me that long to pack, however I wanted to ensure that I did not leave anything behind either. 

I ask Hang the hotel receptionist if she can call me a taxi. She seems very sad to see me go. Actually I think she miss laughing at my attempt to speak to her in Vietnamese. Especially with my bad pronunciation and tone. I did not know that languages had tones, but now I know.  I am thinking if English has or Twi has one? Hmm… maybe Twi as English it does not matter which direction the sound goes. 

Anyway yes so she called the taxi for me and I provided her with my financial tip.  I should have given her more, but then I realized that I had limited money in my wallet and I needed to have at least 100VND on me for taxi.

We packed all of my things. Hmm... I did bring a lot of things. I did not realize. I now need to find ways to take the stuff back to Canada as I see that I will be doing some shopping here. Especially with clothes and shoes. I only brought two pairs. 

  

Once I got into my apartment, hmm ...something did not seem right.  The place looked cleaned but it seems a bit off.  I went to take a closer look at the stove and it was a mess. I looked in the fridge and realized that it was wiped but not clean, it smelled and it was dusty.  Then I went to the bathroom and it was also wiped but not cleaned.

So I pick take the shower curtain and look at it, and that is when I lost it.  The shower curtain is still the old one from the last tenants whom had lived there for like 4 years.  I looked in to the oven and it is a mess, grease and all.

I get into bed and thank God the sheets are clean but it is just the fitted sheets and no bed sheet. Now the reason why I am being a bit anal about this is that I am paying for a fully furnished apartment, this is costing me $850USD. Very expensive in a country like Vietnam. So yes I expect the best. 

I called the real estate agent and basically told her how upset I was. She came over and went over the apartment and realized that nothing was done. She indicated that she will notify the landlord so that everything could be done

Rental Contract Signed

2012-07-30

Today was a regular work day.  The walk from the hotel to work was the same. I like the fact that I am not so bothered about the stares anymore.  Maybe because I am also attempting not to look in their faces. In other words I just keep my head straight

So yes that is the plan now.  It is nice to get greetings by the guy who calls me Madame as well as the security guard across from him. 

At work things are going great, I am taking it one day at a time.  I have been added to a new Monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning group. I am excited by this as it will provide me with more things to learn about M&E as well as discuss with others about the area.

The real estate agent Quynh Anh, (I realize I have been spelling her name wrong to you guys) came to the office so that I may sign the contract.  I felt like I was signing my life away.  Well the contract is only for 6 months. So we will see what I will do after words.  I only singed it for a year because I wanted to know my surroundings first.  Know my way around the city, at least just in case I want to move that would allow me the option to do so.  However, if I would like to stay longer, it is always an option. It is a one bedroom apartment with a lake view and also a view of the city.  And yes, it is in the expatriate area. 

After work I went to Highway 4 to get some take out before the rain let down. Well just when I was about to leave the rain poured like crazy.  After waiting for like 15 minutes, I decided to walk in the rain

When I got home I was completely soaked, including my hair.  I had no umbrella.

When I got home, I opened the food that I ordered and I realized that they gave me a completely different order than I ordered.  I ate it for I did not want to walk outside in the pouring rain.  It was one of the summer rains which could cause floods.

First Mass

29-07-2012

Today I was a bit sick and do not feel like going outside so I stayed in bed until 14h00. Also I went to bed very late talking to a friend online so I did not go to bed until around 2h00 in the morning.  As you know, I constantly need to be entertained or be on the go so I left the hotel room and went by the Saint Joseph Cathedral.  I wanted to grab something to eat around that area as I wanted to attend mass today. Additionally I want to be more serious about my Vietnamese lesson so I have to study. 

While there I got some food to eat.  Two Norwegian girls came to sit on my left hand side and spoke Norwegian the whole time. I understood some and was very happy about that. I have not lost all my Norsk.    On my right were two Italians, they were back backers and very handsome I might add. But being the nice student that I am, I concentrated on my homework. 

At around 16h00 which was the mass service that I wanted to attend, I was in deep with my homework so I decided to wait until the 18h00 service. 

At 17h30, I walked into the church. It is very big and like most Old Catholic churches there was some renovation.  At around 18h00 the church completely filled up and the mass began.  The service was all in Vietnamese, and I must say I did not understand a word. Actually, no, that is a lie, I understood some of the numbers; I have been practicing my numbers.   

After church, I got up and was reading to go when I turned and on opposite aisle was a West Indian guy.  He was very happy to see me. I walk out of the church.  On my way out I saw that Follies, the Irish guy that I had met yesterday text and wanted to know if I want to have some drinks. 

The area of the cathedral is full of restaurants and bars so we went to Mediterraneano.  We talked for like an hour and I left to go back to my hotel. At this point I was tired and it was raining heavily.  

On my way home I saw another accident.  There was a lot of blood on the floor and the helmet which the person must have been wearing was all broken on the ground.  I hope they are alright.

Until next time

Hỏa Lò Prison

28-07-2012

Hi

So on Sunday I decided to go on some sight seeing. I went to see one apartment. I am on a brink of singing a contact on an apartment but I wanted to see this apartment to ensure that I will not miss on a good one once I sign.  This one was an alright one, the bathroom was once again had no division.  So I said no. 

 I met up with Clara after to go to the Hanoi prison Museum originally called Hỏa Lò Prison. The Museum was built between 1886 to1889 by the French to imprison Vietnamese political prisoners.  The museum was later known as Hanoi Hilton as it was later used to imprison American prisoners of war during the United States fight with Vietnam. 

In the last United State election, if you recall the candidate John McCain, this is the same prison that he was put in when he was captured. 

John McCain Pilot suit that he was captured in

The prison like any other that was built to suppress people, especially by the French is very dark and can make one cluster phonic. 

 

After this, Clara and I went to grab something to eat after as we were both very famished. 

While at Puku, a restaurant I have visited before we met and Irish guy name Follie.  He teaches at the same school as Clara.  She did not know him but he had seen her before.  He introduced himself to us   He has been here for 5 years is a teacher.  After much conversation with this guy I managed to convince to teach me how to ride a motorcycle. 

For those of you that do not know, my first attempt to ride a motorcycle was two years ago in Greece, and I got into an accident.  We will see if I will go through with it and if he will fulfill his promise

After lunch which was around 4pm, we went to Clara’s place as it was about to rain. 

In the same apartment, my colleague Dominique also lived there so we went to visit her and her boyfriend. We had some tea and for me, it was too hot so I had some cold cold water. I don’t understand hot coffee or anything hot in this weather. I find it crazy. But I am sure I will get adjusted later.   

Dinner ran until around 21h00, I had to rush home as I was supposed to meet someone on skype. 

$10 million USD

2012-07-27

On my way to work. I got the stares but I was not bothered at all. While going to work I passed by the place where the man that says "Madame, madam, Madame, Madame" sat, they asked me to come by so that I may have some drinks with them. I politely decline and indicated that I was going to work.  

 While at work, the water management resource advisor asked to meet the gender advisor and I with regards to his project. He presented the objective of his project and what it sought to achieve. He also presented us with pictures that he took while in the area.  The area is very green and the people in the area appear to be very well off. I guess they have been capacitated in many ways.  Now the question is how we may assist them.  

After work I went to see an apartment.  It was alright. The bathroom was not the best.  It did not have an actual shower.  This is very common here. There is like an open shower where you have to clean the water afterwards.  I have seen this before in other countries, I personally don’t like it. It means I would have to like clean the bathroom every time I take a shower, which is like twice or more times a day. Depending on how many shower I would like to take

After apartment searching I went to Highway 4 to eat.  I went by myself.  I recreated as soon as I got there because today is a Friday and well there was a lot of people there. Also I knew my food would take very long to come.  Once I got there the waiter put me on a table where a group of four guys were sitting.  While waiting for my food one of the guys asked me if I was there by myself. I responded that I was in fact there by myself.  He asked me to scoot over and join them.  

We talked about what I was doing in Vietnam and where I lived. In return, I asked them about what they do.  These guys were working for a bank in Vietnam.  One was the manager while the other three were working for the Bank. 

They asked what I was doing there and I informed them that I worked for an NGO. The guy I was sitting beside was the manager of them bank. He asked me if I could help him out. I was like in terms of what?  He indicated that landing has been low lately and therefore, the bank has been doing badly lately.  He wanted to know if I could deposit 10 million into his bank.  

I was like hmm. This is not good, so I indulged him and asked which currency.  Just so you know 10 million Vietnamese dong is $500 USD.  So yes I asked him which currency.  He was like 10million USD.  

Now if I had 10million USD, I don’t think I would be depositing it in a bank that is going down. Lol

I was like well I don’t have that money in my account but I hope you find someone that does

I ate my mushroom stew and was still waiting for my rice and spring rolls. By the time I was done, I was pretty full and my rice and spring roll had not come, after an hour and a half later. I told I no longer want the spring roll or the rice and asked for the bill.

Once the bill came, the guys picked it up and insisted on paying for it.  What a gentleman. They asked me to go out to the club with them. I was very tired and still have not fully recovered from my week of illness so I decided to take a rain-check.

It was very nice to meet people today