Local wanderings

So the reality of leaving this rapidly developing area is now sinking in and I am determined to make the most of every moment.

Just prior to our 11 day break for the lunar new year, I enjoyed a couple of walks around District 1. Firstly, the laneways of the Japanese area with Amber and then to some of the prime shopping malls, to see their decorations (just like the Myer windows), plus a Tet fair and the streets of Cholon, the Chinese area. Fascinating just looking and watching as always.
Around town at Tet



Then for the holiday I took off immediately for a road trip from Saigon to Bangkok with stops in Phnom Penh and Battambang along the way.

I took the easy option of travelling in a car with the Masterton
family to PP and there I enjoyed a couple of nights visiting my usual haunts; walking along the river, hanging outside the Grand Palace and the hipster laneways. I also visited the Olympic stadium and market - a coupe more architectural beauties.

A 6 hour minibus ride took me to the northwestern city of Battambang where my pre-booked accommodation had been changed and on arrival I found out why. Angelina Jolie was in town for the filming of her movie, 'First They Killed My Father'. Can you believe she stole my bed.
 

I enjoyed the sleepy nature of this riverside town, except I didn't realise it's strong Chinese heritage as well as the French, so plenty of sounds of new year celebrations were heard. The history of the buildings was interesting, the cafes and galleries well used and I also thoroughly enjoyed 3 trips to the surrounding countryside - twice on a bicycle and once in a tuk-tuk for a day of sightseeing the local wats and having a ride on the old Bamboo Train. Another highlight was the Phare Circus - so clever and entertaining.

An 11 hour transit then took me through to Bangkok, but 2 of those hours were in the queue at immigration. What a difference a days drive makes - to the very big smoke and traffic jams.
It is 23 years since I was last in BKK but it felt like the first time as I did not hit any of the tourist sites, apart from Jim Thompson's house. Instead, I enjoyed walking around the area I was staying in, eating the street food, generally getting a feel for the place and sitting by the pool.
 
Overall, a very good break which met my goals - to explore more of the local area and relax.

Saigon to Bangkok

Being a global citizen

A busy January it has been for me, spending time in Adelaide, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo. It was not all fun and games though and a lot of hard work has been done.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Melbourne. Even though I spent the majority of time interviewing potential candidates for AIS, I also managed to enjoy a little countryside and catch up with a few friends. I did, however, struggle in the city centre with so many people around - it sounds bizarre but you simply don't get that in Vietnam. The people are on the roads, not the footpath. 

 I then returned to Adelaide for a couple of days before flying back to Ho Chi Minh but this also was a short stay before I flew to Tokyo for a very intense couple of days interviewing for the position of Middle School Principal at Nishimachi International School, a lovely little community school that finishes at Year 9 and is really looking to ramp up their programs. 

I survived, and it was nice to then spend a couple of days reconnecting myself with Tokyo since it was 25 years ago that I last visited and also spending time with my brother and the twins. 

The weather was cold but crisp and with bright blue sky so David and I cycled around the city - with such ease. Could this country be any more organised and orderly? The contrast is extreme!

Then after a week of waiting, Nishimachi offered me the job and I have accepted!!

Very exciting times as you can imagine but I am also feeling sad about leaving Saigon. I have so much still to soak up and so much more great food to eat. 

The actual departure date is yet to be set, but I will finish the school year here in June and will be in Tokyo late July.

2015 draws to a close

December, as usual is a month of celebrations for me and the Vietnamese office staff knew how to spoil me for my birthday with a box of vegetables and a bunch of flowers. 

Such great senses of humour!

The birthday weekend involved many a treat, including a fabulous evening of carols at the convent, a night away with the girls at a river location that felt like miles away but was really just a stones throw from our 'district', a champagne and oyster lunch, just one more meal out on Sunday, as well lots of lovely Skype chats.

Very decadent indeed. :)

There were numerous end of semester/Christmas celebrations for school, including the Winter Dance, staff dinner and Secret Santa. And, I am sure the Year 9's were celebrating after completing the first AIS Duathlon - a swim and run event. 

Of course it is fabulous to be back in Adelaide now and share this festive time with my family. The Lawson competitiveness shone through on Christmas day, with a drawing competition organised by Kelsea - if only we had some skills in this area, but it did provide many a giggle. Luckily we fared a little better in the pool based relays in the afternoon.

The only hiccup to this stay was breaking my little toe on the edge of the couch on my first full day in town. The bruising has now disappeared, but the swelling remains and it is still a little difficult to get a shoe on my foot!

Am looking forward to heading to Melbourne for a few days for a little work (recruiting new staff for Vietnam) and a little play, then it is back to Ho Chi Minh for two days before heading to Toyko for a two day job interview! Wish me luck, as I wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Life on the streets continues

  




Amongst the normal routine of school, friends, food and fitness, I continue to explore and enjoy life on the streets, both in the city and the surrounding areas. I have also greatly increased my knowledge of this country after a recent trip to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, here in Saigon, and taking a tour which explained the history, through its art. Fascinating.

                         

 

A trip to Hanoi to catch up with a group of schoolies from Huntingtower and more importantly, good friend, Jody added to my understanding as well. Not only did we chat non-stop, we also visited the Hoa Lo Prison and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - it was only 20 years since my first opportunity to visit him, and I must say he did look a little wax like! We walked, talked, and ate; particularly enjoying the Street Food Tour.
And still, there is so much more to see and do!

More pics of Hanoi

I also had an interesting situation this afternoon, when returning from 'town' on my motor scooter and a snapping sound was the precursor to no acceleration. So, I rang my friendly motorbike lady, and within 15 minutes one of her workers was there with a replacement bike. Now that is what I call good service!

A weekend by the beach

The final weekend of my 'holiday' consisted of a trip to the lesser known of town Qhuy Nhon for a dose of salt, sand, waves and mountain views.

I was not disappointed. This was the first time  I had experienced waves in Vietnam and although they were dumpers, it was great to listen to the sound of the sea and  to take a risk with a little body surfing!

My trip coincided with a visit by an Australian couple who are volunteering with Swim Vietnam for a year and they were there to run water safety sessions with the children from the village. Naturally, I couldn't help myself and got involved with these sessions, and what a delight it was. The confusion but then the laughter and smiles whilst taking part in relays and flag competitions were well worth it.

A lovely way to spend a weekend.

Who would have thought ..

Another busy term is done and dusted, but this time, I don’t get to enjoy the normal week long break like the students and staff as I am now officially on a management contract with 30 days holiday per year! Luckily, I have a few things to keep me busy and I may even get ahead on the preparation of my classes.

Introducing integrated activities has been the highlight of my term at school. I have run three separate days with the Years 7-9, with varying degrees of success, as I had forgotten how much work it is and how much support you need from other staff. The students were all challenged and enjoyed the activities, so that is a definite positive and they were good learning experiences all round.

A weekend trip to Singapore for an Educational Women’s Leadership Conference was inspiring and an opportunity to make some great connections and catch with my good friend, Sonia. This then led into a bust week of job interviews, both in Singapore and Kuala Lumpar! They were to no avail, but valuable learning experiences and an opportunity to focus on what I really want my next step in education to be.

On the upside, it was great to eat in the hawker markets in Singapore, but what a pity about the smoke haze - thanks Indonesia! 

Having Jill and Greg come to stay was another highlight. It was great showing them some of my local haunts and sharing lots of laughs. Catching up with ex-colleagues and students who were passing through town was also great - please let me know when you are coming! 

Naturally, there were a few other jaunts around town and good food and drinks a plenty.

 

The relaxation continued

Adelaide was the next stop on my travels, and it was nice to enjoy catching up with friends and family as well the delights of the city and surrounding areas in full health. But, it was COLD! 2 degrees on some mornings, but with beautiful clear skies so it was stunning. Open fires, red wine and plenty of lamb were also the order of the day, so there was no complaining about that. Shopping (including a new camera), movies, tv (football and cricket) watching, art galleries, reading and completing a First Aid course also kept me busy. So a fine couple of weeks were had.

It was nice however, to return to Saigon and enjoy the buzz of the city whilst feeling refreshed and without the demands of school. During this time, I did a fabulous afternoon photo walk with my friend and colleague, Amber.
An afternoon walk

         

I also caught the train to Phan Thiet to have one final relaxing stint by the beach before work began. I was fascinated by the extraordinary number of fishing boats and coracles plying the seas, and it is such hard work! It was also nice to hear the constant sound of the waves, and I enjoyed my time by the pool, overlooking the sea, but you did not want to look too closely at the rubbish on this stretch of beach. Luckily, the hotel owner lent me her motor scooter and I headed up the coast a little to see the famous sand dunes and some wild stretches of beach. This was much more impressive.

  

Now, it is time to prepare for the new school year. Wish me luck!