Round 2

Pummeling is definetly the only way to relax here. Just got back from r0und 2 and feel adequately refreshed. Got my rub down from a blind masseuse. It's really cool, all of the masseuses there are blind. Talk about OT at work. While there wasn't the calming sound of the ocean on the beach, nor the soothing feeling of sand and oil rubbed over my sunburn, there was the omnipresent noise from the motorbikes to lull me into dreamland. But that soon faded into the background when my person started talking to her friends who were also pummeling innocent Westerners on the other side of the curtain. The Vietnamese language is truly trance-inducing. While I don't have a prayer ever understanding it, I love listening to it. And the people talk so much here! It's so refreshing to hear them joke and laugh and have no clue what they are saying, except when they point at you. But I always point and laugh back. But honestly, the people here are some of the happiest people I have ever seen.

So, what else have I been up to other than pampering myself incessantly? I've actually been working my ass off drawing stick figures! Who ever knew that stick figures could be so time consuming? We have to make loads of visuals for our lessons at the high school. I've been putting in lots of long hours, which has drastically cut down on my playtime. But no worries, that will come soon enough. Teaching is great! I love it so much more than the previous 2 weeks where we had to sit in the classroom and discuss grammar and theoretical crap. And more importantly, the kids love me. Or at least, I pretend they do.

I am just happy that class will be done as of Friday! After an all night celebration with my classmates, I plan to stay in Saigon and be a tourist until Thanksgiving. Post turkey, I plan on traveling up to Hanoi with a classmate. The plan is to travel the coast eventually making it back to Saigon, but we will see if that happens. Could definetly live here in Saigon, but know that there is more to Vietnam than this crazy city. Have not interviewed or made any housing commitments yet, and don't plan on it until traveling around some. Gotta love the no-strings-attached status. Story of my life. But if I do like it better in Hanoi, or some coastal town, enough to pitch a tent and call it home, it will be hard to say goodbye. More and more I am getting home-like tendencies toward Saigon. Two steps forward, one step back with every day getting a little better. I take great comfort in the fact that should I ever not be able to make it home due to severe inebriation, or some other excuse which is completely out of my control, I would always have a place to sleep here on the street with the locals. Or better yet, I could always curl up in someone's cyclo for the night. Almost like camping. I'm also going to miss the suspense and intrigue hanging over my head as I cross the street wondering if I am going to survive. But there is hope, I hear that the traffic is just as bad, if not worse, in Hanoi. I love living on the edge. I've also heard that Hanoi is more beautiful with lots of parks and lakes and french architecture, but I hope I will be able to find a little slice of dirty ole' Saigon somewhere. If not, I may just have to come back.

Off to grab some chow and review my lesson plan for tomorrow. Please don't hold any typos or misspellings in this blog against me. It's hard to be perfect all of the time. Over and out.