Back in the City again

So much has happened since the last post! I don't think I will do the photos too much anymore - it takes too much work and time, however please look at the photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/vuongat

As you can see there since last posting about Da Lat, we traveled back to Saigon/HCMC plus had a two week stint around the Mekong Delta (Can Tho, Hoa An Bio Diversity Center, Long Xuyen, Chau Doc (Ba Chua Xu, Sam Mountain), and Tra Su (Cajuput forest)). It'll be easier if I start from today backward.

Today was excited because it was the first day I went on the city bus! Since both the school (University of Economics of HCMC or Trung Dai Hoc Kihn Te) and my homestay house is located near a bus stop (bus 150) and the trip is only 3000 dong (as opposed to a xe om or motorbike taxi is 20,000 dong) the family insisted I ride the bus. It was a good idea and I even managed to not get lost! (Unlike yesterday's xe om fiasco that left me wandering the same few blocks for an hour before giving up and getting another xe om back to the house and spending ten times I did today.)

So, homestay. Everyone's really friendly and great, the biggest disappointment is that they are never home, except the 15 year old maid who just started two weeks ago and speaks no English. She is wonderful and I wish my Vietnamese is better because she never understands what I'm trying to say. We both miss home, so we have that in common. Yes, homesickness has struck me and I just want a refresher in my parents house, but that isn't really an option. Seeing them in Vietnam would probably be helpful, but they aren't coming until mid-June.

The front of the house is a storefront that the family rents out. Right now it's an adorable clothing shop called Deo Deo that imports dresses, rompers, and tops from Thailand. I will leave here with at least a few new pieces for my wardrobe for sure.

Being back in the city means a more routine schedule - classes from 8 until 4:30 most days with a couple hour break for lunch. Classes are either Vietnamese language (M, W, F is a real class, T and Th Lynnanne and I get tutored by our lovely assistant Vy and a University and SIT staff person, Hein), reading discussion, or a lecture on various topics involving culture, development, economics, and field research.

Mekong update later!