Highlights from my second week! (letters home)

Dear my wonderful family and friends,

Sorry is had taken me a while to update you on my second week, I have been busy and tired, otherwise, life is grand in Vietnam! I have gone on many adventures since I last wrote. Starting with weekend before last I went to a different town in Vietnam called Hue(about two hours from our home). The women who cook for us took us there and we went to many of the major tourist stops. First we went to the Citadel which is this giant moated place where the emperor used to live it was huge and everyone who we were with got too hot and wanted to leave before Chelsea and I did, but I got some beautiful pictures that you will be able to see when I get home. Next stop was the Thien Mu Pagoda which is an octagonal building with seven stories and is beautiful. Then we went to one of the emperor's tomb, which was so elaborate I just couldn't believe this place was built for one person. You had to go up many flights of stairs then you came to a spot with statues of elephants horses and guards. then you went up a whole bunch of steps again and you hit the main building, the walls inside were covered in porcelain mosaics and there was a bronze sculpture of the emperor. My description does not give any of these places justice but you get a taste of what they are like.

One other interesting point of our drive to Hue was we had to go through this extremely long tunnel through the middle of a mountain (too long to hold you breath) We were not driving very fast and it took us 15 minutes to get through, it was kinda awful because their was so much smog inside of it and made it very hard to breathe.

On Sunday Chelsea and I rode our bikes(1 hour ride there) to a pagoda that has a giant Buddha statue in front of it. The pagoda was closed and we were not able to get close to it, but we took pictures outside the gate and sat down and had our lunch. After we went the local water park that cost only 30 us cents to use the wave pool and kiddie pool (no slides that would cost a dollar).

Last week 4 children were adopted and left the orphanage and in the next couple weeks there should be a few more leaving. It is really good to see them adopted but also is a little sad as we form relationships with each child. Also last week we had one newborn left at the orphanage.

Last weekend we went to the nearby town of Hoi An and spent one night their the majority of our stay was spent getting Tailor made clothes which was very fun for both Chelsea and I since we both have a hankering for fashion. We were able to draw them a picture or show them a picture from a magazine and pick out our fabric and they would measure us and get it made by the next day. It was cheap compared to some new clothes in the states but a little on the high end for me who tends to by sale items or second hand. But, it was well worth it for having exactly what you want and in your size.

Hoi An was very different than Da Nang,there were many more tourists, I even met a lady from Bellvue Washington, and she said I was the second person she met from Washington. In Hoi An instead of everyone saying hello to us they all said " hello where are you from please help me and come to my store." There a lot of children wandering around selling trinkets who would come up to your table at a restaurant and say "you buy from me very cheap, you be lucky I'll be lucky, it's happy hour, I will be very lucky" It was a nice weekend but I am very grateful to be placed in Da Nang.

This week we had two newborns come in one on Monday and the other one on Wednesday, the newborns are still bigger than the little boy who came in the week before we came who only weighed one kilo (he is much bigger now but still the smallest. At the day center I have had many of the students who are deaf attend my class and we are able to communicate fairly well, just cant get into too in depth conversations. I started out with a class size of 4 and now I have 8-12 kids attending my class. We have been working on learning the alphabet, counting, colors, body parts, and shapes. These are still difficult for them so I try and revise these subjects and teach them in different ways, in hopes that seeing them in different context will help them understand and retain the information better. It is difficult because some of my students do not even know Vietnamese well.

Construction for the play ground is coming along well but they do not have enough money to get toys for it. So for those of you who would like to donate money money is needed for: Ball pit for playground $200 Playground toys $300-500 Toys for kids at orphanage - any amount Arts and craft supplies for kids at day center- any amount Latex gloves- any amount Baby wipes- any amount For those of you who can not donate money please do not feel bad, I understand, I am just asking for donations from those who wanted to know how they could help out over here.

Thank you to Susan (my mom) and Lewis and Fletcher(my brothers) and Will and Diane for their donations a few weeks back, you money went to a water purifier for the kids at the day center so they could have lots of cool water in this hot weather. Previously they had to drink recently boiled water. Also your money helped fix the day centers van so they would have a way to take the kids on day trips and also they would have a way to take a baby to the hospital if they needed to, instead of having to hire a taxis which can get expensive. Chelsea and I thought that these to things where a good use of some of the money donated. Thank you all for you emotional and financial support, we all appreciate it over here.

Exciting things to come: This weekend we have been invited to take part in a Vietnamese engagement ceremony, an man from the states is coming here to get engaged to a Vietnamese woman but does not have any relatives to join him. For the engagement ceremony you need at least 15 people on your side so we are acting as stand in relatives, we are all very excited to take part in this.

Also we have been invited to Quyen's(a lady who cooks for us) house on Saturday night for a very special dinner for her mother in law's 100th day after death ceremony. I will write more about these after they have happened. I love you all and miss you,

I will try to write sooner this next time,
Stella

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Trip to Hue

This is on the country side going to Hue

Thien Mu Pagoda

The emperor's tomb

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