Leave for Change Blogs

I've been sitting here trying to upload photos and managed to get them on facebook.

So here is link to facebook for photos of the village I visited as well as some photos en route to Camp Mvuu and one of my camp room.

Here is another link to photos of the Safari, an herbal store near Likuni and a pic of the women's ward at Likuni Hospital.

I know I mentioned how I loved the thunderstorm earlier today but I forgot what Linda said the rain brings.  I thought the wind had blown leaves in under the door but they were flying ants.  The Doom seemed to have killed them and now I'm wondering what effects it will have on me.

I hope the links for pictures work.  This is the best I could do.  Louise has offered to post them for me but internet seemed to be churning forever for just one pic.

These pics give you a sense of what I see everyday as I leave the lodge.

• LFC

As you drive around Accra, markets and stalls are everywhere.   Small businesses line every main street and are often found on out of the way side streets as well.  The structures and goods they sell range from a simple fruit or food stand to a used shipping container that’s been converted into an ersatz store that sells car tires (discarded from overseas) to locally made furniture or wrought iron gates.  Hawkers (the local term) are at every intersection, and even brave the space between lanes on busy highways.  They sell everything from cell phone access cards to snacks to self-help books to toilet paper.  I suspect that most everything you might need can be purchased from the comfort of your own car on the drive home.  The slow moving morning and evening rush hour traffic provides an opportunity for these resourceful folks to sell their goods.

On the way to catch the bus to Cape Coast last weekend, we passed through part of the Kaneshie market that sells car parts.  I would say they had virtually any part you might need, or failing that, one that could be adapted to your need.  Our taxi driver informed us that all these parts come from “condemned cars” around Europe.  I think that Ghana is likely the best I’ve ever seen at reviving local cars to full functionality – mostly as taxis.  

Indeed, it seems that a lot of consumer goods deemed to be past their prime come to Africa.  We’ve seen mounds of CRT televisions and computer monitors for sale that were clearly still useable, but had been replaced by flat screens somewhere else in the world. 

This past Saturday, at the Makola market we passed through rows and rows of vendor stalls, often selling the same goods.  As we walked past at least 50 or so stalls next to each other selling virtually the same fabrics, it struck me as incredible to think that everyone was making some level of a living wage with that much duplication.  We saw this time and again for the sale of hair care supplies, bead-work jewellery, shoes, etc.  It also seemed to me that there were more people looking to sell goods than there were consumers, since beside the established stalls, the sidewalks were lined with other sellers.  Most pedestrian traffic was forced onto the streets to dodge the cars trying to make their way through.  Fortunately, we had hired our daily taxi driver, Kojo, to take us around the market.  It was overwhelming as it was, but I think braving that marketplace alone would have been even more daunting without his navigation skills.  Lots of people, but no real pressure to buy.

In contrast, we also had Kojo take us the African Art Market.  At this market there were even fewer consumers and the pressure to buy something was immense.  Again, many vendors selling similar or the same goods.  It made for an uncomfortable experience, because their livelihood relied on the sales from tourists and there were so few present.  This lead to more than a few arguments between vendors competing for our attention.

Yet another contrast was the Accra Mall.  A western style mall with a number of recognizable chains like Sony Store, Puma as well a number of local clothing, department and grocery stores.  Security is much more prevalent both throughout the mall and at the entrance to every store.  Many more ex-pats in this mall and very expensive by comparison.  For example, we purchased a number of packs of cards to play for the staff at the hotel.  We paid about 70 pesewas or about 30 cents (100 pesewas = 1 cedi) for each pack in the local marketplace.  In the department store at the Accra mall, a deck of cards had a price of 25 cedis or about $11.  

It seems to me that in all things commercial; production, sales or service, there is still a human component.  It is almost like going back in time when that was also true in Canada, and the rest of the world.  The incorporation of automation, focus on attaining the highest profit margins through the loss of that human element seems not to be an accepted part of the commercial chain in Ghana.  I would be fearful of the repercussions to these people if that became the norm.

• Accra
• commerce
• Ghana
• Keneshie
• Leave for Change
• Makola
• WUSC

I have been staying at the hotel with a fellow Leave for Change (L4C) volunteer, Beth, from Brock University.  Last Saturday, we decided to to visit the castle/fort at Cape Coast and the Kakum Forest Reserve a few hours west of Accra.

This entailed striking out at a little after 6 am in a taxi to the bus departure area at the Kaneshie motor park.  We departed the taxi heading for the area pointed out by our driver.

One thing is true of Ghanaians, if you need to find out how to navigate while here, just ask someone.  They will happily direct you and offer their every assistance, often by committee.  We asked where the bus to Cape Coast was and were pointed in the direction of a couple of Tro-Tros, although all the cool kids now just refer to them as "tros".  Not being the level of comfort we were hoping to experience for the 3 hour tour it would take, we asked whether a larger inter-city bus was available, (Note the foreshadowing using Gilligan’s Island terminology).  It was going past Cape Coast to Takoradi, so we bought tickets from a much harried ticket vendor and climbed aboard.

Almost immediately after our journey started, a man got up from his seat and started a church service.  I had heard that Ghanaians have one of the highest levels of religiosity in the world, and now I believe it.  This gentleman preached and led prayers and sang hymns (which most of the bus joined in) for almost 2 hours.  And then, during a stop, he quietly slipped off the bus.  

About the time the minister got off the bus, we asked the bus mate (driver’s helper) to please inform us when we should get off to go to the Cape Coast castle.  Clearly there was a communication gap, because after almost 4 hours on the bus, we inquired again and he told us that we’d already passed Cape Coast, (town or city signs are not prevalent or apparent).  So, the next stop we got off and had to negotiate a taxi back to Cape Coast (almost an hour’s drive at quite fast speeds).   

The fort/castle at Cape Coast is compelling.  It was one of many embarkation points for the transfer of captured slaves to the ships that brought them to the Americas.  There were a staggering number of slaves transferred from Africa’s various regions between the sixteenth and nineteenth century.  They suggested that it rivaled the current population of Canada (35 million).

The tour of the castle and the details of the processes and outcomes, although sobering, was very interesting.  No punches were pulled and the historical facts were laid out.  Humans were a commodity and the value of a life was cheap because the supply was plentiful.  There was no benefit to humane treatment so the conditions for those housed at the castle was horrific.  You cannot visit and not be moved by the facts.  Some interesting additional facts we learned were that local tribal chiefs were complicit in the capturing of rival tribe members to supply slaves to the Europeans.  These humans for European and New World goods was the barter.  Also interesting was the insight that the assignment of Europeans to this area amounted to a virtual death sentence, usually within a year’s time, due to insect and water-borne diseases like malaria, cholera and typhoid.  

Unfortunately, we did not take any pictures as they wanted an additional $20 US dollars for permission to take pictures.  

We finished up the tour at about 2:30 and inquired how to get to Kakum Forest Reserve which we’d been told was about a 45 minute taxi ride from the coast.  Unfortunately, with our excursion beyond Cape Coast and Kakum closing at 3:30, we were not going to make it in time, so we caught a “Ford” bus (a passenger van with A/C) back to Accra.

We were informed us that there are elephants in Kakum, but they live below the tree canopy and are not easily seen.  Perhaps we’ll get there another time.

• 2013
• Cape Coast
• Ghana
• Leave 4 Change
• UoG
• WUSC

At the Toronto airport, I met up a fellow Ghana-bound Leave for Change (L4C) traveler, Beth Natale, from Brock University.  The travel to Ghana was uneventful, (thankfully I didn't have to run to my next flight).

The fun all started when we arrived at the Accra airport, extremely sleep deprived.  Dutifully produced our Yellow Fever immunization certificates, went to customs, had our pictures and fingerprints taken and bags inspected.  We met the WUSC driver, Fred, and as we're being taken to the car we were accosted by a series of seemingly friendly but aggressive young men who vigorously insisted on helping us port our luggage.  As we got to the car they demanded money (and did get some money from us, but I was strongly admonished by them for not giving them more), however we got out of the airport safely.  I wish I had known about the potential for this type of situation before hand so as to have avoided it.

We arrived at our hotel and met and were warmly welcomed by the owner and his sister (Eric and Juliana). Clearly they are used to welcoming zombie-like, sleep deprived Canadians.  Finally, some relaxation and much needed sleep.

Our next day involved a meeting at the WUSC Ghana offices.  We met the staff and had an interesting orientation from a ground level and Ghanaian perspective (Daniel) on the organization, the society and social norms.  We also discussed our fears and expectations, which was a very nice touch by WUSC so they could try to address them. The last half of the day was spent doing sundry chores like money exchange, cell phone activation, internet access and groceries/supplies.  

Our second day again involved a meeting with Daniel at WUSC to go over and address our fears.  After traversing around Accra both at night and during the day, Beth and my shared main concern was whether or not we successfully navigate the transportation system.  Accra’s road system is, to a high degree, a spider’s web of secondary roads – mostly unnamed.  It appears to me that the development of the urban areas has been principally ad hoc.  So reigning back what’s occurred in order to apply some measure of official planning would be an enormous task.  However, it appears that there is some effort toward the design and building of artery roads to reduce of daily grid-lock.

One of the key observations is the transportation systems used in Ghana.  It is comprised mostly of innumerable private taxis (2 kinds - dropping and shared) and Tro-Tros (picture an ordinary minivan with 5 rows of seats). Tro-Tros and shared taxis (with 4 passengers) traverse set routes between different major junctions, whereas dropping taxis are the same as we would see in Canada except that you negotiate a price before you embark rather than the use of a meter.  

Clearly, WUSC Ghana heard and addressed our fears as the first three day’s transport was provided by WUSC or GNECC drivers.  But Thursday and Friday we were on our own and successful. I was able to get back to the hotel using a shared taxi to Atomic Junction and then a Tro-Tro to Haatso (pronounced Hatcho) and our hotel.  We have since negotiated with a dropping taxi to take us and pick up at our work places.  

We met our partner organizations and started to identify and flesh out a series of needs/gaps and identified projects that will help them meet those needs.  In my case, I will be working at the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition, (GNECC).  The role of GNECC is quite unique. It serves as an NGO with a mandate to oversee the progress of the Government toward the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) around universal access to education, but there are facets of other MDG targets that have a relationship to education such as gender equality (equal rights for women and girls to education), and poverty reduction (via a more educated workforce). Within these areas, there are on-going projects to increase access to education for girls and keep them in school by addressing some of the specific barriers they face.  There is also a project to address school violence against girls specifically, but also to broaden that scope by eliminating corporal punishment in schools and replacing it with positive behaviour modification techniques to make school a rewarding and enriching positive environment.  Clearly GNECC intends their reach and impact to be across the spectrum of the education system from teacher training standards to the classroom and school physical environment to student outcomes.  

I was invited to attend an address by Dr. Keith Lewin, a professor at Sussex University who has been studying international education development for many years.  Based on the progress made since the Millennium Development Goals were set in 2000, with continuing support, it can be done.  Professor Lewin suggested that although the goals won't be achieved by the original goal of 2015, but 2030 is not unreasonable given the positive strides taken to date.

Although our time with our partner organization will be short-term, it has been a consistent discussion theme during our L4C volunteer dinnertime conversations as to what types of systems and tools will help keep these organizations functional and effective in the long-term, and how can we add this to the agenda.  But I won’t digress into my discourse on the benefits of the logic model in focusing organizations and developing evaluations.

I think it’s an understatement to say that Ghanaians are friendly, (despite our airport experience).  I can certainly understand why other L4C and NGOs from Canada are eager to stay connected and help from Canada as well as to return.  

Next time: Our Cape Coast adventure

• Accra
• éducation
• Ghana
• GNECC
• L4C
• Millennium Development Goals
• WUSC

Well, the time is nigh for my departure to Ghana. I leave on Sunday (November 10th) for four weeks in Accra.

Over the past couple weeks I have had my mandate change and the organization I will be associated is now the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC).  The exact terms and details have yet to be ironed out.

A bit of a whirlwind of change, but I am pleased that things have fallen into place to enable me to go as scheduled.

So, like everyone else that's gone before me, there's been a flurry of activity leading up to this point.  Travel clinics and vaccines (5).  I've been putting things aside to pack; ensuring that I've got all the supplies and medications that I will need, although I will undoubtedly forget something.

Things got a little complicated when I injured my knee a few weeks back (torn meniscus and sprained ligaments), but with the assistance of my family doctor and physiotherapist, (and some timely touch therapy from Trish at our last L4C dinner!), I'm back to almost 80%. I just can't move as quickly as I had before - but I hear the pace is a little more leisurely, so that might just work out well. I just hope that all flights are on time so I don't have to run through the airport to make connections.

Those of us that have not yet travelled for our L4C assignment have received a lot of encouragement, indispensable knowledge and sage advice from those that have gone before us.  I have had fantastic conversations with a number of Ghana veterans - Jacqueline Murray at UofG, and another good friend, Jill, who will be going back in the spring of next year.    In addition, the spirit and friendship of my L4C 2013 cohort - those that have already gone or are about to go - has been tremendously invigorating.   To all of those folks, I hope I can live up to the high standards you’ve set.  To the L4C central organizing unit in Ottawa, (Isabelle, Julie, Sonia, et al), thanks for all your effort in keeping us on track and moving forward.

I believe it is also important to thank the University of Guelph’s leadership - from my direct supervisor, Cort, to the President - both for and in these opportunities.  The real power of knowledge is in the sharing.

Finally, I want and need to thank all my family, colleagues, coworkers and friends.  From my parents, siblings and in-laws and their families, to (and especially) my wife, Sandy, and children, Cameron and Emily, everyone has been very encouraging and positive.  Your love and support makes it easier to undertake journeys and commitments such as this.

Cheers!

• 2013
• Ghana
• GNECC
• L4C
• UoG
• WUSC

Although I'm very excited to go back home, I'm sad to be leaving Vietnam tomorrow. The country has a certain "je ne sais quoi" that makes foreigners fall in love with it. I woke up early this morning and decided to make the most of my last day, so I did some serious site-seeing on foot to burn off the croissant I had for breakfast at Tous Les Jours. I visited Ben Thanh Market, the Reunification Palace and had a long stroll along Saigon River. It seems that I overdid it because my face turned beet red from the heat although I had my hat on.

Things that I've enjoyed in Vietnam: Coffee, tropical fruits, seafood, the crisp air in Phan Thiet and the beaches in Mui Net. Things that are cheaper than back home: spa treatments, food and taxis. I've found Vietnamese people to be gracious, patient and pleasant. 

My flight tomorow is at 11:25 a.m. I leave Saigon to Hong Kong, then catch another flight to Vancouver and then Toronto. It's been an amazing experience.

Abeir

I arrived in HCMC yesterday afternoon; it’s different this time as I’m completely on my own. The thought that I know no one here and have no one to go to for help if needed was pretty scary. All the “what ifs” started rolling in my mind but I decided I won’t allow fear to take over. So as soon as I checked into my hotel room I consulted the Saigon guide prepared by Elaine, a WUSC long-term volunteer, and decided on  where I want to go, things I need to buy and where to get them, and of course where to eat. I took a map of District 1 – where I reside – marked the hotel and figured I had a couple of hours before dark to familiarize myself with my surroundings and I did. I survived my first night in Saigon, on my own, and actually had a blast.

This morning I went on a second exploration mission but with more confidence this time. I had my cafe latte in a coffee shop around the corner from my hotel, went shopping at one of the biggest malls in Saigon, Vincom Mall, had lunch at a French bakery on Ba Le Chan Street, and had dinner at La Brasserie de Saigon. Yes, I know, there’s a French theme going here. Well I really needed to treat myself after 2 weeks of food loaded with MSG and salt, and daily doses Advil to conquer headaches triggered by MSG. I had a fun day today but also managed to squeeze in a skype call with WUSC and completed my End of Mandate report.

The great thing about Saigon is that language barrier does not constitute a big issue for foreigners as many people speak and understand English. Also because there are so many tourists in Saigon, tourist police in their clearly identified green uniform is everywhere. I actually approached one of them this morning to ask for directions and he was able to help me.

As soon as I set foot into my hotel room the unexpected happened; a big fat cockroach found its way into my room on the eighth floor. I panicked for a minute but quickly picked up the phone to ask the reception desk for help. The staff who took the call first thought I was asking for coconut but I repeated my plea for help to send someone with Raid spray bottle asap, but in less panicky manner an in slower English this time, and the person at the other end, a young gentleman, laughed and assured me help was on its way. The bellboy with a big bottle of Raid walked into my washroom and emerged out a few minutes after with a huge smile on his face, “I got it madame”, he said. He had the roach wrapped in tissue paper to show to his boss. So here's the thing, as you may recall I was known at the hotel in Phat Thiet as the poached egg lady, and now the staff in this hotel will probably refer to me as the roach lady. Great, what better nick names can one ask for!

Abeir

My leadership Prof. Chuck always encouraged us to step outside our comfort zone; this whole trip was just that. But the icing on the cake was going out on a night tour of Phan Thiet on a motorbike. Wow, what a feeling. Being my last night in Phan Thiet I invited the nice ladies from the International Relations office and an English language faculty member to dinner at my regular dining place, the clubhouse at the nearby golf club. After dinner the four of us went around the city on motorbikes. I rode behind the English language teacher with the other two on their motorbikes behind us. It was so much fun. I think this little adventure will stay with me for a while.

Earlier that day the college organized a site-seeing tour for me to Ta Cu Mountain and sent 2 representatives from the college with me. It was great; the cable car took us all the way to the top to see the 49 metres long statue of the sleeping Budha. The air was so crisp; a group of monks climbed their way to the top as we were climbing down.

There are so many nice places to see in Vietnam but more importantly it's the people that make it so special. I have found most people that I've interacted with have a sense of contenment that brings them that inner peace that a lot of people spend their lives looking for and never have. Family bonds are very strong; it's an extended family arrangement in most homes where the older generation shares resources with the younger couples, and the young couple look after the old. Children are well-looked after by the entire extended family. I can't stop thinking about this extended family notion. Who has a better system, us with our nuclear families or them with the extended families? I'm sure each has pros and cons, but which has more benefits? I should speak to a sociologist.

Abeir 

On my last day, my host decided to take me to their family restaurant. My final meal consisted of rice with a bed of shrimp in a sweet glazing.

Hoi An final meal

What a meal. I wanted to pay my compliments so they took me to the kitchen where I saw her continue to work hard at preparing such fabulous meals.

Hoi An Chef mom

When I was done, I returned to get my belongings and jumped into a taxi back to the Danang Airport. My host saw me off.

On the 20th, it was time to go up to Sapa to assist at the Baguette and Chocolate restaurant, bakery, and mini hotel which is operated by How Sua school. Everything was planned by WUSC and M. Ha. I took a taxi to the train station. I had already received my voucher and was waiting for the train at gate 4. I had already asked to make sure I didn't need anything else. As they started to board, the ticket agent said something in Vietnamese and then said "No" and pointed in a different direction. I had to quickly go get a different ticket to board the overnight coach. I met my suite mates which included a lovely couple from Hungary and Claire from England. We each shared some of our stories from our trip and eventually turned in for the night. With the shaking of the train and the noise, I didn't end up sleeping at all. When we arrived the next morning in Lao Cai, we parted ways and said we'd try to connect as some of us were going to be on a similar schedule for the train ride back.

I boarded a bus full of tourist and started up a winding road up the mountain towards Sapa. The views I experienced were amazing. One can never imagine this if I had even attempted to describe it. These are just some of the views I experienced.

Sapa - Up the mountain road

Heading towards Sapa

Upon arriving, I was met by students and staff members at the school. They invited me to relax for the day as they had planned a little touring around the Village on my first day. After settling in, the manager Thus and I went on a journey through the market. He showed me a few shops along the way and then headed for Dragon Mountain in the central part of the village.

Dragon Mountain

While up on the mountain, I noticed a few gardens, limestone rocks, and spectacular views. Oh yeah, also bumped into a couple new friends. Well, just a couple of people walking around that I decided to ask to have my photo taken with. As it is custom to ask how old you are, if you are married,etc. I decided to do the same. One was 23 and the other was 26, believe it or not. They don't look their ages. There were a few other people but not too many to be overwhelmed with crowds. The weather was slightly overcast but looked like it was opening up.  A little cooler then Hanoi. And far from being so humid.

Sapa - Dragon Mountain with new friends

Sapa - Dragon Mountain garden

Sapa - Dragon Mountain path

Sapa - Dragon Mountain rocks

Sapa - Dragon Mountain

After lunch, I was off on a trek to the village of Cat Cat with the Bakery teacher. We started off walking through the village of Sapa and strolled through the market area where I saw a lot of foods that we are not used to. But overall, it was crowded and unlike what we are used to. We eventually made our way through its winding roads and started downhill. We walked along the side of the mountain while being followed very close behind by two Mong women trying to sell us small embroidered pieces that they had made and it took them several weeks to make. We entered through the gate that led us towards the village. We were walking along the side of the mountain which was quite steep.

Sapa village of Cat Cat - view

I asked if we could actually see the village and they said "look down there". I looked over the edge and still saw nothing. It was a long way down. It must have been a couple thousand feet down and a long winding road down. As I looked into the valley, I could not believe my eyes. I was thinking just how lucky I was to be experiencing Leave for Change and able to share my experience with people so far away. Helping complete strangers that I now consider close friends as they have accepted me into their lives. All at the same time, they are sharing their life and experiences with me. As I looked into the distance and saw such a beautiful site, I can only imagine how to explain my journey to all of you. The only way is to just keep describing this experience, the people, and show you pictures. Unless one day you get the chance to also experience this yourselves.

My journey downhill continued to the gate of the community. A guard pointed towards the side of the road which lead us onto a walkway. A much shorter route but yet straight down many steps. As we trekked through, I visited several little shops and Mong homes which they allowed me inside to visit. Other buildings incorporated basket weaving, a forgery where small children played with knives and hammers, and another included weaving flux into silk. All this within the beautiful site of rice layered fields along the way down to the valley.

Sapa village of Cat Cat

Sapa village of Cat Cat - stone path

Sapa village of Cat Cat - children playing

Sapa village of Cat Cat - weaving

Sapa village of Cat Cat - walking the path

Once at the bottom, my guide informed me that there was a surprise that awaited me. I think she said this because I was admiring her village so much. She was right, the surprise was a beautiful waterfall in amongst the trees in the depth of the valley. I can't say anymore than what my pictures show. Just put yourselves in my shoes, if you can, and imagine what was going through my head.

Sapa village of Cat Cat - waterfall

At the end of our trek down, I was told that we can either take a bus, motor bike, or trek back up. My guide said she always walks back up. So I agreed. Oh my....Straight up, no water, a sweat filled shirt, and I still had to climb this mountain. Although it was some 2000 feet, I made the journey up one step at a time. It was easier than I thought.

The next day, my presentation was given and they loved it. They love to learn and get involved. I also added a couple of classes for new menu ideas which is what the school is all about. I showed then how to make french toast, a chicken and vegetable wrap, and a french sugar tart that they know call Mario's french tart. In the afternoon, I jumped on the back of a motor bike with the general manager and he took me to the next couple of villages called Lao Chai and Ta Van. Let me just say that this trip was just as exciting. A 13 kilometer trek for most people with overnight home stays that we did in a few hours on a motor bike. Next time I go, I'll be on foot for sure. Just look at the photos.

Sapa Ta Van Village

Sapa Ta Van Village

Sapa Ta Van Village

Sapa Ta Van Village

Before turning in, a few staff, teachers, and students were heading for a walk through the village and asked if I would join them. Of course I said yes. And I decided to treat them to a beer which we ended up in a karaoke bar. We sang Vietnamese songs, had some laughs, and finished off the night with Pha which is a traditional chicken noodle soup.

The next day I trekked about on my own and later awaited my bus back to the train for the overnight ride. The students, teachers, and staff all stood at the front of the building on the porch and saw me off. We took a group photo before I left.

Sapa

I got on the bus way in the back seat and then the driver loaded the luggage. Directly in front of me where I was jammed in tight. LOL. And then as we drove back down the mountain, the person next to me said she didn't feel good. Oh no.....She eventually took some medication and a few minutes later she was drowsy and fell asleep. Phew.

Sapa Train

I boarded the train and eventually fell asleep only to wake up at 4:30 am and already arrived in Hanoi. I took a cab to the hotel only to learn that they had no rooms available till after checkout sometime around noon. They let me sleep a couple of hours on the couch in the restaurant. Then I left my luggage and went for a stroll through the streets.

• LFC

I'm into my third week in Vietnam and the country is growing on me. I have to admit before landing here I had low expectations - a strategy that I employ to avoid disappointments - and was prepared for the worst. But things have turned out well. Here are a few examples:

1. I expected the locals to stare at me with scepticism.  Well they do look because I am after all a foreigner. So to transform an uncomfortable situation into a good interaction I usually smile at the "inquisitive" folks and greet them with a friendly nod; so they nod back with a bigger smile. I sometimes greet them in Vietnamese by saying xin chao, means hello.
2. Knowing I'd be staying in a small city - fishing community - I pictured unpaved roads and slums. Reality is far from what I've envisioned. Roads in Phan Thiet are paved and have decent sidewalks. The seafront is actually quite nice and great for taking long walks
3. I had expected the traffic to be horrific, survival for the fittest kind of traffic. This is true of big cities like Saigon but in Phan Thiet there's hardly any traffic to begin with and I'm actually able to cross the street safely.
4. I had expected I'd love the food here because I like Asian cuisine but the excessive use of MSG, salt and sugar do not agree with me. Food is very cheap though and the seafood in particular is very fresh and tasty, if cooked nicely.
5. Fruits in Vietnam are delicious. My favourite fruit has to be the Chom Chom; it's this reddish fruit with soft spiky exterior that has a transparent and tasty flesh inside. The papayas and pineapples are like no other that I've tasted anywhere. I also like the dragon fruit.
6. In terms of weather, I had expected extreme heat and humidity but was happy to find that the weather is quite pleasant and fresh in Phan Thiet on most days. Yes, there is monsoon rain but just for a couple of hours then it clears up very quickly. 
7. I had thought that my skin and hair would be a mess at all times. Not true; my hair likes the water here and my skin is happy, it's like being in an outdoor spa.
8. I've had nightmares about the hotels. Well, this was quite true of the first hotel I stayed at in HCMC; I call it the "RED" hotel because everything is red including the exterior of the building. But the colour wasn't the issue, everything smelled of mould, the reception, the room; I wasn't able to sleep at all on the first night and was totally grossed out. The restaurant where I was supposed to have my first breakfast was terrible. The glasses and cutlery smelled funny, I just couldn't trust having a meal there or even a cup of coffee. So I skipped breakfast and thought to myself these are going to be the longest 3 weeks of my life. However as soon as I casually mentioned the situation to the L4C program coordinator she immediately moved me to another 3 star hotel around the corner that's actually very new and quite nice. In Phan Thiet, I'm staying at a very good hotel.
9. Partner organization: I really didn't know what to expect so I went there with an open heart and mind. Reality is everyone at the college is so very kind to me and they are eager to learn new ways of doing things. Other than the welcome dinner and breakfast, the Vice-Rector for the College took me to a new tourist attraction, the Wine Castle. She also asked staff to arrange a site-seeing trip for me to Ta Cu Mountain and to accompany me back to Ho Chi Minh City to ensure that I arrive safely. 

I return to Canada in less than a week. Do I miss my family? So much, it's very lonely here. Am I looking forward to returning to Canada? You bet. Would I do this again, i.e. another Leave for Change mandate in Vietnam? Absolutely. The experience has been enriching and rewarding in many ways. I've had a great opportunity to touch the lives of the people I've worked with, share knowledge and exchange experiences. It's been a great opportunity to interact with people from a different culture and learn from them about their way of life, their values, and their hopes and dreams.

Abeir

Well hello everyone. Sorry for the delay in getting my blog up. I've been really busy and now as I go to turn my laptop on, it's telling me that Windows won't start as it's missing a file. Great. Just a little sarcasm on my part. At least I still have my phone. Lol! It might take a little longer to type but well worth it to show everyone my adventure.

I got back from Halong Bay after a three hour bus ride. What a trip that was. I ended up getting on the bus last and got the wheel well which my knees were up by my face and then I had my backpack on top. I was glad to stretch a little when we finally stopped an hour and a half into the ride. We stopped at a souvenir shop which I found way too expensive. Tourist trap of course. I noticed a little cocktail drink that is pretty popular here. I don't know the name but let me explain a little. A little snake and a little scorpion. Have a look.

a little taste

• LFC

Well, my weekend ended and I had to get back to work. I arrived in Hanoi around dinner on Sunday and got my things organized for the next day. I worked on setting up a presentation for all the teachers and staff and also some activities with the students.

One of the English teachers Uyen asked me to join her English class to have dialogues with the students. They wanted to learn how to pronounce different fruits, some vegetables, and we just asked each other questions about our daily lives. It was very exiting to see the smiles on their faces and the laughter within each of the classes.

I continued to work on the presentations for my mandate. Fire Prevention, Health and Safety, First Aid, CPR and I added a little on Hygiene. Proper hand washing is critical for them as they are doing a lot of cooking and baking. A little extra was hygiene for proper brushing and flossing. This was an added extra as a dear friend of mine was able to convince two companies to donate 16 dozen tooth brushes and dental floss. When I told them here, they though it was a great idea. I will add more about the presentation on this when I actually involve the teachers and students.

Every morning and night as I arrived and left the office, I made it my mission to go and say hello to the students in the embroidery and sewing classes. These students made me feel so welcome when I first got here. They are deaf and mute or have been exposed through the second generation to the effect of agent orange which was used back in the war. They have physical deformities however have developed excellent skills in embroidery. Every time they see me, they have these awesome smiles from ear to ear and they wave at me by putting their hands next to their faces. It just warms my heart to see them every day. They were even more excited when I asked them if they would be willing to make me some clothes. I ordered two pairs of pants and two shirts. I have yet to see them but when I do, I'll make sure to do a fashion show.

Oh yes, I can't forget that on the 14th, we celebrated M. Ha's birthday. Have a look. We had black rice in yogurt and ice cubes to keep it cold.....and cake of course.

Happy Birthday

On Thursday I flew to Danang in Central Vietnam and was picked up by my driver who drove me to a bed and breakfast in Hoi An. Village Riverview is a quaint B&B where a young couple run the place. Ms. Gna and her husband share the chores and run a great ship. They have two children. They are the sweetest people and would do anything for you. When I arrived on my first night, it was around 11pm and they were waiting up for me. Bed time is usually around 9:30. I had asked if there was a restaurant nearby and he said I'd have to take the bike in for 1.5 kilometers. He then said wait and came back with a great bowl of Pha or in my world (chicken noodle soup).

The next morning, I was met by long time guest Tanya who is volunteering with a group that aids children how to swim. Tanya was our go to person for tour advice as she knew everyone in town now. Soon after breakfast, I was off to the old town where I did a little sight seeing and visited some museums.

Hoi An beach

Hoi An

Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation

Museum

Hoi An - a view from the restaurant

On one of my afternoons, I also decided to put my feet up and hit the beach. As I approached, I happen to see beautiful palms trees, white sand, and a gorgeous mountain range far into the sea. Most of the people were under the trees and in the water. No one was on the sand. I tried to figure out why and soon found out. I could not walk across the beach as it was way too hot. I sat with new found friends from England who had just graduated from University. Great conversations were had as well as a great dip in the sea. The water was so warm. Just around 5, we decided to have a beer before we would ride the 4 kilometers back into town.

Cua Dai Beach

Cua Dai Beach

Cua Dai Beach

As I started riding the bike back, I crossed a bridge and found a couple fisherman in the bay as the sun was just settling in.

Cua Dai Beach bridge

While in Hoi An, I decided to visit an orphanage to play with the children. I spent some quality time with several children but two in particular touched my heart. One little one was laying on the floor next to her bed when I saw a taller boy stomping on her chest. She started to cry but neither of the three staff came to her aid. I stepped in and move the child off her and I stuck my arms out to her. She reached out and cuddled herself to sleep in my arms. I eventually put her down and went to play soccer with a boy who played alone in the back yard. He didn't say anything but he surely enjoyed me playing with him because he had the biggest smile on. I'm sure he was pretty happy but he brought joy to my heart.

Hoi An Orphanage

Just as I started to leave, I said my goodbyes and started off for the door. I had maybe 100 meters to walk before hitting the gate and I had a little hand reach up and grabbed mine. It was my new little girlfriend. She heard my voice I suspect and saw me leave and I guess decided to walk me all the way. Once at the gate, she hid behind a tree, looked around and had a little tear in her eye. I gave her a hug and waved. She waved back with a smile on her face. What a sweetie.

I know; it's been a week since I've made a new entry into my blog. I haven't forgotten about you but it's just been, and still is, insanely busy. There's just sooooo much to do and sooooooo little time. So here's an update.

I left Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet on August 13. This was a 4 1/2 trip in a small sedan that was sent by the partner organization to pick me up from Ho Chi Minh. I checked into the Park Diamond Hotel in Phan Thiet and got ready for an informal meeting with the partner organization that was followed by a welcome dinner on the same evening and a welcome breakfast the next morning. The official triangle meeting took place that morning and I excitedly agreed to take on additional capacity development activities outside my mandate. How could I have declined after the warm and generous welcome I’ve received? I left the comfortable air-conditioned meeting room and marched to the International Office on the second floor of another building. Although the office is not air-conditioned there’s a nice breeze that comes from the sea as the office overlooks the beach. I had a long discussion with the two international officers, Nguyen (pronounced as Win or like the name of our Premier Wynne) and My, pronounced as “me”. By the end of the day I noticed that my feet were swollen from the heat but luckily they went back to their normal size after staying in my air-conditioned room at the hotel for 30 minutes.

Phat Thiet is nothing like Ho Chi Minh. Everything is just so simple. The biggest thing in the city is the over-crowded Co-Op Mart, a very basic supermarket that has basically no food items that I can buy other than bottled water. Food has been a challenge for me here; I usually don’t add any salt to my food but all entrees come with some kind of sauce that includes either fish sauce or soy sauce and MSG, a big trigger of wicked headaches. Another food challenge is sugar; almost everything has added sugar: bread, yogurt (there’s no such thing as sugar-free yogurt), juices etc.  And the last food challenge is breakfast; I'm only left with eggs as an option since I still cannot eat noodles and rice for breakfast. So in a desperate attempt to maintain a healthy diet I ordered poached eggs one morning, of course without the rich hollandaise sauce. My request caused a commotion in the hotel restaurant as no one knew what I was talking about.  To make things worse poached eggs are not listed in my Vietnamese phrases pocket book. After several failed attempts to get someone to understand what I want, Tri came to my rescue. Tri is the young restaurant captain, what we would call a maitre d’; he speaks and understands English and knows what poached eggs look like. He took on the responsibility of explaining to the chef and staff how to prepare poached eggs and I’ve become known as the poached eggs lady at the Park Diamond Hotel. A small price I had to pay to get a healthy meal.

With the first week being quite intense and the following week loaded with work I decided to escape to a beach resort on my first weekend to recover from the trip and recharge. This was also an especially difficult weekend for me with my mother’s first birthday since her passing last December being last Thursday. Well, this turned out to be a very wise decision. The escape to the Mia resort in Mui Net, a 15 minute trip by taxi from Phan Thiet, was all that I needed and more. Food was great, beach was wonderful and atmosphere very relaxing. I couldn’t help but notice how the staff felt bad for me being the only solo and sad person at the resort who buried her head in her book any time I was not eating or swimming. I really wasn't looking for company, I needed solitude. I woke up at 4:00 am every day that weekend to watch the sunrise by the beach and enjoyed the refreshing coconut water that I’m told is very nutritious and has multiple health benefits. On Sunday afternoon I reluctantly checked out of the resort and returned to Phan Thiet. After four trials to check into a functional room – first room the AC was not working, second room the in-room safe was broken, third room the connecting door to the adjacent room did not lock and the fourth room had ants and was a smokers room – I spent the entire afternoon and evening working on my presentation for the upcoming workshop.

I learned a Vietnamese word that I felt would probably need with all the MSG I’m eating, đau đau, which means headache. So to avoid more dau dau I’m working on getting the restaurant chef and staff prepare steamed fish and vegetables for me without sauces or rice. Wish me luck with this. Will report back shortly so stay tuned.

P.S. I wanted to share photos with you but forgot how to upload them. Louise will be disappointed in me. Will probably connect with Mario for a quick refresher. 

Later,

Abeir

On Sunday morning I woke up and decided to go off on my own to learn a little bit more about the city. I made it around the corner and observed my first major intersection where I needed to cross. Having spoken to many people about this adventure, I decided to stop at the intersection first and take a photo. That's when it happened. My first attempted theft. A motor bike came from around the corner on my left and grabbed my phone right out of my hand. At this same time, my right hand came up and i grabbed the guy arm but it slid up to his wrist and over his hand due to the speed he was traveling. My hand grabbed the phone that he just took from my and it went flying into the middle of the intersection. The motor bike was now disappearing in the distance. I immediately reacted and dove into the intersection and grabbed my brand new blackberry that I had just bought before leaving for this trip. That's when I realized how many motor bikes there were on the street. I had them flying around me every which direction. As you can imagine, my first crossing was now real simple.

Motorbikes

Once across the round about, I happen to come across Hoam Kiem Lake. This lake is just south of the Old Quarter where a night market is typical help on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The lake itself is a small body of water in the center town. It is known as Turtle Lake as legend says that in the 15th century, Heaven sent Emperor Le Thai To a magical sword which he used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. After the war, he happen to come across a giant golden turtle that was swimming on the surface of the lake. The turtle took the sword and disappeared in the depth of the lake. Since then, the lake is known as Ho Hoan Kiem or also Lake of the Restored Sword because the turtle restored the sword. Every morning, locals gather around the lake to practice the traditional t'ai chi.

Hoan Kiem Lake

In the afternoon, I met with my prearranged volunteer tour guide Ms. Trang. She volunteers as a tour guide so she can practice her English speaking skills. She was also accompanied by her cousin Ms. Trang. We started off by going to the Temple of Literature. This temple is dedicated to the Khong Tu and honour's Vietnamese finest scholars and men of literature. While entering through the south, one will proceed through four yards/gardens to the Khue Van pavilion, then to a square pond known as the Well of Heavenly Clarity. Upon graduating through the program, you end up in the north side of the courtyard where one will find a pogado housing a statue of the Confucius and four of his disciples.

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

Temple of Literature

After finishing the tour, we took a taxi to the Museum of Ethnology where exibits of tribal art, artefacts are displayed. On the property, there are beautiful traditional village houses that still found today in different part of the country. Examples are stilt houses, Bahnar communal structure and a Yao home.

Museum of Ethnology

Museum of Ethnology

Museum of Ethnology

It was getting closer to dinner time so we decided to stop for a drink on a street corner while sitting on little plastic stools. We sipped on a traditional ice tea and learned more about Vietnam. We eventually made our way across the street to have street food consisting of Pho and spring rolls. Following dinner, we decided to part ways and I slowly made it back to my hotel room for a good night rest.

On Monday, I made my way by taxi to the WUSC office where I met with the entire team. I was first met by Ngoc my Sector Program Officer and a coordinator by the name of Meagan Smith who in fact is a First Responder at the University of Guelph. What a small world. She introduced herself and said that she was hired with WUSC for her summer employment here in Vietnam. I then proceeded to meet Uyen the Accountant and Administrator as well as Michael Emblem the Director and another volunteer by the name of Claude who was also at Hoa Sua School as a Chef. What a fantastic group. I was given an orientation on the program and an open discussion about the school.

The following morning, I was picked up and taken to Hoa Sua School to meet with Madame Ha who is so pleasant and welcoming. She is sweet as pie and does anything for you. A welcome meeting was initiated where a plan and schedule was agreed upon. A final farewell was given to Claude as his mandate had just ended. We gathered in the dining room and had a great lunch. And if you haven't had true Vietnamese food, it is amazing flavours.

Lunch at Hoa Sua School: Me, Ngoc, Claude, Madame Ha

As the week went on, I was given a tour of the facilities. These youths are just amazing. Although they don't know who I was, there smiles and waves are just so welcoming. The sewing class consists mainly of young females all of which are deaf and mute. The teacher got there attention for me by flicking the lights on and off. When they were told by sign language who I was, they all smiled and gave me waves. Every morning and every night I walk by the building and here they are just waving at me. They smile from ear to ear.

Hoa Sua School

Hoa Sua School

Hoa Sua School

Hoa Sua School - Cooking area for students

Hoa Sua School - Female Residence

Although L4C is my mandate, I decided to still get out on weekends and see a little more of Vietnam. This weekend I decided to board a bus on a three hour ride to Halong Bay. One of the wonders of the world. On the bus I met some pretty interesting people from all parts of the world including Germany, France, Switzerland, England, Scotland, and Canada. Once we arrived at the port, we were transported to the cruise ship by a small platform boat. Upon boarding the ship, we were given a small introduction and assigned our cabins where we were going to stay the night. Once we checked in, we were provided a gourmet lunch while the ship slowly made its way towards the vast 2000 limestone Islands, floating village, and cave.

Halong Bay - Cruiser Ship

Halong Bay - Islands

Halong Bay - Islands

Halong Bay - Islands

Halong Bay - Floating Village

Halong Bay - Cave

Halong Bay - Islands

Halong Bay - Islands

Two days in Ho Chi Minh and I'm hooked. The city is lively and full of buzz. Very interesting mix of people; there are a lot of foreigners here that don't look as lost as I do, which means they've been here for a while. Anything and everything is available in Ho Chi Minh. Locals are friendly and helpful in spite of the language barrier.  I had expected traffic to be more chaotic than it actually is but it's not that bad; well, other than there's really no safe haven for pedestrians even on the side walks as motorbikes are everywhere. Motoebikes are considered the main means of transportation for a lot of people in Ho Chi Minh. It's very common to see a woman get off the motorbike in her work uniform - often some kind of suit and heels - and just park in front of the hotel or store where she works. 

Language is definitely a big barrier; if I didn't have Ngoc, WUSC program officer, help me communicate with locals I don't think I would've been able to get what I need.Another interesting thing is the currency; cash is used very often and CAN $ 1 is equivalent to 20,000 Vietnamese Dongs, so I'm constantly carrying millions of Vietnamese Dongs. It feels nice to carry millions even if they're only Dongs.

Food here is quite cheap; I can easily have lunch and dinner for $10 or less.  Breakfast is included in the room charge; so every morning I take my breakfast at the hotel restaurant. I usually go with an egg and a Banh Mi - very nice mini baguette - because I haven't been able to venture Vietnamese breakfast yet, which consists of noodles soup and other items that look quite rich to eat so early in the morning. Coffee is quite strong, it's like a punch in the face and one immediately wakes up unwillingly. Ngoc and I have been on the go for the past two days, so for lunch we usually have Pho soup with noodles, which I quite enjoy.  As to dinner, we found this nice Thai restaurant that makes very nice curries. On the first night I had green curry with chicken and steamed rice and yesterday I had the red curry version of it. Ngoc tried to take me to an authentic Vietnamese place that makes very good soup but I wasn't ready for it. It was this tiny place, not very inviting,  with tables set up on the sidewalk and some grumpy man cooking noodles soup. I mean I did take my Hepatistis A & B shots and Dokural before departure but I knew I was going to get sick if I ate there. 
Ngoc and I met Michael, WUSC regional manager, for lunch on the first day. The three of us had very interesting discussions about international development. It's amazing all the work that WUSC is doing in this part of the world and the effort put into working with the local partners. It made me feel great about my decision to participate in the program.

 
I'm leaving Ho Chi Minh to Phan Thiet this morning. It's currently 6:04 am and we leave at 8:00 on a four-hour drive to Phan Thiet. The triangle meeting is taking place this afternoon. This is a meeting where the three partners- the local partner (Bin Thuan Community College representatives), WUSC (represented by Ngoc) and the volunteer (myself), meet to discuss and finalize the mandate. It's going to be a long day but it'll also be exciting. I'm looking forward to meeting my new city, Phan Thiet.

Will report back shortly.
Abeir

Woke up at 5:30 am on departure day (D-Day). Saw the kids briefly before they were off to work and was able to keep a brave face. But totally gave in to tears when I waved goodbye to Mostafa at the gate; goodbyes are always hard for me. Flight to Seoul was on time, service and crew were great and my seat was not bad at all. As you can predict I was well-prepared; I had noise-blocking headsets, comfy loafers and a great travel pillow. Somehow I managed to kill 13 1/2 hrs on the flight; I divided my time between reading a book, reviewing some material related to the volunteer work, watched a movie, and dozed off for a few hours without the help of sleeping aids. Flight from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh was on time as well, layover was not long and I arrived in Viet Nam as scheduled.
Representatives from the Dong Do Hotel picked me up at the airport. High humidity hit me as soon as I stepped outside the air-conditioned airport.  It was close to mid-night so traffic on main streets was quite light. My first impression of Ho Chi Minh city is that it reminds of Cairo, except that Cairo has traffic jams 24/7 and is a city that never sleeps. Perhaps things will look different in daylight.
I've been travelling for over 21 hrs and I am beat but cannot sleep. My meeting with WUSC representative is tomorrow at 9:00 am. and it's now approaching 2 a.m. I really ought to get some sleep.
Abeir

Two more days to go! Shopping is done, my travel pillow that I ordered online arrived from Montreal yesterday and my passport with the visa was delivered this morning. Does this mean I’m set to go? Oh no, here they come, travel jitters.

I received my work schedule from the field office and exchanged a couple of emails with Annick. I was warned about cockroaches in Phan Thiet, there's just too many for anyone’s liking, so I wasn’t surprised to read about these unpopular creatures in the Volunteer Guide p. 17 under Special Health Precautions in Viet Nam – Mosquitoes and Insects. Apparently the best way to extinguish roaches without spreading their microscopic eggs is to leave them on their back. Hmmm, gone are the days when all I needed to do was cry for help when I saw a roach and my lovely husband would come to my rescue. Action plan: purchase some Raid upon arrival to prep for unfriendly encounters with roaches. With my counter attack plan in mind I smiled as I thought to myself, “I can do this; when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

More to come, stay tuned...

Over the past few months I haven't really written anything as I was basically just preparing for the trip.  I had ventured out to get my first set of immunization shots and awaited contact by WUSC in respect to my travel arrangements and my mandate.

A couple weeks before my departure, everything started to fall into place. I received my last immunization shots, received confirmation regarding my mandate, received a copy of my flight arrangements, my hotel accommodations, and my contract detailing my work in Vietnam.  I started to feel good about my mandate and real excited of course.

Six of us from the Leave for Change program 2013 met at my home for an evening of gourmet food and a little welcome back for Mary from Nepal. What a fantastic night. Thanks everyone and sorry to those who missed out.

Anyway, my first day started on August 2 at 6 AM. I got to the airport and checked in.  When I got to the gate, i eventually heard that the flight was delayed due to severe storms in the Chicago area.  After a couple hours of waiting, the first flight got cancelled.  Mine was still on.  They called me to the desk and said that I had been switched to a direct flight to Tokyo so I could make my other connection.  I was thrilled as I know didn't have to have two layovers.  Oops, hold on. Wrong, they said I now wouldn't make that flight either.  I was reverted back to the original flight however leg two was switched to a later Tokyo flight with another airline. I got to Chicago and had about 45 minutes to get to the other plane.  Good thing I didn't have to pickup my luggage like they had said originally.  Got on the Tokyo flight and got myself settled in for the 14 hour journey.  Met a couple guys sitting next to me that had just graduate from law school at Harvard.  They were trekking to Vietnam and Cambodia before heading of to work in New York City.

Once in Tokyo, a was greeted by Japanese Airlines who said to go have dinner and a beer on them as the flight to Hanoi had been delayed for yet another three hours due to a typhoon that hit the city that afternoon.  Yes a typhoon.  lol  So my new friends and I sat and had a nice cold beer to pass the time.

Once on the flight, we realized the flight was going to be yet another several hours and then a 45 minute trek to the hotel.  Once we got to Hanoi, I started for the exit and got stopped by customs.  I realized when I got my suitcase that i had several little stickers of happy faces on them. I figured they had already checked them and put stickers on them.  NOPE. It meant check this guy.  After a quick x-ray and them asking what was inside, they let me through.  phew. lol

About 45 minutes later, I found my taxi driver who didn't speak a word of English.  I reverted to my handy Vietnam book and introduced myself.  He had to read the phrase as I wasn't saying it correctly. Along the quiet ride to the hotel, my driver pointed and laughed at a tiny little motorcycle carrying food to the market. It was about 10' and full of baskets of food.  I was surprised he could balance that thing. Oh yeah, someone was sleeping on the top and the bike had no lights. lol

We pulled in at 2 AM on August 4.  Yes about 30 some hours of travel.  Tired but still going, I sent a couple of emails to say I was here safely.  At 6 am I was woken to the sound of beeping mopeds in the street.  And my journey begins.  Sorry no photos yet. It was dark out.

• LFC

Great news! My visa has been issued and my flight is being finalized. WUSC staff has put me in touch with the Sectoral Programme Officer for Uniterra in Vietnam. Wow, it feels real now and I'm very excited. I hope I can sleep tonight.

Abeir