Thought I would share my traffic jam from last night. I had an appointment to get my hair cut at 5:30 all the way across District One. Terrible idea. Before this mob began to move I think we sat there for a full five minutes - and we weren't waiting for a traffic light. At many intersections, it's every motorbike for herself...you just inch your way forward and hope for movement.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
View Marjie's Travels in a larger map
Pho~ a Long, Long Way to Run
Viet Nam |
View Marjie's Travels in a larger map
About this Blog
Who: Marjie, a life-long resident and high school teacher from Seattle
What: Decides to rent out her condo and sign a ten-month contract to teach sixth grade English and Ancient History at a relatively new, quickly growing international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
When: In August, with one month's notice - along with 33 others from the US, Canada, Australia, Britain and New Zealand (most of them last-minute, too)
p.s. (That was last year; now she's on Year #2)
What: Decides to rent out her condo and sign a ten-month contract to teach sixth grade English and Ancient History at a relatively new, quickly growing international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
When: In August, with one month's notice - along with 33 others from the US, Canada, Australia, Britain and New Zealand (most of them last-minute, too)
p.s. (That was last year; now she's on Year #2)
Frequently Mentioned Cast
The Castle - a five story stack house with a rooftop deck, in the midst of the best morning market in the city.
Katherine - castlemate and the primary PE teacher from Montreal, Canada.
Franco - castlemate and a third grade teacher from Portland, Oregon.
Tarn - former castlemate and the high school librarian from Wellington, New Zealand (in many of last year's posts).
Pretty Lady - Tarn's bicycle.
Nam (or "Mom") - Marjie's motorcycle-taxi driver and surrogate mother. He is also Marjie's self-appointed food screener.
Nam's Family - sells fabric at the morning market.
Thuy (pronounced "Twee") - sells fabric at the morning market and serves as the castle's Sunday night cooking instructor.
Thanh - (pronounced "Tawn") Thuy's sister and business partner.
Sweet Seamstress or Ms. Hao - seamstress who lives three doors down from the castle. Her assistant is Lieu and her son is Ut.
Bum Bum Girls - girls who work at the Bum Bum Salon in the alley near the Castle. Katherine and Marjie's "second home."
Tran - Katherine and Marjie's favorite massage therapist at the Bum Bum (she's not there anymore; now she comes to the castle for massages on request).
Banana Cake Lady and Rice Lady - women who supply Marjie's breakfast each morning.
"The Band" - Four people who regularly comment on the blog: Brian, Karyn ("the norris clan"), Amy ("amyt"), Bill (used to be "kumma" or "sbill" but recently transformed into "Mungo") and one person who makes star appearances: Rita (of One-Minute-Poem fame).
Katherine - castlemate and the primary PE teacher from Montreal, Canada.
Franco - castlemate and a third grade teacher from Portland, Oregon.
Tarn - former castlemate and the high school librarian from Wellington, New Zealand (in many of last year's posts).
Pretty Lady - Tarn's bicycle.
Nam (or "Mom") - Marjie's motorcycle-taxi driver and surrogate mother. He is also Marjie's self-appointed food screener.
Nam's Family - sells fabric at the morning market.
Thuy (pronounced "Twee") - sells fabric at the morning market and serves as the castle's Sunday night cooking instructor.
Thanh - (pronounced "Tawn") Thuy's sister and business partner.
Sweet Seamstress or Ms. Hao - seamstress who lives three doors down from the castle. Her assistant is Lieu and her son is Ut.
Bum Bum Girls - girls who work at the Bum Bum Salon in the alley near the Castle. Katherine and Marjie's "second home."
Tran - Katherine and Marjie's favorite massage therapist at the Bum Bum (she's not there anymore; now she comes to the castle for massages on request).
Banana Cake Lady and Rice Lady - women who supply Marjie's breakfast each morning.
"The Band" - Four people who regularly comment on the blog: Brian, Karyn ("the norris clan"), Amy ("amyt"), Bill (used to be "kumma" or "sbill" but recently transformed into "Mungo") and one person who makes star appearances: Rita (of One-Minute-Poem fame).
Blog Archive
-
▼
2009
(167)
-
▼
March
(20)
- Pam's Top Ten List
- What Pam Ate, Part 2
- What Pam Ate
- Thursday Blog Game: 6E Inspiration
- Saigon Jams
- Kicking Rooster Angels
- Neighborhood Flow
- My Weekly Entertainment
- Blog Game Thursday: What Can You Do With This?
- Taking Stock: My Life in Vietnam Do's and Don'ts
- No Thank You
- Blog Game Thursday: What Candy was Inspired by thi...
- Two Hours Later: Tastes Like Chicken
- Middle Age Biker meets Sweet Sour Salty Spicy Crunchy
- Women's Day, Michelle Day and Turmeric Rice Cake Day
- The Peaceful Swastikas
- Thursday Blog Game: Translations from Last Week
- Learn Your Numbers
- Blog Post Confessional
- In and Out of Character
-
▼
March
(20)
2 comments:
I wonder if you'll miss the din of the "motorbike army" when you come home?
See the huge contrast between Saigon and Sandefjord - Norway, where you seldom see people in the streets?
Post a Comment