Stolen Wireless

I am a sneaky, sneaky girl! Like I had said, I don’t have wireless access in my room. Not the end of the world I know, but I do like the comfort of being able to check my email. Also, the only time I am able to skype (with the time difference) is right after I wake up or right before I go to bed. This just makes it difficult (and maybe impossible) if I have to venture out somewhere to do it.

Since I had tried connecting yesterday (to no avail) I decided I would be proactive. I made a list of the places that HAD wireless but needed a password. I found one of the hostels’s while walking around and went in and asked if they had wireless. The girls behind the desk seemed confused but I explained I needed to use wireless and was wondering if I could pay to use theirs. I did feel a bit bad because I was playing dumb when they asked me where I was staying etc (Dad..regardless of what you say it’s NOT easy for me to play dumb!). I just asked if I could pay to use their wireless, but she said it was no problem I could use it for free! JACKPOT!

I logged on and it was fine in their building..and then left to try it out back in the room! So far so good and I am not complaining! I have no idea how well it will work or if they will change the sign in procedure or anything, but for now it’s great!

However, facebook is blocked in VIETNAM! I thought I was done with that in China..ohhh these communist countries. I was a bit bummed just because I was looking forward to checking in, but I have realized I waste waaay too much time on facebook, so it wasn’t the end of the world. However, last night I was reading up on the block of facebook and found it JUST happened like 2 days before I arrived. While I was searching, I found “Facebook Lite” which is a mini version of facebook that is NOT blocked (I say that now..until Vietnam kicks me out!!!) So I was VERY happy to be able to access that..although it really only lets me write on walls..no adding pictures or any of the cool things I wanted to do!

I did NOT sleep well at ALL last night and probably got a total of 5 hours of sleep! This morning I got up, had my cereal and was downstairs at 8:30. Ken was there talking with a girl, who introduced herself as Khaly (Callie). I soon found out she is a new volunteer! Wahoo!

So while I am at it..I will fill you in. Ken is from Alaska (Dutch Harbor..yeaaah Deadliest Catch) is probably in his 40’s and has a business doing something with the fishing industry..I think something of a medic if people get hurt? I am sort of confused! So anyway he is half Vietnamese and was born here so speaks a little bit of the language. He is going to be here for 2 weeks and then going to Thailand. Best of all, we have the SAME BIRTHDAY!

Khlay is from Australia but is half Vietnamese as well and SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE! Oh it is WONDERFUL! She is 28 and has been in Vietnam visiting family and then will be doing some traveling before ending up in London for a 2 year work visa. She does marketing for Yahoo!

So anyway, we were chatting and then Hang (the coordinator) showed up and we were off! I asked Hang about buying a phone, but it didn’t seem like we had the time and Ken said he needed a sim card as well so we figured we would go later. We walked about 10 minutes to the Ben Thanh Market, which is the biggest market and the biggest traffic circle! It was fun crossing the street..and I am glad to report I am STILL alive! We took the number 3 bus which would take us to the orphanage.

The bus ride was long, and unlike the bus rides in China, this one was hot! We left around 9:10ish and got to the orphanage just before 10:00am. The orphanage is one for Children with Disabilities & Agent Orange Victims. The orphanage cares for abandoned children with mental or physical disabilities and agent orange victims and helps to educate them to the fullest extent of their capabilities, both physical and intellectual, and to help them, as much as possible, towards independent living. There are about 400 children at the orphanage. I am still a bit confused, but it is set behind (or almost part of) a temple. I think the monks of the temple help support the orphanage, but other than that I believe it runs off donations.

Ken had already been there so Hang took Khaly and I into the main room. However, there were already a lot of volunteers, so she found us another room. This room had about twenty 5 year olds, most of whom were functioning pretty well. We were told to help feed the children (it was meal time) and that’s when things went CRAZY! I can’t even explain it really. I was supposed to be feeding a girl, but kids were jumping on me, falling off me, climbing on my lap, hitting me, etc. it was INSANE and I was not expecting it. The kids had SO much energy and were just ALL over the place..it was MORE than overwhelming. Hang spoke to Khaly a lot in Vietnamese and she was nice enough to translate because the women workers in the room did not speak English so I had NO idea what was going on. I was SO glad Khlay was there because I was in WAY over my head. We finished feeding and Ken walked by and saved us. He said that room was CRAZY so brought us to another room.

The children range in age (babies to a 23 year old who acts/looks like he is 7) and in abilities (mobile children to children that are confined to cribs). There are different rooms and I have no idea how they are split up but there are maybe 10 kids in each room and they have cribs. Mostly, they just lay around all day. Sometimes they get brought to the big main room where they are fed and also are able to play, but Khlay and I were both surprised that there is no “program” or “structure” besides feedings.

I am not even sure what to write because I am STILL processing everything and still overwhelmed. I think Khaly and I both felt lost because we had NO idea what to do, and nobody was really asking/telling us what to do. So we almost felt useless. Ken has been there 4 days so he has kids he has bonded with, so he would take them out and walk them. I did that for a bit, but I was EXHAUSTED. The kids can’t walk well so you have to completely support them while being hunched over. I am NOT complaining at all, but I was just surprised how wiped out I was. It was also a bit strange because I guess you can just walk into rooms and take kids? I wished someone had explained their situation..what would be helpful, etc.

At 12:00 it was nap time for them and lunchtime for us, so we ate with the women who work there. I just mostly ate rice but I brought snacks so I was ok. I think the women are more volunteers than paid workers, but Khaly said (because she can speak with them) it sounds like most are from the country and don’t have job opportunities so they come to the city to work. Nobody (besides Khaly, Ken and myself) speaks English, so it was frustrating and a bit isolating. I am SO glad Khaly was there to help me, but even at lunch they would all laugh at jokes etc. and I was just like uuuuh.

After lunch we had until 2:00pm (when nap time was over) so we went for a walk, got a sugar cane drink (SO GOOD) and sat down to watch the traffic. We were back at 2:00pm and again I just didn’t really know WHERE I was needed. I was willing to do anything but it was like I didn’t know where to go. I ended up playing with some kids, taking them for walks, etc. but they take a LOT of energy and I found myself DRAINED. Physically, mentally and emotionally. I know I am not even explaining this well because I am STILL overwhelmed and tired just thinking about it! Around 3:30pm we started to help with food preparation and helped feed at 4:00pm. My girl and Khaly’s girl did NOT want to eat and we were the last two standing! It was a bit frustrating because they let the food sit in their mouth (the kids this morning did it too!) but eventually one of the workers said it was fine.

We left around 4:30 and I can’t remember EVER being so drained. I was physical tired from all the lifting, carrying, kids jumping on me, hitting me, pulling me etc. I was emotionally and mentally drained from the experience. It was over stimulation to the max. it was hard to see children in such deformed states. I wish I could write more detail but for now I think that is going to have to cover it because..well..it’s just that.

We got back on the bus which was PACKED and hit rush hour the whole way home (which took about 1 hour 15 minutes). It was a VERY long day. We got back and I had wanted to buy a cell phone so we stopped at a shop. I needed a phone that I could also use in Cambodia and Thailand. So I found the cheapest one and Khaly was the BEST and asked all the questions. The woman said it would work in all the countries but she didn’t have a sim card. So we went to another store for the sim card and I found the same phone so asked there (when I say I, I mean Khaly, ha!) and this women said she wasn’t sure about Thailand. I got the sim card anyway and went back to the first store to re-ask about Thailand. Long story short, I have no idea if I can use it in Thailand BUT I have a phone for now. My phone number is 01-228-705-269. But to call from the U.S. I think you dial 011 + 84 + 01-228-705-269.

The three of us came back and headed out to dinner. We found a restaurant that had Vietnamese food AND pizza (I was craving it)! I think after the long day and different food I just wanted something comforting and pizza did the trick! We had a great meal and came back and I took one of the BEST showers of my life!

Hugs and kisses from stolen wireless!