I Wish I Could Speak Vietnamese

We were all hurting this morning. None of us were awake nor in the mood to work out. I was EXHAUSTED. I feel like I am always tired here, but especially today. I did manage 4 laps, although before you get TOO excited you must know I think 3 snails passed me! But I wasn’t walking, so I was moving a bit. Exercise here is SO hard for me. Well for one, I am definitely out of shape. But my muscles hurt and are always yelling at me to stop! On top of that, the “heavy” air is starting to bug me in the morning! I don’t know how to explain it other than it is like breathing with a weight on your chest, all the time! I don’t think I mind the heat, but it’s the heavy muggy air I don’t like.
We all run for a while and then join the aerobics class. At first I liked the class but now it is getting old. It is VERY low impact (doesn’t get the heart rate up) but it doesn’t really tone either. It is better than nothing but it isn’t great.

We left and I took a well needed shower and ate my breakfast. Khaly and I went to the Women’s Shelter today. Hang didn’t think it would be a good idea for Ken to join, so he headed to the orphanage.

We had to take a taxi which we don’t really like doing because it is a lot more expensive and we had already bought bus passes. However, we met Hang at the shelter. There were about four babies. We spent time holding them and rocking them, but they were only a few months old so we couldn’t play with them. They were so cute! Then we went downstairs to help the women make flowers.

Basically, the story is these are young women (ages 17-31) who get pregnant and are abandoned by their boyfriends and/or families. They go to the hospital to get an abortion because they can’t provide for the baby and the doctor recommends this shelter. They come to the shelter which is run by Nuns. At the shelter they learn different skills, like sewing or crafts etc. and make things that can be sold. However, usually a few months after their baby is born they have to leave and it sounds like nobody has the resources to have people help them find a job, housing, etc. and stay in contact with them.

We went downstairs to help them make some crafts and that was about it. Now I love Khaly because she does SUCH a good job translating for me, but there are times she just can’t! For example, she would be in the middle of a conversation and I didn’t expect her to stop and translate for me. However, today was the first day (well I think it has been building up) that I was very frustrated. The head sister knew English but that was it, so I couldn’t talk to anyone! I thought it was so cool Khaly was able to talk to these girls and I just sort of sat there making the craft. I would sometimes try and ask a question and then Khaly would translate and they would answer, but that is not a conversation. If there was a lull Khaly would translate, but in a conversation there really isn’t time for that. At all the projects here, hardly anyone speaks English. I would be lost without Khaly but I am really frustrated that I can’t talk to anyone! It is very isolating (not on purpose) but I just feel like I am there, but not there.

They asked if we wanted to stay for lunch but I knew we had the orphanage in the afternoon. I just wasn’t feeling it. I knew I was VERY tired which didn’t help, but I was tired of doing the crafts and just sitting there. Khaly and I both said we had to do another volunteer project but we thanked them. We left around lunch time and the Sister in charge said she had talked to Hang about us coming back next week. She said how we could stay the whole day, sleep over and do 2 days! We were both polite but inside I was dying!

We took a taxi back and I told Khaly how I felt. She was so understanding about me feeling left out and frustrated and she apologized she couldn’t do more. I told her she is doing more than expected, but it is just the way it is! I told her there is no way I could spend a whole day there, never mind two, and she agreed. We also don’t really want to be teaching English. I feel like that is almost all I do, and the reason I signed up for WLS was because there were opportunities besides English. Also, I know you have to start SOMEWHERE, but it is so hard for me to teach people English when I don’t know their language. Khaly can translate it but I am sort of stuck and I don’t enjoy that feeling. If it would be helpful I said I would, but if there is no one to translate it is a bit silly.

I was kind of bummed because I was really looking forward to this project! I think if they spoke English or I spoke Vietnamese I would LOVE the project. It is a different population than just children and we are doing different things. But, unfortunately, it just isn’t working out for me, with my skills.

I also know that EVERYONE wants to learn English, and I hate being “picky” about volunteering because I really will do WHATEVER they need, but it’s just a lot. I didn’t want to teach English all the time which is why I didn’t sign up for other volunteer groups. However, I feel like we are always being told, “Oh and they want to learn English!”

I think Khaly and I were also both frustrated with the transportation. It was about 35 minutes away which wasn’t too bad but we had to take a taxi which was about $10 round trip. It isn’t THAT bad, but it adds up, especially when we pay $.33 round trip for the bus. So I think we will tell Hang we just didn’t like it as much as other places (the orphanage and soup kitchen). I really just didn’t enjoy it because I didn’t DO anything besides sit and watch Khaly talk with them.

Khaly was dying to go back to Bobby Brewers and I can’t say I was complaining. We were both starving (I think because we wake up so early) and I got a hamburger. I never really liked hamburgers but ever since I have been in Asia I love them! It’s crazy! It was DELICIOUS! We came back for a very quick nap and we were off to the orphanage.

Today was the worst bus ride I have ever experienced. I was tired and hot and everything was getting on my nerves. There was no AC and the driver would SLAM on his breaks. There was this annoying music playing and the ticket taker was yelling so loud at everyone. I leaned over to Khaly and was like, “I want to strangle someone right now!” After I assured her it WOULDN’T be her, she was like, “YES this is the worst bus ride ever!” We could not WAIT to get off!

We pass a small bakery to get to the orphanage and Khaly was like, “Let’s get something that will make us feel better!” Can’t you tell why I love her? So we both got small treats to put us in a better mood!

When we got to the orphanage we spent about 5 minutes “relaxing” in the Temple (they have Tibetan prayers on a CD they play). It was SO relaxing and made us not want to kill everyone after our agitating bus ride. We both decided we just felt agitated.
I first played with my little blind boy. I don’t know how to spell his name but I am going to ask tomorrow. But I found out he has a family! I guess he gets dropped off every day! So now I am down to only adopting one kid.

I brought my smart boy the Rubik cube. However, in the afternoon we don’t really have a lot of time to “play”. So I quickly showed him and explained the colors and then moved it one move and then back again. I think tomorrow I will try to get some one-on-one time with him.

We stayed for dinner although neither Ken nor I were hungry (I don’t like the food there). On the way back we were going to stop at the big market for a cold drink but they were closing up! Bummer! So alas, back here to catch up on emails!

Hugs and kisses from the girl who wishes she could speak Vietnamese!