tiistai 10. elokuuta 2010

Good morning, Finland!

Dear folks, I have returned. I am sitting dead tired on my bed in Pori and feeling extremely happy. If I'm honest to myself, I wont make up for the pause from writing last month (tragedy in my family, comedy in my private life and fantasy in my mind kept me distracted) but here are some of the notions of my last few days.

As a word of warning, airplanes can still be hellishly late. Our flight Hanoi-Paris was 9h late. Our plane had broken down so we waited for a replacement to arrive from Frankfurt. Although Hanoi is a capital of millions, the airport closes its gates at midnight so nobody could get out and we all were forced to spend the night at the airport. Rich and poor, side by side on the airport floor, sleeping and waiting for good news. The airline compensated us 45usd per person for the night spent at the airport but you can imagine how happy people were.

I managed to get fairly tanned in Vietnam. Or judged by the color, roasted. So I meet this friend on Saturday and greet her. After several long seconds she "woke up" and said Hi. She begged for forgiveness, she had been distracted by my tan. In a shop on Monday a couple of old ladies was discussing, clearly wanting me to overhear. They contemplated about the superficiality of the youth these days and the amount of harmful chemicals, e.g. self tanning creams, people use. Hey, I'm brown, not orange!

Thankfully the first weekend back home was very warm. Unfortunately not everybody had apparently noticed that. The Finnish mind works with the calendar. August = beginning of fall = cooling climate = more clothes. August 6th 2010, + 28'c, the pedestrian street of Pori = incredible number of people wearing jackets and long trousers. Didn't they bother to check the temperature or what?

The Finns showed their funny sides also in another aspect. We did a small road trip with my mum and my brother. When driving in a city, my brother amused himself by shouting "Good day!" to pedestrians his head out from the backseat window. Fingers are more than enough to count the people who actually replied anything. It was mainly amusing for us but it was sad to be reminded or the simple truth - we are suspicious, almost fearful of people we don't know. We don't talk to them, we don't touch them. Heck, we don't even touch the people dear to us. Should I declare a new mission for me and a challenge for all: spread the love! Touch, hug, embrace, smile, wave and wink. Let life flow loose!

Don't you just love these little bursts in the midst of the wee hours?

You'll hear from me again, most likely when I'm yet on another adventure. Where, when, with whom - I don't know but more is to come. Did you really think I would stay put from now on? :P

torstai 15. heinäkuuta 2010

All kinds of waves

Now that Europe is experiencing heath like never before, I felt like sharing some stories about the weather conditions here in SE Asia.

When I arrived to Hanoi in mid June, the city greeted me with a welcoming 41'c. That was the first day of the heath period. Since my arrival, the temperatures have been soaring. The day time temperature has been 38'c on average, passing the 40'c mark every now and then. At night time it has been much cooler, the temperature setting at about 28'c. Usually the rains cool the climate a bit during this time of the year but now, as there has been no rain, there has been no ease.

In theory, the rainy season stars in June and goes on until August-September. Now we are in mid July and it has rained properly only once. And boy did it rain. It was last Monday. This end-of-the-world type rain started in early morning. During 3 hours, from 7am to 10 am, it rained 150mm. 3 people died of electrocution. over 100 fishermen are still missing. Co To island, the place we went to a couple of wees ago, was hit by 7m waves. In Hanoi 79 places were flooded and many places closed from traffic. In a city of 8 million people you can imagine what that causes. The usual morning rush turned into extraordinary morning chaos.

It is somehow expected that having a motor vehicle should be combined with the knowledge of how to use it. Well, here where a car is a status thing more than anything, it is not always clear what the car can take. In the afternoon we were heading to a meeting and the amount of broken down cars was imperssive. Low rise cars, Huyndai, Mercedes, Toyota, were driven through flooded streets at normal speed which eventually led to breaking down of the engine. Also several motorbikes had suffered the same fate.

The floods also caused harm and destruction in the low areas of the city. And, because of building standards in the region, in several apartments the water entered the rooms through windows, walls, roofs, lamps, screws, air conditioning machines, you name it. Several trees fell because of the heavy rain, blocking some streets and cutting powerlines (including the one leading to my hotel).

This weekend a typhoon was supposed to hit Hanoi. From work we received an emergency e-mail encouraging us to stock food, to refrain from traveling and to report to a supervisor on Sunday. Luckily, the storm calmed down before hitting Hanoi so no exciting stories to tell from that. Nevertheless, the nature is brutal here, for me it's mainly interesting. After all, I've never ridden a bike in knee-deep water!

maanantai 5. heinäkuuta 2010

The Vietnamese way

This weekend truly gave an insight in the Vietnamese way of traveling. It was a pure coincidence that things happened the way they did so I'll explain everything from the beginning.

When I came to Vietnam, I contacted randomly some people on CouchSurfing. One of the people who answered my message was Huong. We met last Tuesday. That same evening she had a meeting about a trip that weekend and I accompanied her there. The people were surprised to see me at the meeting but welcomed me warmly and asked me to join the trip. Two days later my other plans got cancelled so I signed up.

The trip was organized entirely by private people. The group was gathered on a Vietnamese internet forum where the discussion about backpacking and exploring Vietnam is active. So, on Friday after work, 27 Vietnamese persons between 22 and 29 years of age and I crammed into a bus and drove 5 hours to Van Don. On the way we stopped in a road side restaurant and just like the other days, we ate the traditional way: 6 people around one table sharing 4-8 different courses plus rice and soup. Everybody have a small bowl for rice/soup and the pieces of food are taken with one's own chopsticks.

In Van Don we had hotel rooms booked. 4 people per bed. The 120x200cm bed fit us actually quite nicely and I got luxury treatment by having my own space on the floor. What surprised me (but was obvious afterwards) was that the couples didn't even discuss about sleeping together. The girls had their rooms, the boys had theirs.

After a 3 hour boat ride the next morning we arrived to Co To island at 9 a.m. The boat ride was quite absurd in itself because the Asian people are surprisingly motion sick so many of the passengers were throwing up. Our accomondation was homestay. Two families rented us small rooms with bamboo carpets that were supposed to be our beds. We had lunch and that was about the only thing we did before 4 p.m. You see, the Vietnamese are surprisingly sensitive about the heath so avoiding the sun (and getting tanned) is a good excuse for resting the day. When the sun started setting, we got 3 people on a motorbike and started exploring the small island. In the end we went to the beach. What was maybe most surprising to me was that only a handful of the Vietnamese could swim. A couple of us swam to a boat not far the shore where some soldiers were enjoying their evening off. They were happy to get the company (and have a woman on the boat, I guess) and invited us beer and sausages.

At night the rooms were too hot to sleep in. Therefore, everybody slept on the patio. I had been adopted by a group of 5 people who were amazing and so kind to me, maybe the best thing this weekend. They had reserved me a place in their tent so the bugs didn't bother us. But everybody was sleeping on the hard ground with no pillow. And no one was complaining.

Next morning I woke up at 6.05 am. I was the last one sleeping. Everybody was having breakfast or showering. By 7 am I was sitting on a motorcycle again touring around the island and by 7.45 I was swimming in the sea.

To top it all off, on our way back the boat was packed so we lay on the roof and slept. The boat went through Halong Bay, a world heritage site and one of the 7 new wonders of the world. Think of Avatar and the scenes where the last battle is fought. Add water and you have Halong Bay. So lying there and seeing these incredible rock formations, that was just a perfect end to a nice weekend.

The trip gave me so much and it introduced me to like minded people who I am eager to meet again. Suddenly one more month is not nearly enough in Vietnam.

tiistai 29. kesäkuuta 2010

The first glimpse of a foreign business culture

I have attended more meetings here than ever before. Private meetings, business meetings, meetings with the Ministry of Health, advisory sessions, workshops, you name it. All have been very interesting in a professional and a educative way. You see, behavior in the meetings reflects quite well some aspects of the Vietnamese culture.

One common factor for all meetings is tea. Always. The second factor - business cards. In the beginning of a meeting, everybody is presented and business cards are given. Even when I'm a mere observer, I usually walk out with at least 5 business cards.

Some bigger meetings have simultaneous translation (a translator translates a speech or a presentation at the same time the actual representative is talking. The translation can be listened to through headphones). Especially at ministry level, many speak good English and translation is not needed. But, interestingly enough, when a native English speaker is talking, almost everybody reach out for their headphones. In other words, it is easier for the locals to understand the English of a Frenchman, an Indian or a Spaniard and more difficult to understand the Americans, the Brits or the Australians.

With great effectiveness comes also great need for rest. Anywhere, anytime you can find a person sleeping in any position. Also in the meetings. If a topic does not directly concern the person, he is most likely napping in his seat. Sometimes some take a more standard position and rest half of the body on the table. No snoring can be heard though. To balance the one's sleeping, there are always only 1 or 2 people active in the discussion, everybody else seems to be minding their own business.

Different groups of people are quite easily distinguished. If the leader of the group agrees on something, everybody in the group start nodding their heads and saying quietly "Yes, yes, yes..". Actually repeating of phrases is quite funny here. Sometimes a person says something funny 3 times in a row and only after the third time people laugh (I could have a say about the complexity of the minds of the Vietnamese but I continue observing it for now).

Telephones play an active part in the meetings. Not in productive way, though. The nicer your phone is, the more you want to expose it. Touch screen seems to be the "it" in phones now. It doesn't really matter what they do with the phone. Like one of our drivers has a Blackberry. A Blackberry. In the meetings, some play quite openly Tetris etc. Also talking on the phone is the norm and it usually doesn't require for the person to leave the table. In more general terms we can say that, just like everywhere else, disrespect for the person talking is there. Several gossips are being told while the project manager is explaining about new important strategies. Especially women have problems controlling themselves. One colleague said that the women have such a long tradition of gossiping so it's difficult for them to refrain from that. Yes, I know you think that sounds ridiculous but actually, I don't think he's too far from the truth. The amount of gossiping taking place among the Vietnamese women regarding everybody is impressive. Hanoi is like a village, anybody interested can know everything about you. There are eyes everywhere. And what eyes can't see, money can buy.

Tomorrow I will attend a full day seminar at the Ministry of Health. There are great changes taking place with the different UN agencies in Vietnam and now we're mainly briefing the Ministry about those. I'm expecting a long day, lots of discussion and a nice buffet lunch. And all of what was mentioned above.

perjantai 18. kesäkuuta 2010

Here we go

This is a new beginning. The working week is almost over and I am still alive. It has been very interesting to enter the scene and I have been welcomed with eager.

I found a cheap room in the center for 7usd/night incl fan, TV and refridgerator (yes, Hanoi is an expensive city, in other cities I've paid around 4 usd/night). I bought a bicycle and I know where I get food so I'm stationed.

Work has been interesting sofar. Apparently I'm the first intern the WHO Vietnam has had. That explains some of the hassle with my employment. The international staff changes a lot. My supervisor, Sylvain, has been here only for 3 months and he was the one initiating the internship procedure. Sylvain is a funny guy. He is French, a tall version of Mel Gibson. During the past 18 years, he has not stayed in one place for more than 3 years. Now he's already planning where to go next, probably Geneva or Africa. The assistant I share room with, Minh Ly, is giggling all the time but she is very professional. They both work 12h every day, sometimes Sylvain is here weekends as well. Crazy people..

Working here look good at least on the outside. I've already participated in several meetings and we've been driven there by our personal driver in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Naively, I love it when I'm going anywhere in my office clothes and tourists and locals alike stare at me. I love eating at a food stall in my skirt and say no to a motorbike taxi because I have my own transport. Stupid things really, but I love acting local.

You should hear the language they use here. Fine words and abbreviations. Thousands of them! Guess how many 3 letter abbreviations the UN has! 17 576!!! And they are used frequently. So, listening to people can sometimes be difficult because you have no idea what they're talking about. It's like learning a new language, really; trying to learn the most common abbreviations and to use them fluently.

In a good WHO style, condoms for men are distributed everywhere in the WHO building in two sizes as well as the special ones for women. The HIV/AIDS workers have sterile needles surrounding them.

These are the bits and peaces of my first week in Hanoi. During the weekend I'm going to be a tourist and tour around with my new bicycle (the Vietnamese colleagues couldn't understand why I didn't buy a motorbike). Have a nice weekend, guys!

sunnuntai 13. kesäkuuta 2010

Half way through

The time has come. My time for traveling is about to finish. I am sitting in a restaurant in Lao Cai at the border between Vietnam and China. In 2 hours my night train to Hanoi will depart, leading me slowly and inevitably to my new job at the WHO.

Shortly about practicalities. On Monday my plan is to a) find a cheap flat, b) meet Hugo, a Mexican living in Hanoi who has some of my things stored and c) repair my shoes to be office-appropriate again. Then, on Tuesday, it's D-Day. My working time is 8-12 and 13-17, Monday to Friday. My Vietnamese telephone number is +84 1666 544 001 but my Finnish number is working as well (once I buy a new cheap phone, my very old Nokia finally gave up so I only have one phone working right now).

My trip all together went very well. I had enough days to cover what I wanted, I didn't get sick and I only suffered minor scams. I also had the chance to talk to people about Hanoi and Vietnam in general, which almost made me a bit worried.

Vietnam has a terrible reputation among travelers. Ask anybody and he will tell you about the time when he was charged the four double price, when he was kicked you of a bus for not paying extra or when he was pickpocketed by some ladies selling candy. Two couples I met left Vietnam earlier than planned because they couldn't stand it anymore. I am told the Vietnamese are a race in itself. They will frustrate and annoy me and I just have to bear with it.

Hanoi has also got varied feed-back. Some love Hanoi, its old streets and its good food. Some hate Hanoi, the dirt, the noise and the hassle that is there 24/7. I have been asked why on earth I would want to work there. Well, it was Ms. Fortune that dealt me this card and my personal opinion about a place usually varies from the common one so I'm not worried. This is an adventure. We wouldn't want it to become too boring, would we?

I am constantly thinking about subjects I could discuss here. Unfortunately Internet access isn't very common in the more remote areas so posting here has sometimes been a small challenge. From now on, I will be in Hanoi and I will maybe even answer the messages I have received.

Time's up. Wish me luck.

maanantai 7. kesäkuuta 2010

Lost and found

Hello dear people. You may have your ideas about why I haven't written here in a while. Well, I have been in Laos. After leaving the capital, Vientiane, where I posted my last entry, the Internet has been either very expensive or non-existent. In fact, electricity has been non-existent.

Laos is many tourist's favorite country here in South-East Asia. It has beautiful nature, friendly people, some nice sights and lots of drugs. It was terrible to see the 20-something tourists in the two main tourist cities in Laos, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. The kids were drinking like maniacs, having opium shakes, shouting on the streets and wearing mini-mini-skirts and shirts that show a woman's bra. Especially the thing about clothes surprised me a lot. On every single guide book about Laos the importance of conservative clothing is highlighted. I felt ashamed when the locals were staring at a group of girls with only a bikini covering their upper body. It's one thing to have the liberty to wear what you want and an other thing to make everybody around you uncomfortable. I might add that nowadays I swim with a t-shirt.

What had the most positive impact on me was a little different. There are so many places with no organized tourism. I left the "tourist route" and headed north towards the Vietnamese border, stopping at several places on the way. First I stayed in a picturesque city called Nong Khiew (a city in Laos is a village with a couple of thousand people and one paved road). I loved it there. It was so authentic. Dirty children, animals, bamboo huts, no electricity (the line had broke the previous night), 5 tourists and mountains surrounding it all. The city reminded me a lot of Moyogalpa in Nicaragua, a place that is very special to me, so being in Nong Khiew brought several beautiful memories to me and I was happy.

An other thing that impacted me greatly was a trek that Melanie from Texas and I made in the mountains of Muang Khua. Muang Khua sees some tourists that quickly pass through town. We found a teacher in the city that took us on a two day trek. I can not tell you how amazing it was. We walked IN rivers, it poured with rain, our guide continuously had to cut the vegetation to open the path etc. We passed several villages and we stayed overnight in one. The last time a foreigner had entered the grounds was over one year ago when an Israeli passed some of the villages. Approaching the village was magical in itself. We met the first person about half an hour before the village. Then the mountain almost came alive. The villagers shouted from one rice field to another about our coming and soon we had 20 grown-up's who appeared from nowhere following us. Dogs barked at us. Some children started crying at the sight of us. Old women grabbed our hands. We were asked to heal a man who was coughing blood.

We stayed the night at the chiefs house. The chief and his five brothers' families were the only ones with electricity - they had electric light after nightfall and so the fire was only used for cooking. The children laughed at anything we did. Men made tools out of old bomb shells. We were of course dead tired after the 7 hour trek so we needed to sleep. The chief had been very serious and calm during the hours that we had sat in his house. When preparing for going to bed, I removed my contact lenses. Then suddenly, the chief was next to me, faster than lightning, and he grabbed the lens container from my hands. And so he sat there carefully examining everything I had brought with me. Until 1 a.m.

So many great things have happened during my time here and I still have one more week to go. Tomorrow I'll head towards the "magical" Sapa in northern Vietnam. The unlucky thing is that my camera finally broke. I was counting on that it would work until I reached Hanoi but that didn't happen. The thing is mainly unlucky because the camera broke in Laos, the country that has zero people able to repair a camera (the photo shop keepers keep saying "Thailand, Thailand"). So, I'll try to find a repair shop in Sapa and use my phone in the meantime. I'm not devastated about this camera-thing so no worries. Be good!

torstai 27. toukokuuta 2010

The working girls of Pattaya

Pattaya is the most popular tourist destination of Thailand. Everything got started with the American soldiers looking for a break from the hopeless fighting in Vietnam. Today Pattaya has everything that an average tourist needs - sun, sand and sex.

Pattaya is an incredible place to visit. First of all, I had never seen so many women in a bar. Everywhere I could see middle age men, walking hand in hand with their 20-something girlfriends. Ladyboys, men transformed into women, had higher heels and more perfect bodies than 90 % of the natural women. Silicone and plastic surgery had done wonders. Fortunately, I got acquainted with two Dutch men who were to set up a gogo-bar in Pattaya and they explained a great deal of what happens there. Here are the highligts.

All the bars in Pattaya are a base for prostitutes. Some places are more discrete, some less. All have girls hanging around the bar, waiting for men. The Dutch guys will own a small place and they've hired 25 girls. The bar pays a monthly salary to the girls. If the girl only sits in the bar and talks with the clients, she gets 100euros per month. If she dances, she gets 200 euros. If she can perform or do something special, she earns from 250 euros up per month. The clients that come to the bars buy the girls drinks, from which the girls get a commission. Every drink, every discussion, is a way to ensure a continuation to the evening in the hotel room. If the client wants the girl to come with him, he first pays 10 euros to the bar, then from 20 euros up to the girl, depending on the services given.

Prostitution is illegal in Thailand. So, in order for the bars to be able to operate without problem, the bars pay a "service money" to the police. A small establishment pays 100 euros per month, a big one pays 700 euros. If no payment is made, you're out of business within 2 months.

Sometimes the client likes the girl so much that he decides to stay a longer time with her. The Thai lady feeds him, washes him, massages him, cuts his nails and has simple discussion with him. Just like in a retirement home in Finland. Oh yeah, there's the other activity as well.. Anyway, at some point daily payments are changed to monthly payments of around 250 euros. In addition a sum shall be paid to the family of the girl, around 200 euros a month. If there is affection involved, it is possible that the man e.g only pays the family and not the girl. Naturally the man pays for everything that is done together, including shopping clothes for her.

Pattaya is an experience, a surreal experience. I came across with many interesting things, some not so nice. The Thais don't like what is happening there but it brings in so much money that they can't complain. They won't complain. So they smile.

torstai 20. toukokuuta 2010

Leakhena

The problem with having a philosophical mind is that I am always looking for a purpose. What is my goal now? What is my mission? Why do I travel? What difference can this cause to others? I feel that there is a grater power that comes to my aid every time I suffer from a lack of purpose. In Cambodia, it was Leakhena.

I met Leakhena in a coffee shop the day I arrived to Phenom Penh. She started speaking to me and we hit it off well. She worked evenings at the coffee shop by the river. She wants to be a tailor so mornings she is an apprentice with a seamstress. She has a sister living in France and her ex-mother-in-law living in Utah, so when she has saved enough money she will go abroad to study tailoring.

I listened to her stories with awe. They also brought a sense of disliking against Cambodia. The corruption is incredible. Leakhena was forced to pay 1000 usd to a judge to get a divorce on her own. The police can fine you on virtually anything but usually you can try to bargain and get a discount.

The government officials and the rich act like the mob. One day, a big black car had parked in the middle of the street in front of a restaurant. The restaurant owner had asked the driver to move the car. When there was no reaction, he asked again. The car drove away. In the evening, the car came back. The driver and some other guys beat the owner of the restaurant so badly that he had to be hospitalized. It was a lesson for him, the restaurant owner had shown no respect.

Politics has always been a subject to hatred in Cambodia. Leakhenas uncle worked as a police officer during the Pol Pot regime. After the liberation of Cambodia, the new government, unofficially of course, said that he knew too much and put him on the black list, i.e. on the death list. The uncle fled to Europe. Another story is about her cousin. He had committed many petty thefts and was therefore denied by his family. He fled to the border with Thailand, every day illegally crossing the border to work in Thailand. It is not sure what happened to him, but apparently he got caught and he was burnt alive. That happens on a regular basis but neither the government of Cambodia or Thailand even admits to it.

I am so happy to have met Leakhena. I stayed in Phenom Penh a couple of days extra with her. We went eating to a 3usd/person restaurant, a twice a year experience for her. We drove around the city. She took me to her home and showed me photos from her wedding. I learned so many thing and I, once again, was showed what I am here for. I am here to grow. I am here to learn. I am here to live.

sunnuntai 16. toukokuuta 2010

Motomania

Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as the locals still call the city, is Vietnam's biggest with 8 million people. Its streets are the playground for 4,5 million motorbikes. The motorbike is a big upgrade from the bicycle and it is the source of income for many.

The second time in my life I drove a scooter (an automatic motorcycle) was in Hue in central Vietnam. Now I did it again in Ho Chi Minh City. Driving here is loads of fun. You can't really do much sightseeing while you're driving because the situations change very rapidly and accidents do happen. Very few tourist drive themselves which is why I am an interesting sight for the locals. People shout Hello's and wave at me.

The reason why I again rented a motorbike was for a) it costs 5e per day, b) I can go anywhere and c) I get into some very cool situations. In Hue I was driving a God forsaken road when I hear chanting. I went to a pagoda where they had a ceremony. I started playing with the children and that way came in contact with the monks and the village people. When the ceremony ended I was invited to eat with them. A monk had spent time in France and she was my translator at the pagoda. I was there until sunset. I skipped the mausoleum I was driving towards. I found something better

In Ho Chi Minh I went to a waterpark with only locals and boy did I feel naked in my bikini. Apparently a T-shirt and shorts are the swimsuit here.. But out of curiosity many people came to talk with me and I got to go to all the rides that are meant for two people. I also found huge hall with -10'c where they had ice statues of the Eiffel Tower, Angkor Wat etc. No power saving there. To end a great day I just drove around until the night, found the kissing spot where locals go and ate a frog.

I kind of started to understand why some love riding so much. This was great. The warm breeze, the traffic, the freedom. The best thing is that there are so many people driving around and I get treated so differently when I park the scooter in front of a shop or a food stall. It is an entirely different experience. I almost can say I'm hooked.

tiistai 11. toukokuuta 2010

The PJ's

Forget the imperial dresses. Forget fine jewelry. Forget golden embroidery. The Vietnamese national outfit is the pyjama.

The Vietnamese people use an outfit that resembles our pyjama. Depending on the occasion and the level of wealth, some wear silk, some wear cotton. And they go everywhere in this outfit. According to an expat from Dubai, the opera in Hanoi is somewhat the only place not suitable to wear a pyjama in.

That kind of clothes are actually very comfortable here. It is hot and humid here. Friday had the heath peak of the week with 39'c. Now I just arrived to Saigon (or officially Ho Chi Minh City), it's 9 p.m. and it's 30'c. So the pyjama is a soft and cool alternative for "normal" clothes.

Just like in any other southern country, here white skin equals beauty. Especially children who know some words of English have come to me, pointed at my skin and said "beautiful". Therefore the pyjama is good in the sense that it protects the skin from excess sun and keeps the person from getting sun tanned. The Vietnamese have a good laugh when I tell them about the self tanning creams we use.

This tradition with the pyjama brings the concept of "casual Friday" to a whole new level and it works fine here. Maybe I'll also loosen up when I come back home..

sunnuntai 9. toukokuuta 2010

The Vietnamese and I

Hello from Hue. Now it should be possible for everybody to give comments! There are so many things I'd like to write about but I guess I save the details for my diary and for discussions that I will be having with you! But in case you've just come across with this blog and the fact that I'm in Vietnam, I'll explain it all breafly. On May 4th I flew to Hanoi, Vietnam. I will be working there with the WHO. I don't know exactly what kind of work it will be but apparently they do so I don't worry. Before I start working I travel a bit. My main focus is on Vietnam and Laos but I will travel through Cambodia and Thailand as well. Now I'm in Central Vietnam, on Tuesday I'll probably go south to Ho Chi Minh City. Okay, now that this is cleared, let's give you something more interesting to read.

One of the most rewarding things with travelling is the interaction with other people. There are two factors that make my travelling interesting. I travel alone and I am extremely tall here. Let me explain.

Travelling alone gives the local people an opportunity to approach me. A 30-something guy, Dung, came to talk to me at the river bank in Hoi An. I met him a couple of times during the days I was there and in the end he gave me a ride to Danang (30km) with his motorbike. He was an interesting case. When he was a child, he had 4 brothers. During the American war in 1968 a bomb hit Hoi An. He was then 6 years old. Only he and his mother survived. 2 months after the bomb hit, the mother went to America and left Dung in the orphanage. He worked there for 32 years before an American man came to the orphanage and gave him enough money to buy a motorcycle. Now he does deliveries to different restaurants. He calls the American man his father. Dung showed me a paper with his mothers contact info, hand written and stained. She lives in San Jose, CA. Dung has been calling her every now and then but she doesn't care. She has 2 children there and a new life. Dung seemed very bitter and sad about that. "Vietnamese women!" he said. "I never marry woman. Never trust woman. Talk talk talk, then leave. No, I better alone.". In a country where the family defines what you are, those are heavy words to be said.

My height raises many eyebrows here. Many times people stop and stare at me. During my 9 hours in Hanoi, 3 people commented to me about my height. If I'm riding a bike, people turn around and go slower so that I'm forced to pass them. Today I went to a temple here in Hue. There was a goup of elderly tourists from Hanoi. When I passed them they started whispering but I ignored that. Then one of them came to me, asked about where I'm from etc and before I knew it, I was separately being photographed with every single person from the group. None of them reached even to my shoulders. So at the end we took a group photo and I shaked hands with everybody long and profoundly.

The Vietnamese have found me.

torstai 6. toukokuuta 2010

The beginning

(Suomalaisille, pahoittelut englannin kielesta mutta nain saan laajemman kansan kartoitettua. Kopioikaa teksti ja liittakaa se kenttaan osoitteessa translate.google.com ja valitkaa kielet englanti ja suomi. Nailla selvianette!)

Here it begins, my first posting although I promised I never would keep an other blog again. In my defence I can say that this time I'm blogging against my own will. Because the Vietnamese government wants to keep the peoples cricism and opinion-changing to a minumun, it blocked facebook (good job with the blogs, guys!). So this is - for now - my only option.

I'm now in Hoi An in central Vietnam, sitting in the hotel lobby (I travel on a budget so don't have too high thoughts about the place). I arrived to Vietnam on Wednesday after 25h of travelling. That same day I bought a plane ticket to Da Nang (40USD, the alternative was 20USD and 13h on the train). Small thigs to commet so far:

The traffic is chaotic indeed but even I've ridden a bicycle here. It's actually a good thing that I don't have eyes on my back because I would just panic. The technique for driving in traffic is easy. Make no sudden moves. All traffic signs are recommendations only. Try not to hit anybody in front of you. Pray to God or Shiva or whoever that nobody hits you from behind. That is how you survive.

Everybody, I mean EVERYBODY, has the Nokia tune as their mobile tune. I'm among them and I'm so going to change the tune right after I finish this.

The level of English is very poor. It is somehow weird being here after travelling in Central America, where I could talk to everybody and make friends with locals easily. Here anything beyond counting numbers and saying hello is advanced English. Combined with the fact that the Vietnamese are famous for trying to cheat a tourist at any given moment, this isn't good for a little tourist like me. That's why the foreigners help eachothers here more than in other places, I believe. Apparently for that reason the expat (the foreigners working in a country) scene is very active in Hanoi. I look forward to getting to know that part.

I'm happy you stopped by! Take care - and so will I.