School's in for the summer

Ha Long Bay was incredible. It is entirely too difficult to explain what it was like for me being there. I suppose the best way I could explain it is I stepped into a postcard and just hung out for a while. I've had such a range of experience in the last two weeks I don't know if it has really registered in my ol' brain what I've done and seen.
It wouldn't be a Kim blog post if I didn't mention the food. THE FOOD WAS AMAZING! Everything had something like a lily made out of a carrot or a lotus made out of a cucumber on it. On the day boat we were served food with a side of potato bird. I believe that Naomi posted a picture of it in the last post. The garnishes were mind boggling, but the food was even better. Sea food up the wazoo. Seriously, I'm glad that school is starting in a couple of days so that I will have less time to eat out and get fat.
Just so everyone knows, I know you all will be sad to hear this..... my two dollar green watch broke. And it wasn't even its fault. I jumped off the stupid (beautiful) boat with my stupid (awesome) watch on and the stupid (warm and wonderful) salt water broke it. BOO. I may give it a proper burial. You know, because it meant so much to me.
I got burnt, which surprisingly is somewhat resembling a tan. Very weird for me.
I'm glad Naomi put the video of me jumping in the water, not because I'm particularly graceful in it or because I want the world to see me in a bathing suit (I so don't) but it kind of shows the scope of our experience in a way that pictures may not. It is me, interacting with the landscape. A landscape that is so far removed from the one I'm used to. I loved it so much.
We went to the school today. CIS Vietnam is full time fancy. There is a theatre (although I would probably refer to it as a lecture hall) a cinema (like, a real one) and a bowling alley. Now, what with me being a member of the Youth Bowling Council for 12 years (how freaking cool am I?) I was pretty excited about the alley. Not sure how much we are going to get in there though. And there are no bowling shoes. Also the lanes aren't oiled. Which they should be. Not that I'm nitpicking. Because nitpicking about a bowling alley would make me look like a loser.... heh.
We also have smart boards in the classroom. Which is hecka cool (very good English I know) because they are like these big Ipads. Well maybe not that fancy but they are touch screens. Which is neat because I really feel like that is the way of the future. Digitalized whiteboards. Crazy.
Missing my family today. If anyone asks my brother when his birthday is he will tell you he turns 19 in 4 days. This is a very big deal. I have to find him the perfect Vietnamese present. I was thinking maybe one of those cone hats. He could wear it to work every day. Very fashionable for a 19 year old, I think.
Also talked to my Mom on skype. She will be reading this I know, so I won't tell the whole world she got super mushy and cried. I guess she loves me.
I suppose I'm missing my friends too. Today, it was especially the technically inclined ones. We went into the theatre hoping we would be able to recognize the kind of lights that are hung. We could not. They looked like a cross between a par can and a childs LED toy. Any ideas?
I am going to read on my KOBO now. I gobbled up "The Help" during our Ha Long Bay trip. Very good read. Now I'm on to Game of Thrones.

Photographic Essay

We have our first staff meeting this morning and have to run out the door. We will post more this evening/your morning. Our first day on the boat.

Sunset.

A concession stand.

For lunch our chef created this wonderful garnish.

A passing ship.

Children helping their Father in the fishing village.

Kim jumping off the top of our boat.

A quick catch-up

We aren't dead. We spent the last four days in Ha Long Bay and we didn't have access to the internet.
Blogger is not letting me upload any images at the moment so that will have to wait until tomorrow, when we will both probably upload pictures and much longer posts. For now I will just say that Ha Long Bay is beautiful and the most wonderful place to recuperate from a tuk-tuk accident. Our bruises are nearly gone and I get my stitches out tomorrow (fingers crossed). Anyway here to tide you over until we can write real posts is a short video of Kim enjoying herself in Ha Long Bay.