Full-time Fancy Salon

I was in desperate need of a hair-cut so Valerie suggested that she take us to the man who did her last cut. Kim came along because she wanted to get her legs waxed, I feel that is a detail she would want included in this tale. When we arrived I was taken to a room to get my hair washed, the nice lady washed it three times and then massaged my neck, scalp, shoulders, and upper arms, unexpected but not heinous. I did object when she started to press down with her big thumb on the very top of my skull that felt odd. I've heard people say that this process is relaxing and enjoyable but I still have an injured ear and she kept bashing it so the whole time I was on edge. Then I was taken out into the outer salon for my cut. This was where I met Le Brian, yes he calls himself The Brian, it is even the name of his Salon. The Brian has what looks like permanent eye-liner, a fake nose, and the look of a Vietnamese Ken Paves. While I was digesting all of this he asked me what I wanted done and I told him. He went straight to work whipping his comb through my hair and my ear, yanking one of my earrings out as he went but that didn't stop him or really even phase him, in fact I don't think he even noticed. Some hair dressers take portions of your hair and put them aside with a clip, not The Brian. The Brian has people for jobs like hair holding, at times there were three of them around my head. The Brian paused in his work to ask if I required refreshment which I politely declined. The Brian barked off an order and one of his minions went running off only to return with a bottle of The Brian water, yes folks Le Brian has his own branded water. Anyway, I got a good haircut from The Brian and his minions, I am not sure if I like it and I know it was not what I asked for but it is a solid piece of hair cuttage.

My Brain Had No Rest This Sunday

This has been a very productive Sunday, let me tell you. I got my nails did (for a person who never paints her nails I've had some pretty fancy ones of late) which cost me four dollars. Then I did some reading (still Game of Thrones). Then I put on my backpack and my thinking cap and toodled on down to the fancy frozen yoghurt cafe (called Gee Licious) that is about a two minute walk from our apartment. Got me a mint frappuccino and got down to business. I sat there for approximately three hours working on lesson plans.
The internet there was lovely. FULL BARS. I was able to do all types of things I've been unable to do since I've arrived here. Next time I go there (soon) I will load all of my pictures on to the website.
I got the first week of school all planned out. Thank goodness because we start work tomorrow. Who knows if I will follow said plan, but it is there for me to use. I emailed my co-teacher Ms. Thuy and I made sure that she had space to do her own thing as well.
When I returned home the internet in the apartment worked for me......... which is bizarre because in the three days that we have been living here it has denied me the privelage of the world wide web. This is a relief as I will now stop stealing Naomi's computer. Although I think I will still be spending time at the Gee Licious because there internet is far superior. And they have coffee. Which is obviously the key to my success.
Anywho, I just thought I would write this blog post to communicate that things are going much better for me computer wise. I know you were all very concerned for my digital well being.
Tomorrow is going to be insane. Not only is it my first day at the summer school, it is also the first day I will be tutoring a little girl named Uyen. So I may be exhausticated tomorrow. Perhaps all of July, if we are being honest with ourselves.
Tonight we feast on spring rolls presented in the form of a chicken! Yum yummy yum yum.

Home in Ho Chi Minh

It is strange how after being in Cambodia for 4 days Ho Chi Minh doesn't feel as foriegn or strange to me anymore. The relief of getting back to the apartment after our Tuk-Tuk adventure was so great that it felt so much more like home to me.
Naomi is currently tackling the pictures she has taken since we arrived. Totalling 338, it seems like a lofty job. I haven't a clue how many pictures I took between Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh and Siem Reap... but there are lots. And I like to use Lightrooom to edit pictures, so it may be a while before I post any. Or maybe I will go on a picture editing spree and amaze myself with my own talent and speed..... Doubtful though.
I'm currently attempting to stream So You Think You Can Dance. I have been on a tv watching mission for about 15 minutes now and I've managed to load a total of 5 minutes of television. WOO. I'm thinking perhaps I won't be watching a lot of tv whilst here.
Spoke to my Dad and brother this morning. Which was incredibly nice. They have a calming effect on my somewhat highstrung personality. I think I've handled being out of North America for the first time with style, and Naomi and I held together extremely well with the accident. That being said I was starting to get anxious with not having spoken to them using my real live voice since Vancouver. My Dad didn't even know about the Tuk Tuk accident because he didn't get a couple of the emails that I sent him so dilegently. Which is interesting.
My Cambodian green watch is still working, which is very nice considering the high price of two dollars I paid for it.
Eight minutes of "So You Think You Can Dance" to watch now. Hot damn!
Did I ever mention we saw Elephants at Angkor Wat? We should have rode those around instead of the Tuk Tuk. Although I probably would have fallen off of that too.... That sort of things just happens to me.
Speaking of silliness that occurs in my life: after all that work I went through to get my credit card, the bank machines I've tried won't accept it or my debit card. So I must put on my detective hat and find out why that is before Valerie and Naomi stop letting me sponge off of them and kick me out on the street. Hopefull that isn't today, I want to have a nap.
I finished the book I was reading "Let the Great World Spin". It was very good, although it wasn't the kind of book that hooks you with its plot and drags you in. It was more of a slow enjoyment, if that makes sense? I wasn't in a rush to finish it and yet I didn't want to discard it into the books I should have never bought pile. Naomi is reading it now, perhaps she could better explain. The interweaving of plots the author does is really wonderful.
Well.... maybe I will edit some pictures now. Naomi is inspiring me with hers.
Probably write again tomorrow as we are spending all day kind of decompressing and preparing ourselves before our Ha Long Bay trip.
Did I mention that the food in Vietnam is incredible? And cheap? Have I said that yet?

Getting caught in the rain

On our second day here Kim and I walked to our meeting with our boss. Big mistake. When we were about five minutes from his office the heavens opened up and rain came forth like water from a tap. If you haven't experienced a tropical rain storm before it is hard to imagine the sheer amount of rain that pours from the sky. We waited for a little while under an awning with a cute couple who were all dressed up to have their wedding pictures done in the little park near our boss' office. As time ticked away we grew a little concerned that we would be late for the meeting so we decided to chance the rain. We got soaked, completely and utterly drenched. The moment we stepped out from under the awning and onto the street we found ourselves in ankle deep water running along the edge of the street. With Kim giggling behind me, I ran for the nearest shelter. By the time we arrived at Colin's office we looked as though we had swam rather than walked. We had a good meeting but when we stood up to leave we both noticed with chagrin that we had left huge wet butt prints on the seats of the office chairs.