Sorry guys that its been a while since I've written. It is a little tricky since I don't have a computer. So lots of things have happened since last time I wrote and I will try to summarize to the best of my abilities, but Im afraid it will be brief since its 2 am and I have class at 8 tomorrow morning!

Last weekend we had Saturday and Sunday off, so some of us decided to take a little weekend trip mainly to get out of the city. First we went to Tam Coc about two hours from Hanoi where we went on a 2 hour boat-ride through an amazing scenery of mountains, caves and rice paddies.

After that we went to the old capital of Vietnam, Hoa Lu, during the Dinh and Le dynasty of Vietnam which is famous for its temples honoring the the Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang and the monarch Le Dai Hanh. Then we drove for about 4 hours to Mai Chau, a little charming mountain village, home of the White Thai people.

This weekend we went to Halong Bay where we stayed on a boat for one night. Halong Bay is one of the World Heritage sites and is known for its beautiful lime stone mountains coming up from the water!

Picture from the boat through the lime stone mountains at Halong Bay
My roommate Tham and I on the boat at Halong Bay
Myles and our boat at Halong Bay ready to take off!
The second day in Mai Chau, a little mountain village about 4 hours from Hanoi we rented bikes and biked all around the Valley. Later that day we had a very bizarre experience. After biking around for a while we came to another little valley. From some bamboo houses a little ways off we heard really loud clubbing music. Myles, Cody, Tham and I decided to check it out while the others went back. When we got closer we saw a bunch of kids dancing around drinking this really strong rice liquor. As soon as they saw us they told us to join them. It was so crazy. They where all really drunk and dancing to this really loud techno music. As soon as we got inside the house we each had about 5 people on us almost forcing us to take shots of whatever they were drinking. After taking 3 shots in 3 minutes we were all pretty much done. But when we declined their offer, they all of a sudden started pouring it all over the crowd. When we tried to leave they would let us leave before we took more shots! It was full chaos!! When we finally managed to push our bikes through the crowd and bike off, we all smelt of rise wine and was sweating from head to foot. It was a fun bike ride back, let me tell you that!
The White Thai, indigenous people of Mai Chau, are known for their intricate weaving and broidery.
The first night at Mai Chau we went to this field full bond-fires, techno music and young people out to party!
The people of Mai Chau perform their traditional dance in our bed room!
Alissa and I in traditional White Thai skirts
Neil, Cody, Myles and I climbed to the top of the mountain where the King of the old Dinh dynasty was berried. There we had an amazing view of the surrounding landscape
Cody and Neil enjoying the view from in top of the mountain
Tham, Alissa, Nguyen and I outside the temple in the old capital
On hour way through the caves at Tam Coc. The water is brown because it is the time when the farmers plow the rice patties and sow crops

Lots of women were selling fruits and beverages along the way

On our way to Perfume Pagoda

The Cave

My roommate Tham, me and Nguyen on the way up the mountain

Ky, Tham and me

Perfume Pagoda

I have spent the last few days exploring Hanoi and a little bit around. On Friday Cody and I wanted to go shopping and started wandering around the city. It was pouring down, and of course we got lost, so we jumped on a bus to try to find the other students, but than my phone died and we got off at the wrong stop. After tracking around in the rain some more we eventually went into a random ragge bar where we got warmed up and I was able to charge my phone. Finally we met the other students and went to the theatre to see Beauty and the Beast! It was a little bizarre, for after being use to interacting and seeing only Vietnamese people we were all of a sudden surrounded by only “westerners”. On Saturday we went to see a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show in the center of Hanoi City.
Sunday morning we got up really early and got on a bus that took us about two outside of the city. The buss dropped us off by a river where we all got into little canoes. The canoes took us through a beautiful landscapes of the characteristic Vietnamese mountains and rice paddies. It is was amazing. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. After about an hour in the canoes we stopped at the bottom of a big mountain. Than we walked for about an hour to get to the top where we found a big cave. The cave was made into a temple. It was called perfume pagoda.
Unfortunately I was food poisoned the night before so I was not exactly feeling great. I was about the puke the whole way there and back, but other than that it was really nice to get out of the busy city and be able to enjoy some of the amazing nature Vietnam has to offer.Hahaha.

Chao cac ban

So I’ve finally got a moment to sit down and write my first entry about my stay here in Vietnam. After only a day in Ho Chi Minh city we flew up to Hanoi north in Vietnam. We stay in a guest house in the student area about 20 minutes from the center of Hanoi which is called Back Khoa. In the beginning I thought Vietnam reminded me a lot of the scenery I had experienced in Africa with the busy streets, lots of people, construction and half built buildings everywhere. But it didn’t take me long to realize it is very different! Perhaps the first thing I noticed that was different was that nobody really came up to us. We are largely left alone while walking in the streets! Speaking of walking on the street, I just have to say that it is the most challenging thing I have done so far! There are soooooo many motorbikes. It must be like a hundred millions!!! And they don’t stop for nothing or nobody. To cross the street you just have to start walking slowly and let the motorbikes swoop past you. I literally thought I was going to die the first couple of times I did it! I still haven’t gotten use to it to be honest, but it is a little exciting to! The area we stay in is supposedly cheaper and more calm than other parts of Hanoi. It kind of leaves to question what other parts of town is like because I do not really categorize the area we stay in calm and relaxing. There is constant buzzing sound from motorbikes and construction. Usually the neighbors play karaoke all night long! And when I say “all night long” I mean from 11 mp to 6 am, no joke! Karaoke is another thing that I have to get use to. People just looooove karaoke here!! We’ve already had a little karaoke party with our roommates. It was all Taylor Swift and Westlife (Molly I was thinking about you as soon as I heard Westlife!)

We all share a room with a Vietnamese student. It didn’t take very long to get to know them. They are all great! I share a room with a girl name Tham. She is amazing! We get along great and she is very open and understanding. She is also very good in English. With some of the other Vietnamese students who are not so confident in English We’ve had some really funny misunderstandings and mispronunciations! But the problems they are struggling with are nothing compared to us! Vietnamese is the hardest language ive ever heard! One word has a million meanings you just have to change the tone! We are screwed!!hahah

The food I great! We usually go to the little street shops right by the guest house where they sell noodle soup (pho), fried rice (com rang) or some other Vietnamese dishes. The price ranges from about 12 000 to 25 000 dong for a full meal. That is about 1 to 1.50 USD!!

Now its about 11 30 pm and the karaoke just started next door, so I guess its time for me to start getting ready for bed!

Chao cac ban