Lazing at the beach in Nha Trang

So Nha Trang is gorgeous and I would totally recommend EVERYONE go there to laze on the beach.  Having said that it's a little bit like Airlie Beach and there is also a touch of Hamilton Island so it may be a bit too familiar for some.  I guess I enjoyed sitting on the beach looking at the water.  We had breakfast both mornings of our weekend away looking at the water.
We met up with our friends Caroline and William who did the CELTA course with us last year.  They are very like minded as they are doing the same thing as us.  William landed a job through talking to a guy in a bar in HCMC.  He is a Civil engineer and he is now the project manager for a hotel and apartment complex being built on the waterfront in Nha Trang.  There is a lot of growth there and it seems very quickly.  Caroline said that weekly shops and restaurants are moving to bigger premises.  I hardly saw a Vietnamese person, felt like I wasn't in Vietnam which was weird.  There are loads of Russians there and menus and signs are all in Russian, as well as Vietnamese and English.  Apparently there was a Russian navy base there in the past and there are direct flights from Russia to Nha Trang, escaping from the winter....they are all bright red like the British tourists in Qld :)

                                               1st  Breakfast at the sailing club

       Relaxing on the lounges, $2 for the day, use of the pool, drink and food service to your bed.

 Just about to dunk in the mud baths.  Quite the experience, lots of water splashing afterwards. Skin felt amazing, no wrinkles!  Might need to go every day?

                                          Dinner with William and Caroline.

 The streets flooded while we were having a drink at the bar.  The water just couldn't get away.  The staff at the small shop with the yellow lights entertained us for ages trying to keep the water out of the shop.  Everytime a bus or large car came past it washed water into the shop.  The  water was completely gone the next morning.  Got 3 taxi's between the bar, the restaurant and the place we went for coffee.  Would have gotten wet feet otherwise...shortest taxi rides ever!

 Looking over to Nha Trang from Vinpearl a resort we went to for some time on Sunday by cable car.

 Drinks and lunch at Louisiane.  It's the same place we were lounging in front of on the beds.  They brew their own beer which apparently is quite good according to the other 3.  You can see the vats behind us.

Shot of the beach with a Vietnamese lady selling drinks.  They sell everything of course.  I guy sells you a lobster, around 6 huge prawns and BBQs them on the beach for you.  All for around $5 pp.

 In the water after our mud, there was a hot and cold pool.  Then you went back in a really hot tub.

 Here we are 'massaging our feet' on the water jets.  Also went into a grotto type area that shot water out and gave us a back massage, that was one of our favourite bits, didn't want to leave it.

               Caroline was a little bit terrified on the cable car, I was just supporting her with my face! :)

Time flies

So we have been here, or at least I have, for 3 months now.  It's crazy the time has gone so fast.  We have had some ups and downs of course and I thought I'd share some.  They say that some of the things in your life that can cause stress are
+Moving house
+Changing jobs

We didn't just move house we also moved countries didn't have a place to live locked in and lived in 1 place for a week, then another for 2 months then finally to here.  So 3 moves.
I have started 5 jobs altogether.  1st one was the Drama teaching which I was excited about but of course nervous about as well.  I do that Saturday mornings from 9.30 - 12.  2nd job was the English teaching job at the airport area.  3 mornings a week but it wasn't reliable and finally it finished 2 weeks ago.  3rd job was with a HR company teaching English for the staff, been there 3 times now, getting more comfortable and it's ongoing 2 afternoons a week.  4th job was a private tutoring job, the student was a Dr who was going to do the IELTS test and needed speaking practice, test tomorrow so he's all done.  5th job I start tomorrow 8 hours a week.  It's at the Caravelle Hotel, only the best known hotel in town so NO PRESSURE.  I will be teaching the staff English and they are studying for a TEOIC test.  They can lose their jobs if they are successful!

So that's jobs but then there are the usual ups and downs of change and we know the deal with this because of all of the exchange students we have had.  We know that you have culture shock, spent 1 day just crying.  I know that at around 6 weeks there is a down time, had a sad day a bit ago, not as bad as the culture shock day.  Then there is the last one at around now, have been a bit sad and feeling like my life is hard, it's hard work to start these jobs, can't I just hide inside my apartment that is safe and nice?  NO I have to move forward...still working on that.  I have just found that you have to be strong and keep working on your life here.
I now know where it buy bread and milk in my area.  I found a hairdresser and a nail place.  People say hello and are starting to remember us.  We have some friends to share our time with. Things are settling, I wouldn't say it's all been easy but if I remember what I have told the exchange students over and over, just give it time....that's what I need to do.

Phil just added HTFU....supportive as usual???? :)

          Elizabeth and Vicki, 2 American girls and that are part of the road forward...friends.  Went out for Roast dinner last Sunday night.

New friends, Izzy (just arrived from Melbourne volunteering for 1 yr) Thuy works at RMIT University with Phil...brunch this morning at a crepe restaurant with a view of the park.

Everyday life

So I just have added some random photos I have taken of everyday life  

Went past this restaurant and this baby pig was being cooked on the edge of the footpath.  Restaurant door was around the corner.

The lady on the bicycle is one of the recycling ladies.  They are seen at every construction site, and every street collecting whatever they can make money out of.  It ensures there IS recycling which is good.

Motorbike wash place

                                             The knife sharpening guy on the street

                                    This lady sits at the front of a clothes shop in front of a sewing machine.  People buy the pants and she zips the hems up in a sec.  Awning possibly needs some more support?

So there is no room in your house and you don't have a yard so kids play ball on the street.  Interesting when the ball goes onto the road which is right in front of them they just stop and don't go on the road.  They wait for the ball to roll back.  Clearly years of knowing the rules of not going on the street.

One day I came home and there were these flags put up in out alley?  There is a government building at the end of the street, must have been something going on?  Preschool on the left.

                                    How to keep food fresh...chicken under wire cage.  Saw a pig the same way one day, couldn't take a picture of it as it was too sad, same size cage, it couldn't move.  Guess it didn't last much longer.

This is out kitchen sink, I love the drying rack, everything is totally dry when I go back and it saves loads of space.

Halloween

Almost forgot about Halloween.  Doing the drama classes we focused on Halloween last week ready for the big day.  The students had loads of fun, we did face painting and did Halloween style games and plays.  There may have been trick or treating around the expat areas but I didn't get to see any up close.  Loads of costumes on sale around the place and my students also dressed up!

                               My Preschool Class, there are a couple more around the room

                            My Upper Primary class all dressed up....face painting came later!
       Thanks Ms Claire! Seen in the background of the 1st photo....originally from Biloela in Qld.

Entertainment

So we have been out and about in HCM.  Last night we went to a local production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, mostly done by expat teachers....it was fabulous!  Some amazing voices and great acting.  They are doing a show next year I might have a look at auditioning for.

Also went out to the French Food and Wine Festival last Friday night...interesting all indoors in a large Hotel.  Just a reminder that Vietnam was a French colony for many years so there is a distinct French feel to the place.  Of course the food was excellent and so was the wine I've been told.  We had vouchers we tore off and had a set each...Phil did pretty well at trying to get through the 16 glasses on offer. This is since I didn't use any of the vouchers being a non drinker.
             Some hostesses for the evening in Vietnamese national costume with a French twist.

 Andrea from England and Anya from Poland, 2 of the teachers from RMIT, there were more in our group.

 The amazing ice creams on offer from Fanny's (unfortunate name made in Vietnam) & below Phil enjoying one of them.

                            Had to have my photo with the weird cheese advertising cow?

Moving

So we have finally moved to our new apartment.  Not spent much time looking around the area so far but have plans to do that on the weekend.  I have some pics of the apartment and there is a website you can go to to see the terrace which is great. http://blessingproperties.com/detail.aspx?Id=854
                Will show the bedroom when it looks good, not great yet although comfortable.

 The lounge that the room revolves around, bit 60's Retro looking? Working on the floral curtains!

 Laundry on the left, 2nd bathroom behind the fan, Master bedroom where you see the door.

                                            Some funky decos I found

 Kitchen which includes an oven, unheard of here! Note the bottle of water permanently in use.

                                           Funky statue, matches the funky buddhas.