2. Cleaner, so my house doesn't end up a dump.
3. Reliable son to feed the animals
4. Flexible workplace
5. Plenty of help to put together the stuff I take
This time around I'm really in debt to Trung at my husband's workplace. This kind and gently spoken man from the South of Vietnam translated the assessment for physiotherapists that I wrote, and then refused to accept payment for it. It has been a great success here with the people I work with, and my work has been much easier all because of his help. THANKS!
The last two working days have been a little frustrating. We have spent a lot of time in seemingly endless (but of course necessary) meetings when I'm itching to get back out and get to know the kids of the POD and their parents. Yesterday was spent completely on talking Phuong through what she may need to teach our carer. We believe we have found her (the carer), and she is 80% sure she will commit, but of course has some concerns about looking after 3 kids with a disability (when she knows how hard it is to look after her own child). We have talked through with our friends how to support the carer to be eased into her role, with training over two weeks planned, including long home visits to their homes (and visits for the children to CHIA prior to the POD starting).
Phuong wasn't well yesterday, so didn't achieve perhaps as much as we thought we might, however still a successful day. Excited by the thought that next week we MUST get back out there and finish assessing the kids. FUN!
In a low moment yesterday, I sat on the floor, and placed around me everything I'd prepared for CHIA, both at home and while here. From the entire process of going into an area, how to identify kids for the POD, how to assess them and find out information from their parents, how to set goals, activities for movement, positioning, play, hands (That part was my friend Lisa, thanks Lisa!), therapy ideas and charts, activities for play, information for parents to support their child's developmental progress- and of course this doesn't yet include all the amazing work Benita has contributed for communication, activities, signing, lesson plans etc. Really, I felt much better after this and I feel I have achieved already everything I thought I wanted to do while here. It is a phenomenal output over a very short time, and now I appreciate much more that of course our friends are overwhelmed and snowed under by pages and books and reams of information. Sorry, sorry sorry! I hope they will have some down time to digest everything when we leave, before the POD starts. The plan is to then support as much as possible via email, and with frequent videoing of sessions etc.
It seems that around the time the POD starts, an OT volunteer may be available. Hope so, and hope this is not too overwhelming! Would be great to have that OT input.
Walked on Friday morning, and while I didn't get lost, I can't say i exactly knew where I was all the time either. Slept really poorly, and came to breakfast in a foul mood- only scrambled eggs and bacon could fix it.
During this week we have walked past a new spa getting ready to open. It looks lovely, and every day we are greeted by Tony, the owner, who remembers our names (good start in business!). He suggested we visit his other spa La Venda and we commented to ourselves how posh to have a french name. Idiots! LAVENDER as in the plant!
We went down this morning as promised to the new Lavender, hoping to be the VERY FIRST customers ever (if you have ever been accosted in the markets by a stallholder telling you that you are their first customer for the day/week/month, you will know why it tickles me to think we would be the ACTUAL first). Unfortuantely, one other lady beat us there, so had to be content with just the first customers ever for those girls. Tried a leg and foot massage, followed by a deluxe pedicure. Oh dear lord! It was blissful and the staff were very attentive. We will definitely be back before we leave to try something else. Hope this business succeeds for these lovely people, but competition seems really tough in this tourist area.
Didn't walk or run this morning, but up super early and just read. After our spa treatment, we grabbed a car up to Da Nang and went to Bread of Life to meet some Vietnamese friends of mine. Bread of Life (at 4 Dong Da, Hai Chau) is run by Kathleen and Tom, an Amercian couple who employ mostly deaf staff, and give them accomodation, and a trade and help them learn signing. The sweet little woman on reception remembers me, and so does Katheleen, but then again, I did go there a fair amount for my coffee when it was in its old premises a few year ago. It's a fantastic establishment, with great food (a good 'Western" selection if that's what you want) and very high standards. We had the Da Nang pizza which I highly recommend. The coffee is also great. Had a long chat with my friends, who are physiotherapists I met on previous trips. Promised to visit the orphanage with one of them to help them work out the many disabled children there. Will be tight squeezing it in, but I'd really like to do it to help out. Never say no to more 'hands on' work, which is what I love to do.
After this we went out to Marble Mountain and it was a nightmare! Benita had a sore knee and so the 130 something steps were out, and the new lift wasn't working today. It was HOT, and the persistence of the stallholders was unbelievable. We were chased in and out of shops and I swear I'm going to have nightmares about pink pigs. I idly picked one up, thinking of Adam who is born in the year of the pig. When I questioned the lady, the price was $52. Usually I'm a pretty polite haggler, but this was just so absurd I couldn't be bothered even starting to get a better price. But from then on, everywhere I went, another pink pig would be thrust in my face by someone else. I thought of a cheap ring, which we tend to collect and again, the price was ridiculous. It's just too too hot to haggle!!! Leave me alone, and take your pink pigs with you. Left with a ring for $5 and grabbed our car an hour early just to get some peace and quiet. On the way back to Hoi An we saw a fire on a block of land, and just after we went past there was a massive explosion. Our driver just stopped in the middle of the road, as did everyone. Turns out it was an exploding petrol tank. Not a wise thing to set fire to I'd have thought.
Chilled out, read and swum for rest of day. Went into the old town to Xuan to try on some of the things we have had made. Argued with a shopkeeper across the road who is making me a pair of shoes. During the week, when I picked them up, there was a white line through the maroon leather and I said I wouldn't take them. She worked at them with what seemed to be turps, then the colour bled from the embroidery. I said I would check on them today to decide if they were fixed. When I looked this afternoon, where she has rubbed them has rubbed the colour right out of the leather. She tried to tell me this was normal (oh please!). Problem is, most people have to accept second rate work, because they usually only stay for a day of two. I have another week, and I insisted she make me a whole new shoe. We'll see how that goes. Don't think she's my best friend!
Had dinner at Green Moss (you must try it, recommended in Lonely Planet for good reason). Had pork with chilli, garlic and lemongrass, and shrimp with chilli and green peppers. Plenty of selections for less adventurous eaters, and Western and Thai foods as well. It's away from the river, so not as busy as some of the larger restaurants. Well worth a visit. Around $7 each for a drink, a bottle of water, two dishes and rice.
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| Little boy I often see near CHIA |
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| Fantastic storm a couple of nights ago. Before this, the heat was unbelievable. |
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| One of twins, in a shop near CHIA. Had hugs for ages, didn't want to give him back! |
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| Pond at the front of Cua Dai hotel |
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| Opening morning at Lavender, on Cua Dai (just down from Cua Dai hotel). Go there to be pampered and to say hello to Tony. |
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| My feet are cleaner than they've ever been while in Vietnam! |
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| Marble Mountain. I've been up there before but didn't go up today. |
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| Green Moss: Pork with chilli, garlic and lemongrass |
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| Shrimp with chilli and green peppers |
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