Black teeth in the Air!

Do you remember that scene from the Titanic when Leonardo was teaching Kate Winselt how to hock up a loogie of spit? Well, basically that is what everyone in Saigon sounds like. I always wondered what was up with that until recently when I wanted to spit up my lungs too. My voice sounds like I am going through puberty and it’s constantly hurting like I am sick. For a while I thought it was from yelling at my children all day until I did some research. Vietnam has the one of the highest rates of pollution in the world.  With motor bikes being the only way of transportation and the remnants from Agent orange following the Vietnam war pollution is a major problem. Also, the whole “Go Green” phenomenon is the least of their problems right now. Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) has an accounted population of 8 million (It’s said to be closer to 10-12) and 7.8 million motorbikes on the streets,  if that puts things into perspective. Friends of mine who have been living here for a year talk about their hair falling out in clumps from the pollution. Millions of fish are wiping iup on the shore dead. Due to the Vietnam war and the effects of agent orange farmers can no longer grow anything organic. The soil is permanently ruined , forest degradation, water pollution and air pollution are a major issue. You can literally feel the pollution in your throat, skin and inside of your body. I come home and use the saying “I have to go shower Saigon off of me!” People and myself carry around baby wipes to keep their skin moderately feeling clean and to avoid breaking out. I should also mention the rate of Diabetes  in this country is on an increasing and dangerous high. Sugar here is equivalent to being ignorant to the dangers of smoking in the previous decades. The people, do not realize how much sugar they are using nor how bad it is for them.  Condensed milk, about 5 Tablespoons of it is used in an individual cup of coffee. It was good for a while until I literally felt it clogging my arteries. They pour sugar into their drinks, foods, and everything you possibly consume here. I would die for some Kale right about now. My children’s teeth are black. Mainly from the sugar, possibly the pollution in the water but also because the superstition they believe. I was told by the Vietnamese that they let the baby teeth rot otherwise they will not fall out and therefor the children will never grow adult teeth. I know,  yes it’s true. Even some of the educated and wealthy population still believes in this.  You will also see families of 4-5 on the motorbikes. The adults will be wearing helmets but never the children.. I asked multiple sources why the children, even infants, I am talking about, are never wearing helmets? I  found that it is a superstition that if they put helmets on the children it will stop their skulls from growing!! I know, this culture! The things you can only learn by living here!! The learning just never stop!! AHHH VIETNAM I LOVE YOU--- BUT PUT HELMETS ON YOUR CHILDREN!!!!

NAMaste with some Vietnamese culture for you!

Ride or Die....Literally

Ride or Die
Yesterday was one of the best days and worst days of my life. I can now officially say I have experienced what ‘ride or die’ literally means. For a month I have been afraid of riding a motorbike out on the streets of saigon where motorbikes rule cars about 100 to 1. With no traffic lights, laws or violations it looks really scary coming from an outsiders perspective. For the past two weeks I have been driving  back and forth to work so I started to feel more confident about my riding skills. Yesterday a group of friends and I decided to take a day trip along the country side about an hour away from our residence. With google maps not being that great,  it ended up turning into a six hour trip. During that time I really turned into an excellent driver. I was in such bliss just riding along with my friends with the wind in my hair. I felt like I was in a  real life video game if you could imagine. Dodging trucks, getting 10 points for every idiot crossing the road that I hit, to dust and pollution in your face causing you not to see.  For the first time I didn’t have a care in the world except for the bike and the road. That was until my near death experience. “Hey pretty girl” said a driver next to me. I ignored him as I thought he would go away. “Beautiful, come with me.” I ignored him again, and increased the speed of my bike letting my friends know this man was harassing me. The next thing I know this man whips out a samurai sword that was about two feet long with an old  wooden handle. He had it raised in the air and I thought he was going to stab it right into me on the bike. My body naturally went into a state of panic. The only thing I could think to do was to speed up and get passed him. He kept following me and following me. My friends heard me screaming, realized what was happening and surrounded me with their bikes. I probably almost crashed I was going so fast but my body was in flight or fight mode. Shortly after my friends protection he went away and we stopped. I jumped off the bike, my body numb shaking and instant tears down my face. I couldn’t breath, I was hyperventilating. Never in my life have I been so scared. Of course, the instant I felt safe on that bike I had to experience an unheard off incident. People in Vietnam are so nice and kind but like all countries there are crazy people out there. So, why the best day of my life too? I really became an expert on that bike that day, looking like a natural. I got to explore the countryside of Vietnam with my housemates/brothers. I do not know what I would of done without my roommate Sinaed there to take me out of my state of panic. “At least you have a good story for your blog now, Katie.” Yes, it’s a great story now but that was such a horrible experience. The best part, I am no longer afraid of riding anywhere in this city. Nothing can come worse then that incident. I took myself on a ride today into District 1. I put google maps on in one head phone and let the lady give me directions the whole time. (Thank you Kayleigh for the tip!!) Not to brag but I am pretty proud of my recent riding skills on the motorbike after being afraid for over a month. Never give up!!

1 month mark!!

It’s so amazing what a month of teaching and living in a foreign country can do to you. I remember the first day, I arrived, when I was too scared to even leave my house alone.  I remember getting on the back of a motorbike literally holding on to the old man missing teeth, both hands wrapped around his waist, practically groping him, in fear of my life. Now, I am riding my own bike around Saigon and showing the ropes to my new house mate. (Mate—I know.. you can blame my English and Irish friends for the new lingo). I remember my first week at school  and going home almost in tears  thinking that I was failing at teaching. I have adapted so much to the Vietnamese culture and how to teach them. I never realized that when I was quickly giving my students English names (which is a thing) that that name would remain their English name, for the rest of their school years and forthcoming. Forever there will be about fifty kids in Vietnam running around with names, named after my x-boyfriends and Disney characters. My children have just became so creative. You can see it in their work everyday. They do not just copy off of me anymore and draw American flags to represent themselves. They create their own work and it gives me the chills to see. I really take the time to  dig into their little brains and interests as much as I can. I much rather have a child come up with, turtle’s, for example,  then copy “traveling or teaching”  when teaching the core value—Passion. I can’t say it enough. I think it is so great that this school, VAS, is bringing core values and creativity into their school curriculum after many generation of teaching just  basic education.

Short and sweet this week but I have to go bring out America!!
NAMaste Hello 4th of July!!!
Miss you America and Philadelphia especially