I've Got Nine Lives...Cat's Eyes

This should've been the title for my previous post, however I was just now rocking out to ACDC and this lyric struck me...I can relate with it now

So the last two days have been interesting and exciting. Last night, I went into Hanoi because my friend Trang has opened a tour company and it was the opening night party. i took the opportunity to not only support my friend, but also to BUY A MAP and wander around the streets a bit and learn the city.

It turns out Hanoi is pretty easy to learn. I am BY NO MEANS an expert and will most likely get lost but I do not find the city as daunting as much as I used to. I need a couple more day trips to wander around and figure it out. I bought a map but I am challenged at reading a map...I might as well be reading Vietnamese. I mean, I can't even tell my rights and lefts. I work off of landmarks.

So the evening was a success, both personally for me and also for my friend Trang. I hope her business succeeds.

I came home, had dinner and at 2AM woke up realizing that the dinner really didn't agree with me. I, like so many girls before me, joke about being one stomach flu away from their target weight, late night food poisoning is no fun. Especially when you have to teach eight classes the next day. I actually had to run out of two classes. My tummy is settled now but I am still slightly traumatized.

Teaching, by the way, is not a breeze. I thought it would be easy. It's not. You have to prepare lessons, engage the students, and then above everything else present the material in a way that they will LEARN and retain the information. There I was thinking it was just grading papers and long summer vacations, it's probably the most challenging work I've ever done.

I may have to reassess my idea of challenging work though, after i get my motorbike this weekend. yes I think it is actually going to happen. i have no idea what i am thinking or why I think it is acceptable for me to drive around on a motorbike when I don't know how to and in a city I still don't know.

On a side note, my Tet (Vietnamese Christmas/New Years) plans are semi official. I get 10 days off of school and instead of going to Cambodia like i originally planned, i am going to Laos! Should be just as fun and I am very excited!

It's late here (10:40) so I will leave with the following PERSONAL shout outs
Sean and Harry: thanks for reading!
Wednesday night dinner girls: I wish I could be there! Can't wait to join you at the table when I return
Garrick: thanks for saying I am funny
Keeley: I smile and think of you every time I hear "Run this Town"
Gathman: <3
and last but certainly not least: Alexander-happy half birthday. Google the song lyrics "calling you" by Blue October and think about them next time you decide to be grumpy when I wake you up :)

Everyone else: thanks for following, thanks for the emails, please keep them up, they brighten my days and I love them