Wow, it's hard to believe that I've been in Viet Nam for a week already! Actually, it feels like I've been here forever. Home feels a little bit like a distant dream.

A lot has happened since the last time I updated:

Roommates!

First of all, we finally got our roommates! My roommate's name is Thao, but she goes by To (easy enough to remember...haha). Sometimes we have a little trouble understanding each other because of the language barrier, but she's great! We really get a long well. She goes to the Foreign Trade University here in HCMC, so she's basically an economics major. She's from Da Lat city, the city of Flowers. :)

The other three roommates are great too. I get along really well with all of them. They are all classmates at Foreign Trade, so they knew each other already. We (the Americans) have been able to spend a lot of time with them because this is their break for the New Year. We've been going out to dinner, drinks (they drink a lot of fruit juices, coffee, smoothies, etc.), to the movies (man, was that an interesting experience), and shopping.

The first day they were here, we participated in Amazing Race: Ho Chi Minh City. Haha. Each roommate pair was a team, and we had to perform 6 different tasks in the city. First, our roommates taught us a traditional Vietnamese card game, and then the Americans had to play each other without the help of our roommates. The first team to win (that would be me...hehe) got to go on to the next task, which was to drive to the National Library, the Museum, and back to the CET office. Then we had to make a map, including all the streets, at least 2 businesses on each street, and 5 other landmarks. It was so hard for me to remember how to spell the street names! But it was really fun riding on the back of To's motorbike. :) The next task was just for me - I had to crack open 10 pumpkin seeds (traditionally eaten during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year), leaving the seeds completely intact. It was harder than it sounds, but it didn't take too long. Then we had to take the bus to another part of the city and get someone to volunteer to tell us their family tree, comprised of at least 10 family members. It took us forever to finally find someone who was willing to help! We came back to the CET office and had to put together a puzzle of a Vietnamese poster. And then...WE WON! :) Our prize was some money to go to dinner together. We had such a good time!

Me, To, Motorbike :)

Me, To, Hiu

Tet

Tet den roi! Tet is coming! Tet is the Vietnamese New Year, and it is a BIG DEAL here. There are decorations up all over the city, and almost every store or business has a sign up that says Happy New Year - Chuc mung nam moi! The university students get about a month off, many people take of work for the whole week of Tet, and most business are closed for the three days of Tet. Ho Chi Minh City is supposed to be the center of the Tet festivities, but many people go to visit family all over Viet Nam. I'm really excited because I am leaving tomorrow with one of the other roommates, Ka, to go to her home in Da Lat to celebrate Tet with her family. I'll be there until next sunday, so for about 8 days. It'll be great to stay with a Vietnamese family and to see how they celebrate the New Year!

Decorations for Tet

Chao anh. Anh ten la gi?


I started taking Vietnamese on monday. Vietnamese is so hard! The pronunciation is really
difficult, and to make it worse, they have SIX tones! I think I'm doing pretty good so far, but I don't feel like I know a lot just yet. My teacher is Co Trinh (sounds kind of like Jen), and she's really great. When I do something well, she says "bling bling", which is pretty much hillarious. Haha. Be praying for me as I try to learn the language. I really want to be able to communicate with people here.





Well, this post is long enough already. Thanks for reading! I don't know if I'll have access to the internet next week in Da Lat, but if I do I'll be sure to tell you all about Tet!



Prayer requests:

> adjusting to both Vietnamese culture and city culture
> discipline to fight for my time with God
> a friend here who is a believer
> opportunites to share with my new friends here
> wisdom to know how to invest my time