hello Vietnam! xin chao Viet Nam!

missing the burgh

2007-07-26T14:50:00.001+07:00

After a night of Kennedy School kids including one Harvard undergraduate from gasp! Pittsburgh, I got to daydreaming about my home away from home.

A Taste of Phnom Penh: moto style

2007-07-24T13:17:00.001+07:00

While I found the motorcycle world calmer than Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh traffic is still hard to navigate :)

Strange music to the video....

A delayed synopsis in pictures: Ha Noi

2007-07-23T07:57:00.001+07:00

Update: I've returned to Sai Gon/Ho Chi Minh City after detours in Ha Noi, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Although there was a lot of activity involved (which mainly included negotiating with xe om/cabs on my next destination), there was also a lot of sitting in front of papers, computers and general managers of MFIs or NGOs.

It's nice to be back in Ho Chi Minh City. There's a rush of comfort in accessing the habitat-sg wireless network. yes, I know. I'm spoiled.

Now onto the rest of the story:

I had left off after my return from Kien Giang Province. After oh so many pictures of adorable children, maybe you don't need to see more. But I guarantee nothing.

We went to Ha Noi because Habitat will expand its housing microfinance operations there after market research.

This is an image from the training we received on market research for housing microfinance product development. While CARE-Vietnam had its workshop across the hall, we had four dedicated security guards between us, making sure we weren't going around overthrowing governments. This is a consistent image throughout travels in Vietnam.

Classic images of Ha Noi. I spent a week in Ha Noi mostly cooped up in this tacky communist hotel on West Lake. Ha Noi was beautiful in its own right and the poor Tay Ho Hotel did not do Ha Noi justice. Ha Noi had a vibe separate from Viet Nam and at times it was hard to not believe I was in the same country. Aside from accent changes, Ha Noi exuded an innocence and tranquility in the Old Quarter and dreaded bureaucracy in its government buildings.

Plenty of museums with tanks and fighter jets.

After my return, we created tighter bonds with our compatriots--ex pats! Going to bars in thebackpacker district was just a small taste of the strange world I would encounter in Phnom Penh. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the 2 dollar caipirina. But for VN prices, that is pricey....I could get three meals on my street for that.

The weeks are winding down. The heat is intensifying and my market trips are becoming far more successful. These are my small measurements of success in this place so far away.

Wait for these questions I'd like to explore next!:
What are all of the hidden transactions going on in the infamous MGM club in HCMC?
What the the banana leaf dessert I ate weeks ago and have no way to find out how/where to get that item in a land of banana leaf dishes?
Why does Phnom Penh love Jack Johnson so much?
How did I survive navigating Phnom Penh with a tourist map and non-existent Khmer skills?
When will I stop my obsession over Monokuro Boo, a Thai piglet akin to a"HelloKitty" character?

tootles.

See Sai Gon in action

2007-07-03T12:51:00.000+07:00

Our Habitat engineer created this website. The best is Disco Bowling, an activity I wimped out on purely because of laziness.

http://www.youtube.com/geckosuperstar

Happy Viewing!

Habita Work: Kien Giang

2007-06-30T17:27:00.000+07:00

Everyone who knows about Habitat for Humanity-Vietnam, calls it Habita. Here are some pictures of my week in Kien Giang where Habita works.More on my week in Ha Noi soon.

motorcycle ferry on the Mekong Delta. I was too tall for the boat when I sat on the xe om. I'm too tall in Viet Nam!

Agent Orange

2007-06-24T16:28:00.000+07:00

A Habitat staffer from Kien Giang encouraged me to meet the family with two children suffering from the consequences of the herbicide war during the American-Vietnam War. We may know it more commonly as "agent orange." This was a surreal experience.

Here's to another day in Vietnam. I've started to embark on a strange journey to understand the Vietnam War from a unique place: the countryside, Saigon and Hanoi. More soon.

all for a children's crusade

2007-06-19T21:41:00.000+07:00

I sped past markets, rivers and bounced on top of bridges today as my translator driving our motorbike says to me: I would like to do something for these children.

In my journey to learn more about housing microfinance and hopefully provide something of use to Habitat for Humanity, we hopped on a boat to Rach Gia--the main city of Kien Giang province. KG is next to the Cambodian border and is HOT and HUMID.

So today, like yesterday, I interviewed various Khmer families in the Kien Giang province: two different communes. With the help of my fellow public policy intern, the Women's Union, a translator and a motorcycle helmet I got a small glimpse into a world few have access to and are unaware of.

I think we all tend to compare every moment to some experience of the past. The ones I have are minimal and I am taken back to the days I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia. One 5 PM was visually memorable--children marching back towards Girard Avenue in their ironed uniforms after my day on the construction site. I awaited the end of the day to go to NET, a juvenile detention center to talk to kids about staying in the law's boundaries. There's just something truly inspiring about children living fearlessly in the face of adversity. Yep, I'm hopeful!Today, two children returned from the hospital after being bitten by mosquitos and experiencing symptoms of dengue fever (I think from what they described).

http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/?catid=8&newsid=29197
They are due to recover but were sound asleep when I called on the house. Today was a day of joy for the children throughout the hamlet.

Here are some of the lovely ladies that made these housing loans possible in one commune.

Phu Quoc Part I: Napping

2007-06-18T22:51:00.000+07:00

Ok, you asked for more!

Before Patrick and I ran away to Kien Giang to see what Habitat is all about on the ground, we escaped to the island of Phu Quoc. This island is marketed as the size of Singapore. The guidebook warns: get the chance to visit before resort development threatens to take it over.

Apparently, there is a lot to see and do: snorkeling, shopping for fish sauce (stinky) and exploring the jungle. We did none of the above and I was completely satisfied by the warm sand and good eats. I swam in the Bay of Thailand!

I also got an amazing 3 dollar massage which did me in for the rest of the day. The women were not bashful in stripping off my swimming suit top. Wow.

Birthday. Refocus. Travel to tiny islands.

2007-06-15T22:08:00.000+07:00

These will be all the things I have accomplished in Week 2: Stylin it in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh. My whopping 24th birthday consisted of delicious lotus salad and curry for our staff lunch, more nihon ryori and a night of hitting the teeny bopper scene. I always seem to be in a far off land on my birthday. What is up with that? Missed all of you out there in America world...

The lunch consisted of a big welcome back to Gail, Mark and Toan (staffers and country director who were previously trapped in Bangkok on a area wide Habitat meeting) and cake. During this time I was given the gift of the cutest face mask by fellow partner in crime. [See how face mask is used below]

After more battles with the printer and hunting down contacts, the celebration moved to Hana, a Japanese restaurant in the center of the city. I don't think I will ever run across 5 dollar, legit sashimi ever again. The evening gets better with a WILD TIME at Diamond Plaza (the ritzy mall) and its 4th floor bowling alley. Imagine cosmic bowling in anime world. Actualy, don't imagine. Look below.

We also recently welcomed back our supervisor Wesley, his wife and adorable kids! This is the refocus section of my week. We sat down with him and poof! We're on the right research track again. When I am more coherent with what this is, I'll let you know...

Now onto the traveling: By 6 am tomorrow, fellow partner and I will grace the island of Phu Quoc. By the end of Saturday, I hope to truly master the pronounciation of Phu Quoc. By Sunday of next wekk, I will have successfully mastered traveling by high speed boats and sitting still on bus rides. Being tall in Viet Nam gives me more perspective on some of my tall friends back at home. Our team will be traveling to Kien Giang for work---to understand Habitat for Humanity's operations in Kien Giang province.

Hopefully the pictures will tell that tale.

I heart Vietnamese food...

2007-06-12T21:26:00.000+07:00

I will state plainly and clearly, this post does not compare to my partner in crime's post on yesterday evening. He got a true taste of Vietnamese male activities as the ladies in the office laughed at what our engineer and intern would go through that evening. True confirmation of my suspicions on gender roles in Vietnam.

To be honest, glad I didn't have to dance my night away. I'm still suffering from jet lag....

http://crossinghcm.blogspot.com/2007/06/pats-night-out.html

OK. Now about food.

I'm slowly adjusting to all the good food in Ho Chi Minh. After a day of eating only bread, I'm alive and well, ready to dig into the food again!

A few of my favorite things:

-Bahn mi trung (egg sandwhich, veggies with some type of spice and fish paste)
-Pho chay (vegetarian noodle soup)
-Ban Xeo (egg/flour omlet wrapped in lettuce--i.e. vietnamese crepes)
-buoi (pomelo--big grapefruit)
-mang cut (mangosteen
-soda chanh (soda, crushed lemon juice and sugar)
-cafe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk)
-nuoc suoi (bottled water hehe)

I also found MILO, my favorite drink from those Japanese days...

As I explore other regions of Vietnam, there will be more posts on the food :)

p.s.

Nha Be Site Visit

2007-06-09T23:15:00.000+07:00

We went to our first Habitat site visit where HFHI works with a government partner to give home improvement loans. There's a lot to reflect on here and most of it could not be captured in photos. Nha Be is on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City:

the girl in the picture

2007-06-09T21:30:00.000+07:00

After I told our resident civil engineer the strange tales of my past (peruvian chica born in nippon), he recommended a nice Japanese cafe to visit. There I stumbled upon a book I saw during the "what I should know before I leave vietnam" stage.

The Girl in the Picture describes the events before and after the poweful shot of nine year old Kim Thi Phan Phuc running to escape a napalm attack on her village. This book details the way her life was saved by Nick Ut, the journalist who took the Pultizer Prize winning photo.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4517597.stm

I spent about two hours reading about atrocities throughout Southern Vietnam in the middle of bustling Saigon.

Some other key context builders:

1) The influx of tall Western tourists eager to gobble up cheap pho and live in luxury on less than 10 dollars a day at the Ben Thanh Market

2) The continual presence of the communist regime. I'm talking bold yellow stars, sea green walls and arranging my documents for HFHI site visits to rural communes.

and this:

I am truly at a crossroads.

Week 2: One would never say, "oh I think I'll watch Schindler's List today--that sounds like a good time." I don't think I would have ever said: "Visiting the War Crimes Museum would be great way to spend my Sunday afternoon."

But here I go.

We originally wanted one of you in Bangkok...

2007-06-07T22:00:00.000+07:00

This is what the regional director of Habitat for Humanity-Southeast Asia tells us at a fancy Bavarian restaurant in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. As we delve into our work more, I can't imagine adding yet another country to our study.

What am I exactly doing, you ask? I am currently hosted by the Habitat for Humanity Vietnam (HFHI-V) office studying the policy environment which affects HFHI's housing programs. In Vietnam, most of the work involves partnership with the Vietnamese government in housing microfinance programs. This will be my little area of expertise--which happens to be rather large.

My fellow partner in crime and I (interns) are up for the task. Project plan is set. Travel arrangements throughout Vietnam is pretty much done. Now it's all about replicating the study in Cambodia. So...originally they wanted us in Bangkok?

Say hi to my space
Amazing!

Day 1, 2 and 4: Learn to cross the street

2007-06-06T21:42:00.000+07:00

I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC or Saigon) close to midnight on June 1st. After magically traveling through time during my 2 day journey I looked outside the taxi window only to find motorcycles.

Welcome to Vietnam. This is perhaps Ho Chi Minh's distinguishing characteristic. In Lima, Peru crossing the street is a test in your ability to weave through the traffic. Jump out of the way or find yourself squashed on the Avenue of the Americas. And no one cares. In Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh, if you attempt to jump out of the way of an oncoming motorcyle--consider yourself doomed. Motorcyclists take into account your pace as pedestrians cross.

I can't seem to trust that motorcylists will smoothly pass me by. Here is the dominant piece of advice I get as a newbie: walk slowly, deliberately and just trust the drivers. What they don't tell you is that under no circumstances should you walk in front of a buse. Sure, motorcycles swim around you. Buses just take you out. This is for future reference Ho Chi Minh City visitors!

As I make my way carefully across every block, I can't shake away the image of the small girl who fell off her motorcycle in front of us on Hai Ba Trung (one of the major avenues). As other motorcyles weaved past her, her small group riding with her tried to bring her back to consciousness.

I didn't stick around for the ending , but in a city where no one stops, I was comforted by the abundant of people come out of the woodwork calling for help.

Tomorrow is Day 5. I hope to not only conquer crossing streets but make phone calls to NGOs and the Vietnamese government and do my best to not offend people with my silly mannerisms.

Good morning Vietnam...

2007-06-06T13:30:00.000+07:00

What: Habitat for Humanity International-Vietnam/Cambodia
Where: Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh
When: June 1-August 30
How: Planes, lots of VND (dong currency) and buses throughout the Mekong Delta Region

As of June 1, 2007 I've flown to the other side of the world to say a big hello to Southeast Asia. Will update when I am more coherent!

Bridge and Tunnel

2006-09-14T11:04:00.000+07:00

Yes. I am B & T. What is this you ask? During one of our many Woodrow Wilson get togethers in Princeton, NJ I discover yet another label people have for us. This time the labelers are New Yorkers.

Bridge and Tunnel--the name of those who travel through bridge or tunnel to get into the city. I will be making my way up to New York now and again and this is what they will call me. I am proud!

I walk into Graduate Sign In today and picked up the sheet of paper under the sign "For Pennsylvania Residents Only." Of course, that's me!

Well, apparently not. I am a New Jersey resident.

Sick.

Welcome to Princeton

2006-08-28T01:26:00.000+07:00

As friends travel the world doing good deeds, I will spend two years in Princeton, NJ. Culture shock is an understatement. This is the land of excess. I quote an administrator in my department--there is no free lunch in life, but there are lots in Princeton! Literally, my department just throws food at us.

Only pictures will tell the story of Hogwarts:

This is my dorm, where the Graduate College throws free happy hours on Thursdays and Fridays to keep the phD kids sane and social. I am cinderella or quaisimodo--depending on how you look at the situation. I live in a small tower. I must climb a small winding staircase to my room and I'm told I live next to the organ. On Sundays, students play the bells in a nearby tower. Why? I'm not quite sure. But listening to Lauryn Hill while the bells are playing is a bit surreal.

Sadly, I am subjected to the life of an undergrad at Hogwarts. Welcome to the dining hall:

Robertson Hall:

This is my home away from home. Our "math camp" classes are here (don't get me started on this). This is the most unique building on campus--it's lost among the campus attempt at Cambridge.

While the physical surroundings reek of elitism and beauty, the student body in my program is amazing. I am inspired by their stories and commitment to service and the public sector. I also found people to practice my Japanese and Portuguese.

English as the Official Language

2006-05-20T22:15:00.000+07:00

Somewhere along the way, English became the official language of the United States. According to the Senate that is.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article548909.ece

While this issue has been on the national back burner for years (other than that one West Wing episode where Josh and Joey Lucas go at it on the language of Shakespeare), how did it just slip between all the news stories? Inofe's amendment is a product of fear and contempt. No one is afraid of the multiple languages. People are afraid of Spanish and punish those who are speaking it.

Spanish At School Translates to Suspension:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/08/AR2005120802122.html

Don't lie Senators, admit that you're afraid of Latinos living our lives as we normally do--in Spanish.

Granted, it's is official documents. Critics will say--it's only the government forms and "official business." This is just symbolic.

Yes, these are just official forms and every law is laced with symbolism. This time, the symbolism is loud and clear.

Why the Republicans shouldn't support the amendment:
1) 47 million Spanish speakers. Yesterday we were smacked in the face. If Latinos find a way to organize, we're not voting for you the next time. (But I never voted for you anyways.)

Why I never want to be a Hill Staffer

2006-04-20T08:13:00.000+07:00

Wonkette has a nice tidbit on the salaries of Hill Staffers (or i.e. incestual 20 year olds in suits). According to the Anonymous Hill Staffer, House staff get paid a lot more than Senate staffers. But the key "learning" (can we really call it learning because I'm sure those outside of the beltway knew...) is that the Hill salary infrastructure will always be kind to those with money coming into the game.

"It might surprise most people, but House staffers make a shit load more than Senate staffers. A Senate Staff Assistant makes between 18k and 25k a year, which a House Staff Ass usually makes from 25k to 32k or so. Which makes you think…what young professional is getting by on $18,000 a year in Washington D.C.? Do you realize that’s only fifteen hundred bucks a month? And now if you are like me, you’re asking yourself “who the fuck can live in Washington D.C. on $1,500 a month?” And you’re in luck, because I can answer that question.

The only people who can live on $1,500 a month in Washington D.C. are either on food stamps or recent college graduates with huge allowances from their parents. I’ll let you figure out which one is working on the Hill (Hint! They don’t shop places where food stamps are accepted). Those staffers who don’t have a healthy allowance usually turn to drugs (think of the guy selling pot and listening to Dave Matthews down the hall from you in college) or prostitution of some kind or another (butt sex for money and so on). Same concept applies with Legislative Assistants…an LA in the Senate—who has to have some kind of advanced degree, keep in mind—makes somewhere in the neighborhood of 30k to 40k a year. In the House, that salary is anywhere from 40k to 55k WITHOUT GRAD SCHOOL."

"So, again, ask yourself “what kind of Harvard Law grad is going into a job where they only make $40k a year?” Well, either the kind that sucks too much to get a real lawyering job or one that doesn’t have any obvious need for income. And, if you want to extrapolate a real-life civics lesson here, you can probably figure out a big part of the reason why Congress (both D’s and R’s) is so out of touch with regular old Americans. Thousands of Senate staffers are playing government (and oddly enough making major policy decisions) while their parents subsidize their living. So while constituents grapple with the realities of the new economy, these staffers can continue driving their Audis and shopping at Whole Foods. Look at me, I’m in public service! I’ll refrain from pointing out the obvious irony of my current employment situation. Wait, I think I just did."

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/ask-a-hill-staffer/ask-a-hill-staffer-mind-on-his-money-money-on-his-mind-168293.php

A Day in the Life

2006-03-29T00:44:00.000+07:00

After getting in at 3:30 am, I couldn't sleep. Let's just say there is more work for our presentation about mortgage foreclosures!

I read the news for the first time...in a long time.

In 1st Major Shift of 2nd Term, Bush Looks to Inner Circle

Oh yes. And I recieved this over e-mail. This make me embarrased about my alma mater.

Brains over beauty
PHOTO: Meghan White
Rocco Panella and Sucharita Mukherjee were crowned Mr. and Ms. Schreyer Honors College on Sunday night.

What is going on.

----

After today, I will be free! Almost!

This is the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs.

2006-03-28T12:21:00.000+07:00

Remember me? I do this thing called the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs.

1) We take notes of things that don't make sense...

2) We also have funny dance moves and wear short ties.

AND we dress up in Newsie costumes for the non profit community.