Archives for 2004

Well I finally did it. Last night I bought a brand new red/white Yamaha Nouvo. Chau's brother and the landlord came along to check out the motorbike before I bought it. Chau took care of the paperwork since I needed to register the motorbike in her brother's name. Foreignors cannot own motorbikes in Vietnam but the government has been allowing us to register them in another … [Read more...] about Proud Owner of a Yamaha Nouvo

Okay, I knew it would happen one day in Vietnam. I got really sick yesterday. Actually, I have been sick with stomach problems since Wednesday but it got worse yesterday morning. I knew it was coming too so I told SEAMEO that I will not be coming in. Then it happened. The worst stomach cramps I ever had since April, 1999, when I got food poisoning as a Peace Corps Volunteer … [Read more...] about Traditional Medicine to the Rescue

Well, I got the full day off today. Finally. I was exhausted. Yesterday, on the way back from Saigon, my motorbike driver was stopped at a check point. The Vietnamese police decided to pick yesterday to enforce their motorcycle helmet law. It is a good law but many Vietnamese did not think the police would enforce it. Anyway, my driver thought he would get past by using my … [Read more...] about TGIF

The last time I went on a run was about a month ago in Seattle. Today I finally went out for a short jog near our house. I got up at around 7:45 AM, did a short workout and then ran. When I started my jog, the temperature was around 88 degrees F with the relative humidity around 92 percent. I made sure I drank a bottle of water before I left to avoid dehydration. I realized … [Read more...] about Jogging in Thu Duc, HCMC

How can it be? I wore MOSQUITO REPELLENT last night when I went out on our balcony to lie on the hammock. I put a lot on my legs but nothing on my arms. My legs got 7 new mosquito bites while I was out there. That is the most since my first night in Ho Chi Minh City where I got 25 mosquito bites while I slept. Our new housekeeper is an awesome cook. Only one problem, I have … [Read more...] about 7 More Mosquito Bites