Xin Chau (Hello!) This blog will begin with activities beginning on Tuesday afternoon as we head to our first placement.
My first job was at HOA doing games – which includes crafts. We made fishes decorated with paper pieces, color crayons, markers and stickers. They loved the craft and even made other things with the colored construction paper. One young man made a picture for me – my first treasure. We then played Head Shoulders Knees and Toes a few times and our time was done. Was very fun.

Had a wonderful dinner again of shrimp, mackerel fish in a wonderful sauce, rice, and veggies which was more like a cole slaw heated. Was excellent. The fruit here is incredible!!! Fresh mango, pineapple, bananas, apples, leechi (sp), and watermelon. I have drank more water and eaten more fruit in my week here than I have in a long time!!!

This morning was 2 hours at the baby orphanage. I began the day with massage for a child with hydrocephalitis (sp) – the disease where their head/brain continues to grow. I don’t know if that is an accurate description or not but he is having a big day. GVN was told by one Dr. that this is nothing that can be done. Tiffany, one of the volunteers, fundraised for his cause and is flying with him today to Saigon Hospital for a second opinion. She feels strongly that something can be done. It was so cute at the orphanage – the mothers that work there gave Son a haircut and he had a brand new outfit on, new socks and a baseball cap. That is one of the pictures I will download. Anyway, he’s in for a big adventure today – if there is a surgery that can be done then there will be another fundraising effort to make that happen.

Then it was time to play with babies and toddlers – the older children were in school most of the time we were there. They just recently acquired 3 walkers which has been great for the babies before they walk. They just speed around among the toddlers and love the freedom. There is a downs syndrome little girl that I spent time with getting her to sit up and hold her head up and use her hands and feet. She’s pretty darn cute!!!

Julie, our volunteer who is a nurse by trade, is working with the nurse at the orphanage to help with sterilization, feeding, etc., to help them to work hard at stopping the transmition of illness a little better.

Now we are on break until our afternoon placement – mine is at a fishing village a ways away.

I have some notes that I haven’t taken the time to read so I’m just going to write some random stuff now as I go through the notes.

The only countries that adopt babies from Vietnam now are Canada and Italy. The United States has pulled out of adopting from Vietnam. The females here are covered head to toe to keep their skin white. This country – or at least this area – is like being back in the 1960’s. One of the items that GVN is in desperate need of is vitamins for the children so that is a little mission I think I would like to take up when I get home. Diapers are called nappies – they are large thin cotton handkerchiefs that are folded in a triangle – a washcloth size piece of heavier fabric is folded and placed in the center of the triangle. The two sides are tied together over the folded fabric. The other end of the triangle is brought up through the legs and tied to the original bow. Quite interesting!!

On Monday, March 8th it’s Women’s Day. The lone man in our house will be our cook! It’s a special day for women. On Sunday, March 7th, we volunteers are meeting with the President of Tam Ky. Guess we’re kind of special!!!!! Roses and Daisies are for funerals only – if you give those to someone it is bad!!!!

That’s it for now – next entry will be about the fishing village placement and teaching! They are just coming back to school from Tet (Vietnam New Year celebration) so they might be a little rowdy – will do something simple and fun!

What wonderful children at Tam Tanh. A very poor fishing village on the ocean – the children are beautiful, clean and so eager to learn. I had so much fun teaching them. They loved writing on the board, shouting out words and playing word games. They have a very good grasp of the English language!!!
The pictures are me with Ti and Son who is going to Saigon. Son in his finest for his trip to the Dr., my beautiful birthday cake, Mrs. Hahn who is our spunky fun cook and Lorraine!!

That will end this blog. Will start up again tomorrow! Dinner is cooking and it smells wonderful. I’m still loving this whole having a cook thing – and all healthy! Thank you for the many birthday wishes. What a place to turn 57!!!!