Meet some of the kids!

Most of my time at Thien Phuoc is spent with a dozen children in the physiotherapy room. They've all grown on me in different ways. At first I thought they were much more limited, but they've opened my eyes. I now see how they work with their limitations and how they emphasize their strengths and build upon them. It's a lesson in the amazing adaptability of humanity. I am continually impressed by them. Everyday they trust me a little more and open up to me. The smiles and excited cries I receive when I enter the physio room are undeniably the highlight of my day. I feel very lucky. Today I'd like to share a little of their magic with you! So without further ado...

Meet Huy:

I call them Mr. Huy since there is another smaller Huy also doing physio. Mr. Huy is non-verbal, I've never heard him speak even a word of Vietnamese but he understands a great deal of English and Vietnamese alike and can communicate with actions and facial expressions. He spends his physiotherapy hours on his verticalization machine, removed from the other kids. Still, he makes his presence known by his undeniable good humor. While I'm working with the other children, usually as I'm giving another child a turn on the massage machine, I glance over at him and stick my tongue out at him. He responds in kind and I am immediately rewarded by his look of pure delight in the interaction. He's great at giving high-fives, even though such a precise movement is obviously very challenging to him. When I work with him, we work mostly on practicing such precise movements. He can't walk but gets around great in his special half crawl. I have a great video of this that I want to share on another day! Days that I get a hug from Mr. Huy are incredible. His determination and positivity are an inspiration.

Meet Tai:

Tai was a lesson in paying attention and letting go of pre-conceived ideas for me. For the first week, I thought he was non-verbal and not particularly clever. I didn't get attached to him at first for the simple reason that he sweats a lot and hugging him wasn't pleasant for me. Embarrassing when I think back. Now he is undeniably one of my favorite kids in the world. One day I realized that he was in fact able to talk, in his own special way, and it was me who didn't hear or understand him! Like Mr. Huy, precise movement are difficult for Tai. He can control his motor skills with great concentration. He can in fact say easy words like "hello" and "Aki" and "I'm good", they just sound very different because of his difficulty in making his body do what he wants. On good days he can form 3-4 word sentences, on bad days single words are extremely challenging. I then discovered that he is incredibly clever! He can do a 64 piece puzzle with a little help: he can't control his movements enough to pick up pieces and put them in place, but he does know where they go! I learned to watch him carefully and realized that he'll point (with a arm that's shaking uncontrollably) to a piece and then to where it goes. And he's always right! In the same way he can play "memory" and beat me! I'm now intrigued by what is hidden in that brain of his, just waiting to come to light! Our favorite way to say hello is with a wink and a couple clicks of the tongue, like he's doing in the picture. Tai taught me to open my eyes in a whole other way and to embrace the possibilities.

Meet Phuong:

Oh little Phuong, or Monkey as we all call her... she's stolen my heart! If you've seen the video I posted earlier of her, you know she's just a bundle of laughter. She is also completely non-verbal but easily communicates her moods to those around her. I want to spend my whole day playing with her and making her laugh. She's tiny, like a toddler, but is seven years old. Unlike the other children in physiotherapy, she can walk, with her little hand grasped tightly around someone's finger. Except for her size, physically she seems to be "normal". I work with her to try to convince her to walk on her own, which I'm positive she can do if she just trusted herself to try! I'm also starting to challenge her intellectually, without any results so far. She doesn't seem to be interested in learning how to do puzzles or other games. I did teach her to blow kisses though! Any moment spent in her company makes me glad to be there. Monkey has taught me to slow down and just enjoy the simplicity of playing.

Meet My:

My is still a mystery to me. She loves music, LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem in particular! She'll sit there pumping one hand into the air on the beat with a big goofy grin on her face. She can speak rudimentary Vietnamese and knows a dozen words in English but is very quiet... In fact, she seems to be hidden behind her friend Tien most of the time. (I'll introduce you all to Tien in another post with more of the physio kids soon!) She spends her time in physiotherapy practicing to crawl, without getting bored or tired of it. I'm impressed with her will and stamina! Recently I uncovered a great sense of humor in her. We now pull little practical jokes on each other. I look forward to learning more about her. Thien Phuoc has a startling number of visitors on a daily basis. It's no wonder that the children take a little time to open up and trust a new face. As the weeks pass, I see My opening to me a little more, showing me a little more of herself and what she can do. I can also see that she's hurt when I don't show up when I'm supposed to. She's taught me the importance routine and stability to children.

On that note, it is strange for me to think that I'm already half-way through my stay at Thien Phuoc. The taught of leaving all these kids in little more than a month makes me cringe inside. There is such a difference between living in an orphanage full time and visiting one for a few hours every day as I did while in the Philippines. Moreover, since there isn't a group of volunteers here to hang out with and unwind with, my whole life revolves around these children. I'm with them from the moment I wake up until they go to bed at night. Even during my lunch break I'll pop in to spend some time with those who aren't sleeping. They've invaded my head and my heart. I can't imagine living here for a year as A. is planning to... I would never be able to leave them! It will be hard enough as it is, but it's unavoidable. As with everything in life, this is a temporary situation. At the same time, knowing it is so helps me focus, slow down, and appreciate it that much more.

Pause patisserie

Ah food... The true love of my life! I'm not going to lie: one of my major reasons for choosing Vietnam was my love for Vietnamese food. I was thinking of pho, vermicelli, and Vietnamese subs. Oh and their killer lemonades! It wasn't until right before leaving that I realized that because of the French influence there would also be an abundance of bakeries... yummmmmy!

My top two favorites are ABC Bakery found in the Backpacker's district. Their croissants just melt in your month. They also have a great Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sub) with loads of extra veggies, compared to the one you get on the street. Their fruit shakes are also to die for, having a great texture, like a slushie, but with real fruit!

My other favorite is a chain called Tous Les Jours. There's one right across the street from T.'s house (where I've been spending my weekends away from Thien Phuoc). They have great chocolate muffins, sesame balls with red bean paste inside, and... wait for it... curry buns!! That's right! My favorite from Japan, that I've never been able to find anywhere else before. Ok, they aren't exactly the same as Japanese beef curry buns, but they are pretty darn close and delicious! TLJ also has Portuguese-style egg-tarts and mango-danish-pastry-like-yumminess!

Here is a picture taken by A., my fellow volunteer, in Tous Les Jours before being quickly told "no pictures" by a staff. Luckily it's a great shot!

Monkey!

Some children just pull on your heart strings and don't let go... Little Phuong is one of those for me! Her nickname is Monkey, well deserved by her behavior! She is six years old, non-verbal, but she very bright and knows what she wants -- and how to get it! She is one of the children I work with in the physiotherapy room, mainly on walking. She is steady on her feet but seems scared to make the jump from walking when holding my hand to walking alone. I've been successful at getting her to do a couple of steps on her own a handful of times. My greatest success is having taught her how to blow kisses!  I hope this video gives you a glimpse of her...

Routine anyone?

You'd think that because I love to travel and enjoy the freedom that comes with it, that I would hate routines and schedules... not so! After just three weeks of traveling around the south of Vietnam, I couldn't wait to really unpack my bag, get settled, and let myself fall into a comfortable rut. Ok, so maybe referring to working in an orphanage in Vietnam as a "rut" is not quite accurate, but it's still a routine, and I love it! There's a natural tendency to relax once we get used to our surroundings, and this week I've enjoyed finding my spot in the daily life of Thien Phuoc. The staff are also becoming accustomed to seeing me around. And best of all, the kids get excited when they know I will be showing up.

Here is what my regular day looks like:

6:20 - Wake up
6:30 - Feed the young ones breakfast. Every meal is a variation of rice pudding much like what was fed to the young kids in the Philippines.
7:15 - Dishes. There's a very specific technique that A. and I were coached on for days before they trusted us with this task.
7:30 - Breakfast: the orphanage provides me with instant noodles, I supplement with fruit and yogurt!
8:00 - Physiotherapy with the older children. I usually spent most of the morning on the massage machine, five minutes per child. If there's any leftover time I start doing some exercises with them, mostly stretching. Of course, I don't have any experience with doing this... I just hope I'm helping and not harming!
10:00 - Feed the young ones lunch, change diapers
10:45 - Dishes
11:00 - Lunch: rice, some type of meat, some type of vegetable (usually cabbage or carrots), vegetable soup.
11:30 - Head over to Silver Creek resort for a swim and some relaxation time. Perhaps some Vietnamese lessons.
14:00 - Snack time! The young ones each get a half bottle of milk. Or a piece of cake. (Yum!)
14:30 - More physiotherapy with the older children. I usually spend this time doing more physical exercises and try to get some of the more dexterous ones to try out some puzzles. Sometimes I'll bring down my ukulele and encourage them to dance along to my attempts at playing.
16:00 - Feed the young ones supper
16:45 - Dishes
17:00 - Supper: same as lunch
And free time!
In the evenings I usually go for a walk in the neighborhood. There's a salon that I enjoy visiting, the ladies there are very friendly and it's a good way to try out my rudimentary Vietnamese. Sometimes I venture further to pick up some fresh fruit or to eat a small something to supplement the frugal diet of the orphanage. I take some time to practice my ukulele, read, watch tv, and chat and play cards with A, my fellow volunteer. Bed time is around 10pm -- and by then, I'm exhausted!

Welcome to District 12

And no, not the one from the Hunger Games!

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon is so huge that it's split up into many districts. Thien Phuoc, the orphanage at which I will spend the next two months, is located in District 12, one of the suburban districts of HCMC.

Now, I'm a math nerd, so here are some numbers:
Population of HCMC: 7,396,446.
Population of the province of Quebec: 7,903,001.
As the locals would say: "same same but different". But then you look at the area:
Area of HCMC: 2,095 km²
Area of the province of Quebec: 1,542,056 km²!!
That's like 736 times bigger!! No wonder there are people everywhere in this place... haha!

Still, out here in the suburbs, it's not too crowded. The highway is far enough that at night I can hear the call of the frogs and not the honks of motorbikes. Plus, being in an Asian country means that I'm never far from food and a spa. My fellow volunteer A. and I went on an exploratory mission and found within a 15 minute walk: a dozen restaurants, a couple spas, a fruit stand, a banh xeo stand, the highway, a bunch of what looks like tire shops, and best of all: Silver Creek resort. Silver Creek is a luxury hotel that's just a few doors down from the orphanage and has an outdoor pool, equipped with a jacuzzi and sauna! I talked with the receptionist to see if there's a possibility to get some type of monthly membership in order to use the pool.

The orphanage itself is a wonderfully modern facility -- especially when compared to what I saw while in the Philippines. They have a physiotherapy room, full of equipment. Also a dentist room! There are about 60 children here, all with mental and sometimes physical disabilities. The majority seem to be non-verbal, so communication is difficult since my Vietnamese is still practically non-existent despite my best efforts. But they are full of joy nonetheless and a few have already captured a corner of my heart. More to come, I'm sure!

Easy Rider -- A story through pictures

Bag all packed up and ready to withstand the elements -- good thing too since we got out fair share of rain over the course of the trip. Mr. Sao and I spent 3 days touring the Vietnamese central highlands. Most of the time was spent in the little explored countryside, a gift that! I didn't know what to say about this experience, there was just so much! So I decided to just share what it was like with a few of hundreds I took during the trip.

View from the road:

A local going about the important business of dish washing:

One of the many fruit stands at which Mr. Sao stopped for snacks. He was great at making sure I got to taste every fruit Vietnam current has to offer (unlike back home, depending on the season, different things are for sale):

One of my favorite stops: the orchid farm!

Seeing the overpacked motorcycles made me think of the Philippines:

A monkey-bridge! They call them that since you look like a monkey when you try to walk across it!

Beautiful scenery, shifting skies... I never got tired of just enjoying the ride:

One of the many man-made reservoirs used to power Hydro-Electric dams. Locals use these new bodies of water to create a living for themselves by fishing these waters. Many people from the Mekong Delta in the south move to such new spots -- they've got the skills to live on water! One of the many fun sights was seeing the unmistakable glow of a television in one such floating house. How did they get electricity there?!

 A happy guide! It was so much fun to laugh with Mr. Sao:

 He also had a great heart: we often stopped in villages populated by the hill tribes, minorities that live in Vietnam. These minorities tend to be very poor. Mr. Sao brought along gifts for the people who live there, I was very moved by this generosity:

 "Hello!" is yelled out by waving children on their ways to and from school. Mr. Sao explained to me that kids only go to school for 4 hours a day here, so there are always children milling about on the road. He told me this was so that more kids could attend the same school. I also means that kids can help out around the house or farm when they aren't in school:

 Share the road!

More road sharing:

Mr. Sao stopped a lot along to way to show me different plantations and factories so that I could learn how things are made and where they come from. These are red curry seeds:

We also stopped every day for some "morning exercise" which turned out to be jungle trekking! Lots of fun, and it wasn't too warm out since it was still early in the day:

My favorite time of day: meal time! Mr. Sao made sure to have me taste the best of the best of Vietnamese offerings. Yumm-mmy! My favorite was this restaurant on our last night, Banh xeo and fresh spring rolls:

Another minority village. This time Mr. Sao whipped out a bag of candy. The little guy in the middle has a great sweet tooth, he was positively glowing: