According to Hmong tradition, the married women in the local Hmong villages wear a silver band containing intricate etchings around their neck. The marriage band is worn outside of the clothing and is adorned with small chain links hanging down around their chest area. The Hmong males typically do not wear any jewelry; except for …
Continue reading "Interlude: The boy with the silver band (Sa Pa, Vietnam)"Moo advised to sleep in, and I took full advantage of the opportunity. I was extremely sore and slightly hungover which led to a late breakfast. The views from our home stay were nothing short of majestic. Equipped with a cup of locally sourced coffee, I was able to lounge in a hammock and soak …
Continue reading "Sa Pa, Vietnam_Day 2: Walking The Road Less Traveled (waterfalls, bamboo forest, and a soccer game)"Lily’s Travel Agency was suggested by several teaching volunteers and CSDS for the cheapest most comprehensive trip. In my experience, thus far, their customer is impeccable, and they were in constant communication through WhatsApp making sure my trip to Sa Pa was free of any challenges. The agency charged $75.00 USD for 3 days 2 …
Continue reading "Sa Pa, Vietnam_Day 1: Stairway to Heaven (Trekking through the mountains, villages, happy water, and home stay)"Banh Mi Sandwich Ask a local in Hanoi, Vietnam and they most likely will advise that no Banh Mi sandwich is created alike. Walking down the street of any neighborhood, and you will see a plethora of local restauranteurs advertising the Banh Mi sandwich for sale. During my walking tour of the neighborhood with our …
Continue reading "Banh Mi (and Sticky Rice) in Paradise"I left on foot from our volunteer house at 7:45AM with a CSDS guide and an 18-year-old female volunteer from Scotland. The CSDS guide, Julian, quickly veered off the main rode I was accustomed to and headed into a side alleyway no wider than a motor scooter. We walked for a half mile through these …
Continue reading "First day teaching in an unknown Vietnamese village"Train Street I took a Grab taxi (the online app common throughout Asia for transportation) to Train Street which is near the Old Quarter in Hanoi. I’ve seen pictures on the internet depicting a vibrant communal area filled with vendors, restaurants, and tourists living and interacting in the midst of an active train track running …
Continue reading "Hitting the pavement in Hanoi (Train Street-Old Quarter…)"June 15, 2022 (Wednesday) To my surprise, I had no issues when I arrived in Hanoi International Airport. It might have been because it was 12:30 AM and/or we were the last plane arriving, but I was grateful for the smooth transition. Moving through the Visa processing line was simple and unobtrusive. I even received …
Continue reading "Hello Hanoi!"The year 2022 continues that gnawing feeling of uncertainty born in the pandemic nightmare of 2020 and 2021. My planned Sri Lanka six week trip with Plan My Gap Year (PMGY) for the purposes of volunteering to teach English crumbled under global pressures; particularly the escalating Russian-Ukrainian war. For months, I watched Sri Lanka devolve …
Continue reading "Sri Lanka Crumbles-Vietnam’s Door Swings Open"For the past two years, I have been searching for my next “Thailand teaching adventure”. We are all well aware, the COVID pandemic pushed the pause button on mine and everyone else’s travel plans. Instead of feeling depressed or sorry for myself, this global catastrophe made me even more focused and goal orientated on finding …
Continue reading "Plan My Gap Year (PMGY)"