Hey everyone! Maeve here.

Sorry I haven’t written recently, the reason being we have been traveling like crazy. The last time I wrote I think I wrote about coming to Hanoi. We were in Hanoi and went to some really good restaurants including Green Mango,and Tandoor, my favorite!

We got some stamps made with personalized names on them and the water puppets and a GREAT foot massage. A few days later we went the the Museum of Ethnology

and had a delicious meal from Chocolate and Baguettes where “disadvantaged” youth work.

Mom and Dad decided we would go to Bac Ha a small mountain town. We took a train in “soft seats” that were not soft. Mom and Nina shared 2 seat, Dad took a bunk with 5 other men and I had 2 seats to myself! When we arrived at 4:45 am and got on a local bus and Mom was too tired so Dad found a taxi for 400.000 dong from Lao Cai to Bac Ha. It was 2 hour down a winding road until we got there. We asked him to go tho the Congfu hotel but it was full so we went to the Quan Tranh hotel (or something like that) and the taxi driver wanted 900.00 dong instead of 400.000 so he made a huge fuss and grabbed Dad’s arm and so Dad finally gave him 600.000 dong and just walked away. It was still early in the morning so Mom and Dad went back to sleep while me and Nina watched a movie an the Mac. At about 12:00 we went for brunch at a restaurant recommended by the Lonely Planet and ate a great meal. We wandered around and Mom and Nina went back to the hotel while me and Dad explored more. I wanted to see the ponies and Dad wanted to see the house of the H’mong leader. The ponies were so sweet and I could be with them all day. We found a little park and there were more ponies in it so I wanted to go there of course.

There were some young boy spinning homemade tops and Dad videotaped them. The park was really big and when Dad turned around he bumped into a man. The guy put on this big show and pretended to throw up and started pointing at Dad’s bag asking for money. Dad said no and the guy went for his arm and started tugging. We started walking away and he grabbed Dad by both his hands and just pulled and pulled and pulled! We FINALLY got away and practicly ran back to the hotel. The next day was pretty uneventful. Sunday was the market and it was really fun! We started getting my H’mong costume together.

They were selling lots of animals including water buffalo, ponies, puppies,

geese,chickens, pigs,and birds. The next day we went on a hike with a tour guide (named Tuan) for 7 1/2 km.When we first met Tuan he asked me if I was a girl! I really hope I don’t look that much like a boy! After that horrific episode we trekked up this beautiful mountain and saw three minority villages, the flower H’mong, the Tay, and the Nung. The next morning we were at the Congfu for breakfast and met this couple from the Blue Mountians, Australia. Their names were Lyne and Mark and they were very nice. They invited us to join them on there way back to the Lao Cai train station. So we met them that night with another man form Switzerland named John. The next day we all met at the Congfu Hotel and got into a 16 seater van. We drove for about two hours until we got to the Coc Ly market. We walked around and I got the rest of my flower H’mong costume. The lady who sold us them told Mom to but her money in her inside pocket. Mom didn’t take to much notice until Mark came up and told us his wallet had been stolen. It was really good that Mom had put her money inside her pocket. Poor Mark, he had over 12000 dollars in there plus credit cards, phone numbers,etc. To make matters worse they could not reach Australia to cancel the credit cards! We continued our trip by going on a boat for an hour and then being driven for another hour to Lao Cai.

It was 4 pm by that time and we had another 5 hours until our train left so we all sat in a cafe using the Internet.We said goodbye to Mark, Lyne, and John and ate dinner. This time we booked a soft sleeper instead of a soft seat. It was really really fun on the train for 8 hours!!! Back in Hanoi we stayed in the Queen of Heart hotel and a few days later booked a tour to Halong Bay. We took a 3 1/2 hour bus to Halong city and boarded a boat for lunch and cruised for 2 hours.

Then we explored Song sot cave and went kyacking. Back at the boat me and Nina had our own room which was really fun also. The next day we went to Cat Ba national park and walked around for 2 hours. Then we took a smaller boat to Monkey Island and stayed there over night. We met another couple named Innis and Daniel also from Australia and they told us about there travels. We stayed an extra day on Monkey Island and Kyacked to see the monkeys. They were adorable and viciuos.

Another tour was feeding them banana’s and oranges. After that we kayacked to a little cave and and then paddled back for dinner.

Vietnamese must think that westerners eat a lot because they fed us SO much! Today is Sunday and we are on a bus ride with our new friends Sophie and Alex. I will write sooner next time. The only reason I didn’t write sooner was because there was no wifi! Oh, and a special shout- out to Mr. Begley I was wondering if you go my email, if not do I have to use the Nelson Math book or can I use Jump Math? See you soon,

Maeve

January 26th 2010

b



Lao Cai, Train Station - Nancy here.

Hi everyone we are back in e-mail land again!

It is almost 7pm and we are waiting for the 9pm train. We decided to upgrade this time and go for the overnight "soft sleeper" bunks! They are 4 bunks to a room and hopefully the door closes! On the way up from Hanoi we didn't book in time and had to sit in the "soft seats" overnight. The seats were padded but soft they were not!

We were next to a rousing all night card game that filled the aisle and also had the last seats in the car which meant we were conveniently close to the favourite smoking area!

We did find an empty bunk in a room of 6 snoring men so Brian took that option, Nina and I shared and Maeve took the 2 seats. Needless to say Nina and I got an enormous amount of quiet restful sleep!!!!!!

We took an mini-taxi (2 hours switchbacks) to a small town called Bac Ha. It was great, hardly any tourists! The next day was an enormous market where many of the Hill Tribe minority people came to buy and sell. Some of the things for sale included water buffaloes, pigs, dogs, horses, chickens, ducks and song birds.

I"m going to post some photos now and will fill you in again tommorrow. We are hoping to get dry clothes in Hanoi! It has done nothing but rain and mist for ages now and everything we own is damp!!

Happy Birthday Uncle Bill!!!!!!!!

Picture a la Maeve

Hanoi

Hey everyone! Maeve here.

We went back to Ho Chi Minh City again and stayed in the Nam Phuong Hotel for 1 night then went to the airport to take a plane to Hanoi. When we got there after a 2 hour flight (which Mom

had to get rid of her Swiss Army knife) and went to the Queen of Heart Hotel and they said that we were going to have to stay in the hotel around the corner and so we did (it was OK) and we moved back into the Queen Hotel. We explored a and found lots of DVD's for under 1.00$ and ordered personalised stamps. Yesterday we went to Ho Chi Minh burial and and saw him for about 45 seconds and had to go back. The taxi driver tried to scam us and so we just got out. We had a GREAT lunch at the Green Mango and tried to pick up the stamps but they weren't ready yet so we got a wonderful foot massage and went to the water puppet show. Mom and fell down and scraped her knee and me and Nina were tired so we went back to the hotel and dad picked up the stamps. We had a great dinner at Tandoor, an indian restaurant. Then Nina watched Mamma Mia and I fell asleep. I am still really tired so...

I will write soon,

Maeve

P.S. Guess how old Ninh is (picture at top) please write a comment with your guess!

Hanoi

Hi all Nancy here. /Monday January 16th 2010/ 910pm/ Cool and foggy!

We made it to Hanoi! It is really amazing so far (after 5 hours). We arrived at 4pm after a brief 1 1/2 hour flight from HCMC. very easy and not even crowded.

There were Water Buffalos right outside the airport - very exciting, for me at least!

We had dinner at an Indian resturant and the first thing the waiter wanted to know was if we thought Hanoi was better than HCMC!!

The streets are narrow and the hotel is a bit seedy - on entrail row! Tomorrow night we have a better one.

One thing I have noted on travelling in my somewhat advanced youth is that my memory is terrible! So far I have lost my debit card in an ATM beside the hydrofoil, and I forgot my brand new, bought just for the trip, swiss army knife was in my carry on. It was confiscated. Brian has decided that maybe he should carry the passports!

talk to you soon

N

Ninh

Hey everyone! It's Maeve again!

We have been having a pretty relaxing week.

Everyday since Tuesday we have been to the baby orphanage and played with my favourites or just the ones that were freaking out. We have our own names for the babies and my favourite is Ninh. The kids have such big personality's!

There is also a room of children with mental or physical delay's or just baby's who need more room. There is a amazing little girl in that room who is delayed both mentally and physically but gets around just fine. There are also a group of children that are HIV positive who are not allowed to go to school.

On Saturday we went to the Buu Tich Monastery and orphanage. They were very very nice there and fed us a most delicious meal of tofu and something soup. They fed Nina by hand! Nina doesn't smile too much at people here and it drives me CRAZY!!! If I were the one getting all the attention I would like it I think, but I guess she does not feel comfortable with people crowding around and staring EVERYWHERE we go, but then again I would hate that too.

Today we went the Hydrofoil and went back to Ho Chi Minh City. I HATE HYDROFOILS!!!! We might take a plane to Hanoi soon. Now you must guess how old Ninh is (his picture is at the top) and write a comment. I am begging you , please adopt this little genius! I have to do more homework now so.........

Anyway say hi to Sarah for me!

Maeve

Saturday Jan 14,2010

Ok I can hardly walk now after that little jaunt up several thousand zillion steps to see the worlds largest Jesus! Im not sure what was worse the up or the down! When we first arrived Maeve took one look and said "we have to walk all the way up there?!" Nina chirpily replied "well - Jesus liked exersise!" Go Figure!!!

So today I am paying the price but I hate to think I am that out of shape! Must have been the extreme heat instead!

Today is Saturday and Vung Tau is crowded with weekend visitors from Ho Chi Minh City. Our usually empty beach was full by daybreak( not that I would know first hand, but Brian told me!)

He said by 5am he had already encountered 2 wedding rehearsals in full regalia!

This morning our agenda was to make our final donation delivery! We hauled out the lovely and large Jamaican suitcase and checked its contents-it was full with boxes of kids Advil, kids vitamins, polysporin, school supplies and basketballs!

Vinh, our friendly taxi driver agreed to take us to the Buu Tich monestary in a neighbouring town Ton Tanh, about 50 km from Vung Tau where we have been staying this week. He would drive us there, wait , and drive us back again for 738,000 dong or 41 ish dollars.

In we piled, no seatbelts of course, and horn blaring drove along a wide and paved road. Brian sitting in the front was happy to note that Vinh did not drive too fast! There were even police catching speeders! We passed 2 tolls collecting 5,000 dong or about 25 cents.each.

After a few stops for directions and one stop for some fruit-giant oranges and one watermelon, we ended up on a sandy road and pass what we think is the monestary, as we slow down a young girl in nuns robes runs up to point out the way.

We arrived at a beautiful and peaceful monastery and were greeted by grey robed nuns of all ages! We had called ahead and they were expecting us. (We had supported them before through a Buddhist nun at the Blue Heron Zen Centre in Hamilton. When I knew we were coming to Vn for sure I had offered to take some supplies.) They had about 30 girls from ages 4 to adult. Some were real orphans some were placed there due to poverty. The kids attend the local school in the morning and attend Buddhist school in the afternoon at the monastery. They cooked our lunch for us and it was THE VERY best soup I have ever had!!!! The kids wake up at 4am and chant for an hour then have breakfast they chant before every meal and have a long afternoon nap staring around noon. They go to bed at dark. It was a beautiful peaceful spotlessly clean spot full of flowering bushes and trees everywhere. The older kids also make stick incencse to sell at the Saigon Market 2x per month. This was an amazing experience!!

I will try to upload a video of their chanting.

It is Sunday now and we are off to the Super Special diesel scented Soviet Hydrofoil back to HCMC. Talk to you all later!!

xoxooxNancy

nina's post

Hi everyone,

Like I said I put a picture!!Hope you like it.I am soooo happy I have a picture!!!It was a complete surprise to find it!!!!!

Today I when to the big Jesus.t was soo hot there, we had to walk up thousands of stairs.I got to touch the toe!!!!!!Also we got to go down thousands of stairs!!

I finally got to ride on a cyclo today, it was so fun and windy

Hope you have a safe and happy and fun two months!!!

Nina!!!!

Hey everyone, Brian here.

We'll as they say, I regained my strength, after having a nasty 2 day cold. Still dealing with some infections in my feet but Nancy and the girls are nursing me back to health. I like this!!

Well it's been great being back in Vietnam. The people are very friendly and very interested in who we are and what we are doing here. So far we've found that most have very little if any english. With our limited vietnamese and their limited english we still can communicate and they are delightful. I find that they really like to kid around to. We were at the giant Jesus in Vungtau this morning and a bunch of girls sat down beside me while Nancy, Maeve and Nina went up to the top of Jesus' arms. The girls egged on one of their own to sit closer to me by pushing her, hitting her etc while laughing hysterically. Of course I started trying to talk to her and more laughs ensued. This goes on all the time with kids and adults, this physical goofing around.

We've experienced so much since we arrived. Wednesday was the big day when we went to Nina's original orphanage and we met some of her nannies and then without advance notice, we were given pictures of her birth mom - very exciting/emotional.

Yesterday I rented a moped and drove the coast road and through town past street vendors, pagoda's, people transporting anything and everything on their motorbikes. Of course I am always fascinated by the traffic in vietnam and hope to put some video footage on this blog for all to see. This morning almost got in an accident with a couple on another bike who came out of nowhere right in front of me. I go slow so it would have been some scrapes and a few dong for repairs. Nina and Maeve are fascinated by the bike - they've sat on it looking cool - I've given them a few rides.

Anyway, must go. Girls want the computer.

Brian out

january 13th 2010

Hi everyone!!

I have a surprise!!!I will tell you at the end of my blog!Today I got to hold many baby too!!It is so hot out!! I hope winter is nice there.I miss you a lot and hope you have a good two months.

have a nice and happy two months!!

NINA

P.S.The surprise isI now have a picture of my birth mom!!!!!!!!

Both Orphanage Visits

Hey everyone! Maeve here once again!

I got a comment from my class and so here are the answers to

their questions:

1600 dong= 1 dollar

100 000 dong= 6 dollars

1 000 000= around 62 dollars

and I ACCIDENTALLY gave it to someone thinking it was smaller bill.

Yesterday we went to the orphanage with only the baby's and children under 6.

We were going to meet this lady Trang Di Le, the director of the orphanage but she had an

emergency meeting so we went upstairs and looked at all the ADORABLE baby's. We held them

and they all smelled like formula. I have my favourites which turn out to be mostly baby boys.

We met a lady named My Huong who was adopted from the same orphanage when she was 5.

Her birth mother is Vietnamese( and her birth father was man in the war) and she later placed her with her brother in an orphanage. She was adopted to Australia and lived there until 6 years ago. She now lives in Vietnam and she looks very

caucasian and you easily could mistake her for a non-asian descended woman. Today we went to both orphanages and met our beautiful foster child. She's my age and her name is Ngoc Trinh.

All the kids where fascinated with our camera's and laptop. Dad let a little boy use his and what he thought to be mine BUT it was really My Huongs camera. Dad turned it off instantly and I volunteered mine. The kids took 133 photos in one hour! And .. no one used the wrist strap!

I regretted it right away

I am really really tired right now so I will sign off and will write soon, and bye the way - special thanks for Jane for the iTunes favour!

Maeve

photo's from Tuesday Jan 12,2010

Orphanage visit

Nancy's post:

What a day ..I am not even sure where to start!

We all were up by 7, some of us at 6am, and had a great breakfast buffet of many items that I do not know the names of, but I think some are partly recycled from the night before( a la Cuba). My favourites are huge slices of papaya , watermelon juice and fresh french bread. Brian found some sticky rice and dried banana in a sweet sauce that was great and Nina and Maeve had noodles! The hotel is really quiet not many guests during the week just a family from Russia and a few Vietnamese American families.

We had a quick swim and walk on the beach before the girls donned their new dresses from the Ben Thanh Market and got a taxi to the orphanage. We had emailed the director Trang Dai Le from Canada asking for permission to visit, and she was going to meet us at 1030am. We arrived complete with our giant bags of donations but the director had been called away to some emergency meeting. A young woman who spoke English was quickly summoned , and she gave us a quick tour of the babies before we left ( to come back again tommorrow). The quick tour turned into most of the day as we got to stay and visit with the babies and nannies.

This building was not where Nina lived, but was the residence for the kids age 6 and up back in 2002. Both the centres have been upgraded and renovated a great deal since we where there and now the 0 -6 yr olds are here and the older kids are where Nina was. The hammocks are gone replaced by new, shiny, silver swinging cots that are at about knee level. They can hold 1 -4 babies and all were full of beautiful, round cheeked infants with incredible amounts of hair. The youngest was only 2 days old. Two of the nannies recognized Nina from 2001- 2002!

I found the whole experience really overwhelming! Nina seemed to take it in stride!

This centre/orphanage also has a group of kids that are HIV positive (about 15 to 20 it looked like and a range of ages )they all looked healthy and well - they are able to recieve all the right medicne( due to funding from a private sponsor ). In Vietnam kids with HIV cannot attend the regular school system so there is a classroom in the orphanage and teachers come in every day. This classroom has only been set up recently - up until then they had no schooling.

Our tour was continued by an energetic dynamo of a woman who had been one of the kids adopted in 1975 just after the fall of Saigon. This woman was raised in Australia but has returned to Vietnam and had lived here for the last 6 years. She has a 7 yr old son adopted from the centre we were at and works with sponsors in Australia and France to improve and expand the services for these kids.

It was all a bit confusing as it seems like the government is in charge of everything but doesn't contribute much. The children recieve about 7,000 dong per day for food . that is a little less that 50cents and doesn't cover the cost of a single bottle of milk. All of the improvements and upgrades come from private donations most spearheaded by adoptive families.

The computer is flashing low battery at me and everyone is asleep , I will finish this tommorrow.

'Night

My day - Nina

Tuesday January 12th 2010 26degrees C at 810 pm

Nina's Post:

Hi everyone!!

Today I when to the orphanage! I got to hold a baby!! It was so fun.

Tommorrow I am going to the second orphanage where the older kids are.

It is very Hot out !How is winter so far?I miss you a lot and hope two months go fast.I am doing lots of hopping and jumping and swimming and homework .

Have a safe and good two months

NINA

Vung Tau

Hey everyone! Maeve here.

Heres the recap of the last few days.

Last thursday we went to the Ben Thanh market and bought some presents for everyone and clothes for us for the orphanage. It was SO crowded and smelly like a fishy smell combined with something sweet. Then I accidently gave 100 000 dong to some girl and her brother. The next day we went for what we call our second breakfast. We walked to the Ben Thanh because my mom wanted to buy something and Nina wanted shoes. Across the street from the Ben Thanh there is an alley full of shoes. Lots of knock-offs but so what! there just shoes and the look like the brand name. Any way, we moved hotels on saturday night from the Indoshine to the Nam Phoung Hotel. On saturday we went to a beautiful pagoda that we went to 8 years ago. It had lots of enormous fish and hundreds of turtles! I took a zillion pictures. There are lots of cute dogs around but we are not allowed to pet them because of RABIES!!!!!! On sunday we took the hydrofoil from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau. We are now settled in the really nice

Interco Resort. This morning we went into town and saw the beautiful sea side. I will write soon.

Maeve

Nancy's Post

Today is Saturday and and I think our rhythms are beginning to make the switch to Vietnam time! This am the girls woke up at the late hour of 4 am but this time Nina did not turn on Asian cartoons at full blast. She thoughtfully waited until 5 and tortured her sister instead for the hour in between!We arrive for breakfast at the little downstairs restauruant promptly at 630 and have our usual baguette and soup yummy breakfast!

We are trying to head out to Vung tau but the weekends are booked and we will spend one more night in HCMC then take the hydrofoil with our multitudinous luggage and check in to the Vung Tau IntourCo . Hotel for 4 or 5 nights .

Last night we met with the family of Nina's Vietnamese teacher Teresa, Teresa is one of 10 siblings born in Saigon. She and 3 of the siblings live in North America now and the rest remain in Vietnam including her 87 yr old mother.

We brought a few things with us to deliver to Teresa's sister Phat and brother in law Kuong . They met us in our hotel lobby and brought us a huge basket of local beautiful fruit all labelled with the proper names to help us in our language aquisition! Tran the youngest daughter

peeled one of each kind and showed us how to eat it properly!

Tran is in grade 12 and takes the university entrance exams this year. That means she attends school from 730 am until 1130am, 130 til 430pm and then extra night classes from 7 until 9!! She studies English and speaks really well, but said she doesn't get to practice too much. Music is not "popular " to study and no other languages are studied except in a club or if a group of people wish to study independently. All education has to be paid for and night classes are extra. Some scholarships are available at the university level for very good students. If ones family cannot pay for education their is the option of a discount or free classes run by a religious organization.

Brian is switching our bags to a new room for the night so I better go and help!!

Bye for now!

Nina's Post-January 9th 2010

Hi friends and family

It is Saturday and I got up at 1:00am or two. Yesterday I wen't to the Rex hotel. It was so fun we all wen't swimming but Mom.

I hope

you are having fun in Canada.

Also we when to the Ben Ten Market it had clothing and food and shoes.I am doing lots of hopping and jumping and wriggling says Mom especially when everyone else is tired!!

And homework.

bye.

P.S. I am bring presents!!!!

Were here!

Hey everyone! Maeve here!

Here's a recap of the last few days: Emma and Auntie Debbie picked us up on monday night and drove us to the airport (thanks) we got in a pretty long line and waited and then some guy FINALLY checked our luggage in, most of it was too big so we had to go and put it in oversized/fragile. Even though some of our luggage was overweight the guy let it slide.

When we got on the airplane at 12:00ish and I fell asleep and when I woke up I didn't know if it was day or night! I watched zillions of movies and TV shows 'cause it was a 14 hour flight. The first class was really nice and they had BEDS!!!! The food was really good but mom threw up because she was tired and stressed. We got to Hong Kong which Hana says reminds her of a gorilla (I wonder where that came from) and guess what! there was a Starbucks Coffee

and it had WATERMELON JUICE!!!!!!!! The most exciting Starbucks moment of my life (I always have wanted watermelon juice). After I had my wonderful watermelon juice (which I didn't like) we got on a less modern plane and had a 2 hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City. We got through customs and took so long the guy from the hotel who was going to pick us up left! We hired a van and the guy talked and talked. When we got to the hotel it was about 1 pm vietnam time. The hotel not too fancy but nice and clean. That night we went to a Thai restaurant and I almost fell asleep at the table. There is a K Circle Mart next the hotel and we got some stuff there like Gatorade!

Today we woke up at 3:00 am and we ate a breakfast of fresh crispy baguette with jam and butter. Then at about 7:00 am we all went for a walk to the Rex Hotel. Ok everyone do not take Canada and Prague for granted because in Vietnam you just walk across the street and people have to try to avoid you on the mopeds, you almost get hit by random bikes 'cause there are hardly any stoplights at all!!!!! Its really warm out, about 30 degrees. Lots of people on mopeds wear H1N1 masks because of the dirty air from the cars. Right now I am on the rooftop of the Rex by the swimming pool. It says I posted this at 5:30 am but its really pm. These are the last

few days. Thanks for reading this!

Maeve