5 WEEKS!!!



Water Fall in Sapa!  I am at the top it drops down about 4 to 5 hundred feet!

In some ways it's hard to believe 5 weeks have past since I boarded the plane for Vietnam.   

Hanoi is quite an adventure with new experience's every day.

But sometimes you just need a break from the city.  A weekend hiking, sweating, swimming in the rivers, wearing the same clothes 3 and going shower less for a few days!

This would be SAPA!!!

Rice Country!

Every where you look it is green and beautiful.  Oh and don't forget you sweat just looking at it!  There are many things to experience here, from Water falls (BIG and small).



To

My New School!!

Our First Day of School!!!

I never thought I would say this but I may have to much room at the moment!  I have two kids with the 3rd arriving in September and the 4th in January.

My classroom was designed to be a 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment.  There is plenty of space for my very adorable and Egocentric class 4 year olds.



This is the main room for more "academic work"



 To the left is the reading corner and the right is half of the play area (ball pit and everything)
We have the opposite problem here then in Colorado, we have indoor recess because of the Heat and Humidity!

Flat screen and DVD player, plus other 1/2 of playroom


And the best part I know you have all been waiting for it well look below
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Smallest toilet EVER!!!! hehe love it!  However makes thing difficult for me. 

*I can not put any pictures of my kids on my personal blog but if you want to see them I will post pictures on the school website in a few weeks!

 

A week today!!!



*Some of my words are being translated from english, and I don't know how to stop it, so good luck!

So today marks my 1st full week on the other side of the world!  I have done a ton of wandering these last few days and my legs and feet are killing me!  It is about time I find a famous foot massage spa.

Satuday I spent Breakfast to Dinner out seeing the city with Joanna a teacher at another international school here.

We went to Hoan Kiem lake which is right near Old town (the shopping district).  So naturally we also did some shopping!



From there we visited Hoa Lo Prison (well known as the "Hilton Hotel" by U.S. pilots during the American War (you know it as the Vietnam War)).

Hoa Lo was built by the French about 1886.  It was originally created to hold vietnamese political prisoners.

Model of the Original Hoa Lo

Men and women who were fighting for there freedom!  French and then American are only the latest in a long line of countries who have tried very hard to control Vietnam.  After the French left the Vietnamese took control of the prison to hold American pilots who were shot down.  

 Main holding cell for Vietnamese men during French control.

1 of 2 Guillotine's that was used to behead many Vietnamese men and women.

The cell to the left is for women and the cell to the right is for women and their babies.

               

On a lighter note!  Here are a few more adventure of my trip around the city!

Wrecker taking down a building.  No blocks or safety signs.  You just need to pay attention and watch out!

By Plane!!!

Here are a few pictures of my way over!!!

DIA airport



Korean Air in LA

Boulder, CO by plane

So I flew from Denver to L.A. to  Seoul, South Korea and finally to Hanoi, Vietnam.
























There are three classes on Korean airlines.  1st class, Prestige, and Economy.   The 1st class has about 4 seats across, Prestige has 7 across, and Economy is 9 Seats across!  Just to give you an idea how big this plane was!

Prestige Class

This plane is very small as you can see! NOT

South Korea

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Hanoi
Vietnam!
 These pictures were taken by taxi, which was an experience alone. :)

I have a lot of time on my hands currently!  I am the first teacher here so far, so I am just working on my classroom, working out and getting use to the area I am living.  So I have some time for my blog.  But don't expect so many update once school begins!  Hope you are all doing well!







In Vietnam!

I am Here!!!

I arrived last night (Sunday) at 10pm!  It is currently 2:30pm Monday so if you are in Colorado you will be sleeping because it is 2:30am.  I am sitting in my classroom right now, it is huge!  My apartment is not ready yet so I am staying in an extra bedroom on the 3rd floor of the school.  My classroom in the 2nd floor.

I already have a cell phone.  My director has taken me on a walk to local shops with food we would normally buy state side.  The cooks at school made lunch today for us Clam Soup, Shrimp with Veggies, Tofu, Fruit and of course RICE!  It was amazing.  Our administrative assistant translated that the cooks were impressed at how well I use chopsticks, and were very happy that I liked vietnamese food!  :)

I have not taken many photos yet or uploaded them.  But here are a few pictures from the last few days in the states!! I am glad I was able to see so many of you before I left!!!

Korea

I am in Korea!!!

2 months and 2 weeks!!!

In a little over two months I set "sail" for Vietnam.  I will be there for at least 1 year, possibly more.  Who knows only time will tell!  I will be teaching 3-4 year olds at an international school, in Hanoi.  Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam with over 6 million people residing there (only 4 times the size of Denver).  I will be living in the Expat area near West Lake.  My School is called QSI (Quality School International) feel free to look at their website.  They have 36 schools in 25 countries!  Which is a wonderful way to see the world and still work with children.

Ashley and I...and creepy girl! (aka..Becky!)

Vietnam 
Here 
I Come!

I am extremely excited and incredibly nervous.  But my friends and family, give me the support I need to take this challenge/adventure!