Much ado about nothing
Two months have passed since my last blog, and to tell you the truth, there hasn’t been much worth talking about! The focus here will be on my thoughts about life in Hanoi, the infamous ‘Visa run’, and my Christmas in Vietnam.
The moving cost of Hanoi proved troublesome. I came to Vietnam with the intent to live within my means, and not jump into my savings account. But with the transition costs of moving from Saigon, the flat deposit, and not getting my first wage packet until early January, digging out my UK debit card was an inevitability. What it did do was force my hand to search for ad hoc cover jobs in schools. Strangely, it was quite motivating. We take for granted having a guaranteed income every month. In November I was in a position where I had to put myself out and find jobs where I could; taking each day as it came. In retrospect, it has made me more considerate of those people back home struggling to find a job, working zero hour contracts or balancing several small jobs just to make ends meet.
With the TEFL job market growing massively in Vietnam, it wasn’t too difficult to find work. The most effective source, it seemed, was a Facebook page dedicated to jobs for expats in Hanoi. Just one post with my picture was enough to connect me to recruiters. I was even contacted by two modelling agencies! Opting not to be the next pin up for the Vietnamese equivalent of Men’s Health, I regretfully chose to work in a Kindergarten for three weeks. Nothing is more challenging in the world of TEFL than standing in front of a group of non-Native-English tots, trying to enthusiastically repeat ‘B is for Banana’ with a smile on your face. My heart really was not in it.
I did however enjoy covering a Science fair one Saturday morning. My topic was on the moon phases. A packet of Oreo cookies provided the perfect prop. However, I did not risk assess for the fat kid at the back to come to the front and start eating the cookies that I had carefully crafted into the shape of a waning gibbous. Total eclipse comes at the end of the lesson, fella. Still, at least we avoided any of the students baring their buttocks at the full moon stage.
Anyone that has worked in Vietnam might understand the drastic Visa system. One cannot simply renew a Visa inside the country, but must leave its boarders and return. Given the cash flow problem, my main criteria was to do the trip as cheaply as possible. A one-night trip to Bangkok awaited me. Tasty food, enchanting temples and a wicked night life, Bangkok mixes oriental tradition with senseless festivity. A magical elixir. Do however watch out for the rash inducing heat, the scamming taxi and tut-tut drivers, and the infamous lady boys.
A 5am flight back to Hanoi preceded the Visa renewal procedure, a mundane process of handing over my sponsor letter, paying $50 and then queueing in a line for twenty minutes. Myself and Matty live in a flat in an area called Tay Ho. Hanoi is certainly more relaxing than Saigon; a slower pace of life. We live near a lake, fifteen kilometres in circumference. We enjoy driving our motorbikes around the lake, occasionally hiring bicycles on sunny afternoons for around $2 a time. Though, sunny days during the Hanoi winter are a rarity. A twenty-minute drive takes you to the Old Quarter. A fascinating place full of market stalls, narrow streets, and tasty food.
Over Christmas, I had a visit from a friend from the UK. On Christmas eve we watched a water puppet show, bagging front row seats despite purchasing tickets with a minute to spare. Therein followed a crazy night out in the Old Quarter. I arrived home at half three in the morning, having lost Nick. In an attempt to contact him on his phone, he simply replied ‘1% battery’. Useful mate! He spent his Christmas morning waking up in a hotel lobby, after failing to find my flat. To top it off, the lobby was about 300 metres from the flat. Unable to finish his Christmas dinner the next day, attention turned to our planned trips before the New Year.
Ninh Binh was our first stop, a mountainous landscape with channels of reservoirs spanning a picturesque terrain. A boat trip, in an area where King Kong was filmed, provided the highlight of the day. However, I nearly suffered a similar fate to the beast, after entering a cave with my head turned behind me, blatantly oblivious to the low forming rocks that the moving boat was heading towards. It took a quick-thinking Nicky Bell to pull me back before the rock struck my head. His Christmas day antics could be forgotten.
Our next stop was Ha Long Bay, the famous attraction which is a ‘must-do’ for anyone living in Vietnam. We enjoyed an over-night cruise, with activities ranging from kayaking, cooking class, night fishing, and a party on the boat. An experience that I am pleased we did, but with it being so touristy, one that is probably slightly over-hyped. Our final stop was Cat Ba Island, in which we spent New Year’s eve. We were joined by Matty, and the three of us spent the afternoon touring a National Park on rented motorbikes. This preceded a wild night party at the hostel, where we each donned a ghastly banana shirt which we had purchased from a market stall in the town. A fruity way to welcome in 2018.
Looking back to this time last year, I could not have imagined that I would have ditched my office job to move and teach in Vietnam. Plans are now in place for my next set of adventures. But as they say - life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. Best wishes for 2018.
