First week in Vietnam!

I've enjoyed my eye-opening, fascinating and slightly intimidating first week in Vietnam immensely! Ho Chi Mihn City (formally Saigon) is an exhilarating city full of mopeds, history and yummy street food. I met my in country coordinators from ELI and had a fun dinner with them before a day tour of with Vi, my sidekick (aka translator) for the next few weeks. We explored the Reunification Palace, the historic churches and post office and enjoyed a yummy lunch (which cost me a whopping $3). I went on my own to the depressing War Remnants Museum which mainly just showcased the atrocities the US inflicted upon Vietnam during the War in the 60s and 70s. I think I would've been on a different 'side' if I lived then. I think being a hippie in the 70s would've been fun! Anyhow, we left late that night to take a surprisingly comfortable (full bed) overnight bus ($9.50) to Dalat. We arrived to a sunny cool morning at 1500 meters and settled in to my home away from home for the next few weeks. Vi and I met with the doctor at the clinic where I'll work but didn't spend much time there (she said I'd have plenty of time later) and then explored Dalat. It's a beautiful green, hilly city set on a lake. On my first day, I was up early (darn tennis court and roosters outside) and showed up early (it's been about three months since I've worked so guess I was a little nervous!). Vi and I are working mainly with a male 'doctor' named Gam. Within the first hour I was drawing labs, vaccinating and catching on to the hustle and bustle of a public health clinic in a relatively rural community. I'm trying to be really flexible because, understandably so, things are done pretty different here. And Gam has his ways of doing things and is very good at what he does (whereas it's been a few years since I've stuck this many people... Good thing fat arms isn't a problem here!). But the people are pretty cool with a random white girl poking and prodding them and the kids barely even cry when ya stick them which is good since I don't like crying kids. But they are adorable!

Saturday was a half day so we paddled on the lake, ate yummy street food (roasted sweet potatoes, fried bananas, fresh mango and ice cream... Good thing we walk a lot!) and signed up for tomorrows highlands hike. Should be fun!