The time is coming close (less than 7 weeks when I write this). And the big stresses are disappearing as we book, confirm and pay for all the services of a wedding.
Booking the Church
Since we are Catholic, we needed approval by the Catholic Church. Which means we need to prove our single status (not previously married), marriage license from the government, proof of Baptism (only Christian or Catholic, no other religion is allowed), and proof of identification. This was difficult in the paperwork being arranged, but since most of the paperwork was needed for the marriage license, it was quite easy (except baptism papers).
Reception Hall
We booked the room and the time months ago to make sure we would get the menu arranged. We did that and paid a 30% deposit on the meal. They will charge more or less depending on how much food was cooked and how much alcohol and drinks were consumed. We spent an hour on the menu to make sure the meal flowed and we did not repeat the food on Friday, Saturday, or Monday. The actual menu and all menus will be posted in a later post.
Photographer
Booking the photographer is much different than what is seen in the west. The bride and the groom do a photoshoot weeks before the wedding for friends and family to see. This service gets you a full day photoshoot with a selection of suits, dresses and makeup and hair for the bride along with a DVD/CD of all the photos. They also provide flowers, make up, suits, and dresses for the bride and groom on the day of the wedding. This takes a great deal of headache out of planning the wedding and much more relaxing once they are chosen.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Fish Tank and the Bike
As part of the house we got a fish tank that is over 1400 liters. It is massive. The problem was that it was poorly maintained and the silicone was falling off and moldy. So we had it cleaned and some elements replaced. Now we have a mini aquarium full of goldfish, knifefish, and a few others I cannot identify. We also have a small pond with tetras and guppies. We still have our old fish tank. We are still contemplated what fish to put into it. We are thinking a solitary beast that feeds on live fish, but we are unsure.
As for the electric bike. I am speaking to a man that refurbishes vintage Vespas, so we are in talks about an eVintage Vespa. But I want numbers and dimensions before I commit, and more than likely I will postpone until later next year well after the wedding. That is my focus point right now. As for the bike I will get. I have decided on a used gray Honda Dylan imported from Japan. I will call it Bob.
On a side note, I am still scratching my head over Australians and their relationships with Asian women.
As for the electric bike. I am speaking to a man that refurbishes vintage Vespas, so we are in talks about an eVintage Vespa. But I want numbers and dimensions before I commit, and more than likely I will postpone until later next year well after the wedding. That is my focus point right now. As for the bike I will get. I have decided on a used gray Honda Dylan imported from Japan. I will call it Bob.
On a side note, I am still scratching my head over Australians and their relationships with Asian women.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Driving in HCMC and Crossing the Road.
Driving in HCMC
The first word that comes to mind is chaos, absolute and utter chaos. All traffic laws are broken, all order, consideration, and manners are tossed out the window. Sidewalks are turned into extra road lanes, parking and food stall areas. So people have to walk and bicycle on the streets adding to the chaos.
I am learning how to drive in a quiet area. I have to break my habits to drive a scooter like I do in Denver, go as fast as possible and keep right so I don't get run over by a gas guzzling SUV.
But I am practicing agility, maneuvering at low speeds and sudden stops. The top speed a person goes is 50kph, the average speed is 30kph. And traffic has no rhyme and reason. Go with the flow.
As for the new bike, a friend of the family has an old Vespa, we are going to resurrect it and make it an electric bike. But I want to do is make it look retro sci fi. Put in fun LED effects when I accelerate and brake.
Crossing the Road
Crossing the road in HCMC is like faith. When you start a religion and take it seriously in your life, you look seriously before you step into it. Then you continue to walk and cross, sometimes you pause and hesitate with lots and lots of prayers to God. But at the end you get to your final destination and greater rewards.
In short, crossing the road is like a leap of faith.
The first word that comes to mind is chaos, absolute and utter chaos. All traffic laws are broken, all order, consideration, and manners are tossed out the window. Sidewalks are turned into extra road lanes, parking and food stall areas. So people have to walk and bicycle on the streets adding to the chaos.
I am learning how to drive in a quiet area. I have to break my habits to drive a scooter like I do in Denver, go as fast as possible and keep right so I don't get run over by a gas guzzling SUV.
But I am practicing agility, maneuvering at low speeds and sudden stops. The top speed a person goes is 50kph, the average speed is 30kph. And traffic has no rhyme and reason. Go with the flow.
As for the new bike, a friend of the family has an old Vespa, we are going to resurrect it and make it an electric bike. But I want to do is make it look retro sci fi. Put in fun LED effects when I accelerate and brake.
Crossing the Road
Crossing the road in HCMC is like faith. When you start a religion and take it seriously in your life, you look seriously before you step into it. Then you continue to walk and cross, sometimes you pause and hesitate with lots and lots of prayers to God. But at the end you get to your final destination and greater rewards.
In short, crossing the road is like a leap of faith.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Dragonflies and Settling In
It is getting near the end of the rainy season and a large rainstorm will hit the city in the afternoon and cause a minor floods. In the USA I could smell the air and look at the clouds and know if it was going to rain. But in Vietnam I have to look at the dragonflies. During the rainy season dragonflies will flourish around the few areas with green fields. When they fly high up in the air, the rains are over or it won't be raining. If they are low to the ground, take cover soon it will be raining. I have asked people what is the national symbol of Vietnam, and I never got a straight or conclusive answer. I was told an ox by a few students when they mentioned the symbol for the 22nd SEA (South East Asia) Games. I think it was the dragonfly. Old crockery and art have dragonflies on them. It is recognized as a old fashioned Vietnam thing.
I am settling in to the new house and the new job. The school hired a new dean from NZ and life is interesting as the changes come in.
As for wedding stuff, we are planning suits and dresses for us and for family to wear. Tram's family doesn't wear the ao dai (except for the mom on weddings), Tram and her younger sister prefer dresses. But since the western females want one, then it seems fair for everbody else will wear an ao dai. We are making everything much more concrete. Our plans are to have all invites, wedding photos, fabric for ao dais prepped (seamstress ready, but measurements and making will be last minute), suits are made. So we are just preparing.
I am practicing on Tram's scooter so I can get a Vietnamese motorbike license. But it is an A1 license. I have been looking for a gun and unique bike for me to drive. But with Vietnam the selection is not limited, but they all look the same. And you get a few other options, but they are expensive and the one I want has a higher cc than the A1, and it may be that the bike requires an A2, and it is unsure if foreigners can get an A2 license.
Part of me wants to build an electric motorcycle. Take a Honda Rebel frame from an old bike, get new parts and pull out the motor and replace it with an electric motor. It is an interesting idea. It is something I want to build and plan. I have the ideas, but I am unsure if I really want to do it, due to safety and finding someone else that is an expert to assist me in the building. Any suggestions, give me an idea.
I am settling in to the new house and the new job. The school hired a new dean from NZ and life is interesting as the changes come in.
As for wedding stuff, we are planning suits and dresses for us and for family to wear. Tram's family doesn't wear the ao dai (except for the mom on weddings), Tram and her younger sister prefer dresses. But since the western females want one, then it seems fair for everbody else will wear an ao dai. We are making everything much more concrete. Our plans are to have all invites, wedding photos, fabric for ao dais prepped (seamstress ready, but measurements and making will be last minute), suits are made. So we are just preparing.
I am practicing on Tram's scooter so I can get a Vietnamese motorbike license. But it is an A1 license. I have been looking for a gun and unique bike for me to drive. But with Vietnam the selection is not limited, but they all look the same. And you get a few other options, but they are expensive and the one I want has a higher cc than the A1, and it may be that the bike requires an A2, and it is unsure if foreigners can get an A2 license.
Part of me wants to build an electric motorcycle. Take a Honda Rebel frame from an old bike, get new parts and pull out the motor and replace it with an electric motor. It is an interesting idea. It is something I want to build and plan. I have the ideas, but I am unsure if I really want to do it, due to safety and finding someone else that is an expert to assist me in the building. Any suggestions, give me an idea.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
CAT!!!
Today is my day off. After working for a university, they said I would only be working about 20 hours a week, which I didn't mind. But now since they have a teacher shortage and I don't mind working days. They have given me 35 teaching hours a week. You say that isn't bad. But I remind those of you who are teachers, how many hours do you actually teach in a week. Because the paid time I am given is not for preparation of courses or office hours, but pure teaching time. So I am in a classroom for 35 hours, or what I call pure teaching time. It is a bit shattering. I am unsure if I can get used to it or not.
But it beats the time I was given at a language center. Teach at nights from 5:45 to 9pm Monday to Friday night. On Saturday teach from 7 am to 11 am, then teach 3pm to 9pm. And repeat on Sunday 7am to 11am. So over half the paycheck is on a span of 28 hours. It was exhausting, especially since you had to teach children on that day, a teacher would teach young children for 30 minutes and have no previous knowledge of their skill level or where the students were in the book. Impromptu teaching was a core requirement on Saturdays and Sundays.
So, I have had a nice long week where I have been working for 35 hours during the day, plus 3 hours at night on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (6 to 9pm). And mix in about 3 hours a night to study, and prep time, and the time I want to prepare for the wedding. I am a bit shattered. So today I look forward to a nice day off of sleeping in.
My sleep was rudely halted by the yowling of a cat. Above our toilet is an open vent to let air flow to keep the house cool. A male cat came in at 5:45am and started yowling: "Heeeeeey Laaaaaadiiiiiiiieeesssss." I bolt out of bed expecting a feral cat in my house and have to play the game of chasing him out by throwing chopsticks at him. I can find him, until I look above my bathroom to see a small grey head peek over at me. I scream obsenities at him and go back to bed, hoping that blue language is powerful enough to chase him away. As my eyes shut and the last of Morpheus' dust settles on me. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Laaaaaaaaaaaadiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeessssssss!!!! Heeeeeeeeeeeey LAAAAAAAAAAADIIIIIIESSSSS!!!" The magical dust of Morpheus is gone and so is sleep. I throw something at him and he takes off. He will be back, I know it, hormones dictate that there must be a lady cat nearby for him. So I will have to find a way to prevent him from returning.
A big dog can't get above the toilet.
Another cat doesn't help the problem.
Putting a mesh above the vent just means he is outside yowling and I can still hear.
Guns are illegal in Vietnam.
But there are recipes for cat.
In a later post there may be a recipe and a review for stewed cat.
But it beats the time I was given at a language center. Teach at nights from 5:45 to 9pm Monday to Friday night. On Saturday teach from 7 am to 11 am, then teach 3pm to 9pm. And repeat on Sunday 7am to 11am. So over half the paycheck is on a span of 28 hours. It was exhausting, especially since you had to teach children on that day, a teacher would teach young children for 30 minutes and have no previous knowledge of their skill level or where the students were in the book. Impromptu teaching was a core requirement on Saturdays and Sundays.
So, I have had a nice long week where I have been working for 35 hours during the day, plus 3 hours at night on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (6 to 9pm). And mix in about 3 hours a night to study, and prep time, and the time I want to prepare for the wedding. I am a bit shattered. So today I look forward to a nice day off of sleeping in.
My sleep was rudely halted by the yowling of a cat. Above our toilet is an open vent to let air flow to keep the house cool. A male cat came in at 5:45am and started yowling: "Heeeeeey Laaaaaadiiiiiiiieeesssss." I bolt out of bed expecting a feral cat in my house and have to play the game of chasing him out by throwing chopsticks at him. I can find him, until I look above my bathroom to see a small grey head peek over at me. I scream obsenities at him and go back to bed, hoping that blue language is powerful enough to chase him away. As my eyes shut and the last of Morpheus' dust settles on me. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Laaaaaaaaaaaadiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeessssssss!!!! Heeeeeeeeeeeey LAAAAAAAAAAADIIIIIIESSSSS!!!" The magical dust of Morpheus is gone and so is sleep. I throw something at him and he takes off. He will be back, I know it, hormones dictate that there must be a lady cat nearby for him. So I will have to find a way to prevent him from returning.
A big dog can't get above the toilet.
Another cat doesn't help the problem.
Putting a mesh above the vent just means he is outside yowling and I can still hear.
Guns are illegal in Vietnam.
But there are recipes for cat.
In a later post there may be a recipe and a review for stewed cat.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Wow...I disappeared
Sorry for the gap of time in the blog. Time escaped me. I was last mentioning moving to a new home.
Well, we did it, we have a new house. We went from renters to homeowners. That was a scary step. We purchased a house with risky wiring, plumbing and a stairs. So we hired workers to replace the wiring and plumbing. And improve a few rooms (mostly the bedroom and bathroom). It is a two level house and we have not touched the second level. All we did is rip out all the unnecessary stuff and turned it into a storage room. Instead of having an unfinished basement, we have an unfinished first floor. All is good now, I will post pictures of the house in a week or two.
Next I started working for a university (Hoa Sen aka Lotus) and they keep adding hours to my schedule. I went from 2 hours to 30 hours in a matter of no time. That is straight teaching time, no office hours, no gap time. Pure teaching time. It can be exhausting.
Next I started school, studying for an MBA with Glion Online. It is a reputable school so it will be a reputable MBA in hospitality. So I am on my path to becoming a reputable lecturer and maybe something else (consultancy....still working on that).
During the time of this craziness I also became Catholic. Tram (my fiancee) is Catholic and it makes life easier. To my family, Christian is Christian, it does not matter the denomination.
And we also established many things for the wedding. We have figured out what we are doing, who is providing the services, and when things are happening So be big headaches are done. All we have to do is follow up with all the plans.
So I have been busy.
Well, we did it, we have a new house. We went from renters to homeowners. That was a scary step. We purchased a house with risky wiring, plumbing and a stairs. So we hired workers to replace the wiring and plumbing. And improve a few rooms (mostly the bedroom and bathroom). It is a two level house and we have not touched the second level. All we did is rip out all the unnecessary stuff and turned it into a storage room. Instead of having an unfinished basement, we have an unfinished first floor. All is good now, I will post pictures of the house in a week or two.
Next I started working for a university (Hoa Sen aka Lotus) and they keep adding hours to my schedule. I went from 2 hours to 30 hours in a matter of no time. That is straight teaching time, no office hours, no gap time. Pure teaching time. It can be exhausting.
Next I started school, studying for an MBA with Glion Online. It is a reputable school so it will be a reputable MBA in hospitality. So I am on my path to becoming a reputable lecturer and maybe something else (consultancy....still working on that).
During the time of this craziness I also became Catholic. Tram (my fiancee) is Catholic and it makes life easier. To my family, Christian is Christian, it does not matter the denomination.
And we also established many things for the wedding. We have figured out what we are doing, who is providing the services, and when things are happening So be big headaches are done. All we have to do is follow up with all the plans.
So I have been busy.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
A Night Out with the Prince
A good friend and his brother came into HCMC today. He was with family so the time I could see him was limited to an evening. The brother is dating a girl in HCMC (who is Vietnamese) and the two families wanted to meet.
So where do we go to meet. A small piece of commericialized Americana called the Hard Rock Cafe. Where the booze, food, and music was American (even though the band was from the Philippines). They did three sets of music from 9 to midnight. The first set was pop music that thankfully we missed. The second set was heavy metal, I was rocking out as the rest of the group (Thai and Vietnamese) could not make heads or tails of the music except for the Prince.
The Booze
I went for a 20 oz draft, I missed the taste of something not from a can or a bottle. But it was Carlsberg (a far cry from my memories of Fat Tire or Sunshine Wheat). Tram ordered a margarita (first time for her) and enjoyed it (I think the combination of sour and salt and the sulfur of the tequila made a good combination), and the Prince ordered his favorite (Jack and Coke). The rest of the group ordered mixed drinks but I have no knowledge of what they were.
The Food
Nachos and French Fries were ordered. The French Fries were eaten in the standard SE Asian manner, dipped in ketchup and chili sauce. But the nachos were very unfamiliar to them. When a sauce was made by mixing ketchup, chili sauce, and a small amount of salsa to dip the chips in, I knew a Mexican would of slapped them. The guacamole was untouched because of the garish green color, but ironically avocados are much loved as a food (a brief taste was made but not explored further). At the end the fries disappeared and the nachos remained (sadly I was not hungry or it would have been a nacho apocalypse).
The Music
The Filipino band was good, it was a drummer, a bass guitarist, a lead guitarist, and two singers (a man and woman). The singers put forward a good stage show, but the rest of the band just played the music and had little stage precense. Some of the songs in the second set (the set I enjoyed) were: Stupify by Disturbed, Highway to Hell by AC/DC, One by Metallica, Welcome to the Jungle (I am bored with this song), and other seriously heavy songs.
In the third set, it was all request songs. One individual on the table put in the request of November Rain by Guns n' Roses. I was then requested to play stump the band, so I put in the requests of: Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne, 21st Century (Digital Boy) by Bad Religion, Promenade by Street Sweeper Social Club, and Freedom by Rage Against the Machine. All these songs have faced radio play and should be known, the only one that would seriously stump the band is Promenade. I could have done songs by Bowling for Soup, They Might Be Giants, Atreyu, All That Remains, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, etc. But I wanted to ensure it was a challenge, not impossible.
But as the requests came in and the band played pop songs. /sigh Pop... Hard Rock Cafe....Pop Music. The hardest song played was 21 Guns by Green Day. Before our songs could play the rest of the group decided it was time to call it a night. I wanted to see them attempt one of the requests.
Oh well, it was a fun night out. My complaints are non existant, not wanting to go out because people eat food differently or the some of the music you hear is not entirely enjoyed will turn you into an elitist misanthrope.
So where do we go to meet. A small piece of commericialized Americana called the Hard Rock Cafe. Where the booze, food, and music was American (even though the band was from the Philippines). They did three sets of music from 9 to midnight. The first set was pop music that thankfully we missed. The second set was heavy metal, I was rocking out as the rest of the group (Thai and Vietnamese) could not make heads or tails of the music except for the Prince.
The Booze
I went for a 20 oz draft, I missed the taste of something not from a can or a bottle. But it was Carlsberg (a far cry from my memories of Fat Tire or Sunshine Wheat). Tram ordered a margarita (first time for her) and enjoyed it (I think the combination of sour and salt and the sulfur of the tequila made a good combination), and the Prince ordered his favorite (Jack and Coke). The rest of the group ordered mixed drinks but I have no knowledge of what they were.
The Food
Nachos and French Fries were ordered. The French Fries were eaten in the standard SE Asian manner, dipped in ketchup and chili sauce. But the nachos were very unfamiliar to them. When a sauce was made by mixing ketchup, chili sauce, and a small amount of salsa to dip the chips in, I knew a Mexican would of slapped them. The guacamole was untouched because of the garish green color, but ironically avocados are much loved as a food (a brief taste was made but not explored further). At the end the fries disappeared and the nachos remained (sadly I was not hungry or it would have been a nacho apocalypse).
The Music
The Filipino band was good, it was a drummer, a bass guitarist, a lead guitarist, and two singers (a man and woman). The singers put forward a good stage show, but the rest of the band just played the music and had little stage precense. Some of the songs in the second set (the set I enjoyed) were: Stupify by Disturbed, Highway to Hell by AC/DC, One by Metallica, Welcome to the Jungle (I am bored with this song), and other seriously heavy songs.
In the third set, it was all request songs. One individual on the table put in the request of November Rain by Guns n' Roses. I was then requested to play stump the band, so I put in the requests of: Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne, 21st Century (Digital Boy) by Bad Religion, Promenade by Street Sweeper Social Club, and Freedom by Rage Against the Machine. All these songs have faced radio play and should be known, the only one that would seriously stump the band is Promenade. I could have done songs by Bowling for Soup, They Might Be Giants, Atreyu, All That Remains, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, etc. But I wanted to ensure it was a challenge, not impossible.
But as the requests came in and the band played pop songs. /sigh Pop... Hard Rock Cafe....Pop Music. The hardest song played was 21 Guns by Green Day. Before our songs could play the rest of the group decided it was time to call it a night. I wanted to see them attempt one of the requests.
Oh well, it was a fun night out. My complaints are non existant, not wanting to go out because people eat food differently or the some of the music you hear is not entirely enjoyed will turn you into an elitist misanthrope.
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