A Town called Sapa!

As I squander away my last hours in Sapa- a small mountain town near the Chinese border- I wonder how much more of my own company I can enjoy (I've had a lot of it) 

This town is placed in one of the most beautiful settings I have seen- and I have observed some true beauty here in Asia so far. But I have spent the last three days in this town spending all my time with me, myselfand my iPad for reading. 

Part of me feels a small sadness when in this town as I hear the constant horns, and busy streets, and the constant "hassle" from the ethnic women of the nearby villages. Their colourful dress draws you in as a new visitor to Sapa then they encourage small talk before persuading you to buy their trinkets and embroidery. I can picture this town as a quiet place with a moutain charm that has now been disrupted by the constant supply of tourists, new hotels, and tour companies. There is much to experience and see in this beautiful place so there is no wonder people wish to come here. I met a family yesterday during a cooking class and they had visited Sapa a few years ago and they noticed quite the change in the feel of the town from then till now. I feel this place has lost is charm... 

Though the beauty remains. The rolling hills give the illusion of stepping stones as the rice terraces shape the landscape running from the bottom of the valley to the tips lost in the clouds. I went for a short walk yesterday and spent sometime looking out onto this amazing view. I was truly astounded by the human capacity to transform our surrounding  landscape. It comes in so many forms from urban sprawl and industrial growth to the transformation of rainforests to agricultural fields, to the magnificent structural formations of temples and pyramids. Is there anything us humans can't do? 

I've been thinking of a quote recently that I saw in Cambodia and it was also shared with me from a true friend of mine. 

"You are,

Stronger than you seem, 

Braver than you believe and 

Smarter than you think you are" 

This speaks to us on an individual level and has given me strength in the past week to push myself and believe in myself. We see change and transformation around us everyday in various different forms but its often difficult to see or notice. While I was sitting on that mountaintop I was 100% in that moment and taking in the entire scene before me- I hadn't been this content in some time. We all need to take a minute sometimes and just STOP. just stop and look and really see where you are, what you have accomplished and enjoy your life now not later.  I do realize this is much easier said than done and I too find myself wishing for my time in Bali, Scotland and Italy to come sooner so I can spend it with the people who I love! But I try and remember I will never be here again and Ive done my best to embody the hustle and bustle of this town called Sapa. 

Peace and love from Vietnam! 

Sensory Overload!!

As you all know, some more than others, my arrival in Vietnam has been one of slight confusion. My arranged pick-up was on time in the Old Quarter after my arrival. I was greeted by a very nice Vietnamese man named Duc who spoke impeccable English- I was pleasantly surprised. I was no loner staying with the original organization which I had previously arranged everything I needed. I was/am starting anew and finally, on day 5, things are becoming a bit more clear

Unfortunately all pleasantries of the first few days were limited in my eyes. Upon pick-up in the very busy and loud Old Quarter, I was thrown into a cab and sat in silence as the Taxi wove its way through the very busy streets of Hanoi to the office of SJ Vietnam, my host organization. I was already feeling confused and apprehensive about Vietnam and this was not helping. I was greeted at the office by another Vietnamese guy named Nam, his English is also great (I think we will become good friends while I am here). Though he did little to curb my anxieties. He showed me the small office space of the organization then took me to my hotel- where he didn't know how to get to. I am not in a volunteer house this time but an unclean, dingy hotel -alone. Picture a 1-2 star motel room you would stop at on the side of a highway. The rooms smell of second hand smoke, the floors and counters exhibit a nice thick layer of accumulated dirt and the bathroom....well lets just say I could not be more thankful for hot water (I have sprayed down that entire bathroom many times with the hottest water available). This again did not put me at ease...The part of the city we are in is quaint and simple, far from amenities but I can find the essentials- aka water. 

Since my first few days I have been on an emotional roller coaster trying each day to put a smile on my face and take on the challenges I have been given. By the end of the day I am often exhausted by the sheer effort this takes, a few days ending with tears. Hanoi is a city that excites every sense in your body. The no rules traffic takes you by surprise (especially if new to Asia) as motos, scooters, cars, buses and some bicycles weave through the various "lanes" of the road. Cruising through the city you will see barbershops on the streets, abundant power cords strung in bunches from one pole to the next, full roasted dog (yes this stereotype is true), markets of various size with a diversity of goods, street "restaurants," and endless cafes. The traditional form of Vietnamese dining entails eating on the streets at small plastic tables in little "kid" chairs. Each location serves 1-3 dishes, so I've been trying to learn what the various foods are called so I can order (in my area no one speaks any English). 

It's been an adventure to say the least and my head is constantly spinning in this place -SENSORY and EMOTIONAL OVERLOAD!! 

A Journey from Laos to Vietnam

As I write this I am still on my very long bus ride taking me from Luang Prabang, Loas to Hanoi, Vietnam. I am struggling to articulate my thoughts and feelings as we move along the bumpy and narrow roads of Vietnam. 

My trip started by being dropped off at a bus top where there were 3 buses lined up, one very sketchy looking one that looked like it would break down after about 20K, another ok  looking one, and finally a nicer looking one with flashing lights across the front saying Luang Prabang - Hanoi. Thankfully this one was mine :) I thought it was going to be the rickety bus and was like ooooh no this is gonna be a rough go. 

The bus is actually quite nicly equipped with A/C and reclining "bed seats" Your feet stretch out in front of you and your back can recline almost so you can lie flat. Better than my buses back and forth to Northern Laos for sure. We set off for our very long journey. One of the toughest parts about the bus is you never know when you will stop so drinking water can be dangerous cause if you don't get a pee break you could be holding it for an awfully long time. Same goes for eating. We have only made 2 stops thus far to eat and we have reached our 23 hour mark of travel. ... 27hours total travel time.

Shortly after we left Luang Prabang we made a couple stops along the road where we picked up a few more passengers.... And when I Say a few I mean about 20. The set-up of the bus is quite different where there are cushions lining the floor under our comfortable seats as well as the aisles. Vietnamese people fit in every nook and cranny of this bus. Each stop we made after this made us feel like we were in a circus car where people just kept filing out- where did they all fit?!? It's been the entertainment of this journey for sure. 

I made it through my first land border crossing which went quite smoothly despite never knowing what the hell is reeeeally going on. First we needed to go through the Laos departure hall where they "checked you out" of the country. You then walk across no man's land toward Vietnam where you go through their immigration and they check your passport and visas (which must be arranged in advance).  They take your passport and visa and shoo you away....I'm like uuuuh you still have my passport haha. There were a bunch of other white folks around experiencing the same thing so I felt relatively secure that at least we were all in the same boat. All went smoothly in the end with no complications and we were on our way once more. 

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A weird and anxious feeling has crept into me as we drive farther and farther into Vietnam. I am not sure what it is or why. I look around and see the valleys of jungle and imagine  what the Vietnam war could have been like with guerrilla warfare and agent orange, it seems so terrifying and unreal. And now tourists come from all over to see this country. 

As we continue farther the jungle valleys turn into lowlying rice fields depicting that unique green colour only rice fields can posses and yet I still get more anxious. I feel like this is not the place I should be...this unsettling feeling has been with me for a few days now and only intensifying. As I think more and more about this I have come to think that these intense feelings may be reflecting more about my upcoming experience. Often when one expresses or feels such strong emotions it is for a reason...maybe Vietnam will be the place of complete transformation. Maybe it is anxiety of another change and another transition or maybe it is me just getting a little homesick. Whichever it is I am going to try my best to make the most of my time in Vietnam. 

...Some of these feelings may be compounded by an email i received  mere hours before leaving on this lengthy bus ride. It was from my in-country organization who would be taking care of me for the next 4 weeks in Hanoi during my volunteer placement. They had been notified by IVHQ (the international organization I went through to set up my volunteering) had terminated their partnership and they would no longer be taking care of IVHQ volunteers---- now what the hell am I to do? With no wifi or connection to the outside world my mind is in limbo as to where I will be and what I will be doing for the next 4 weeks....

P.S. (upon posting this entry)  All has been arranged and organized for my next placement I have been contacted by IVHQ and have arranged pick-up for tomorrow to take me to my volunteer house

The Gibbon Experience of Loas

Two entries in one day! I know crazy haha but I have to make up for my laziness before.

Ooooook where to start with this unique and crazy adventure. First of all I got to experience it with two beautiful ladies, Jenny Lynn and Rachel Elizabeth. I met them at a bus stop in Luang Prabang after my flight from Cambodia. The stars were in our favour because I was set to land at 5pm in Luang Prabang (LP) and our bus north was set to leave at 7pm. My flight left early and I made it through the very tiny LP airport and to the buss station with hours to spare. I anxiously sat and waited for those girls to arrive. I saw them first and it was so weird but so exciting. We were so excited I was tripping on my bags and Jenny and Rachel were fumbling to get their bags off so we could hug it out! It was GREAT to see a familiar face. I didnt think I was in Asia anymore haha. 

We then embarked on a 13 hour bus ride up to Huay Xai (way sigh) our departure point for the Gibbon Experience. This was anything but a comfortable and relaxing night bus. The windy roads of Loas and the many many stops which were accompanied by a very loud horn, blaring music and Bright lights did not make it easy to rest. I don't think the driver wanted us to sleep so he did everything he could to keep us awake, he was quite successful. 

 We arrived safe and sound, found a guesthouse and checked in for our gibbon experience! If you have any extra time google it because it was unforgettable. We spent 3 days and 2 nights trekking in and out of the jungle, swinging on 200-500m zipline aaaand wait for it..... Living in a treehouse!! Could we ask for more? No but we got it. We were awoken by Gibbons our first morning. It is such an unbelievable sound. Similar to a siren but they can get going and it gets loud. We were lucky enough to spend our early morning drinking coffee and watching the gibbons across the valley swinging from the trees. Following that we hiked and Ziplined through the jungle. 

If I haven't said it already jungles are one of my favourite things. They are so green, lush, beautiful and pure. I look around me and can't fathom the endless discoveries that could be made. There is no place like it....except maybe other jungles haha if you have never visited a jungle add it to your bucket list!!

Ziplining was epic! Now the safety lesson was lengthy and boring...Wait that's not right... They actually spent about 2 minutes on safety! they showed us how to link our safety line and our roller to the cable and how to brake- which consisted of pushing down on a piece of rubber. I maaaaay have smashed into a couple trees haha. I think i was the heaviest of our group and perfected the way to gain speed with the help of Jenny. So yes a couple times I went a little fast coming into the small platforms...all went ok though no broken bones! We had no helmets either yet we glided through the air with the wind rushing past us. We had no worries in the the world. The feeling you got as you glide across the valleys of the jungle is indescribable as is the view. 

After our morning of zip lining we had our afternoons to relax and chat in our treehouse and have the most amazing shower of our life!! I have to talk about the shower haha. It was a rain shower overlooking the entire jungle valley. The cool jungle breeze gave you a little chill but it was beautiful... Us girls may have captured this experience on camera ;) 

Unfortunately our time in the jungle was too short as well as our time together. I had to catch a bus back to Luang Prabang and the girls went up to Northern Thailand. We had an amazing time together and will meet up again in the gorgeous island of Bali near the end of May. I miss familiar faces and have come to realize our experiences are only as amazing as the people we share them with. 

Remember the people in your life are important in ways you don't know until they aren't there. I love my family-Mama Bear, papa bear and Adam, I love you.  To my friends- there are too many too name I was going to try- you are amazing, please know you are in my heart and my thoughts often and I wish you could experience some of the unforgettable things I have already. 

Xx from Loas!! And onward to Vietnam!!! 24 hour bus ride here I come...

Cambodia- Final Days

Honestly where do I even start. My days in Siem Reap flew by. When I first started I was disorientated and it took some time to find my footing. But over the weeks I came to find myself making a home away from home. I had a favourite breakfast spot where they started making my latte when I walked in the door haha. I perfected maneuvering through traffic on foot or on a bike. I even had a small exercise plan where I would run along the riverside in the "cool" mornings (27 degrees maybe) and wind down my evenings with a yoga class. The hot temperatures became only bearable with multiple showers each day and laying naked in your room trying not to let an inch of your body touch anything else. (True story) 

Despite the amazing experience I had and all the wonderful things I did this little town/city masks many of the problems that Cambodia has. Poverty is a large issue with the Siem Reap Province being the 3rd poorest in the country. I found this surprising since it has one of the largest tourist attractions in SE Asia- Angkor Wat. Education is very limited as well since 80% of the population lives in rural areas where resources and communication is very limited. 

Domestic violence and sex trafficking is also a dominant issue in this country as well. One evening when I was attempting to find raffle items for my attempted fundraiser I walked into a rather sketchy looking bar. When we left I mentioned that to the other volunteer I was with and she did not see what I had, young Asian women dressed in short skirts, revealing tops and lots of make-up. This is NOT a normal look for the women in Cambodia, it is possible they had been sex workers. Another evening while crossing the bridge to my volunteer house I saw a white older man sitting and talking with a young and beautiful Cambodian girl.... Again it was likely a paid encounter. There were many of these encounters that I witnessed and you would only see if you were aware of the problem. I can never be certain of what really happened between these people and I can only speculate but it is a true and sad reality for many women in this country. With a lack of resources, employment and education in the countryside women seek money in the only ways made available to them. These issues stress why the work of Rachna Satrei is so great and why they are needed. I was very happy to be involved with an organization working towards helping the women of tomorrow to build Cambodia's future. 

Cambodia has an extremely rough and tough history behind them which falls in the not so distant past. This country's development and future is dependant on tourism and the garment industry. They currently have a bilateral trade agreement with the US to trade clothes. Cambodia has a chap labour force and an abundance of workers- again many are women and are given poor wages with rough working conditions. The tourism industry is very much dependant on the political climate of the nation which is still uncertain. They are far from democratic though attempts at a multi-party system have been made. From this you can understand the struggles Cambodians live with everyday and the u certainty of their future.

Despite all the sadness, hardship and horror Cambodia has been through they seem to be very positive people and want to look towards their future rather than dwell on the past. This may have added to my over-all experience. They cannot hide the past but they can share their stories whether through words, or by their lack of limbs. (Many war victims would walk the streets in Siem Reap asking for money or for you to buy something since they could not work. They had lost 2-3 limbs during the war.) 

Siem Reap was my home for 5 weeks and when it came time to leave i was not ready. As I packed my bag and looked around my temporary home tears filled my eyes. I spent my final evening with staff from my organization where we exchanged gifts, laughs and experienced some LOCAL food- aka food from a table under an umbrella. It was an unforgettable night, where I felt so much love and appreciation. 

Will I be so lucky with my time in Vietnam? Time will only tell...