My Life in Vietnam

Joke of the Year

2012-02-13T20:54:00.001+07:00

One day in the future, George Bush has a heart-attack and dies. He immediately goes to hell, where the devil is waiting for him.

"I don't know what to do here,"
says the devil. "You are on my
list, but I have no room for you.
You definitely have to stay here,
so I'll tell you what I'm going to
do. I've got a couple of folks here
who weren't quite as bad as you.
I'll let one of them go, but you
have to take their place. I'll even
let YOU decide who leaves."

George thought that sounded
pretty good, so the devil opened
the door to the first room.

In it was Ted Kennedy and a
large pool of water. Ted kept
diving in, and surfacing, empty
handed. Over, and over, and
over he dived in and surfaced
with nothing. Such was his fate
in hell.

"No," George said. "I don't think
so. I'm not a good swimmer, and
I don't think I could do that all
day long."

The devil led him to the door of
the next room.

In it was Al Gore with a sledge-
hammer and a room full of rocks.
All he did was swing that hammer,
time after time after time.

"No, this is no good; I've got
this problem with my shoulder.
I would be in constant agony if
all I could do was break rocks
all day," commented George.

The devil opened a third door.
Through it, George saw Bill
Clinton, lying on the bed, his
arms tied over his head, and his
legs restrained in a spread-eagle
pose. Bent over him was Monica
Lewinsky, doing what she does
best.

George looked at this in shocked
disbelief, and finally said, "Yeah
man, I can handle this."

The devil smiled and said...........

(This is priceless...)

"OK, Monica, you're free to go."

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My New Toy

2012-02-01T20:02:00.002+07:00

I've definitely put on some weight since the holidays so I finally bought a treadmill so I can work out at home whenever I feel like it without the hassles of feeling obligated to have a conversation while walking around the neighborhood and without little kids following me around like little ducks. Besides, I've got a 20-year high school reunion coming up this summer. Geesh!!

Random

2012-01-05T21:44:00.003+07:00

I can honestly say this is the most random comment I've EVER gotten on facebook!

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Con Dao Vacation

2012-01-01T15:55:00.004+07:00

Just got back from Con Dao, Vietnam, and had a relaxing but boring time. I'll be posting photos this week from the trip. This is my favorite one. While hiking, I stumbled upon this cheeky monkey. In its left hand are my sunglasses that it stole, and in its right hand is my earring that it's trying to steal. Funny pic, eh?

Merry Christmas,Vietnam!

2011-12-23T20:24:00.005+07:00

My school celebrated Christmas today. I was asked to dress up as Santa... again. Can't imagine why. I'm sure it has nothing to do with my big belly. I'm going on a diet so I can be skinny next Christmas. :) Some photos below. Oh, I'm officially on vacation! Going to a remote island in the South China Sea for some R&R. Happy holidays, everyone! I'll be thinking about you on Christmas on the beach under the hot sun with cocktail in hand!

December Weather...

2011-12-18T19:30:00.002+07:00

Only in Vietnam!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-12-10T06:19:00.002+07:00

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New Tat

2011-11-22T05:40:00.006+07:00

When I lived in South Korea, the teachers that I taught with gave me a Korean name. For the longest time, I've been wanting to get it tattooed on my calf. I finally did it. And, yes, it HURT!

My calf is shaved and ready.

Drawing it out.

OWWW!!

The "MA" is done.

Almost finished!

DONE!!

The finished product. I love it!

Tat Touch Up

2011-11-16T04:53:00.003+07:00

Last night, I went over to Anandi's house, and she touched up my tat. It seems like it hurt more than it did when I got it thirteen years ago. Ouch!

New Bedding

2011-11-09T12:23:00.001+07:00

It's the simple things in life that make me happy.

Photos from my New School

2011-11-04T17:04:00.004+07:00

Last month, as you may be aware, I started teaching at a new school, Asia Pacific College Dong Nai - the first international school in my province. Today, I managed to snap some shots of my preschool class that I teach. Enjoy!

The building from the parking lot

My students having a tea party together. How cute is this!??

After his friend left, Austin decided to have a tea party all by himself! So adorable!

Halloween

2011-10-31T06:11:00.003+07:00

Last night, Sunday, was my language center's annual Halloween Party. Again, I emceed the event, and my costume this year was a big hit. I made four children and one adult cry! Success!!

What's this thing?

2011-10-26T18:19:00.002+07:00

Here in Vietnam, households don't have ovens. Bakeries have ovens, only expensive and posh restaurants have ovens, but your typical Vietnamese household doesn't have an oven. It's just not customary in this culture to bake. So I was over the moon when my friend, Michelle, invited me over to her house to bake brownies and chocolate cake. However, her circa 1965 oven didn't even work. Sad times all around.

Busy Busy

2011-10-25T18:03:00.004+07:00

My new full-time job at Asia Pacific College has been keeping me super busy. I'm teaching there in the mornings and afternoons and in the evenings at my language center. As part of my job at APC, I travel to the town of Thu Dau Mot in Binh Duong Province once a week to teach at a posh preschool all day, Bambi Kindergarten. P.S. It's more of a preschool than a kindergarten.

A couple of neat things to note: The layout of the school is like Anytown, USA Main Street, with the "open shops" being the classrooms.

Another cool thing is that I have my own private room and bathroom in a villa at the school where I can connect to wifi or take a seriously long nap since I have a 3 1/2 hour lunch break. I'll post photos of the room next time. For today, I took some photos of the school grounds.

Cool Visitor App

2011-10-13T17:43:00.002+07:00

Now, I can see who's stalking.. I mean.. visiting my blog every day. I thought it was cool that someone from Palestine visited my little page. Wow!

New Job!

2011-09-29T18:12:00.002+07:00

I've now been in Vietnam over three years, and I've had the same job since I've been here. I don't like change because I like to be stable and comfortable. Well, I'm stepping out. I've been hired at the first and only international school in my province, Asia Pacific College. This job offers MUCH more money, and it's salary pay. With my job now, I get paid by the classes I teach, and that greatly varies! At my new job, I'll get the same pay, a significant amount more, every month. I get paid holidays, sick days, and weekends off! There's also a Vietnamese TA in every class to grade papers, tests, and translate if need be (but I do just fine with my Vietnamese). This is an AMAZING opportunity, and I start on Monday.

This morning, I observed the high school class I'll be taking over. It's going to require A LOT of patience, but "Patience" is my middle name.

As for my language center, KTV, I'll continue to teach in the evenings until a replacement teacher is found and teach a couple of nights a week in the future. I don't want to stop working at my center because I really love it there. But for the next month, I'll be working two full-time positions - and THAT equals BEAUCOUP money!!

Change is good. So here's to change! Cheers!

My High School Best Friend

2011-09-21T22:15:00.003+07:00

When I was in high school, I took a really bold step and became a cheerleader. The other male cheerleader at my super small backwoods Louisiana country town high school ended up being my best friend for many years. He - David - went on to be the mayor of our small town after graduation. This photo is from my junior year in high school.

High School Photo

2011-09-21T21:53:00.002+07:00

Unintentionally, I went GINGER my junior year. I was 16 years old in this photo.

Looking Thinner

2011-09-19T06:29:00.003+07:00

It's me!

Kevin Dacosta Moore

2011-09-17T17:02:00.003+07:00

This is my old buddy, Kevin. I recently found out he passed away a few years ago. We were really close friends, having met in New Orleans in the mid 1990s while he was visiting for Mardi Gras. We kept in touch and remained friends into the early 2000s, but I lost track of him after I moved to South Florida. I visited his home in Marietta, GA, a couple of times, but that's the last I heard from him. Since that time, I've tried to reconnect with him. Finally, I googled his name (thank goodness I remembered his middle name as Kevin Moore is so common) and learned of his passing. I'm writing this blog in hopes that someone can tell me what happened to him so I can get some closure. The last time we talked, we had a small disagreement over my cell phone bill (which he set up for me). I guess I just want to know what happened to my friend. Please feel free to leave a comment here or email me at GymnastFAU@aol.com. Thanks!

Win, Lose, or Draw

2011-09-13T10:12:00.002+07:00

For one of my class activities, I taught one of my classes how to play Win, Lose, or Draw. One of my students chose her word that was written down on a piece of paper and proceeded to draw THIS! I'll give you a dollar if you can guess what it is!!

September 11th

2011-09-12T07:54:00.003+07:00

This day always wears me out mentally because of all the thinking and coverage on tv, but I think back to ten years ago and a week to the day when I was at the World Trade Center towers. My friend, Dennis, asked me if I wanted to eat pizza at Windows on the World, which was the restaurant at the top of one of the WTC towers. I had a really strange feeling about them -maybe because of the bombing in 1993 - so I declined going up to the top. Who knew that a week later I nor anyone would have that chance again? Here's a photo taken September 4, 2001.

Cheerleading in Vietnam: Ngo Quyen High Performance

2011-09-05T13:49:00.009+07:00

So today was the cheerleaders' big performance. I'm happy to say they did an amazing job, and I'm so proud of them. Below are some photos from their routine.

Extensions

Walking preps

Lib pyramid

J-Lo: On the Floor!

Dancing!

More dancing!

Rolling around on the ground!

Boys coming to the front for their dance

Boys dance/motions

Boys motions

Girls dipping the boys = super cute!

Motion sequence

Prep for jumps

Toe touches

Number One!

Pike baskets (the one you see went up too late, but it was beautiful!)

And finished! Have a great school year!

Minus 30 lbs

2011-09-05T10:28:00.003+07:00

Since I started my diet in late May, one of my top 3 goals was to once again fit into my favorite red-striped shirt that I hadn't been able to wear since early 2010 (nearly two years). So, my plan was to lose enough weight so that I could wear it for my cheerleaders' performance today as their school colors are red and white. After exercising this morning, I put my shirt on, and IT FIT!! Surprise! Surprise!

Shopping, American-style

2011-09-02T11:49:00.004+07:00

Let me preface this entry by saying how much I truly love Vietnamese food. Having said that, I DO get a hankerin' for American food every now and then. My boss took me to just shy of the Saigon bridge to a Western area of town to do a bit of food shopping for things I just can't find here in Bien Hoa. Here's what I found:

My favorite in the whole, wide world: Hershey's Cookies N Creme!

Just LOOK at all the Hershey's bars!!!
Zapps chips from back home in Louisiana! Who knew these were in Vietnam?
Lots and lots of Louisiana tabasco sauce!
Pecan pie! PECAN PIE!! IN VIETNAM!! Yes, I had a slice.
And for the grand finale.... a freakin' CIRCLE K!!!

My godson

2011-09-01T16:44:00.002+07:00

AHHH!! He's all grown up now!

Above photo, March 2010 Below photo, August 2011

Vietnam's Next Top Model

2011-08-26T09:35:00.004+07:00

So if you've been keeping up with my blog, you'll remember that back in May I started a new, healthy lifestyle. I've really cut down on meat A LOT, have increased my intake of fruits and vegetables, and have been exercising a minimum of four times a week, recently in the early morning hours. I've, also, taken up coaching cheerleading and tumbling again, and that definitely keeps me active. I've lost 30 lbs so far, and last night one of my students snapped a photo of me in class. I decided I would be a model in the photo. Again.

Gymnastics in Vietnam

2011-08-22T15:09:00.003+07:00

Every Sunday I've been getting together with my cheer boys to teach them back handsprings and eventually back tucks to put into their competition routine for December. Below are some photos of yesterday's practice.

Tony's getting ready to throw his back handspring.

This is Huy in mid-air.
C-U in his handstand just before the landing.
This is Hung (boi) with, unfortunately, bent legs. We'll work on that.
And here's C-U again getting ready to throw his back handpspring.-

Cheerleading in Vietnam, Aug 17th Practice

2011-08-18T10:56:00.004+07:00

We had a really tiring but good practice today. It was the first day we did everything full out to counts. Then we did it with the music. The routine is almost finished. Below are some photos of today's practice.

First, we danced!

-Then, we stunted!

Afterward, we all sat down and reviewed the morning's practice. T'was a good day of cheer!

Ngo Quyen High School Cheerleading Video

2011-08-17T19:29:00.001+07:00

Not quite perfect yet because they just put everything together today, but this is the first video of Day 1.

Photo of the Day

2011-08-14T19:36:00.002+07:00

Standing Back Tuck, 10 Aug 2001

2011-08-10T17:40:00.003+07:00

Old as dirt and big as a house, but I've still got it!

Cheerleading in Vietnam, Aug 10th Practice

2011-08-10T17:13:00.006+07:00

This morning, my cheerleaders at Ngo Quyen High School had an amazing practice! We finished one motion sequence, and they got a lib pyramid. They're gonna WOW everyone who sees them!

Fixing motions.

The boys practicing their motion sequence.
Everyone practicing motions together.
Then, we stunted! Here I am probably talking about nothing at all.
And the end result: A lib pyramid!

Late Birthday Photos

2011-08-07T21:33:00.003+07:00

So, my birthday came and went a couple of weeks ago. Actually, I didn't want it to be a big deal this year (for the first time EVER in my life), but it indeed WAS a big deal. I had 5 parties thrown for me, 5 cakes, and got lots of gifts. I especially enjoyed my students and friends who I got to celebrate with. Enjoy the photos below.

The factory workers that I teach at Penflex Vietnam took me out for a Korean dinner with coffee afterward.

I hadn't eaten goghi mandu since I left Korea three years ago. Yummy!

My Mystery class had a party for me.

Then they threw cake in my face!

When I went home that night, the students I taught at Tan Mai Church surprised me with cake and a gift. This REALLY surprised me and was so special to me.

Funny Text Message

2011-08-01T22:55:00.003+07:00

This is a message from one of my students -just a slight issue with the language barrier.

Holy Care Package Jackpot!!

2011-07-27T22:44:00.004+07:00

Today, my bestest friend in the world from high school sent me an amazing care package from the states, complete with Bath and Body Works products and Louisiana food mixes!! Can't wait to dig into both!!

Also, today my friend, Kyle, came back to Bien Hoa from Cali. He brought with him my favorite chocolate in the whole wide world!! Photos below.

Here's a picture of our receptionist, Mrs. Hom, reading the lovely card from my friend, Amy, along with all the goodies!

Helllo, Hershey's Cookies and Creme Chocolate bars!!!

Progress!

2011-07-27T11:05:00.003+07:00

My cheerleaders got a full lib this morning! I'm a proud coach! They're gonna take over Vietnam! :)

Birthday Wishes

2011-07-24T07:17:00.004+07:00

1,662 birthday wishes on facebook. WOW!! Thank you to everyone for the amazing words. I'm truly blessed to have you all in my life.

*UPDATE*

Almost 1,700! Holy Moly! I feel the love!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-07-22T21:28:00.003+07:00

Tonight after teaching a class at a factory, the workers I teach took me out to an amazing Korean dinner. Took some photos to share:

When I lived in Korea, I ate goghi mandu (steamed dumplings) every day for lunch. I haven't eaten it in the three years since I left. I found it again here in Vietnam!!

All of us drinking soju to celebrate! Wonderful people!

My School got a Makeover

2011-07-21T14:03:00.002+07:00

The new, front gate

New earthy colors

A look from the front door looking out to the street

Cheer Practice Slash Cake Fight

2011-07-20T21:37:00.004+07:00

Today was an amazing day with my cheer kids. We got a lot accomplished. I'm so proud of them because they're really learning a lot, soaking up all the information, and trying very hard. Today we got 2 full extensions and a prep pyramid.

After practice, they surprised me with a birthday cake - which quickly turned into a cake fight. Some photos below of 'after practice:'

Huy Trinh and I clowning around

My two little brothers, Hung and "Tony"

Making a wish

Blowing out my candles

No photos of the actual 'fight,' but this is what we looked like afterward.

Cheerleading in Vietnam, Part 2

2011-07-13T14:28:00.005+07:00

Today's Wednesday, so that means another morning practice with the cheerleaders of Ngo Quyen High School here in Bien Hoa City. Today, we made great progress: squad extensions, some liberties, and some full downs. Photos of the event below:

A slimmer ME

2011-07-06T21:17:00.002+07:00

Veggie diet, exercising regularly, down 20 lbs.

Cheerleading in Vietnam

2011-07-06T15:36:00.004+07:00

- As my great friend, Christy Papania Jones, said, "It was only a matter of time."

A high school here in the city, Ngo Quyen High School, is starting up a cheerleading squad, and the P.E. teacher there in charge of it just happens to be an old student of mine. So, I got "recruited," shall we say to come in and teach them some stunts. I haven't taught cheer since December of 2006 - four and a half years, and I didn't realize how much I missed it until today. It was definitely interesting trying to explain things in a foreign language, but I had a blast, and the team learned so much! They have a competition coming up in December, and I'm going to choreograph a routine for them - just like in the olden days. Watch out, Vietnam, because Michael Strahan, six-time national champion coach and choreographer, is on the cheer scene here now!

Enjoy some photos below of today's event.

Here I am teaching the proper technique to load in for a prep.

Here they are doing a hanging drill to teach the flyer not to put weight in her feet.

Practicing a dismount.

Teaching the flyer what NOT to do in the air.

And, at last, an extension!

Mohawk

2011-07-06T15:29:00.001+07:00

Because I felt like doing it.. don't worry, I shaved it all off two minutes later.

♥Care Package♥

2011-06-30T10:33:00.003+07:00

Today I received a care package from my friend, Amanda, back home in Louisiana, complete with antacid, allergy pills, pain reliever, a lovely card, AND MY FAVORITE.... HERSHEY'S COOKIES AND CREME BARS!!!!! Thanks, Amanda!!!♥♥

The CUTEST answer EVER!!

2011-06-28T10:57:00.004+07:00

In one of my children's classes, we're studying about travelling and famous tourist sites the children have seen. Please look at the last question and answer. Priceless!!

Shy Student

2011-06-11T17:55:00.001+07:00

This little guy always covers his head up with his bag when I come into the room. Maybe it's my good looks??

Giving Back

2011-06-09T10:56:00.005+07:00

This summer, I'm volunteering my English-teaching services for the neighborhood church and the parish youth. I'm teaching for one hour in the morning, four days a week. This morning, my students surprised me with some lovely board artwork. I think they like me! And I like them.

My First Windsor Knot

2011-06-08T21:13:00.003+07:00

So for some twenty years now I've been tying some crappy, American-style, half-assed knots. I wanted to learn how to tie a Windsor Knot but never knew how to go about it. Then, I discovered youtube!! There's a video for everything on there, I swear. Actually, I discovered youtube back in 2006, but I just thought about how there MUST be a video for a Windsor Knot on there - and I was right!! How awesome is that!? I had to take a picture of my very first one, and it's totally not coming undone so I can use it again and again. Who knows when I may get it right again?

I'm a Vegan Now: Week 1

2011-06-03T21:43:00.003+07:00

So I've just completed my first week of vegan-ism. It actually hasn't been that bad as I'm really concentrating on getting my triglyceride number way down in six months. I've been exercising daily and eating yummy vegetables and tofu. I've come to have quite a liking for tofu. Below is a photo of a typical dinner these days. Before, I was eating meat two sometimes three times a day. The past week, I've had none. No beer, no coffee, no meat, no dairy, no sugar - only vegetables, tofu, and occasionally soy milk.

And, YES, that's Slap Ya Mama you see! I add just a smidge to my tofu salad. You can take the boy out of Louisiana...

JACKPOT!!!

2011-06-02T10:39:00.003+07:00

Got an amazing care package with meds and smell goods from my buddy, Toan, back home in the states.

Cutey Patootey!

2011-05-29T12:17:00.002+07:00

How cute was my student drawing Happy Faces on the board this morning!!!!

My Class of Nuns (and sometimes a priest)

2011-05-27T23:13:00.003+07:00

I've been meaning to post these photos since earlier this year, but I forgot where I put them. Anyway, every week I do a bit of charity work by teaching a class of nuns at no charge. Sometimes a priest comes in, sometimes a deacon, but it's always a lot of fun, especially the games where I make them run to the board to write an answer. They make the absolute BEST students - very polite and eager to learn! I love them so much. Enjoy their photos below.

Get it together!

2011-05-27T17:01:00.003+07:00

Last week while I was in Cambodia, I got some bloodwork done to check my health. My labs came back today, and as of today, I'm making some serious lifestyle changes due to the results I received.

My cholesterol isn't so bad, actually, which is surprising, but my triglyceride count is 370. Normal is 200 so I've got to seriously get it together with that! I'll start a vegetarian diet as well as start exercising more regularly. So no more meat, sugar, dairy, coffee, alcohol.. NO MORE CHOCOLATE!! Gotta do what I gotta do. I hope to go back to the doctor in six months a new and improved man!!

Tuk Tuk

2011-05-20T16:07:00.002+07:00

Here's a quick snapshot of me in a tuk-tuk in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. What do you think of the new, black hair?

Sidenote: I totally wasn't ready for the paparazzi.

On Vacation (Yes, again!)

2011-05-16T22:18:00.001+07:00

Off to Cambodia this time for a few days. Going to catch up with a couple of friends from back home in Louisiana (they're there in Phnom Penh visiting) and get a much needed check-up. See you when I get back!

Care Package from Dad

2011-05-12T21:43:00.000+07:00

I always LOVE it when I get care packages from home. As much as I LOVE Vietnam, there are things back home that I just can't get here. Along with a bottle of Advil, my dad sent me some SLAP YA MAMA Cajun seasoning from home (I'm from Louisiana). I'm a super happy camper now! Oh, and the best part: it only took FIVE days to get from Louisiana to Vietnam! That MUST be a record!!

Snorkeling in Nha Trang, Vietnam

2011-05-11T21:12:00.004+07:00

Last week I went on vacation to Nha Trang, Vietnam, and I wanted to overcome my big fear of the ocean by going snorkeling. The excursion was so cheap (only $14) so I just assumed for that price it would be 3o minutes to an hour and then back to land. I failed to read the brochure and ended up getting a mega-sunburn that's still prevalent today, 11 days later. The event lasted 8 hours and included a big lunch on the boat! Who knew? This was an amazing experience for me, and I recommend it to anyone! The water there is so clear and blue, and you can see everything!! My stupidity and not putting on sunscreen definitely outweighed the awesome, overall experience!

Below is a photo of me in the ocean, and you can actually see the coral beneath me.

Fashion Victim

2011-05-10T22:02:00.002+07:00

Check out this nifty top one of my students had on tonight. Yes, that's her belly and bra you see!

HAHA Funny Homework Assignment

2011-05-08T09:18:00.004+07:00

From one of my teenagers. You can be sure she didn't learn this from me!!

I AM ON VACATION!!!

2011-04-28T14:38:00.003+07:00

Off to Nha Trang for five days. Will post photos along the way :)

My Thoughts on the Government Shutdown

2011-04-08T19:26:00.000+07:00

The Republican party has backed themselves into a corner by letting the most extreme voices have the most clout. Now, those extreme voices are being told that while they can have some of what they want, they can't have it all - and they are shutting down the government out of stubbornness. In child-rearing, this move by Republicans is known as the "last stand" tantrum. A child will kick, scream, yell obscenities, break things - anything to keep the energy of an emotional high going while asserting some desperate attempt at control. I wonder which method of dealing with them would be best for America - refusing to rise to the bait and letting them tire themselves out, or a good long stint with their nose in the proverbial corner?
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Important: Facebook NewsFeed FIX

2011-04-07T09:54:00.002+07:00

Have you noticed that you are only seeing updates in your newsfeed from the same people lately? Have you also noticed that when you post things like status messages, photos and links, the same circle of people are commenting and everyone else seems to be ignoring you?

Don't worry, everyone still loves you and nobody has intentionally blocked you. The problem is that a large chunk of your friend/fan list can't see anything you post and here's why:
The "New Facebook" has a newsfeed setting that by default is automatically set to show ONLY posts from people who you've recently interacted with or interacted the most with (which would be limited to the couple of weeks just before people started switching to the new profile). So in other words, for both business and personal pages, unless your friends/fans commented on one of your posts within those few weeks or vice versa - you are now invisible to them and they are invisible to you!!

HERE'S THE FIX: On the homepage click the "Most Recent" title on the right of the Newsfeed, then click on the drop down arrow beside it and select "Edit Options", click on "Show Posts From" and change the setting to "All Of Your Friends and Pages" (you can also access the "Edit Options" link at the very bottom of the facebook homepage on the right) Note: Business pages do not have a newsfeed however page owners should adjust the settings on their personal accounts.
The good news is: now you can now view all of your friends and fans again. The bad news is: YOU ARE STILL INVISIBLE to a large portion of your list. You must get the word out to ALL of your friends and fans by inviting them to this event or creating one of your own so they can read the post and adjust their settings. To invite your friends: Click on "Attending" at the top and then you will see an option to invite your friends at the top left. It’s public so everyone who logs onto facebook can view it and even the friends who can’t see your posts WILL see the event invitation. You can also tweet about it, create a blog post or send out an email to your subscribers in hopes of reaching them all.

You're welcome! :-)

Typical Message from a Nun

2011-04-06T09:19:00.002+07:00

So, as you may already know, I volunteer weekly teaching a class of nuns. They make great students, by the way - very polite, eager to learn, and always surprising me with some kind of homemade gift from sugar cane they cut themselves to grape wine they've conjured up.

Sometimes, I'll send them a message to tell them to have a nice day, and here's a typical message I receive at any given time. It's cute, so I wanted to share.

My Kiwi Class

2011-04-05T12:03:00.003+07:00

Here's a photo of my Kiwi Class. They are mostly teenagers and seem to know more about current American culture and music than I do. We were once studying a lesson about how to report an auto accident, and one of the new vocabulary words was 'damage.' Upon hearing this word, one of my students, Ann, started singing 'Damaged' by Danity Kane. I was DONE!

Confused Students

2011-04-04T10:20:00.003+07:00

So, over the weekend I taught my class Win, Lose, or Draw, and these two didn't quite understand what their teammate was trying to draw. Their faces were priceless, so I snapped a quick photo.

I'm a Model. Clearly.

2011-04-03T12:33:00.002+07:00

Oh How I Love Payday!!

2011-04-02T14:46:00.004+07:00

It was a GOOD month!

Class Party

2011-04-01T14:36:00.006+07:00

Last night, my Kiwi class celebrated the birthday of a student by throwing him a surprise party, complete with cake, snacks, drinks, singing, and lots of photo taking. This class has become one of my favorite classes. Photos below.

The birthday boy, John, is in the Armani tee.

Students helping themselves to cake

Thomas stuffing his face

My Near Death Experience

2011-03-24T22:09:00.004+07:00

Today was a bad, bad day. Usually I eat phở every morning for breakfast, but this morning I woke up later than normal due to the Benadryl that I took last night to help me sleep so I skipped it. I was so hungry at lunch that I scarfed down the first piece of pork, and it became lodged in my throat. Okay, no big deal because I've had rice stuck in my throat before and had it washed down easily with a swig of water. This time was different. When I drank the water, the pork wouldn't budge, and the water just came right back up. It couldn't go down because the piece of meat was in there pretty well! I tried again to force water down, hoping it would flush the pork down and into my stomach. The good news: the pork did move a bit further down. The bad news: it moved down blocking my windpipe, and I couldn't breathe. So I tried to gag myself, even sticking a chopstick down my esophagus to try to push it down so I could breathe. No such luck! I started banging around, and Vuong was downstairs, luckily, and came running up after he heard me thrashing about. That's about the time that I lost consciousness. I woke up to him hitting on my back, and I was able to breathe a bit. He was a medical student before he got his degree in Economics so I guess he knew what he was doing. He took me to the hospital, and we saw one doctor who used his tools and camera to look into my mouth. He couldn't see anything so I was taken to another doctor with a longer tube slash camera thing. He stuck it all the way down my throat, and I couldn't breathe again - which scared the ish out of me. There were four nurses there who had to hold me down while the doctor stuck the tube down my throat because I was kicking and punching due to the lack of air getting to my lungs. After repeatedly gagging with the tube down my throat, I heard the doctor say "nuoc" which is water in Vietnamese, and I let out a big belch. Apparently the tube with camera thing also had a water spray thing?? He pulled the tube out, and I could breathe again. Life was good! I don't know if you've ever been in a situation where you couldn't breathe, but it's not cool.. not cool at all! That's definitely the way that I do NOT want to die. Moral of the story: Chew your food before you swallow.

Below is the photo the doctor took of the pork buried into my throat just before he sprayed the magic water to wash it down.

Random Answer

2011-03-23T09:20:00.003+07:00

So in one of my classes, we're studying Health Care... here's a nice answer for products to use on the face. Click on the photo to enlarge.

The latest 'FPT vs. Michael' Saga

2011-03-23T06:26:00.005+07:00

So after posting my previous blog entry on FPT's facebook page, they got my number from MY facebook page and sent me a text after failed attempts to call me (Sorry, folks, but if I don't know your number, I don't answer). I basically complained on their page telling them how the representative had lied to me about VNPT's service being slow when all my students and coworkers who have that provider have told me their internet is just fine. Upon confronting the worker about that, she stuttered and mumbled, "But the earthquake in Japan.." to which I abruptly stopped her and yelled, "The earthquake was LAST WEEK!!" Anyhow, here's their LATEST justification of why the internet here in Vietnam has been so slow for over two weeks:

Subject: About the treatment process of the sea line AAG Date: 3/22/2011 4:24:18 P.M. SE Asia Standard Time From: quyenpnh@fpt.net

Reply To:
To:	mpstrahan@aol.com
CC:	mpstrahan@aol.com, tienlq@fpt.net, tttthuy@fpt.net
BCC:
Sent on:

Sent from the Internet (Details)

Dear Mr. Micheal!

I'm writing from Customer care Dept., FPT Dong Nai Company.
As you know, the sea line AAG was broken on 8th, March made the international speed decrease slowly.
On my behalf of our company, I truly àn deeply apologize to this inconvenience first.
Secondly, we annouce you about the treatment time of the sea fiber line AAG.
According to our update news from the international partners, the broken sea line AAG will be fixed on 26th, March. After terrible disaster's happened in Japan, the international ships focused to support Japan to overcome this bad situation. That's the reason why the sea line AAG will be fixed lately.
However, FPT company increased the international bandwith 3 days ago to ensure 70% of the international speed we commited.
So please let me know how your international speed is at the moment and if you still need to support.
Contact to us if you need any help from now, please!

Sincerely yours,
Phan Nguyen Hong Quyen
Customer care Dept.
FPT - Dong Nai Branch.

ANOTHER care package

2011-03-23T06:23:00.003+07:00

It's my lucky week! This time, seasoning from back home (Louisiana) that I put on EVERYTHING!!!

Smokin' it Up

2011-03-20T17:08:00.003+07:00

So I have these really cool neighbors, who are also my landlords. The man is about 80, I'd say, and he was once a prisoner of the Viet Cong Army in the war because he helped the Americans build weapons, etc. Every day he sits outside with his friends, lights up some herb, and smokes it. I wasn't quite sure what it was. I knew it wasn't "Mary Jane," but it looked like some kind of tobacco. After doing some research, I found out it's called, ''thuốc lào''. Apparently, it's a pasttime of the older folk here in 'Nam, and my landlord lights it up several times a day. Good for him!

Typical

2011-03-19T22:06:00.002+07:00

This is what a typical convo between Tyler and me is like on any given day. Comical.

Care Package Day!!!

2011-03-19T10:11:00.004+07:00

Happy Saturday to me! I got a notice a couple of days ago that a package was waiting for me at the post office. I had planned to pick it up this morning on my way home from my class, and as I was walking out the door, the receptionist told me I received another notice! TWO PACKAGES!! Oh happy day!!

From my friend, Leah, I got some Bath and Body Works goodies: body splash and Wallflower refills!! And from my Meemaw, I got three pairs of LARGE underwear (which I can't find here in Vietnam), some Crest White Strips (that's right! my teeth are gonna be shining!!), some Benadryl, Advil, and Tums!!

Thank you both so so so so so so much!!!

FPT: Incredibly Slow Internet Service

2011-03-17T10:28:00.007+07:00

For well over a week now, the internet here in Vietnam has been unbelievably slow. Apparently, this only affects the companies of FPT and Viettel due to an offshore cable that has been severed. For me, the internet is vital to keeping in contact with friends and family back home in the states as well as keeping abreast of the world's current events since I have no English-speaking news channels on tv. Watching videos is frustrating, to say the least, and I've HAD IT with FPT! It's been over a week already. Can you people just get off your asses and do something to address the problem? -or at least offer your customers some type of compensation for the crap service you've provided!

Below is a snapshot I took of a video I was trying to download. 13 minutes for a 32 meg file. Really?

How to UNblock facebook in Vietnam

2011-03-04T08:04:00.003+07:00

So I've been shamelessly promoting hotspot shield for some time now, but a new and FASTER way (with no advertisements) has recently been brought to my attention by my lovely Vietnamese students.

It's called ultrasurf, and you can go to ultrareach.com and download the program. It works the same way hotspot does, but it's much faster. I can't believe I didn't discover this sooner!

Happy facebooking!

Lisp4 and facebook now blocked in Vietnam

2011-03-03T16:22:00.002+07:00

As of March 1st, the Vietnamese government has blocked both lisp4 and facebook. The way around this is to google the program "Hotspot shield" download it, close your browser, then run it. It will give you an address from the states and then you can open facebook normally. I've used it for over 3 years since I lived in Korea and wanted to watch tv programs that were blocked outside of the US. There are pop-up ads every now and then, but it's a free program so who cares!? Be sure to comment if you have any questions, need any advice, or just want to thank me for showing you the way! ^^

Happy facebooking!!

Bath and Body Works Wish List

2011-02-23T23:42:00.004+07:00

Please somebody.. anybody.. (except Shana John and Doug Nguyen because you've done too much already). This is my wish list from Bath and Body Works. It's not much.

Body splash. Any fragrance! I love them all (but mostly the fruity fragrances - imagine that)!

Wallflower refills (not the plug ins, just the refills) Sweet pea is my absolute favorite so feel free to send like 10 boxes of those!!

I can't get these things here in Vietnam so anything would be soooo appreciated! My mailing address is:

Kien Thuc Viet English School
Attn: Michael Strahan
71/4B Truong Dinh Street
Group 1, Tan Mai Ward
Bien Hoa City
Dong Nai Province, VietNam

My Residence Card

2011-02-19T22:37:00.003+07:00

I have been working REALLY hard on this for a while. After being BOOTED out of South Korea when the new administration took over in 2008, I am OVER THE MOON to have finally obtained my residence card here in Vietnam, especially since I've established a great life here the past two and half years!

So what's this mean? Well, for one, it means I'm secure with my resident status here for the next twelve years, and I don't have to continuously get work visas here to live, leave, or re-enter the country!! And there are some other privileges, but those are the main two I'm happy about. No more worrying about documents, useless and random hospital visits, or surprise 'kick-outs' out of the country.

I had to do a LOT of ground work back in the states with documents and health checks blah blah. Thankfully, I have an AMAZING dad who took care of all that for me since I was over here and couldn't get back home to take care of all of it.

Inside Joke

2011-02-03T22:39:00.002+07:00

One Month Behind Me

2011-02-01T08:16:00.002+07:00

So, I didn't really announce this because my diets usually last about 2 days, and then I feel dumb for professing it to the world. At any rate, I changed my lifestyle on January 1st, starting the new year and a commitment to focus on the BEST me!

For one month, I've not eaten any chocolate, candy, cookies, bread, or cake, and I've not drunk any milk, soda, or beer. I've been playing badminton regularly which gives me a bit of cardio. I wouldn't call this a diet, but I've just changed my lifestyle and eating/drinking habits. Losing weight will take some time, maybe a year for a noticeable decrease because now I've gotten so big that there's just too big an amount to lose. Slowly but surely, I WILL be the size I was two years ago. But this time I'm not going to starve myself nor will I run 5 miles a day every day. I have this record for getting down to a nice weight and then congratulating myself by eating any and everything I want because I've starved myself from those things for whatever period of time. This time, this year is different. I'm not expecting a fast change because this change I've made in my life is for the long run.

Wish me luck as I continue my quest for being the best me I can be :)

Lucky Money

2011-01-30T08:51:00.003+07:00

Here in Vietnam, we are now preparing for the Lunar New Year. This time of year, we put money into red envelopes to give to children to wish them good luck, health, etc. This year, my students are getting two-dollar bills if they visit my house to see me.

Aside from giving out lucky money, I have a two-week vacation from work with absolutely NOTHING to do!!! Heaven!

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I curse you, iphone autocorrect feature!

2011-01-27T10:31:00.002+07:00

A message to/from my boss:

Earthquake in Vietnam!

2011-01-26T18:45:00.004+07:00

So today, after I got home from watching a movie with my pal, Steph, I sat at my desk for a bit. I noticed a slight jolt and then another one and then another one. I thought it may have been an earthquake, and then I thought to myself, "Nah! Not in Vietnam!" and went back to my chatting. Besides, I'm a good ol' Louisiana boy. How could I possibly know what an earthquake feels like? I deduced that it must have been a truck passing through or the neighbors ... or something because 'there are no earthquakes in Vietnam.'

Later, my friend, Tyler, sent a message, "OMG! Did you know there was an earthquake?" Turns out I was right!! It WAS an earthquake! My VERY FIRST earthquake! How exciting! -and uneventful, really! But I'd always wanted to know what an earthquake felt like, and now I do.

There was a 4.7 off the coast here in Southern Vietnam. I'm about 110 miles away from the epicenter. So now when I get one of those goofy surveys from a friend asking if I've ever felt an earthquake, I can tick that off the list.

That little blue man indicates where I am.

Classroom Photos

2011-01-23T19:42:00.002+07:00

Only five students showed up for my favorite class. This is indicative that the Lunar New Year is upon us as all students take a break for some time to prepare for the festivities.In another class, I had the students sit far from each other to make them speak louder to hear their partners (they are shy). So, the little buggers just leaned in, defeating the purpose :)

Chilly Morning

2011-01-17T06:49:00.003+07:00

Oh... Mah... Gaahhh!! This is the COLDEST it's EVER been in the 2 1/2 years I've lived here. Global warming, man. Global warming.

Funny t-shirts

2011-01-14T09:23:00.004+07:00

Last night, two of my students had on funny shirts. So random.

She had no idea what 'swagger' was.

And this.. well.. this is just wrong. But funny.

How to get around the facebook block in Vietnam

2011-01-07T15:37:00.003+07:00

Copy the following information into word pad, then save it (replace existing) to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
Then, you can access facebook normally!

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 wat.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 mpa.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate-sea.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wwis-dubc1-vip60.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate-sjc0.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobeereg.com
127.0.0.1 insider.msg.yahoo.com
153.16.15.71 facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 apps.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.apps.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 login.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.login.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 touch.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.touch.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 vn-vi.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.vn-vi.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 m.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.m.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 register.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.register.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 graph.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.graph.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 static.ak.connect.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.static.ak.connect.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 developers.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.developers.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 error.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.error.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 upload.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.upload.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 pixel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.pixel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 0.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.0.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 en-gb.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.en-gb.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 blog.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.blog.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 1.152.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.1.152.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 0.152.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.0.152.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 connect.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.connect.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 api.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.api.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 0.50.chanel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.0.50.chanel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 error.152.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.error.152.channel.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 bigzipfiles.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.bigzipfiles.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 vi-vn.connect.facebook.com
153.16.15.71 www.vi-vn.connect.facebook.com

# ::1 localhost

And.. facebook is REblocked.

2011-01-07T09:54:00.001+07:00

Whatevs. That's what proxy servers and software are for.

Google: hotspot shield. Download it, run it, open facebook. Life will be joyous for you once again.

A Care Package!

2011-01-06T08:43:00.004+07:00

So once again, my wonderful friend, Shana, has come through for me! When I was living in Korea, she sent me a care package of goodies. I just received a package from her today that she sent for Christmas complete with Bath and Body Works Wallflower refills (which EVERYONE knows I love) and Crest White Strips!! Hooray! Thanks, Shana!!

Facebook UNblocked in Vietnam

2011-01-05T13:08:00.003+07:00

So after a week of a block of facebook here in Vietnam, we no longer need a proxy server or program to access it.

I wonder what that was all about. What was the point? Is the UNblock just a temporary thing? Did too many people complain, and the government gave in to the protests? Did the higher-ups stumble across my blog and realize I had a point? haha

I wonder..

Facebook Blocked in Vietnam?

2010-12-31T15:39:00.001+07:00

A helpful message to get around it..

Facebook blocked AGAIN in Vietnam?

2010-12-30T12:08:00.007+07:00

** UPDATE ** Look in the comments section for a great solution to getting around the block.

I tried to log into facebook, and it seems that the government of Vietnam is trying once again to block it. I'm getting lots of messages from friends and students saying the same. Really, Vietnamese government? Here's my message to you:

Dear Vietnamese government:

Please stop trying to block facebook as there are those of us (foreigners) a long, long way from home who depend on it to stay in touch with our family and friends, and this is a vital avenue to communicate with aforementioned persons. Furthermore, you will be unsuccessful - just like China - due to the inability to block every proxy server (like the one I'm using now). So, yeah, good luck with that!

Sincerely,

Michael
-an American living in this wonderful country (even if facebook is blocked)

Fashion Lesson

2010-12-29T23:36:00.003+07:00

One of my classes had to design an outfit for their friend - my activity for them, keeping in theme with the fashion lesson I taught tonight. I especially enjoy her two strands of hair with the flower attached to one of them. Enjoy!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

2010-12-19T20:48:00.007+07:00

So, a little backstory on the city I live in: When the North was fighting with the South, all the Catholics fleed from the North to my city of Bien Hoa where they could freely practice their religion. From what I've been told, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, Vietnam is around 80% Buddhist. However, in my city, it's overwhelmingly Catholic! I just moved to a Catholic parish, and here's what my street looks like at night. Not much compared to American standards, but it's really a sight here in 'Nam. Next year, I'm gonna rock it out American-style with the Christmas lights!!

The view from my balcony down the small street (alley) live on.

That's right! I even have some strands going up my house. Just wait until next year!

Crash!

2010-12-17T12:12:00.004+07:00

UGHHH!! My computer has crashed a few times now, and this is the message on the blue screen I receive. Any guesses on what the problem is? Thanks! :)

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A Text Message from One of my Students

2010-12-16T21:48:00.003+07:00

I think he meant happy.

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My Life in Vietnam

Joke of the Year

Twitter Updates

My New Toy

Random

Twitter Updates

Con Dao Vacation

Merry Christmas,Vietnam!

December Weather...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Twitter Updates

New Tat

Tat Touch Up

New Bedding

Photos from my New School

Halloween

What's this thing?

Busy Busy

Cool Visitor App

New Job!

My High School Best Friend

High School Photo

Looking Thinner

Kevin Dacosta Moore

Win, Lose, or Draw

September 11th

Cheerleading in Vietnam: Ngo Quyen High Performance

Minus 30 lbs

Shopping, American-style

My godson

Vietnam's Next Top Model

Gymnastics in Vietnam

Cheerleading in Vietnam, Aug 17th Practice

Ngo Quyen High School Cheerleading Video

Photo of the Day

Standing Back Tuck, 10 Aug 2001

Cheerleading in Vietnam, Aug 10th Practice

Late Birthday Photos

Funny Text Message

Holy Care Package Jackpot!!

Progress!

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to Me!

My School got a Makeover

Cheer Practice Slash Cake Fight

Cheerleading in Vietnam, Part 2

A slimmer ME

Cheerleading in Vietnam

Mohawk

♥Care Package♥

The CUTEST answer EVER!!

Shy Student

Giving Back

My First Windsor Knot

I'm a Vegan Now: Week 1

JACKPOT!!!

Cutey Patootey!

My Class of Nuns (and sometimes a priest)

Get it together!

Tuk Tuk

On Vacation (Yes, again!)

Care Package from Dad

Snorkeling in Nha Trang, Vietnam

Fashion Victim

HAHA Funny Homework Assignment

I AM ON VACATION!!!

My Thoughts on the Government Shutdown

Twitter Updates

Important: Facebook NewsFeed FIX

Typical Message from a Nun

My Kiwi Class

Confused Students

I'm a Model. Clearly.

Oh How I Love Payday!!

Class Party

My Near Death Experience

Random Answer

The latest 'FPT vs. Michael' Saga

ANOTHER care package

Smokin' it Up