Christmas 2009

For the first time, Christmas in Vietnam seemed as hectic as Christmas in the United States. Many people in Hanoi have begun to celebrate Christmas as a time to have a party. Unfortunately, most don't seem to "get it" any more than I understand the reason for having a party on St. Patrick's Day.

Two "Vietnam: Christmas traditions have developed for Nancy and me. One is making Christmas cookies with students. It's incredible how artistic they can be.

The other, which dates back to the 2007 VTF team, is helping to wrap and deliver presents for the preschools sponsored by CAMA Services. (The kids memorize lines from the Christmas story and put on a little play.) It wouldn't feel like Christmas in Vietnam without it.

 

(L to R) Innkeeper, Mary, Joseph

Shepherds and Angels

Magi

Twitter

Someone suggested that in order to understand Twitter, I need to try it out. So, here goes. But if you're in North America and you get tweets on your phone, you'll want to check out Setting sleep time for text messages. No one likes hearing their phone in the middle of the night!

Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor

Part of the curriculum for my reading classes is the US Declaration of Independence. The document ends with the signers fully committing themselves to the cause. Last week I told the students to write an essay explaining what they are committed to. I thought I'd share with you one of the more articulate answers I received.

If you read the Declaration carefully, you will not forget the last sentence, "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." In this occasion of 1776, 56 signers of the Declaration committed to devote their lives, their fortunes and their honor to fight for their country's independence. At this time, if asked to give my life, my fortune and my sacred honor, I would give them to my family - the closest and meaningful thing to me. If there were no family, I would not be in the world. In addition, my family has given me everything, from materials to spirit. It is always my support when happy or sad. As regard with 56 signers of the Declaration, fighting for their country, emancipation it from the oppression of Britain is getting freedom for their family and themselves. I was born when our country was independent, as for me, at this time, my family is the most important and most sacred thing in my life. What I give to my family is to repay what my family has been giving for me. When I contribute my life, my fortune and my honor to build my family, I make contribution of my life, my fortune and my honor to my country as well, because the prosperity of each country is built by one of each family. It is also the way I seek to my own independence and happiness. Because, when you know what you would give your life, fortune and honor to and know about give and take, you are really grow up and it is time you achieve your own independence.

Long Bien Art Festival

Sometimes you get to do things you never expected. This weekend, the famous Long Bien Bridge across the Red River was closed to traffic for a two-day festival of arts. Nancy and I were able to walk across without getting run over or choked by exhaust. In fact, the breeze off the water was quite cool.

The bridge is a historical landmark in Hanoi. Designed by Alexandre Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), it was built in 1898 and originally named the Doumer Bridge after Paul Doumer, who was president of France during Vietnam's colonial period. During the American-Vietnam War, it was repeatedly hit by American bombs and repeatedly, and rapidly, rebuilt by Vietnamese youth.

Most of the art consisted of paintings of the bridge. White banners were stretched along the bridge so people could add their comments and graffiti.

A few sketch artists and calligraphy artists had set up shop along the side of the road.

 

I'm grateful to the student who told me about the festival. It was a great afternoon to be out and about down by the river.

Rainy Day Thoughts

If I owned a house in Hanoi, I'd figure out how to catch the rain and use it. According to the leaky plastic pot in our courtyard, today's rain dropped about 4 inches (10 cm). That's pretty typical for the "big rain" that falls here in the summer and fall. With this one four-hour storm, 1300 gallons (4900 lit.) of fresh water poured off our steel roof and down the drain. That's at least two weeks worth of water for the two of us. And, as polluted as the Hanoi sky is, it would still be cleaner than what comes from the tap. It's not that I'm worried about my $5/month water bill, it's just that it seems like it would be a better use of this valuable resource than having it flood the streets and wash into the sewage canal.

The U.S. Virgin Islands requires a rainwater collection plan for all new building permits, as do some parts of Arizona and New Mexico. About 5% of the population of Hawaii depends on rainwater. Maryland encourages collection on a small scale to slow the runoff of pollutants and lawn fertilizers into the Chesapeake Bay. Colorado recently changed their laws to allow limited collection. With the availability of fresh water becoming an increasing problem in the Middle East, the American West, India, China (of course) and a lot of other places around the globe, rainwater collection seems like a good part of the solution.

If you're interested in reading more, the Texas Water Development Board has some good information, including a downloadable how-to manual. If you just want to start thinking about a winter project for next year's garden, this Sustainable Gardening blog has a lot of information for you.