The Studying of Sarah

I never knew how much studying I would have to do for Yoga Teacher Training.  It's pretty intense and can't imagine working full time and going to graduate school.  Kudos to those of you who do!  Between working, my social calendar, my fitness routine, I barely had a free second.  I forgot what it was like to have homework and deadlines.  Thankfully, the material I was covering was something I have a true passion for and really enjoy.  Of course, in true Sarah fashion, I procrastinated.  For some reason I work way better under pressure.  But get outta my way when I do... It took the full 5 weeks, but by week 5, everything sort of clicked for me.  I started understanding the body and why we we do the poses and moves in Yoga Sculpt.  Understanding all of this really helps teach it and explain it.  The hardest part is getting it out of my mouth - saying all I have to say.  But I completed my program and passed my test this Sunday.  I am officially a certified Yoga Instructor!!  I'm going to try to teach a few free classes in the area and at my work gym before I leave for South Africa - just to get some practice.  And then off to Cape Town in January to continue my studies - 200 more hours to go! 

The Sculpt of Sarah

The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated.  The union occurs between the mind, body and the spirit.  As many of you have heard me preach - Yoga has changed my body and my life!!  It's the one thing I can always go back to.  It grounds me, it allows me to focus, it relaxes me and brings self awareness. Yes, I love to run and do all sorts of different workouts, but the difference is that I'm usually thinking about something else during those times like my day, the things I still have to get done, the music I'm listening to at the moment.  With Yoga, I have no choice but to spend the 60-90 minutes to myself, where I am only focusing on my body, my postures, and my balance (which is VERY IMPORTANT for the clutz in me so I don't fall over in the middle of the class).


In addition to going back to Cape Town, South Africa next January to get my full 200 hour Yoga Teaching Certification, I decided to get trained in a type of yoga here called Sculpt.  So, I spent this past weekend in my first Corepower Yoga Sculpt teacher training sessions.  Yoga Sculpt is an hour long class of all I love to do when I workout.  It includes yoga, cardio (quick bursts of plyometrics to shock the body), weight lifting, intense heat (meaning I walk out of the room soaked in sweat, which cleanses and detoxes the body), all while listening to music!  How fun is that???  I could go on and on about how good this class is for you.  I am extremely passionate about it.  Can you tell?

I have anxiously been waiting for this weekend and to officially begin "yoga school" and what will begin a new career in yoga instruction.  17 total hours down with 19 hours to go and I actually wish it were longer... Why, you ask?  Because after this weekend, there is no way in hell I'm gonna be ready to teach!!  I'm gonna need all the practice I can get!!  Panic mode has set in...I've been taking it 3 days a week for the past 3 1/2 months. I can take a Yoga Sculpt class with my eyes closed, I know it like the back of my hand, know exactly what poses are coming next, but to teach is a whole different ball game.  To have to stand up and instruct a group of 20-30 people, making sure the temperature of the room is just right, the music isn't too loud, fitting the planned workout into 60 mins without going over, ensuring my students are doing their poses correctly and no one is in danger, all while they are staring back at me, trusting in me to give them a great workout.  It's a lot of pressure!  I had this crazy idea in my head that we would spend the whole weekend practicing yoga, and I would get this great workout.  Silly me...


We spent the majority of those 17 hours in discussion.  Learning the anatomy of the body, going over health and fitness terms, reviewing exactly what is happening in the body during each of the poses, and beginning to learn how to instruct, to give cues on alignment and safety with the weights and of course, the most important element of yoga, TO BREATHE!  


I need to start taking my own advice, because deep breathes are about the only thing that will get me through the stress I feel.  I know I have the confidence, the loud voice, and the personality, but I feel like it is going to take forever until I get there. But regardless, I am extremely excited, and so happy I made the decision to pursue this, as I do envision myself one day bouncing around in front of the class getting people pumped and playing my Rihanna music!!  I have a lot of reading to do, even homework, and a whole lot of practicing with friends and family.  So if anyone wants some free yoga lessons, you know where to find me...

Namaste!  

The So What's Next? of Sarah

When I got back to the states I told myself I would relax for the month of July and wait until August to begin figuring out what in the world I was going to do next with my life.  I didn’t want to stress about it, as I had already done so while in Cape Town with a month left to go on my trip; I began to panic, thinking I had to have something lined up before I went home.  After all, my trip WAS supposed to be about “finding myself” and hoping something would just fall into my lap, wasn’t it??  Yes, I got some clarity on a lot of things, I changed quite a bit, I decided there were a few things I didn’t want in life, but I realized there was no point ruining the last month of my holiday stressing about what was to come.  I would just let it go and hope that things would fall into place.   And that they did…

Leaving Cape Town, I was pretty convinced I would be back.  I wanted to come home and take some time, get over the travel “buzz”, and see how it felt to be in Chicago again.  But I wasn’t home even a few weeks before I was yearning to return.  The energy, the people, the culture, the mountains, the water, the beaches, the 25 children I left behind, and of course, Babalwa’s precious little face I promised I would see again. 

I assumed I couldn’t go longer than a few months without having an income, so I would plan to go back in October or November.  A little ambitious, I know…  I quickly began making connections, researching organizations, sending out emails to friends and anyone who could provide me with information on immigrating to South Africa and how I could get an extension to a 3 months traveler’s visa.  The amazing American couple I met in Cape Town, Dash & Pam, were extremely encouraging.  A few years ago, they too had the urge to move to South Africa, so they quit their steady/good paying jobs, picked up their 3 kids, and moved from New Jersey to Cape Town.  They took a leap of faith and they have been a great inspiration to me to follow my heart and my dreams.  And so I planned to do just that. 

But what would I do there and how would I afford to live?  I knew I wanted to help out at my children’s home, Masigcine.  After volunteering there for 8 weeks I had a lot of ideas, passion to grow the home and expand the organization, so I reached out to the manager and of course they are more than willing to allow me to help, but don’t have a paying position at the moment.   I was just happy to be in touch and even got to speak to the kids on the phone, which completely had me over the moon and reinforced how much I miss all of them and can’t wait to see their smiling little faces again. <3   So I decided I would help part time, with hopes of a position opening up, but I would also have to begin looking elsewhere within other organizations. 

While all of this was going on, I was getting back into my yoga practice, trekking downtown 3-4 days a week.  My friend, Maria, introduced me to Corepower yoga, and specifically the Corepower Sculpt class.  Not only is it Vinyasa yoga in a hot room, it includes arm weights, and the added bonus of music!!  I was in heaven.  And my idea of being a personal trainer on the side (something that came to me when I was on my meditation retreat) turned into an idea to teach yoga.  Yoga has really changed my body and my mind since my friend Marisa introduced me to Bikram yoga a few years ago. I can’t explain how much more calm and grounded I feel when I practice a few times a week.  It would be perfect!  Of course, they aren’t offering a teacher training course until end of October, which would bring me to at least end of November and to top it off, it wouldn’t give me a full yoga teaching certification.  So there I was, deciding if I could wait until December to go back, and at that point, I figured I might as well wait until after the holidays.  This was throwing a little wrench in my plan, but I had this feeling I should pursue the class.  The Yoga Sculpt class is not offered in many other places, especially South Africa, so I thought a few of the yoga studios I visited in Cape Town would be a perfect place to market this class.  But I still had the issue of not being fully certified.  Then the light bulb went off.  Why not finish my yoga training in Cape Town?  After some quick research, I found a teacher who will train me in whatever amount of time I need.   So with a 3 months traveler’s visa guaranteed, I can go to Cape Town, get certified, all while helping out at Masigcine and look for a full-time job.  If I can’t find something and/or get my visa extended after 3 months, I come home and at least I will be able to say I gave it a shot, I will come home with a yoga teaching certification, I will get to be in Cape Town during the summer (when it’s freezing in Chicago) and I will get to see the kids and all my friends again.  Sounds like a perfect plan to me. 

Oh and in the meantime, while shopping at my favorite yoga store, Lululemon, I was put in touch with a girl who studied for a year at the University of Cape Town , teaches yoga, and is moving back to Cape Town in January as well to start up an extension of The Africa Yoga project which was started in Kenya.  Britt and I quickly had a connection and have so many plans when we are back there together. 

And the icing on the cake is that a great friend of mine, Melissa, has generously extended an invite for me to stay with her in the city and I have a job until I plan to leave.  A former co-worker of mine recently went on maternity leave and needed coverage while she’s gone.  She had heard I was looking to make a little bit of money before I moved, and just like that, I am working back in my old role, but on the Gatorade brand.  I never in a million years thought I would step foot back into that building as an employee, but it’s actually quite a sweet gig and learning a whole new brand is a great new challenge for me.  And it just so happens she needs me until January, right when I plan to leave for Cape Town.  I don’t really know what I did to deserve all of this, as I often have to stop and question why am I so lucky and when will it all come crashing down.  But this all just reinforces my strong belief in Karma. What goes around comes around.  Yes, I’m still a gypsy and I don’t know what is to come after my visa runs out in April next year, but I’m enjoying living for today and continuing to believe that good things come to those who wait.

The Since I've Been Home of Sarah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s old news that I’m home.  I’ve been so lucky to have seen or spoken to many of you, my story has been told about 100 times, and most of you have heard what an amazing time I had on my 5 month journey traveling the world.  I have wanted to blog the recap of my trip, but a lot of great questions have come up from friends and family, which have made me think a lot more and much deeper about things I hadn’t even thought about.  I definitely plan to recap the trip at some point, but this blog will be about the last 10 weeks since I’ve been home, the adjustment being back in the US, the progress I’ve made on my next steps in life, and of course the planes, trains, automobiles, and boats that have taken me on a whole new 2 month adventure. 

So what’s a girl to do with nothing but free time, perfect summer weather, a swimming pool in the backyard, parents who can’t get enough of seeing her, and the most fabulous and generous friends?

The first few weeks home in July were busy, as if I had never left.  I think I had plans lined up for the first 3 weekends I was home before I even got here.  I had a lot of catching up to do and spent a lot of time making the trek between the burbs, where I was staying with my parents, and the city, to see friends (Something my parents weren't too keen about.  After 10 years living out of their house, I forgot what it feels like to be questioned where I'm going and what I'm doing).  I got the "when will you be home?" and "well it's nice to see you!" (sarcastic tone of voice).  I never knew doing my own thing at 31 years old would make me feel so guilty.  Lol! But to their defense, I was once again living under their roof and they just wanted to know what I was up to and when I would be popping in. Some things just never change I guess... ;) 

Although it was summer, a lot of social plans in the city revolve around eating and drinking. This didn’t help my plan to lose the 10 pounds I packed on on my trip, but thankfully my friend Maria had a different idea, so we would meet for yoga and brunch dates, which quickly got me back into a routine, realizing how much I truly missed my yoga practice.  I have only enjoyed practicing Bikram yoga for the past 2 ½ years, but Maria introduced me to another form of hot yoga, which opened up a whole new world for me.  But I’ll get back to that a little later…

Catching up with friends made me quickly realize I didn’t miss a whole lot while I was gone. Yes, some things had changed - A couple of friends got new jobs, a few got promoted, one graduated business school, there were a few engagements and babies born, a few moved in with their boyfriends, and a couple more found their sole mates.  Exciting times for all of them, but it just reinforced for me how much more I felt  “out of place”, or as my friend Deanna described me, “a fish out of water”.  Not that anyone made me feel that way, or that I couldn’t still relate to any of these friends, but it just solidified what I realized when I was gone – there is nothing conventional about the way I’m currently living my life and it will probably remain that way for awhile.  I’m still somewhat of a gypsy, bouncing around, traveling from place to place, packing and unpacking.  Sometimes I would give anything to just have “my” bed, a place to call my own again, but I’m learning to live with the fact that this was my choice and I’m actually happier than I have ever been in life.  The unknown is fun for me right now.  Where will life take me, where will I be 5 years from now?  As of right now, I have plans until mid April and after that, who knows?  I’ll figure it out as I go, I’m living day by day, and it seems to be working just fine.  Things are falling into place better than I could have ever imagined and I attribute it to my positive attitude and the energy I put towards taking risks and living life to the fullest. 

Still, it didn’t take long for me to get wrapped back up into the American way of life.  When traveling, everything was so simple.  Here, I try to avoid the materialistic things, the gossip and the nonsense they call “news” these days, but it is everywhere and it’s so hard not to get consumed by it.  Being single in Chicago for 2 years definitely took its toll on me and wore me out.  Now I’m trying hard to focus my attention and time on things like volunteering, weekend trips away, yoga, concerts, etc.  Taking my trip around the world opened my eyes to so much and just left me craving more. 

Here is a list of some of the things I’ve done “Since I’ve Been Home”:

• Spent lots of lazy hours laying by my parent’s pool, playing with the dogs and reading.  I have learned to relax, leave my phone in the house, and just focus on myself.
• Within the first couple of weeks home I only tried driving on the wrong side of the road twice and walked to the wrong side of the car once.  But still to this day, about half the time I’m still walking on the left side of the sidewalk.  When I’m alone, it’s ok, but the second someone else starts coming towards me, my mind can’t trigger it quick enough and default is to go left.  I have much more patience now for people that get a little tangled up and seem a little confused.  I know how it feels!!!
• I've learned to space out the important things I need to do, such as pay bills, fixing my car, running errands, etc.  I am so much better at managing my time, I’ve learned to take things slow, giving myself a few tasks a day and forgetting about the rest until tomorrow.  
• Bus ride with 25 friends to Ravinia to see Sting.
• Rihanna concert with my sister.
• Spent time on my family’s boat in Michigan City and shopping with my Mom.
• Deck parties, Cubs games, rooftop pool days, boat parties, and street festivals in the city.
• A weekend in New Buffalo with my besties, which started a tradition for many more years to come.
• A last minute weekend trip to Minnesota with my friend, Julia, which opened my eyes to what goes on in a tiny little town of 600 people and also allowing me to make some really cool new friends. 
• Brunches and lunches with friends visiting from out of town.
• Visiting Erin & Randy and their new baby boy.
• Drank lots of wine, talking and catching up on life.
• Pool Days at Bridget’s House with Nicki, Kristy, Amy, Taylor, and all the little rugrats.  Can’t forget our friend Jeremiah…
• Birthday dinner after birthday dinner.  
• Traveled for a week to New Orleans and volunteered with The St. Bernard Project, rebuilding a family’s home and helping out anywhere we could.  All thanks to my new friend, Jenn, who is one of the smartest, kindest, giving persons I have ever met.  A true inspiration for me!!
• Spent a beautiful Labor Day weekend in Seaside, FL which included a lot of R&R, fun in the sun, fantastic dinners, and silly shenanigans I would have never expected.  Melissa and Tim are the greatest hosts!
• Took a quick overnight trip for Julia’s graduation party for Minnesota Madness Round 2 and a private plane ride home that allowed me to sit in the cockpit, listen, and watch the plane land.
• Yoga, yoga and more yoga.

I can’t believe how long I’ve been home already.  It’s almost starting to feel like a distant memory.  But I don’t ever want to forget.  This chapter in my life will probably be like that guy who just can’t let go of that one football game in High School 25 years ago where he was the star.  Haha.  I just have to keep going through the pictures and reminding myself of all the great memories I made and the amazing things I did and saw. 

So you are probably wondering what I’m going to do next?  I know I promised to share my next steps, but this post is already way too long.  I do have a plan, I do have a job here in Chicago for the time being, I have a new place to stay, but I guess you will all just have to wait for my next post, "The So What’s Next? of Sarah"….

The Shift of Sarah

My time at Masigcine Children's Home would have never been the same if it weren't for the wonderful girls I volunteered with over the course of  those 10 weeks in Cape Town.  I can't imagine life without having met Malene, Linda, Katie, Emma, Jen, and Ingrid.  We got each other through some of those crazy, exhausting days with the kids.  We worked so well together, splitting responsibilities, knowing when to step in and take over when we could tell someone had had enough, taking turns with the duties, not questioning each other when one of us needed a break, sharing new ways to do things, new ways to be patient, and of course, how to love more than I ever could have imagined possible.  Not only were we so fortunate to have each other at work, but we were a hell of a lot of fun off the job as well!  Never in a million years did I think I could connect with these girls the way I did.  They were some of the most mature young women I have ever met and I learned something new from them everyday.  We had so much fun talking, laughing, crying, loving, teasing, dancing, shopping, partying, and learning.  I could probably go on and on forever with the amount of memories we made, but here is just a tidbit...

• Learning Xhosa!!  Practicing every night before bed, using it on and off shift when we could, asking the Si Sis to translate for us, singing the South African National Anthem, and reading the Xhosa Dictionary.  Some of our faves were:  Ndiyakuthanda (I Love You), Sithandwa Sam (My Love - "Oh, Ronel!") :) , Suka (Go Away), Bafana Bafana..my girls know the rest of this one..
• Kate, Emma and the ladder incident  
• Jen and Na Kangaroo.
• Introducing yet another person (or 4) to peanut butter & jelly.  
• Staying up making Fat Koek (source of probably 5 of the pounds I gained...) and chatting with the Si Sis.
• The Bok Bus Weekend (Driving the jeeps, Ashley's pile of boxer shorts, campfires, forbidden flowers, mosquito nets, and Jen poking penquins)
• Falling off the seat in the van.
• Emma calling me "so charming" when I would lose/drop everything and have a trail behind me she would pick up.
• Oh, those African Boys...
• Partying and dancing on Long Street, Trenchtown and late nights at Stones.  The stolen toast and Nutella, Emma and me getting followed back to the house, hiding from the creep calling over the wall "Emma, Emma, I love you!"
• Removing the Akon Poster
• Trips to/from Creche (the kids preschool).
• Jen and me explaining "It's an expression!" to Emma.
• Ingrid, Emma, and Me going nuts at Canal Walk and pushing around a shopping cart full of our goods.  "I'm so glad I bought this shit!" - Ingrid
• The breezer in the freezer
• "Hey, Malene!  Hey, Malene!"
• Ingrid running into the glass sliding door on the infamous night we "stayed in"
• All the fun expressions:  "It's all about sharing, mate!", "Woop", "Eish", "Hilarious", "Pissin", "Good for you", "Who knows? Only God." 
• Small Big Mac meals
• All of our text response discussions and the boy advice.
• What do you call a fish with no eye?  Fsshh  (Good one, Ingrid!) ;)
• Emma in La La Land.  "Oh, Emma!"
• Me, Malene and Linda running in the township and our backyard bootcamp
• Painting our nails (and toenails).. 
• Emma and me sitting outside with boys when they came home from school
• The Biscuit Mill, Wine Tours, Safaris, Sunsets, McDonalds, Shop Rite, Table Mountain, Moyo, SATC, 
• The Norwegians and their beautiful eyes
• Emma sitting in Qamane's wet spot
• The mini-bus rides
• Finding Emma passed out with a bowl of pasta in bed
• The birthday party upstairs for the girls
• Ingrid and my crazy day/night at Fan Fest with Andisiwe.  Bafana, Bafana...
• P.S. Bars.  "Have you ever thought about being a lesbian?"
• The whistler...
• Dressing up the kids in the silly costumes we found hidden in a closet
• The uneventful sunset.  I mean sunrise...
• Tip Top Tommelopp
• Malene and Linda dying their hair
• My little pumpkin
• Our late night talks
• Music sharing
• Movies, movies, and more movies.  

I could go on and on...So many  memories in such a short time together.  I can only hope our paths will cross again; but for some reason, I'm really not that worried because we had a bond that cannot be broken or replicated and I just know we will make the effort to see each other again soon someday...  Ndiyakuthanda, Si Sis!!  Obokeka Gakoshe!

The Surprise of Sarah

What better way to make return home from my 5 month trip then to surprise by Mom on her birthday??  I didn't book my return flight home until 5 weeks ago.  I had been telling my Mom (and everyone else) that I would be home July 7th, while secretly my flight was booked for July 5th (my Mom and Brother's birthday).  I actually didn't even want to tell my Brother I was coming home, but figuring my family had plans for the day, I knew there was no way I could coordinate where they would be and how I would get home.  For the last 5 weeks my Mom has been asking over and over when exactly I was coming home and if I would send her my flight info.  I kept giving her the run around, while secretly planning my arrival with my Brother and Sister.

Although I was reluctant to come back from my trip, as the plane began descending into Chicago I was extremely excited and nervous all at the same time - such a strange feeling... As my sister had promised, she arrived at O'Hare with a large Reese's Peanut Butter cup blizzard.  :) It was delish!  I was so happy to see Ashley and ironically enough, she was nervous as well.  We debated back and forth whether Mom knew about my secret and wee plotted how I would walk make my grand entrance.

My mom was sitting on the back patio with her back to the door.  I casually walked up behind her and just said, "Hey Mom!  What's up?".  She couldn't believe it!  She immediately said that about an hour earlier at 12:30pm she had mentioned to my Dad that she hadn't heard from me in a few days and was wondering if I may show up early because when I left back in February, I had originally told her I would come home in July, most likely for her birthday.  Ironically enough, 12:30pm is exactly when I touched ground in Chicago.  Call it ESP or a mother's intuition, she felt my presence.  Wild!  Of course we had a great day catching up, relaxing in the sun, barbecuing, and eating cake (my sister even gave me a welcome home cookie).  It felt so good to be back with my family again and I realized how much I truly missed them.

And for everyone else.  I'm sorry I lied and said I wasn't going to be home until Wednesday.  I needed a couple of days to spend with my family, ease in and slowly come back to reality, do a few errands, all without my phone blowing up.  I guess you can say I'm sneaky like that...  But I'm back!!  So excited to have a summer off in Chicago, so excited to see everyone and catch up on the last 5 months.  I will most likely continue to blog, as I still have so much to share.  So keep checking back.  You never know what sort of new adventures I have up my sleeve...

The Solitude of Sarah

You know that saying, "That which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger"? True Story!
So what exactly is Vipassana meditation?  According to my books, it is a straight-forward way to achieve peace of mind and lead a happy, useful life. Vipassana means "to see things as they really are" and it's a process of mental purification throught self-observation. We all experience frustration and misery from time to time and tend to distribute it to others, which isn't a proper way to live. Vipassana teaches us to observe this reality and gain insight to the causes of our misery and helps us dissolve the tensions and unravel the knots to lead a more positive, balanced and happy life. Although it was practiced and taught by Buddha, it is not involved with any specific sect or religion and can be practicied by anyone.
I was so nervous going into the 10 day course. 10 days without speaking (lord knows that's a huge task for me), without any contact with the outside world, without any distractions, including music, exercising, writing. Could I do it??
After a day, there was no chance I wasn't going to document what I was thinking and feeling. My mind was crazed and figured this was all part of my journey and I had to write down what I was experiencing.
Here are some of my notes verbatim from my journal:
First Night
- The ambience of the meditation hall and the chanting that began the course literally had me convinced I was joining a cult and that I would be locked up and brain washed.

- One woman leaves
Day 1
- For as flexible as I am, this sitting is killing my hips..
- Acute awareness today (thought people were crazy when they talked about this) - the grass, the mountains, the trees, the flowers, the moss on the ground, the dew on the logs, the crickets and birds chirping, the moon and the stars. Everything seems so clear.
- So hard to concentrate
Day 2
- Freaking out/monkey mind. Should I leave? Is everyone else feeling the same way?
- Saw a beautiful peacock and wanted to shout to everyone to come look, but couldn't! LOL!
- I'm totally cheating by writing down my thoughts..- I absolutely hate washing my dishes in the dirty water everyone else is using. ILL!

Day 3
- I'm dosing off. Is that a good thing?
- Wondering if there is more to this. The old students don't budge for 2 hours, but they don't walk away looking extremely happy either. WTF?
- Want to shout out "Are we all crazy?!"
- Million thoughts running throughout my head. More than ever...About people and things I could care less about. My mind is even making weird things up.
- What if I can't meditate? Be patient.. I guess this is a good thing considering I never sit down.
- I'm not a quiter, so will stick this out.
Day 4
- Loving the weather, so warm and sunny.
- I can't believe how many ideas I've had in my head. Realizing things I do want and don't want in life. When wouldever really sit and think about all this w/ no distractions?
- Another girl left (4 total now)- Crazy ideas. Convinced myself I have a tumor growing in my stomach.. (it's not the 5 months of no excersing and eating crap). LOL!

- Maybe my next calling is a team mascot [I'm peppy, I love motivating people, I have tons of energy]?? OMG! I LOL to myself on that one.
Day 5
- Why can't I just let things go? Mind still racing. I know there is a silver lining.. - I can only meditate for an hour max. I don't have the attention span...isn't that the reason I'm here? Duh!

- Deep thought - If I died today, I would die happy. :)

- Still just having an apple, a banana, and popcorn for dinner. I've given up thinking we will get anything else one of these nights..

- desires = cravings = clinging = misery
Day 6
- Now going nuts that I can't follow through with all the thoughts and ideas I've had over the last 6 days. I'm way more creative than I thought..
- Plan to sell a lot of my things when I get home... Realizing what I don't need in my life.  Ebay, here I come!- Saw a huge bug next to the girl in front of me in the meditation hall and couldn't even tell her! Try meditating with one eye open. NOT EASY!
Day 7
- Understand the technique. Really now just up to me to practice, but I've slacked and sleep in every morning. But this is about me. I've never slept so good. Not going to beat myself up about it...- Starting to feel really good after a week of eating healthy/vegetarian

- Tears of joy during the evening session. Whoa!  :)
Day 8
- I'm over it. 7 days would have been a perfect amount of time. The next 3 days are going to be a struggle.
Day 9
- Broke the silence with less than 24 hours to go. Couldn't take it. Was well worth it. The girls in my house are amazing!
Billie-Mae plays the African Drum in a band that I have seen at a local bar a few times. I knew she looked familiar!!
Joana is half Portugese and half Indian, but was born in Mozambique. 22 years old and has the most fascinating stories. Her mom and step-day (both doctors) just realased a book last week called "Sex at Dawn". Pretty sure they will be on Oprah soon.
Nosipho is a mother of a 3 year old and has come to figure out if she wants to divorce her husband. I gave her some encouraging words. :)
Day 10
- Trying very hard to be quiet and secretive about our broken silence, but are so giggly. Wish I had more time with these girls...

- Broken silence FINALLY! The 2 people that sat on either side of me in the hall told me I fell asleep and was snoring on the first day. HAHA!
All in all a wonderful experience. Could have been a little shorter for sure. Maybe I didn't meditate as much as I should have, but I think I gained what I wanted. I learned to meditate, I detoxed my body, I relaxed with no interuptions for 10 days straight, I had so much time to think and reflect on my life. At the end of the day, I just confirmed what I've known for awhile. I'm so blessed, I have the most amazing friends and family, I've been so lucky to go on this journey, I've had the most amazing experiences, I've grown in more ways than I ever imagined possible, and I have absolutely noregrets in life. Oooommmmm.......

The [Home] Sweet Home of Sarah

Reluctantly, I will be heading home this week.  I can't believe how quickly 5 months has come and gone.  It's not that I don't miss Chicago - the Cubs & Sox games, North Ave. Beach, Shopping on Michigan Ave., the street fests, and of course I couldn't forget all of my friends and family... It's just that 5 months really wasn't much time and I feel like I could go another 5 months.  Just two small problems:
1) I promised my parents I would be home early July (plus, I'm pretty sure they are over taking care of my business, dealing with my mail, maintaining Joan Jetta). 
2)  I'M BROKE!  As in waaay over spent my budget... But I wouldn't take any of it back and it was worth every penny. 
As the # of days here dwindle, I do get more and more excited to be home.  Plus, I'm just telling myself it's going to be a quick visit back. ;) 
So here are the Top 10 Reasons I can't wait to be back to Sweet Home Chicago:
10.  Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (I'm expecting my sister to have one of the giant sized ones, or better yet, a RBC blizzard waiting for me when she picks me up at the airport), Pizza (sorry, nothing compares to Chicago Pizza), Greek Yogurt & Blueberries, and Sushi (who's making the reservation at Coast?  I'll bring the Wine!)
9. Staying put for awhile - although I'm sure I will be back and forth between the p's and the city...
8.  Relaxing by the pool, reading the list of books I've made along my way, and reflecting on my travels
7.  My clothes - will be like a brand new wardrobe again
6.  Bikram Yoga
5.  Figuring out what I'm going to do next in life (yes, I'm excited for this)
4.  My bed
3.  Summer in Chicago
2.  My Iphone and being able to be in contact with anyone at anytime & always having internet access
All these things will be nice to have, but the #1 reason I'm excited to come back home:
1.  Catching up with all my wonderful friends and family!
See you all soon!  XOXO

The Soccer of Sarah

So much excitement going on for the World Cup here in Cape Town.  I wasn't even supposed to be here, and admit I was a little bit nervous that it would be a little crazy, but it has been so much fun.  There is so much energy.  Unfortunately I am not going to get a chance to go to a game, but I did manage to make it down to the Grand Parade to the FIFA Fan Fest for the South Africa/Mexico kickoff game on Friday.  Ingrid and I made our way downtown and almost weren't let in b/c it was full . We patiently waited outside the gates.  Everyone was chanted "let us in" and having such a good time.  Luckily they let a big group of people in and Ingrid and I made the cut.  We had such a good time cheering and celebrating with all the S.A. fans.  Wearing green and yellow, supporting Bafana! Bafana! (which is what they call the team - it means "the boys" "the boys").  We later met up with one of the young Si Sis, Andisiwe, from Masi, which was a blast.  I'm slowly learning about Soccer, which is actually a pretty exciting sport.  Although I realized that I might know why the Americans don't follow it so much - the games can end in a draw so that no one wins...boring!  Besides the fact I can barely hear anymore from all the Vuvuzelas (like a trumpet) - those things are loud and they keep us up at night too - it's been a great time and I'm so happy I was able to be a part of the games...  Oh, and my friend Beth go to build a sculpture as well (like the cows, but Zebras).  She is so talented (see it below).  It's Ayoba time!!

I

The Si Si of Sarah

Agh!  I can't believe I have been here for almost 8 weeks.  Time has flown by and it really doesn't feel as though I'm on holiday anymore.  It's been so nice to be settled and just "live".  Me and the other volunteers spend 3 days living in Mfuleni township (townships are the areas that during the Apartheid were reserved for non-whites  - black Africans and Coloureds) on shift from 7am to 7pm at Masigcine Children's Home (Masi).  On our breaks and after 7pm, we spend our time reading, watching movies, chatting about our day with the kids, and planning the next day's activities.  When we return for 3 days to Cape Town for our time off, we live in an area called Observatory.  When off shift, we go to the internet cafe, relax, shop, climb mountains, go on tours, visit the markets, go to concerts (Akon baby!!), and of course let loose and party sometimes.  :)

When I arrived the first week I met a ton of great girls to hang with but unfortunately they were just finishing their time here.  Since they have left, I have been on the project with 6 different girls. Malene and Linda from Norway who were with me for about 4 weeks, Jen from Canada here 4 weeks, Emma from Norway here 6 weeks, Kate from England here 4 weeks, and Ingrid from Norway who just arrived 2 weeks ago.  I have seen a lot of people leave, and it hasn't been easy.  Living in close quarters with each other, learning about our differences, going through culture shock together, making preciou memories with the kids, and laughing harder than we've ever laughed before.  I never in a million years thought I could connect with these girls on such a deep level (especially given they are all 19 and 20 years old), but there is a reason why we were all brought together and I am so thankful for sharing this part of my journey with them.  <3

Si Si is a word for sister in the Xhosa language (one of 11 languages in S. Africa).  Although most everyone can speak English as well, Si Si is what we call each other and what we call the women who are full time employees at the home.  My first shift as a Si Si was rewarding, overwhelming, and exhausting all at the same time. I had to go alone b/c the other volunteers hadn't arrived yet, but thankfully Malene & Linda were staying at Masi full time.  They had been at Masi for 3 months last year and came back to live at the house for 6 more weeks.  They showed me the ropes, and if it weren't for them, I probably would have lost it.  I spend most of the shift learning the lay of the land, learning 25 names (so challenging given a lot of them are African and difficult to pronounce), and just enjoying the kids and getting to know their personalities and backgrounds.  They all stole my heart and I was so surprised to see how happy they are, always smiling and laughing.  They are really well behaved (most of the time...) and know the system really well (sad, but true).  The stories behind each child are heartbreaking.  Some have parents who have chosen to neglect them b/c they drink too much, some whose parent's have died of Aids, some who have been left in a trash bin at birth.  Some have been here for months or years, some are 10 years old and have been here since birth, and 5 have arrived since I've started.  Some of their parents walk by w/o acknowledging their children are inside, some parents get visitation, trying to prove they are fit to bring them home again.  It's so painful to see the kids when they come home from a weekend away b/c they are so happy to go home, but so sad to be torn away again.  My first shift ended well, but I was completely exhausted and could not wait to get a break.

Shifts 2 and 3 were tough.  The kids had a lot of activities and visitors those weeks, including parents visiting, past volunteers visiting, choir groups, hula hoop lady, baptisms, public holidays off school, special treats for dinner.  It seems the more people that are around, the wilder they are.  During these shifts I also started to question what is really best for these kids.  Yes, our love and attention is desparately needed (the smiles on their faces when we give them just 20 minutes of one on one time to color or do a puzzle is priceless), but I began wondering if they would do better with more of a routine and with less people around.  I began to feel guilty about coming into their lives for only 4 weeks and leaving them, just like everyone else has done before me.  The only consistencies they have are the full time Si Sis, who have been at the home for years.  They women are absolutely amazing and have the biggest hearts.  They get paid close to nothing (equivalent to about $300 us dollars a month) yet come to work every day (some walking 1.5 hours to get to/from) with the biggest smiles on their faces, taking care and loving the children as if they were their own.  And on their days off, they spend their time cooking, cleaning, and taking care of of their own children at home.  Although these weeks were frustrating for me, I started realizing there was no way I could only stay 1 more week.  I was just starting to get comfortable, I was becoming friends with the Si Sis, starting to learn and speak Xhosa, I wanted to understand the bigger picture on on what goes on withe these homes and the kids, and of course, I was falling in love with the children.

Shifts 4 and 5 were a turning point for me and here I am, going into my 8th shift tomorrow and just can't believe my time here is almost up.  I chose to stay her for the rest of my travels b/c I just couldn't see myself going anywhere else.  Yes, there are so many other places in the world that I want to see, but I have seen and done so much in the last 4 months and to be honest, the novelty of seeing and doing has sort of worn off for the time being.  I figured why not stay here?  When will I ever have this chance again? I feel comfortable here, I have made friends here, I feel like I have sort of a normal life - working a few days a week, etc. A few days ago I realized how a year or so ago I could never imagine myself doing what I'm doing, living in a "dorm", sleeping in bunkbeds, living w/o all my "stuff", but it's crazy how I've just adapted, w/o even thinking about it. I have gained a new appreciation for my friends with kids, although taking care of 1 or 2 kids sounds like a breeze to me at this point. :)  Having 3 kids jumping on me, begging for my attention, crying, and waiting to be held, while another one is tugging on my sleeve needing to go to the toilet, is exhausting.  Of course some days I have no energy and am not engaged.  But the patience, the love, the understanding, the tolerance, and the greatfullness that I have learned is incredible.  At the end of the day, I am blessed for every minute I get with the kids.  Whether it be bathing, feeding, reading, painting, playing outside, doing their nails, singing and dancing, playing outside and taking them to the park, walking them to/from school, wiping their tears (and their snotty noses); every moment is priceless.  My favorite part of the day is bath time at 5pm.  They are refreshed from the day, clean and snuggly, smelling good in the their pjs.  I just love it. 

Of course, even though we are told not to do it, I found a favorite.  After the first week or 2, I didn't think it was possible b/c they are all so cute and perfect in their own way, but after a couple of weeks, I couldn't help it. There is something so special about Babalwa.  Before coming here I figured it would have been a baby, but Babalwa is 6.  Maybe it started when I taught her to ride a bike, or when I tucked her in one night, or the first time she ran up to me and begged for a hug and kiss, calling me mama (which is what all the Si Sis are called by the kids), and saying "I love Sarah".  She is absolutely beautiful, sensitive, loving, and shy and will always have a special place in my heart.  And who knows, if I do come back here, I would for sure entertain the idea of taking her on the weekends and growing our relationship... There is a picture of her and me below.  :)

This amazing experience would not be possible w/o my girls here. So many memories we've made, the trouble we've caused, the new things we have learned, and the silliness we have brought out in each other.  Last night Ingrid, Emma and I had a blast just hanging out in the backyard talking and listening to music and found ourselves saying how we want to hang out with us. We have so much fun together and can entertain each other for hours.  We are pretty sure everyone is jealous of us.  Ha ha.  :-p

I have watched Jen, Kate, Malene and Linda go and tonight is our last night with Emma before she returns back to Norway.  It just won't be the same w/o her. :( Being a Si Si has been wonderful and my life will be forever changed b/c of the time I have spent here.  All I can say is Enkosi (thank you), Si Sis!

The Stay of Sarah

South Africa is amazing.  I can't believe I've been here for a month and I was supposed to leave tomorrow.  I don't have any plans on leaving just yet.  The kids are great.  I love my project.  I'm learning a ton and there is no way 4 weeks was enough with them.  I'm currently trying to network and make some connections to potentially move back here in the Fall.  I have a busy week ahead with a Safari next weekend.  I hope to write more soon.  XOXO

The Silence of Sarah

Finally in Cape Town and it’s been amazing so far. Marisa & Stus friend, Dave, kindly picked me up from the airport and we went straight to his family bri (BBQ) in Hermanus. I couldn’t believe the beautiful house on the beach and breathtaking views o f the ocean and coast. The weather was sunny and perfect. I could finally wear a tank top and jeans without sweating to death. I could get used to this! Another country, another warm welcome from a family I’ve never met before. It was perfect, and as we all know, it’s the people part of my traveling that I truly enjoy the most. I think the bar has been set pretty high at this point with the lovely views and gracious welcomes I received. :) Dave was nice enough to cook dinner that evening – Spaghetti. Yum! The most perfect comfort food. He gave me a little bit of history, some recommendations, and I was beginning to feel pretty acclimated. Cape Town is fantastic. Very different than what I pictured. I feel very comfortable here. I moved into my dorm yesterday (ok – maybe not 100% comfortable). ;) But it’s fine, and I get to put my things out of my suitcase for more than 2 days – Yeah! One downfall is that it’s getting a little chilly here and I’m not really prepared. I sent a lot of stuff home because it was not being used up to this point. Sort of kicking myself now..

Unfortunately, I don’t start my project until Friday. I was pretty bummed, but I guess it gives me a few days to learn the lay of the land, get settled, so I have plenty of energy for the kids. Some of the girls who have already started confirmed how amazing the kids are and what a great experience it is, but they also said they are exhausted every day. My first thought was “Perfect, I’ll hopefully be able to start getting some sleep.” I can’t wait to meet them!!

I can’t believe this trip has flown by so fast, it’s halfway over and I’m already here. I considered calling this post “The Sigh of Relief of Sarah”, as that was what I was feeling on my flight here. I have had the most amazing 2 ½ months traveling, seeing the world, experiencing things I could have never imagined. I had a blast meeting new people and meeting up with friends, but to be honest, I’m exhausted. I have been nonstop and on the go the whole time, with a few days here and there to really do nothing. I’m ready for a break and to be in one place for awhile and have a “home”. It has been so much fun documenting my story and sharing it with everyone, but when I started calling it my “homework”, I knew something wasn’t right. I enjoy it, especially since it gives me an opportunity to get my memories down while they are fresh in my mind, but I was trying to squeeze it in any free chance I had. Often the internet connections are terrible as well, which makes it really frustrating.

So I’m going silent, at least while I’m in South Africa. I think it’s really time for me to focus on myself and the kids I will be helping. I want to get back into my nutrition and fitness routine and get back on track. If I feel inspired to write, I will pick up the computer for sure. I will still have access to email and I also have a cell phone again, so I can be contacted either of those ways. Feel free.  I love to get little notes and texts by suprise. 


Thank you all so much for encouraging me to write and update you! It is extremely flattering and I really do enjoy it. I just need a break and some quality Sarah time! I will be in touch soon!! XOXO

The Shenanigans of SarChaRika

The Shenanigans of SarChaRika


Part of me wanted to name this the stupids of SarChaRika. For three really smart girls, we sure had our heads in the clouds quite a few times. But everything ended up ok and now we have quite a few funny stories to tell. Here is a recap of some of our sillier and stupid moments:


• Learning that raising your tone of voice with a little flirting will get you margaritas to go.

•You can use “Same Same but Different” for a whole lot of things.

• Me thinking I lost my passport in Luang Prabang and getting my Visa for Vietnam for 2 days after we were supposed to arrive. Oopsy. Thankfully they let me know 2 days early.


• “There goes the kitty”


• Riding our bikes like a bunch of 12 year old school girls.


• Getting sprayed with hoses by 10 year olds.


• Almost being “Taken” 3 times.


• Making friends on the beach.


• “Are you twins?” Nope. Same same, but different.


• Why did the rooster cross the road?


• Moon pies


• Me arguing with the snack lady in Halong Bay. I refused to pay $15 for 3 snacks. She wouldn’t give me my money back.


• The creepy bar pictures on night club row


• The voicemail I left for Charity – which I still need to listen to.


• Did we just take out $10,000 from the ATM?


• Mr. Tohm at the Indochina. He’s tall!


• How many accidents do you have here? No accidents in Vietnam (as a biker runs right into the door as he opens it).


• Frogger/Looking Traumatized/Being Hanoiyed with Hanoiying.


• Spending an hour to find Bobby Chins to find out it had moved.


• Our crazy cab ride from the airport with the American.


• Seeing the tourist push the Cyclo driver.


• “We have a pool table, but no pool.”


• Spiderman


• It’s pork, but not pork.


• Long Duc Dong


• Riding the luggage cart at the airport


• Slipping the “Do not disturb” sign on my toe.


• Deep Thoughts by Charity Gonzalez. “I always think I’m going to tan because I’m Mexican, but then I don’t”


• Charity in the Now


• Playing “Golf”


• The Lover


• Don’t be lazy, be crazy.


• Erika’s white bikini


• Charity giving up on golf and bolting to the pool cannonball style.


• Stupid human pool tricks.


• Bom Chika Wah Wah


• Sarah is like a bobble head – looking in every which direction.


• “Charity, are you itchy?”


• Myers Briggs and Charity’s rule defining


• Extra Special Friendly Person


• Perfecting our chopstick skills thanks to our teacher Erika. Charity refused to let go once she got it.


• Russians, South Africans, shots of tequila and rave music.

The Saigon of Sarah

Good Morning, Vietnam! Despite the things I had heard, Saigon was actually pretty cool for a big city. MUCH BETTER than Hanoiying anyway…We had the whole day to explore until Erika had to head to the airport to catch her flight home. I actually was on a mission to take care of a few last errands before heading to Cape Town, one of them being to find a decent place to finally get my hair cut (after 2 ½ months in the sun and sand, I needed it big time).

We were up bright and early and went straight to the War Remnants Museum. Eeks! Talk about depressing and so rough to see. Originally called the War Crimes Museum, it’s a comprehensive collection of weapons, photos, planes, tanks, and documents of the Vietnam wars with the French and Americans. It was extremely eye opening (I vaguely remember much about what I had learned in school about the war), but also extremely controversial, giving a very skued side of the story and it’s funny; they call it the American War. I know there are two sides to all stories and Vietnam was far from innocent, but it was very hard to read all the articles and sickening to view all the photos of what our country and military were capable of. My main question was “why so much violence”? Even if we were getting attacked, there was still no need to use the force we did and the disgusting acts of torture. I can’t even fathom how it must feel for the thousands of Vietnam vets that visit it each year.

The rest of the day was nonstop for me. After the museum we had a nice lunch at this great little café Charity found in her travel book. We shared a few dishes, including a peanut butter, bacon, cheese, and tomato Panini. Sounds gross but it was to die for! I then headed to the nicest hotel in town, the Park Hyatt, to see if they had any hair appointments available. I was in luck because it was 2pm and they were able to take me at 3pm. Even better, the price was half what I would pay in Chicago! Having an hour to kill, one can only guess what I wanted to do. I headed to the concierge and asked if there were any shops in the area I could run to before my appointment. As I finished my sentence, this beautiful, fit, stylish woman came up to me and with her British accent, she offers to help me. She had been living with her husband (a high end furniture designer) in Saigon for 10 years. She was into fashion and personal styling and mentioned her clients included top executives. She told me how she knew what it was like for a young girl like me to want to be sent in the right direction when it comes to shopping. Her driver came and picked us up, dropped us a few blocks away and she showed me this great shop that I wouldn’t have recognized otherwise. All the clothes were hand embroidered and were gorgeous. She showed me a few pieces she just loved, gave me her contact info and directions to another one of her favorites, and she was off. Just like that. What are the chances? My own personal shopper in Saigon. Come to find out later that everyone knows Saigon Sally. Ha!

My hair turned out ok. They guy sort of went a little scissor happy on me. Let’s just say it hasn’t been this short in awhile. It’s growing on me (no pun intended), not the fact that it’s a couple of inches shorter, but more because it is so much healthier now. Message, nails, hair done all in the same week, I was all set to begin the next part of my journey.

Charity, Erika and I had one last drink that night to send Erika off. I can’t believe how fast the time went. It feels like just yesterday that Erika and I were planning for the trip and now she’s gone. Charity and I were ready to hit the town. We called the contact Duc from Hoi An had set us up with, we met him out at the Park Hyatt bar, which was so swank. We met some other people at the bar and headed dancing – something that I couldn’t wait to do one more time before I left. We had so much fun, but it didn’t make for a very nice 30 hours of traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a 12 hour layover and then another 10 hour flight to Cape Town. HEADACHE!

The Soleil of Sarah

Not much to say about our next destination of Nha Trang (beach town further down the East coast), or should I say actually the Diamond Bay Beach Resort. We arrived to the resort and didn’t move until we left for the airport 3 days later. Our days consisted of this – Wake up, eat breakfast, maybe go for a run, lay by the pool, swim, read, perform stupid human tricks in the pool, nap, get sunburned, drink wine, play cards, eat, did I mention drink wine? Fantastic! A much needed period of relaxation – especially for me. I had a lot of time to think about blog titles. With the help of Erika and Charity, we came up with Soleil because it has a double entendre – Soleil for sunbathing and Cirque du Soleil for our acrobats and pool tricks. Three girls in our thirties taking pictures of each other doing cannonballs and handstands I’m sure made for quite the spectacle. 30 is the new 10? For 3 days, that seemed to be the case.

The So Charming of Sarah

It was 90 degrees and sunny when we arrived in Hoi An. It was so great to finally be in the sun and we quickly determined that being Hanoiyed in Hanoi only made us appreciate getting to Hoi An even more. We pulled up to the Ha An Hotel and couldn’t believe our eyes. This by far was the cutest place I stayed in SE Asia. There were beach cruisers calling my name as we walked in. Hammocks and cute patio sets in the front lawn. We asked if there was a pool and the attendant quickly replied, “No pool, but we have a pool table.” and quickly pointed to the pool table in the corner. Too funny! Our rooms where tranquil like a spa, including fresh flowers and petals scattered about the room.

Hoi An is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It originated as a port and trading post, and today its big attraction is silk and tailor made clothing for dirt cheap. The town is so quaint and picturesque with its Chinese and Japanese influences. It quickly became another one of my favorite spots on the trip.

All we wanted to do was get some sun. My tan was starting to fade and Erika and Charity were determined to go home with a tan. We hopped on the beach cruisers and headed to the beach. It was quite a ride and much different than the quiet town of Luang Prabang. We made it safely and it was more beautiful than we had imagined. We relaxed, had a few drinks, fended off the beach vendors (You take a look? Looking free.”) and baked in the sun. That evening, we were all burnt to a crisp; we headed to Brothers Café for dinner. It was a great Vietnamese meal and the most beautiful setting on the river.

Day 2 landed us on the beach again. We were worried we weren’t going to get sun again so we figured we should take full advantage because the weather here was perfect – warm and sunny with a nice breeze to keep us cool. We road our bikes to the beach and Charity and I went for a nice run. We switched I-pods so each of us could have a bit more motivation to run. Afterwards, we went straight to the ocean in our workout clothes. We cooled off and did a little swap-a-roo into our bikinis right there in the water and then we sat in the sun and relaxed.  Erika made some new friends, Sun Sun and Mimi, both beach vendors who were practicing their English and telling their life stories. Charity and I teased her for the rest of the trip about befriending randoms everywhere we went. I had joked around the day before that I was going to take the “Do Not Disturb” sign from our room and hang it around my toe so we wouldn’t be bothered and could get some relaxing time (See photo below.  This was only for a photo opp.  I didn't actually leave it on my toe). We headed back to the hotel for a few hours of pampering at the spa.  Pretty much a standard in SE Asia, we were all in the same room getting our treatments.  Charity started with a body wrap and Erika and I couldn’t stop laughing because I think she said she was itchy about 50 times. She quickly begged her way out of the wrap for a massage instead. It was so relaxing and much needed after our busy days on the beach.  ;)

That evening we headed to town to do a little shopping. None of us really had anything in mind to have made and at that point we wouldn’t have had enough time because we were leaving the following morning – although a few shops did offer to make me some pants and drop them to my hotel first thing the following morning. We wondered around the streets of the Old Quarter, admiring all the shops and the adorable lanterns streamed above us.

My doctor in Chicago suggested we try a restaurant called Mango Mango and she gave me the name of the chef, Duc. I asked the hostess he was there that evening and he had actually been at a table sitting with a friend.  I walked up and introduced myself. He was so kind, making sure we had drinks, providing his recommendation on the menu. I think you would call his cuisine a Vietnamese/Japanese/Latin America Fusion – very tasty! After dinner he came back to have a glass of wine with us and we picked his brain about his story and about Vietnam. He was actually a refugee that fled to America after the war. He spent his time dishwashing and working in the kitchen of many restaurants throughout the states and then finally went to culinary school and traveled the world as a chef. He eventually came back to his homeland to start his successful businesses. He told us about life in Vietnam, about his future house plans, about his time in the states. He highly recommended Saigon (what is now Ho Chi Minh City – but the locals still refer to it by its original name), provided us with a few spots for dinner/drinks and even gave a call to his friend to take us out on the town when we arrived. We had a great time chatting him up and learning all about him and the Vietnamese culture.


I wished we had another day or two to be able to really get some shopping done and possibly some clothes made, but I guess that’s for another trip back to Hoi An!

The Sensory Overload

Next stop from Luang Prabang was Hanoi, Vietnam, where we would meet up with Charity. Charity was in sales and used to call on us at Quaker, which is how we became friends. We knew she had never traveled this far and were excited to get her reaction on her first day in Vietnam. As Erika and I were leaving the airport to find a taxi to the city, an American comes up to us and asks us to share a ride. This guy didn’t have a place to stay yet (not too uncommon for backpackers), but also asked us where we were staying and he had no luggage (just a small backpack that was barely filled yet when we asked him he claimed it had everything he needed). Let me just add that this wasn’t the first time or the last time this happened to us. No joke. Right out of the movie Taken. The first time it happened at the Luang Prabang airport, Erika kindly agreed and I immediately thought of this exact scenario in the movie and I went silent. Erika knew something was wrong. I had to give her a little signal that I wasn’t comfortable and she kindly declined the offer. In Vietnam, it was different. Maybe because he was American? It wasn’t until I was in the car that my stomach dropped. It was the taxi driver, the guy who negotiated our rate, the American, Erika and me and all I could think was they were all in on it, had just seen us take out several million Dong (Vietnamese currency. 2mm equals approx. $100), and they were going to kidnap us, steal our belongings, and sell us into slavery. I went into panic mode and my defense mechanisms went into full gear. I immediately spoke up and mentioned Charity and how she was expecting us at our hotel. I even called her (knowing she wouldn’t pick up) and faked speaking to her, telling her what time she should expect us. Obviously it all ended up being ok, but a definite wakeup call. The next time we might not get so lucky. It is a funny story to tell and I’m dying to hear myself on Charity’s voicemail.


If we weren’t going to die by being kidnapped and held for ransom, we were pretty sure it would be in a car accident or becoming road kill. I thought Bangkok was bad, but this place was nuts. I have never seen anything like it before. There are no driving lanes, few traffic lights, absolutely no signs anywhere. Drivers (mostly on motos) are coming from every which direction and all they do is honk their horns. Hundreds of their headlights clustered together about an inch away from each other and the cars around them. Charity appropriately described it as Frogger. It was utter chaos.

Erika and I went to our hotel to check in and Mr. Thom at the reception desk seemed to be pepped up on something. He was so happy, chatting us up and making us laugh within the first few minutes we arrived. Quite a different experience than what we’ve had at the quieter guest houses in Laos. I think he sort of wound us up because when Charity arrived we were all so giddy. We were so happy to be together and had so much to catch up each other up on. Wandering the crazy streets of Hanoi, searching for a restaurant called Bobby Chins (Charity as the navigator) it wasn’t until about 40 minutes later that we realized we were in the right, but Bobby Chinns had moved a few months prior. Our books weren’t up to date - we weren’t crazy after all!

The following morning was our trip and overnight stay in Halong Bay. To be honest, it’s not much to talk about. It’s supposed to be one of the best things to do in Vietnam, but unfortunately, the weather was misty and gloomy, just like it was when Amber and I were on our Milford Sound trip in NZ. The yucky weather makes for a depressing gloomy day. It was a beautiful place, but it is very disappointing for me when I can’t have pictures to justify it. The trip too and from was pretty miserable - packed like sardines in a 3 hour van ride.  We did have a good time posing and trying to do my signature pose all in sync (after about 5 tries, the photo below is the best we did).  Haha!  I would only recommend anyone go here if the weather is nice.
Hanoi made for an overwhelming and slow start to our tour of Vietnam…we appropriately titled this part of the trip “Hanoiying”.