Girls Night Out and a new scarf

My friend Lien took me and Katherine to have our nails painted tonight at a little shop near school. For 52,000 dong ($3.15), I got a hair wash and head massage, a face wash and massage, a short neck massage, my nails and toe painted with little flowers, and Lien's nails painted (I paid since she offered to take me). I found myself wishing that I'd had had a hard, long day so that I could feel a bit more deserving of such indulgence.

getting my hair washed with a strange mask on my face....

toes and fingers--not exactly my style, but very vietnamese!

While today was busy, it's wasn't hard. Vietnamese lessons at 7, class from 8:40 until 11:15, lunch of che and a salad I made with Katherine. At three I went to fax my ballot request and then went to the central post office to pick up a package from Sam! The first mail I've received in Vietnam. (Apart from a letter that I received last week from the Embassy, inviting me to a reception at the Ambassador's house...that I already attended back in August!) He sent a couple books, some dark chocolate hershey kisses, card games for my students, and a beautiful silk scarf that Fleur got for me in Bali. Even in this tropical climate, I still have a weakness for scarves....


I was also invited to a wedding today! Miss Oanh, an English teacher (who picked me up from the airport, in fact) is getting married on October 29, and I'll be joining her at the reception. So, Sam, since this is the day after you arrive, it looks like one of your first adventures in Vietnam will be a wedding reception at the Yasaka Hotel. I already told her to order you vegetarian food. :)

And for the daily weather update, the storm last night barely left any mud on the ground. Today offered clear, blue skies and a decent breeze. I'm not quite understanding the weather patterns yet, but I hope tomorrow is gorgeous because it's my day off and I can always use more time to nap and read on the beach.

I'm continuing to feel so happy and fortunate....not only for my present situation, but for my past as well. Even with the worst events and moments of it...And I'm feeling hopeful about my future. I have no idea what it will be, how I'll support myself, or how I'll get health insurance, or where I'll live. But I feel like the one trajectory of my life that I can identify is one towards increasing calmness and intrinsic happiness. Moving away from home, going to Spain, and now living in Vietnam...all these events have been pulling me towards better phases of my life and better places within myself. Right now seems to be a time for me to learn how to be happy and calm--as if these are skills that I will develop and carry with me through the rest of my life, even as it gets more hectic. I feel like I'm slowly unearthing all the ways in which this experience is important for me. And I know I will have many more such discoveries to make....