Monday, March 9, 2015

Sunday, March 8, 2015

I woke up to a text saying I had already racked up $50 in fees for using my data.  Not cool.  So we spent the morning on “chat” with Verizon…apparently they don’t usually add TWO data plans to one account (uhhh yeah cuz most don’t have a mom as cool as me who goes to Vietnam) so the representative guessed the person was confused and didn’t add what we wanted to add (which allows us to use data, maps, etc when not on wifi).  Alls well that ends well (well, they WILL take it off eventually, Momma Wilson will make sure of that) and now I don’t have to panic due to my data usage!

I think we both slept well – I was SO tired that it was nice to be able to sleep in a bed! 

After we took care of the Verizon issue we got ourselves ready to head out!  It was maybe a 5 minute walk to the bus stop (same bus we have always taken, just a different stop now) and luckily it came right away!  The price has increased (as I learned when the lady looked at me and obviously wanted more $$) from 5,000 VND (or $.23) to 6,000 VND (or $.28).  It was nice that the bus ride to the orphanage felt a bit shorter (well, it was) and Thoung was right where he was waiting for us last year, on the benches near the front!  He looks the same, just taller! But he greeted us with a smile!  We spent some time looking at old pictures (with books we made from Shutterfly) and this year we also brought an old digital camera that still works since he loves to take pictures!  He thought that was pretty cool.  I think his favorite, though, was Mom’s iPad.  He absolutely LOVES trying to figure out the different games, which is SO fun to see.  Its obvious he’s smart and curious (ok, Im bragging) but that his mind doesn’t get challenged often so he really enjoys using motor skills to figure out the games.

Then Bob came over (Mom gives them English names if we don’t know/cant pronounce their Vietnamese names, poor kids are probably having identity crisis’ after we leave).  Bob has down syndrome.  He REALLY liked the music (we bring a little iPod shuffle and speakers). 

He was so funny because he was singing along with some of the songs (we have found Twinkle Twinkle to be a popular one) but then something amazing happened.  1. Why is gangnam style on our iPod shuffle and 2. WHO TAUGHT BOB?

Amazing!  Enjoy!



There are a group of boys who are orphans but don’t have any disabilities that are a handful, mostly because they are aggressive and don’t listen!  Thoung gets really mad when they try and play his iPad games and then I feel bad because Im like swatting them away so Thoung can play.  ANYWAY it got to be too much so Thoung and I went for a walk and Mom and Bob went to take pictures.  The orphanage is in the back of a Pagoda so Thoung and I walked around the Pagoda and then he likes to go underneath where there is a little pond and usually some fish in it.  We then met back up with Mom and Bob as it was time for the boys to eat and for us to get going. 

We got back on the bus to take it to the Big C where we have done some shopping for the kids before – but this time it was grocery shopping for us!  I will say, as my mother wont let me live it down – that my leg did get “stuck” in the door of the bus when it was trying to open up #embarrassing.  Alls well that ends well, as I still have two feet and two sandals.

We stopped for a quick snack at KFC before heading into The Big C to get some breakfast food (cereal) lunch (PB&J) and dinner (pasta).  We were actually pretty successful (as we have been many times we had a pretty good idea where everything was.).

We decided, if possible, to take a taxi back as it would be easier than getting back on the bus with all our bags and walking from the bus stop back to the hotel.  Luckily a taxi passed by pretty quickly so we hopped in and were off!

One of the main reasons we take the bus every day (verses a taxi) is the cost!  It costs about $.60 for both of us to get to the orphanage and the taxi ride (more or less from the orphanage) was $7!  Yikes!  So we spend about $1.20 a day and if we took a taxi it would cost around $15.  But, the taxi made sense for our groceries.

One of the best things about having a kitchen is being able to be “in” for the night (especially because going out is still work – not to get run over by motorbikes, not to have your purse stolen, etc).


I put on a load of laundry (love it), we took showers (love it) and made pasta for dinner (SO good).  There really is something nice about having “comfort” food (especially since both of us have weak stomachs). 

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