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Monday, March 31, 2014

Cu Chi Tunnel

Today began with a 10-15 minute walk from my hotel, that was only a few blocks from the meeting place for the Cu Chi Tunnel Tour.

The landscape is very much like Bangkok.  The same architecture and the same kind of street food market.  Bright and early in the morning folks had makeshift stoves and cooked right on the sidewalk, which was interesting because the sidewalk is shared by people, cars, vans, and scooters.  Lots and lots of scooters.

Our guide said the population of the city is about ten million, and the number of scooters is at about seven million.  There were scooters, scooters everywhere.  It reminded me of seeing the Hells Angels Motorcycles Gangs back home where an army of them would ride into town.  Their collective presence alone was intimating.

These bikes aren't the souped up motorcycles like theirs.  These are a notch above a bicycle, kind of put-putting along.  This picture was taken at a light last night, and didn't turn out that great, but I hope you can see what I mean.



On my way to the meeting point this morning, I stopped a few times to make sure I was headed in the right direction, and I was helped by almost everyone.

Our tour was an intimate one, with only seven of us.  Some of the other groups were massive, but it's just too hard to get everything that is being said, especially when you find yourself at the back of the group.


Notre Dame Cathedral, out meeting point


The Central Post Office, which is a beautiful pink building that looks like a museum inside that is across the street from the cathedral.


The ride to the tunnels took about an hour and a half, because of the back roads that were rough and bumpy.  The distance is about forty miles.


Typical looking building


We stopped along the way to visit a "typical" farming home.  There were huge hogs, a python, some chickens, and acres and acres of rubber trees.  The lady of the house was making rice paper and invited us to make some.  My attempts was colorful.  It would have made an outtake for blooper pictures.

This is the farm house where the lady that's sitting is making rice paper.
The other lady is our guide.



Here I am making a mess of things.
You can't see it, but to my left, the fire is being fueled by what looks like rice hulls -
the golden colored outer skin/hull of the rice.



This hog was HUGE and of all of us, humans and animals,
she seemed the happiest.
She was definitely the biggest hog out there
because she enjoyed being hand-fed,
and we all obliged, as had many others, it appeared.
 There was one right behind her, but he just
didn't have that winning personality of this one.

Another view

Her close-up

This is jack fruit.  It is flat with a bumpy texture.


This one is round.

This is a pineapple that almost looks like it's growing on the ground.

This is a rubber tree.  It is cut at a slant, and the sap drains into the bowl on the right.
The bowl on the left has rubber seeds.  Car tires are made from this.


The family pet - a python

Chickens.  My grandparents had farm animals and had the grey chickens
that we used to call guinea hens.  You don't see them much, but when I do,
it always reminds me of a dress with that print that I wore out while I was pregnant
three consecutive years!

The heat was brutal.  Actually, it wasn't the heat, but the humidity.  It was fierce.  We lost two folks at this point when a mother and son from Australia got dizzy and had to go back to Saigon.

Cu Chi is a jungle-looking area.  Very green with lots of trees, overgrown bushes, shrubs, and tall grass.  Where the tour begins there are underground huts that are used as meeting rooms to show a film of how the local people, the guerrillas, prepared for and dealt with the war in their backyard.

The tunnels were a kind of underground city where the people could go for protection from the bombing and gas attacks.  They were places for them to eat, sleep, and make and store supplies.  There was even a school and hospital. The tunnels were created like a spider web, in that they branched off, and didn't follow a straight line. There were also several levels, with all of them leading to the nearby Saigon River. The entrances of the tunnels were camouflaged and difficult to see/find.  They were also tiny.  The US soldiers wouldn't have been able to fit in them.  Now that it is a tourist attraction, and has been since around 1997, they have widen and replicated some of the tunnels so that Westerners can fit.

I went down a tunnel with every intention of going the short distance, but it's too narrow for any of us to turn around, and when I found out it was no turing back, I bailed.  Ditched.  Call it whatever you want, but I was out of there.  The ceiling was low, so you had to scoot way down, and almost crawl.  To say it was claustrophobic doesn't begin to describe the feeling that the walls were closing in on you, and I was down there for a minute, or less.  Not for the faint of heart.

There were camouflaged air holes created to allow fresh air in.  There was a large, smokeless kitchen, where the smoke from the coking fires were rerouted a great distance from the tunnels.  The meals were cooked very early in the morning, so when the smoke did appear, it was assumed it was fog that was prevalent in the early morning.

The ingenuity that went into to creating these tunnels and the vast assortment of booby traps that accompanied them, was incredible.

Booby trap

Bobby trap 2

Guide entering tunnel

Now you can see how small the entrances were.
They were wider once you entered,
but you had to get through these small holes first.

The spikes coming up out of the ground are made of sharpened bamboo.

An air hole

This is a US tank that was booby trapped and disabled in 1970.

This is the inscription on the tank.

I'm standing between these dressed up mannequins. 

A map of the region and the tools used to dig the tunnels.
The miles of miles of tunnels represent more than twenty years of work.

A model of the tunnels


The five of us left on the tour were all Americans.  You couldn't help but feel horrible for the human lives lost in this senseless conflict.  And quite frankly, it was also hard not feeling guilty by association for the part we played in this craziness.

I thought of both my brothers, Willie and Terry, who spent time here during the war. Willie was here in the heat of things and Terry, as the conflict was coming to an end.

I'm reminded of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.  When you allow yourself to grasp that each name represents a person who went to war, but didn't come home alive, it's overwhelming.  And of course, that's not counting the folks who went there whole, but what they saw, and what they did to survive, left them broken men, empty shells of their former selves.

As we drove through the area,  I kept thinking, "These are simple people.  Minding their own business."  I'm sure this was even more so forty years ago.  To go from farming your land and taking care of your family, to dodging bullets and bombs, must have been terrifying.

Speaking of bullets, private citizens are not allowed to own or have guns in this country.  (That's a thought to consider America).  There is a firing range at this site where locals and tourist can shoot.  As we were touring, it sounded like the war was still going on.  It was insanely loud.

Below is a five minute video of the area that some guys uploaded.  They did a good job with the story telling but the video quality is not the best.  Stick with it though because at the end you will see them on the firing range and you'll be able to hear the incredible sound the firing guns make.





This is the link to the video, just in case there are technical issues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxnc1nDkos

Tomorrow I'm headed to the Mekong Delta.

I know this was crazy long, and for that I apologize, but I just had to share this experience with someone.

As always, thanks for taking this ride with me.












Sunday, March 30, 2014

Greetings from Vietnam

My Spring Break officially began tonight when I arrived in Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon.  I'm excited to be here for a few days and have a jam-packed agenda beginning early tomorrow morning.

We're three hours ahead of Abu Dhabi, so that puts me fourteen hours ahead of San Francisco.  My body says it's 7:00pm, but the clock says it's 10:00.  So, I'm racing to bed now.

More real soon.

Promise.


Sunday, March 23, 2014

Yeah Shana!

I'm committing a cardinal sin by posting this message without permission. but I am so proud I just couldn't wait.

Forgive me Shana.

Why the rush/excitement/need to share?

Because Shana was one of just ten educators from the US invited to attend the annual TED conference, this year held in Canada.

What an honor!

And . . .

What an opportunity!

We are so proud of you!

Attached please find a blog post by TED.

http://blog.ed.ted.com/2014/03/18/why-engage-students-because-they-can-move-mountains/

Shana is featured in the second and third picture.  In the second, she's in the back between the guys.  And in the third, she is on the far right.

Way to go Shana!






Saturday, March 22, 2014

Missing You

It has been forever since I've written a post, and I made a vow to myself that I would write this weekend.  Of course, I have waited until the midnight hour (not actually midnight, but my bedtime) to sit down and do this.

With my move to the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, I've gone from dreading work to loving it.  So much so, that the ideas and creativity continues to flow once I get home, so on many nights, I continue to work.  On those nights I'm not actually working, my mind is still going like crazy.

In just over a week we'll be on Spring Break.  I've booked a couple of trips and they will force me to think and do some other things.

Now for some random thoughts -

---I marvel at how fast Zadie and Milu are growing up.  Zadie is holding full fledge conversations.  It's like she's catching up on all those times she wanted to say something, but hadn't figured out how.  She's making up for lost time.  Milu is right behind her.  We were all video chatting the other day, and you could see Milu was trying to figure out how we were all there, without actually being there.

---Isn't it amazing the technology that these kids are growing up in?  I went all the way through college without a computer.  The personal computer wasn't anywhere near on the market yet. In fact, we didn't get one until the boys were in preschool, and the operating system used DOS, so you had to input these long string of code to create some random picture.  We've come a long way, baby.

---My link to the world is my computer.  I'm grateful to be here at such a time as this, when technology has made keeping in touch an effortless venture.

---I wear long dresses to work.  This school allows pants, but the other one didn't, so my closet just has dresses.  The ladies in this culture are used to them and can navigate stairs, uneven pavements, with no problem.  In fact, most of their dresses drag the floor.  And yet, they gracefully glide through the day, with nary a missed step.  We Western folk have to be careful not to trip, especially when we're on staircases.

---Speaking of dresses, under the all black abayas that the ladies wear, are the most colorful dresses imaginable.  You can oftentimes get a peek of color at the cuffs of their dresses.  Recently, at the end of the day when most of the men have left the building, the ladies took off their abayas and revealed dresses that are a kaleidoscope of color.

---Men.  Yes, we have some men teachers who teach the boys.  I think because of this, most of the women wear their faces covered, only uncovering when they're in their classrooms teaching.  The men have to announce their presence before they enter a room, to give the ladies time to cover up.  I have to remind them they don't have to do that to come to my office, but it's a necessary habit.

---The government provides a car and driver for all of the meetings we have to attend.  I like being in control of when I come and go, so on most trips, I drive.  Last week, there were several I attended, and by Thursday (our Friday), I was too tired, so I decided to go with the group that were being chauffeured.  The women will not sit up front with the driver, so it was an easy decision for me to ride shotgun.  If a woman is going somewhere alone, she must bring her housekeeper or nanny to ride with her.  She's not allowed to be in a car with a man alone.

Well, this is it.

My world is on a steady, pretty uneventful course.  Quite frankly, that's the other reason I haven't written much.  There isn't much to tell.

On the other hand, maybe there is, but it has become a part of my world, and I don't see things so much as a newbie, but as an old hat.

Anyway, as always, thanks for sharing this ride with me.





Sunday, March 16, 2014

An Amazing Woman

This lady was a NASA Mathematician.

Hat tip to Forrest.

http://www.makers.com/katherine-johnson?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl23%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D454117

Saturday, March 8, 2014

College Students Speaking Out Silently

Great campaign.

A picture, and a few words, are worth a thousand words.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/03/the_black_students_at_harvard_georgetown_and_michigan_launch_social_media.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content&mc_cid=363b97cff8&mc_eid=ac9b7800d4

Camel Crossing

Camels.  Camels.  Everywhere.

The landscape is flat.  You can see for miles, and miles.

And yet, the camels just seem to appear out of nowhere.  All of a sudden, there're just there.

Beautiful.

Graceful.

Majestic.










Friday, March 7, 2014

A Letter From Death Row

This is a fascinating letter from a man on death row in Texas.  He's scheduled to be put to death by the authorities of that state on March 19th.

Please don't be put off by the length, it's seven pages long, but filled with so much wisdom and insight, it is a must read.  This should be required reading for students young and old.

http://gawker.com/a-letter-from-ray-jasper-who-is-about-to-be-executed-1536073598


Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Light in the Midst of Darkness

The article below details a meeting between the author, his thirteen year old son, and the mother of Jordan Davis.  This is the young man who was killed because of playing his music too loud.  The outcome of the trial was outrageously wrong on so many levels.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/02/i-am-still-called-by-the-god-i-serve-to-walk-this-out/284064/

My heart aches for his parents, especially his mother.

She speaks with a grace that could only come from God.

As black parents, the burden we bear is a vital one, that is taken very seriously.  That is, to educate and train our boys in survival skills so that they have a fighting chance to see adulthood.

The alternative is a burden no parent should have to endure.  

Friday, February 28, 2014

My Ad Man

My oldest chocolate chip, Ben, is featured in this ad.

Check him out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMPfRR4gHTs


Thursday, February 27, 2014

My New Hero

The woman conducting the interview is annoying (are they taught to talk like that?), but the responses from this young man are spot on.

http://www.upworthy.com/a-tv-star-had-to-explain-why-a-white-man-killing-a-black-kid-is-an-american-problem-not-a-black-one?c=upw1



Up Close & Personal

As I was sitting at my computer in my office at home yesterday, I saw this herd of camels in the parking lot.  I rushed out and watched them for about a half hour. They're amazing animals.  I stayed as long as I did because my phone was updating, so I couldn't use it, so I hung out until it was ready because I just had to get pictures.

Enjoy!

This is the parking lot of my apartment complex,
and this is my school.  I am literally next door to it.



There were four adults and four babies.
I haven't seen any this young before.

I saw this herd today.
They were interesting because of the black ones.
They are rare indeed.


Strong Voice

Is anyone listening?

Spike Lee lets loose on gentrification in New York City.  Read the transcript and/or listen to the audio at the end of the article.

What do you think?

Is it progress, and if so, at what cost?

Or it is, as Spike implies, another example of the "Christopher Columbus Syndrome," with folks "discovering," and claiming as theirs, what's always been there.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/spike-lee-amazing-rant-against-gentrification.html


Monday, February 24, 2014

Hitting Close to Home

This protest happened in New York, but it's all about what's happening here in Abu Dhabi.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/24/guggenheim-protest-new-york-abu-dhabi-labor_n_4843947.html

A Different Perspective

This young woman has a revealing viewpoint on volunteering abroad.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pippa-biddle/little-white-girls-voluntourism_b_4834574.html?utm_hp_ref=black-voices&ir=Black+Voices

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Qualities This Employer is Looking For

This is a very interesting article on the qualities that Google looks for in their job applicants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Ben's Work

This is another proud momma moment:

Ben is quoted in the article linked below, about half way down.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-help-trucks-burn-less-fuel-streamline-trailers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+energy-and-sustainability+(Topic:+Energy+%26+Sustainability)

Milu's Turn

This is Ben's baby girl walking to school.

I love her sense of wonder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRM7z8psIqo&feature=youtu.be

Yes, this is another proud grandma moment.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Run Squirrel Run!

Squirrels look way too  much like rats with fluffy tails, but I couldn't help but cheer for this little dude.  Any little ones in your world would probably like this one, too.

Check him out.

Hat tip to Forrest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBEyCr5AoIs#t=66

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Dirty Old Men

Is it ever OK for a man to marry his daughter? Step-daughter? Adopted daughter? Any man thinking about doing this should be thrown under the jail, and yet when a man does, in fact do just this, everyone turns a blind eye because he's a celebrity?

Bullshit!

Total and complete bullshit!

This describes Woody Allen's relationship with his daughter/wife.

Totally disgusting!

And now we hear from another daughter who said she was abused by Allen.  I don't understand why this is such a stretch from some folks to comprehend.  He was screwing this girl's sister!  Is it so outrageous to think that he might be doing something very wrong to this girl, too?

God bless this young woman for speaking out.  She is definitely going against the grain and will need all of the support that can be muster to go against this shameless, sadistic prick!

I have had an absolute ban on all Allen's movies for years.  I avoid them at all cost.  I don't want to see anything his perverted mind has conjured up, or is in any way involved in.

If this guy was any "Joe Blow" on the street, he would have been hung out to dry a long time ago.  Because he is a celebrity, we look the other way?

Shame on us.

The dude is a creep.

A CREEP I say!

And, according to more than a few women, so is Bill Cosby.

What is it about people men with power, real or imagined, that makes them think they are invincible?

As my beloved Mom would say, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."  How many women have not spoken up?  I'm guessing there's probably more than few of them, too.

I pride myself on being able to cuss with the best of 'em, one of the benefits(?) of being around men all my life, but I've made a conscious effort for that side of me not to spill over in these posts, until now.

For those of you who are offended by my language, my apologies.

There are times, though, when nothing else will do, and today is one of those days.