After the Ball

I have to apologise, Blogspot is censored in Vietnam so I can't actually read what I write, so I can't remember what I've written so you may get some repetition.

Saturday night was a triumph for my new employer

They organised a concert involving all the edutainment groups from their projects up and down Vietnam. They hired a 600 seat auditorium and sent invitations out - 5 days before the event. And the hall was full, the TV network turned up and everyone had a great evening.

Over 70 people took part on the stage. The quality was excellant and I did such a good job of standing in the doorway smiling that the whole team is going away 300km to a beach resort next weekend, for the whole weekend, to celebrate success. Craig Farina - take note.

For my part it was my first contact with people who actually have HIV and AIDS. Whilst a few of them were clearly unwell and fragile the majority were lively, determined to get the best out of life and very talented. I had a great evening, after which we again tried to perfect the art of 7 people in Daiwoo Matiz taxi.

The first week at work has been good, everyone is extremely friendly, they all want to improve their english skills and more marriage options are emerging every day. I now know my boss has a masters in business finance and economics (what am I doing here?) and that she is as astute as any senior manager I ever worked with at Boots. My honeymoon lasted until last Thursday when she asked for a meeting, handed me a project file and told me that I was presenting the following Monday to a group of about 50 people representing 15 organisations including DFID, UNAIDS and the US Government. My final challenge was to present 8 minutes content in 5 minutes (only a native english speaker could achieve that).

So the next 48 hours was spent learning about the project, how it was set up and what it did.

To take my mind off the coming presentation I headed out to Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum on Sunday with Mike and Derek. I then got thrown out when the guards discovered the security check point had not confiscated my camera! Separated from friends and my mobile phone I walked back across town accompanied by Hong, a local with pretty good english who was determined to get me on his motorbike. He failed.

I could tell you lots of things, but I'm distracted by the fact that a guy keeps trying to get into my hotel room - he is knocking on the door now. Last time I opened the door he came in, closed the door and sat on the bed! I have no idea what he wants, and I hate to think what it might be. Now he is outside stripped to the waste. He speaks no english and I not enough Vietnamese to understand what he wants, other than to sit on my bed. So I think I'll leave him outside and do some more language practice. More soon!