Pro nails

I have never had a manicure or pedicure in Canada since it's a bit pricy.  In Vietnam, you can go for a basic one for around $5.  A "deluxe" pedicure which also includes a foot/leg massage is about $10.  That also includes nail polish!  Crazy...

Anyway, last week I went with some friends to a salon nearby where we were all able to get manicures and pedicures for cheap.  Like I told you before, the cost of living in Vietnam is very low.  I guess I better take advantage of it while I can!!!

Breakfast on the go

Last week Tanya visited the new "Paris Baguette" that opened down the road (it's actually a popular Korean bakery chain).  She found something that looked intriguing and brought us home some to try...

It's egg wrapped in bread, wrapped in bacon.  Delicious but not exactly something you'd eat every day!

These Koreans know how to do things efficiently.  Why eat all these foods separately if you can just roll it all up and have it on the go?  Yum!

Seoul Timelapse

I saw this posted on a friend's Facebook page, and I thought I would share...

Amazing timelapse video of Seoul, South Korea.  I miss this place!!!

Memories of Grade 1

Today we had our grade 1 year-end assembly and it went really well!  We sang 2 group songs:  "We're Going To Be Friends" by the White Stripes, and "Waving Flag" by K'Naan.  We also did a poem and had a slideshow.  I made this slideshow using Animoto, it's free and super easy to use.  The songs are from music class this year.  My friend Jess also put together this video that we did during her Sign Language club.

Another year of grade 1 has come and (almost) gone... now that our assembly is finished we can focus on getting report cards done.  Only a few more weeks to go!

So long, farewell...

Last night we had our end of the year staff party.  It's a chance to celebrate surviving another year of teaching and to say goodbye to some friends who will be shortly leaving Vietnam.

The event was a lot of fun and included free sangria upon arrival, lots of tasty finger food, music, a staff trivia contest, and goodbye speeches to those moving on next year.

I wrote a speech for our housemate Tanya, who is moving back to Canada in the summer to go back to her job teaching in the Ottawa area.  Tanya was a lot of fun to live with this year and we will miss her a lot!  She was a really funny, honest, and generous person and a great teacher.  It's going to be sad to see her move out!  :(

Penthouse roomies!

A lot of our friends renewed their contracts for a third year like us, so we can look forward to seeing them again, but of course we will have to say goodbye to several others who are leaving.  It's hard to believe that there are only a few more weeks left of the school year, and then we'll be headed back to Canada for the summer.  The countdown is on... June 24th is fast approaching!

Fresh flowers for cheap!

I'm not one to usually buy fresh flowers, but today these beautiful lotus flowers were being sold on the side of the road for only 40,000 VND ($2)!  The lotus is the national flower of Vietnam.  At our school we have some lotus flowers growing in the pond near the parking lot.  When the flowers open they look like the painting in the background of the last photo!

Celebrating the arts!

Last week we held an event at our school to celebrate the arts and raise money for charity.  There was singing, instrumental music, a high school rock band, and student art on display.  There was also a face painting station set up along with a merchandise table where you could purchase hand-made art items and photography.  It was great to be a part of organizing this event.  Here are some photos from the evening: