Movies and Literature

The more i read about Vietnam the more i realize how much i don't know. I'll be leaving for training camp in CA in about three months....which sounds so close to me. I have so much to do! I'm on spring break this week and have been trying to read up on Vietnam, learn a few phrases, and work on support raising while i have a break from school. I'm heading to the library this afternoon to pick up a few movies and books that TeachOverseas recommended i look at before this summer.

These are a couple movies they recommended: The Quiet American and Scent of Green Papaya.

The Universal Welcome

After weeks of rain here in Tennessee, the sun finally came out this past weekend, and it was pure bliss. Some friends and I went hiking Friday afternoon, just soaking in the warm sunshine...and it made me smile. I think we were all grinning from ear to ear that day...

And I decided that i wanted to know how to say "smile" in Vietnamese.
So...Smile. Cuoi len (kuy leen)

Learning the Language

Among writing support letters, applying for my passport and visa, and keeping up with a million other things in preparation for my Vietnam trip, i have been trying to learn a new Vietnamese word or phrase every day or so. I definitely won't be fluent by the time i am immersed in this new culture, but i will be able to say a few basic words. So...here goes.

Cam on
(pronounced "Gahm un")

Now you know how to say "thank-you" in Vietnamese :)