Sunday, November 30, 2008

Stuck in a Rut

I'm stuck... It's like I have writer's block. I have 10 drafts for my blog(s) that I just can't finish. Some are so rough, I don't want to look at them again. I've got a million thoughts running through my head but they won't come together coherently. Everything I write sucks. Aargh!

Back Again....

I've had a multiply site for some time but I've mainly used it for showing pictures to my friends and family. I was thinking that I should just quit using blogspot and continue posting my blogs there but I keep having problems accessing it so here I am again...

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Cambodia Trip

I went on a trip with my sister months ago and I’ve never really gotten around to writing about it. Anyway, since I’m still lazy to do anything about it, just take a look at the photos on my multiply site: http://babyanj.multiply.com/photos/album/30/vietnam-cambodia_roadtrip

***On Tet holiday, I’m planning a trip with a couple of friends. We might do a Cambodia-Thailand trip for 2 weeks or if we’re short on money, a week-long Siem Reap trip or something like it would do. I like Cambodia (they speak English, yey) and I’m looking forward to going back.***

On Harry Potter and Rereading Books

Seeing the fifth movie on HBO made me realize how much I enjoyed reading Harry Potter books. Because of that, I decided to reread the whole series and make it last for as long as I could. Instead of going through it as quickly as I usually do, I try to take breaks and stop after several chapters or so.

For people who like reading, would you agree that rereading books are like visiting old friends? Like people I rarely see, I miss almost all the books I’ve read (and believe me, there are a lot of them out there) and I always look forward to reading them again.

Some books aren’t like that. Sometimes when you read books for the umpteenth time, you realize that they aren’t worth your time. They don’t provide as much enjoyment as they used to and you become conscious of the fact they aren’t very well written in the first place. I can’t remember how many times I’ve read this particular series but I hope I never get tired of it.

I was never as crazed about him or the series as much as others were and still are. I don’t think that it’s the best story(ies) I’ve ever read. However, I each time I read the books, I feel like I’m meeting the characters all over again and being told of their stories and included in their everyday life. I think this is a feeling that I’d like to have with the books that I will read in the future. I know it’s a big thing to expect but I hope that it does happen.

***Right now, I’m on Prisoner of Azkaban, which is one of my favorites in the series. Hello, Sirius!***

8 Reasons for 8 Months (and Counting)

I’ve been in Viet Nam for about 8 months now and I can say that I’m still enjoying it. I’m still a part time teacher at an English school and tutoring whenever I can. It’s probably not the best arrangement and some of my friends have been asking me why I’m still here since I’m not earning a lot of money anyway… So why…

I guess these are the reasons:
1. I’m not here for the money… If money was my prime reason for working, I should’ve studied something else like nursing.
2. I’m lazy. I’m good at English and I enjoy it. It’s the easiest way to earn money while being lazy(wait a minute, I was also doing that back at PS).
3. Coming here is preparing my parents my future travels to other countries. This is fairly near and they know who I’m with.
4. Like I always tell the students, “I want to try to live and work in a different country”
5. It’s cheap to live in Viet Nam. My expenses each month amount to about $100 or so. That includes rent, bills & food. I ride a bicycle to work.
6. I finally learned how to ride a bicycle and this is a good place to enjoy doing that. Pollution in Vung Tau is almost nada compared to Makati.
7. I’m learning to love vegetables here. They’re humongous and cheap. Fruits aren’t that bad either.
8. Never say no to a chance to travel and learn a new culture and (a bit) language.