Late night thoughts

Today was about change and how quickly it happens. I woke up this morning to two people leaving, but had somehow replaced both of them in a day. Of course in my mind, Khuyen can never be replaced, but we do have another coming to start work tomorrow. That is how fast things move in Vietnam. There are a lot of people who are looking for good jobs. Many people end up working in poor conditions for low pay. For example. A waiter in a coffee shop will make about 800000 dong (about 40 dollars) with 200000 in tips. A position such as a receptionist is a prestigious job and can give a person more experience, skills, and security. There is no end to the people who seek such a job, but finding a reliable one is the key. Our new man has much better English skills than the others. Hopefully he will work out.  We also have a new cleaning girl starting tomorrow. She is excited at the prospect of having a good paying job. I have written about the adaptability of people here, and how hard they work, but will talk a bit again on the issue.

The Vietnamese people have to be the toughest and most resilient people I have ever met. They exist in a world where most have no mattresses, chairs, or any other comforts we take for granted. They adapt. It is nothing for a Vietnamese person to simply drop and squat into a sitting position, and maintain it for hours. I do not think my muscles could stretch that far to sit as they do. If there is no place to live, a Vietnamese person will make the best out of whatever is available. Cooking dinner is another of the wonders of these people. A person can wander down a dirt path and many times encounter a family preparing dinner, all of them squatted low over a fire built from dead vegetation. Hanging on a piece of wire, or some other item, fish is being grilled.  For many, theirs is a life of hardship and adaptability. If there is a job available, they can start now! I admire them  for that, and have learned a lot by observing them. I no longer worry about weather a hotel is booked, or if I can find my way home. I just do it as needed. The Vietnamese have taught me how to adapt on the moment. I have not as of yet had to sleep under a tree or wrapped in a blanket on the street, but who knows?

I had my nephew take my broken camera for repair. Perhaps a day or two and I can actually take some photos of things I write about. Until then…. More random photos.

Lastly….. I have come to realize that some events are so common place to me that now that I neglect to write on them, some of them very humorous. I reviewed some old posts and had a chuckle about the number of marriage proposals I got. They are still there and perhaps I should include them as entertainment once in a while.

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