Vietnam

Walking back through the alleyways to our apartment in the dusk, music tumbles out of a second floor apartment – rousing, unity type of music… Read More »Who is that on the horizon?

We often eat at a huge, noisy food hall off the campus along the main road in the evening.  There are 94 items on the… Read More »Frog and Dog

From my window -bundles and bundles of electric wires drooping from balcony to balcony, almost roofing the alleyway. Teatowels, aspidistras, camellias, giant avocados and palms.… Read More »In the alleyway

After two days my students cease to be a bewildering sea of Vietnamese faces and start to remind me of students from my teaching years… Read More »Proverbs 2

Sunday outing – Hanoi Museum of fine arts. Guggenheim has donated a huge collection of 18th century engravings by Goya which depict the horrors and… Read More »Goya – a gift

Peter has bought an 8" long prawn from the market for tomorrow's lunch. He drops its temporary plastic bag home in the gutter as we… Read More »Giant prawn

We feel rather ashamed that we have got nowhere with the language -there are six tones i.e every syllable which can be pronounced in six… Read More »The word ma and TV

Autumn is here. I have been assured that that is why I have a heavy cold. Indeed, I notice a drop in temperature -from intense,… Read More »Vietnamese Autumn

Perhaps this is a point to re-iterate the fact that we are piloting a 'mature' volunteers scheme here in Vietnam. I have to accept that… Read More »Volunteer – Vocation or Vacation?

This weekend we are staying at the Golden Buffalo in my  brother’s hotel room in the heart of the old town whilst he is in… Read More »A romantic again