Boom Boom

I hate this term. I hate it. I think I was watching Dateline several years ago about child prostitution in Cambodia. The term Boom Boom is used meaning sex. The term is used here in Vietnam as well.

One of the first facts I learned being here was that men are very flirty. Apparently it's normal. I didn't think it was normal back at my old guesthouse when I saw a peep hole in my bathroom and one of the staff constantly asking me to join him in his room, but really?? When that kid asked me such a question to join him, I stared at this little kid, skinny, baby features, wearing skinny jeans; I just gave him a look that said ' are you serious?' Like...does that really work for him? Has a guest ever said Yes? It's like I was in India all over again.

Anyways...the other day I was waiting for my friends outside a restaurant. A boy stopped near me on his motorbike, he whistled and I continued to look the other way. He whistled some more, no response. He started clapping and shouted 'em oi! em oi! OI!!' I was still staring the other side of the road. He got off his motorbike and I thought 'Oh no, he is not going to come up to me.' He came up to me and asked where I was from. Lazily I said USA. He stared at me and said 'You like to Boom Boom?' Okay, there is no other meaning for this term! I know Boom Boom isn't used for an energy drink, do drugs, or to disco dance, he meant what he friggin' meant. I gave him the look. Every woman has one. The look that gives the Up & Down that translates to puhhhhleeeeeze. He then goes 'ok,' hops on his bike and rides away. The nerve!

Okay, enough of booming and onto a positive note. I recently got a new design project. I'm helping out with an organization called Just Massage. This lady, Thanh, trains women with disabilities (blind or hearing impaired) massage therapy. This is great for the students because many people with disabilities are unable to get a job of any sort. These women are from outside of Hanoi and gets to learn and live free of cost while they're in training. The massage center opens end of this summer, so I have enough time to get the website, and all the corporate branding ready then. AND!! I get free massages as a practice dummy. I had one today by a sweet girl named Lan.

Today I saw a bug that looked like a centipede-millipede whatever, snail-like antennas, and a furry mouth. In my room, NEXT TO MY BED!! I'm not going to sleep well tonight.

Tattoo #4

Heehahaheeheehaha...uh...so tattoo #4. This was very spontaneous. But most of you know that I am spontaneous. I wrote it myself and I think I got it because the tattooist charged me $5 for being a bad ass chick. It didn't hurt, it tickled. yup.

:)

I went with my friend Lan Anh. She got some cute birds flying around her bicep. I drew some birds for her if she needed some inspiration, I drew them the way I imagined them to be, chubby fish birds. But I'm glad she didn't tattoo the birds I drew, I don't think I can live knowing someone actually tattooed something I created. I think graphic artists and tattoo artists are 2 different forms. Still cute though. I like them.

tweet, tweet, tweet.

:)

The past week, work has been slow. So I've been trying to find new work to do while the company is on downtime. (Maybe that's why I got the tattoo?) Anyways, I've started a new blog post about helping volunteers look for legit organizations from the internet in South East Asia. In a couple days I will post it on all travel/job sites, hopefully this can help other people like me find a good volunteer job instead of being ripped off by money-grubbing NGO's. I know, I'm so nice.

Speaking of 'nice.' I'm writing this blog post on my new Vaio laptop. Stephaney got it for MEEEE. Also thanks to Zac and Sal for adding tons of new music on it. Best gift ever, what does YOUR best friend give you??

P.S. I'm craving Spicy Nacho Doritos.

Living in Hanoi, Vietnam

Man, it really feels like I'm back in L.A., it's cool...but not that cool, but still cool. I'm working in a huge NGO, I have my own xe-om (motorbike taxi) drivers, happy hour after work, attending music/art shows, and then dating?? Been a while, but I still got game, I think it's the tattoos.

Past few weeks I have been designing all the signage for an exhibition campaign in Ho Chi Minh City (South Vietnam, I like calling it Saigon), incase you forgot, I am living in Hanoi (North Vietnam). Flew out of Hanoi with two co-workers to Saigon for five days preparing the campaign. This campaign is to help promote awareness and raise funds for the disabilities in Vietnam. We feature 10 organizations from around Vietnam. We had celebrities, ambassadors, and sponsors coming in, so it was a huge success. The communications team seemed happy with the outcome, and with me. As a result, it was good for me to network on finding volunteer opportunities when I come back. Good hook-ups. These people can give me contacts all over Vietnam.

Face for Handicap International Organization

East Meets West Booth

This helped plan my future in Vietnam but also my career; I had an exhibition class in art college, but never got to do it professionally. So I learned a lot, worked hard, and I got to see my art displayed. I'll admit I wish I could have change the whole art that was already chosen by their old designer, oh well...I think I made it look better than before. All in all, we (Chau, Lan Anh, and I) worked our asses off, little sleep, ate food late in the night, worked so hard to the point where we were talking stupid.

Finishing up Saigon; flight delayed again! Went to the War Museum, ate at the best sushi bar in the city, went to Wrap 'n Roll for the first time, attended an Art Talk featuring Tuan Andrew Nguyen, had a French dinner with French people I didn't speak to, noticed on FB status's that Coachella was this weekend...as a replacement I went to MTV Exit concert featuring our organization, music sucked! Who the hell is this American band The Click 5??

What I learned so far in Hanoi:
-A lot of Vietnamese people here think they're awesome and important than you, and try really hard to show who's a better person in everything (mainly alcohol tolerance and fashion)...sounds like L.A.
-If you have an argument with a local trying to rip you off, it's pretty much a 'who can yell the loudest?' situation. So 'hanoi-ing.' Thanks bro.
-Hanoi is a big city, but small, seems as though all the expats know all the other expats. And those expats know a lot of cool Vietnamese people that are also friends with the other expats. So it's one big circle.
-No one knows English and I'm having a hard time learning it.
-They all eat with their mouths open...do not give a Vietnamese person chewing gum (smacking, sloppy sounds...pet peeve).
-This is the first country where I eat street food everyday and have not been to 1 western restaurant yet.

Soon I will write a blog about volunteering in Vietnam. Because it was so hard to find a legit organization that doesn't rip volunteers off!! For example, I visited a temple that helps raise children with disabilities that have been abandoned by their parents. The organization that funds for this is a huge company with plenty of volunteers all the time. But...the volunteer has to pay $270.00 a month (basic food/dorm accommodation). On my own, I spent $230 this month, and that's including drinking nights, dinners, splurges, transportation, and my own room. Yeah, that's what I mean by rip-off. I'm going to keep helping the world and other people that wants to do the same.

-sigh- I love what I'm doing.