Chapter 4

Starting to be part of the corn

Apart from the episode of cheese with Baz, the major events of the second month were the woman's day, the school party and the arrival of Hai.
Regarding cheese, Baz who works with dad (he loves snakes) picked up the recipe from a friend at home, and decided to try.

It must say that these first months of milking, the farm still does not sell the milk, the factory is not ready yet.  They are forced to throw it away, but eventually they decided to distribute it to villagers. The line is also increasing waiting for the truck at the crossroads of the village. They clearly explained the need to boil it, but what is unfortunate is that they let it a little too long in the sun and as they take cans of 20 liters, it's not really easy to put it in the fridge. And that's how they drink it, all day long believing that milk is something sour.

In all cases Yarden had fun pouring the ingredients into the pan. And thanks to Baz for his kindness and patience. As for the cheese it was successful.

At school they were preparing the show for the party for quite a long time. In fact here schools have qualifications from the national level. There are schools that don't have any level, and 2 national levels. What it depends on? I think I understand that on the money they have and on the number of swings. At least not on the cleanliness of toilets, that's for sure. 15 urinals along the wall, to believe they all pee at the same time, 2 Turkish toilets. I have not seen any paper and for the soap it does not exist. I'll try to see what I could do about it.

The director asked us to participate in the purchase of a carousel that we finally funded all. The equivalent of 3 years of school anyway.

I had to take a car that was going to Vinh to withdraw some money. I really wanted to give it to them before the ceremony.

Anyway in the classrooms, there are not many toys. I was told that the children would study more. I don't know if it's really the reason. In all cases they must be held at tile. Is that the teacher is alone for 20 to 30 3 years old kids.

Yarden's teacher Kim, does everything all by herself, even cleaning the classroom, the installation of wooden planks on the floor for napping, the installation of tables for lunch. Fortunately there is a cook anyway. I even saw her cut the children nails. Meanwhile the other children, they wait. So they have although to be wise. But that's what I saw.
They must learn something during the day.

In all cases they dance all day and Yarden is much better with them than alone at home. We must integrate. And I am very proud that Yarden can speak one more language. I think she begins to understand.

This is where Hai has arrived.

A young Vietnamese couple, Tang and Hang, who works in the company decided to come and live here in the village because Thai Hoa is too far to make the trip every day. They have a little 3 years boy. Great for Yarden, a boyfriend, and even her age. They will even be in the same class.
From what I see, he is also full of energy. So he gets along very well with Yarden. Apart from small fights obviously because of toys.
We started to come back from school together because Yarden goes only in the afternoon. I was also saying to myself that I would soon let her there all day and it would be easier for her. Indeed, when she arrives in the afternoon and she sees him, I don't have any more trouble to slip away. It's a good sign.

They spend all late afternoon together and since they no longer want to leave each other.

Tang and Hang on a Sunday have proposed to Yarden and me to accompany them to see the rehearsals of the performance of the company for the woman's day. It was in a hangar that will serve as a garage for the tractors a few miles away. There is still no electricity there, but a small generator. By cons the big sound system was there.

Yarden and Hai did well heckling on the scene.

3 days later I saw them setting the scene, the chairs and the sound system on the car park of our village for the woman's day evening party. Dances, songs, and the custom is to offer flowers to the artists you prefer.

Yarden gave everyone. After the show, the stage was hers and Hai's.

Then the day of the big school party arrived. At 7 o'clock in the morning ... Gilad had no choice this time to come, as a donor.

First a little bit of makeup. The makeup artists have makeup all the teachers for the show, and Yarden has not hesitated to enjoy. Then the headmaster made us go upstairs to introduce ourselves to all the staff official. There were a lot. Every official person that could be in the Nge Anh state.

The show began, the school's children first. Yarden didn't want to dance obviously, but I'm sure her heart was there ... The teachers made a pretty dance accompanied by a song performed by the headmaster. Then little village dancers, with music on Ali Baba theme. It was fun to see little Vietnamese girls belly dancing!

Finally speeches and graduations. Even Gilad made a speech, quite nice indeed, at the end of which he was presented the plaque would be mounted on the carousel.

A beautiful red plaque with our 3 names and the amount.

At the end of the ceremony we all went to eat at a restaurant next door. The custom was to drink with each official. They all came one by one at our table with their drinks. We went out in a beautiful state!

The following weekend Hang and Tang decided to go visit the grandparents, who live ten miles from Vinh.

We took advantage of the minibus which take the employees back home at noon on Saturday. After 2 ½ hours drive, we arrived at the parents of Tang.

The village is very cute. The typical village with haystacks in every house. The house was rebuilt in half. No more money. The typical house. A single room for all, we all slept in, 3 large beds with mosquito nets.

On the other side of the wall, where it has not been redone, a kitchenette with a stove and a table. But no water in this room. All that is water is outside. A small bathroom with shower and sink, and a separate WC. Both overlook a small hallway that leads back to the second kitchen.

Here they do the dishes and make food on the floor. They all have a little stool. People are always squatting and never sit on the floor. Besides school and everywhere, when I sit on the stairs, there is always someone who brings a small chair.

Anyway the grandparents looked really nice but once again no communication was possible.
On arriving there, Hang took me with the grandfather's motorcycle to the market to buy some food for dinner.

Seeing the meat out, I told her it was not worth it, so she suggested to buy a chicken alive. I said it was okay if we did not eat meat today. She dropped.

Vegetables and rice for dinner and fries for Yarden.
I asked Tang to take me for a little tour of the village, but immediately a crowd of children had formed behind us. Tang chose to go home, wait for them to go and go out after again.

This time we went to the other side and once again we were escorted by children.

Upon arriving, I saw a villager move ahead with his buffalo and his cart, and it was several days that Yarden asked me to ride on a buffalo. The gentleman has kindly accepted for a quick photo.

The next day we rented a car for the day.

Program:

visit the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh, not far from there,

the house of his father, a few miles away,

and the grave of his mother, at the top of the mountain. It really seems to be a place of pilgrimage for the Vietnamese. But fortunately that's not the season. As for the mountain, Yarden amazed me. She climbed the 300 steps ahead of us, almost running. Even the little Hai had trouble keeping up.

Finally a small restaurant, rice, chicken before some shopping at the Mall in Vinh.
Nice trip. It changes a little from our corn.

To go back, we got up at 5 am to retrieve the employees, and on the way I asked Yarden if she wanted to stay with Hai all day at school. It has not seemed to bother her that much and it was a good opportunity to test. So that's when she spent her first full day alone.
It seems she slept a lot but it went well. Too bad that after 2 days she has returned with fever and stomach ache. But I do not despair, we'll do it again. About what they eat, rice and rice. But anyway she eats no more elsewhere.
Now she begins to get used and even wonders during the weekend if we go to school today.
I have not even talked about the weather yet. It changes a lot. But it is good. Not as warm as when we arrived, so no more pool. By cons it stopped raining. Sometimes it's gray, sometimes sunny. We need long sleeves. Yarden has what it takes, but I have found nothing in my size. Is that the Vietnamese are very small and thin, and even in the menswear. Even in Vinh. We must go further, much further. Maybe in Hanoi or Hong Kong next week.
Pending the next events, life goes on peacefully in our corn.

Ah, they finally changed generator. It is brand new, much quieter and the most important, further.

We put red on the nails,

go to school,

play with Hai, and sometimes with Anh, Kim the teacher's daughter, 

paint, do some stickers, plant tomatoes, annoy Ngoc in her kitchen, play in the sandbox,

go to visit the cows,

dance at home and especially but especially play with the computer.  

Yarden has become an expert. Fortunately Gilad leaves his at home. The mouse has no secrets anymore and the keyboard starts to come. Arrows, 2-3 letters. She knows how to connect to the internet, click the star of the favorites, and click on the game site. I found a pretty good site, a little educative, Boowa and Kwala. What is nice is that it reinforces her French.

The meals are improving. In the morning we get some pho now, and the evening salad and more vegetables. It is good to moan from time to time. Although most of the times it doesn't really varie.

The thing that bothers me a bit right now is that it takes all day chasing drivers to come back and go to school. 10 phone calls every time, but these last two days, strange, as I am about to pick her up, I see her happen in another car. They automatically returned her. We'll see later. Everything works out in the end. Still, I made my request for driver's license, although everyone would not recommend driving here ...
This week Tang, Hai's dad, brings us in the morning and I get them in the afternoon with one of the drivers.
This monday the Doctor has finally arrived. It relieves me. Is that it is lost here, and having a doctor right next door, who even lives here, is very useful. He is from Philippines and looks very nice. We even already tested him since Yarden began to cough a bit much as she is used to. He seems to know his job well. In addition it is a pediatrician at the origin. We could not do better.

Finally the birds, but they are not very numerous.

Even a small snake next to the pool. 

We went to pick up some peanuts one afternoon.
Something very funny is that now Yarden pronounces her name with the vietnamese accent... That's how people call her all day!

And let's party again, this time for the Teachers' Day.

It is customary to visit the teacher and bring her some flowers and a gift. Luckily Tang and Hang are there to keep us informed. So we visited Kim. She has a beautiful house, not a single room.

Her two daughters have their own room. Yarden wildly played with her girlfriend An. And what did we talk about all evening? About school of course.

I actually learned a few things. Regarding toilets, they really go all at once ... They have a schedule to pee, hence the 15 urinals.
I also learned that the other teachers believe that Kim is more concerned with Hai and Yarden than with the others and that we spoiled her for that. That's not true. They must be a little jealous. It is true that we are the only ones to come to school by car, but here we really don't have choice. But Kim is particularly kind, gentle and sweet, and we really fell well. It is also true that she is attached to them, but also Yarden is glued to her all day, doing everything she does and especially not eating much. So she is a little worried not wanting Yarden to lose weight. She worries to find something that the miss would like to eat, makes omelets with eggs she especially brings from home, she buys for her all kinds of pasta and other vitamin C. I tried to explain that I had the same problem at home and she should try to feed her as the others. She will eventually get used to. No wonder the other teachers are a bit jealous. But we can't really do anything except perhaps no longer bring her flowers or other things at school as we had done during the woman's day. And in our case, since they believe we spoil her, we should spoil her for real, but secretly this time, now that we know where she lives.

 I also learned that Vietnamese families were restricted to two children, but it was not as severe as in China. For those who work for private companies it is less severe. For others they may lose their jobs and all that follows. And they really believe in the chinese years to give birth. And they really believe in Chinese signs to give birth. There are good years and some bad years in terms of future life. No pregnant women this year, I have not seen any.

One Saturday morning, Tang suggested that we accompany him in his fields. He takes care of everything that is planted with Dany. Another opportunity to make a trip to the countryside.