Rainy day at the office

I am getting set-up at my desk. I have my laptop and fast internet (horray!). I can actually view my blog now and I have to say it looks pretty nice :)

There are 6 people who work at the Association of Cities of Vietnam (ACVN) office and they officially welcomed me this morning at their monthly meeting. I was a little worried about their impressions of me, but they have been nothing but nice and very accommodating. I think they are worried that I don't have an apt yet that they said they don't expect me to do work until I am settled in (no complaints there), plus they are going to check some of their own contacts. I am looking forward to working with them and they seem excited to help improve my vietnamese and show me the vietnamese customs. They think of me as a vietnamese first rather than a foreigner, which I do appreciate.

So the apt hunt goes on and I have viewed 2. One was quite small and a bit deteriorated, but the girl who is looking for a roommate was super nice, however it is not exactly what I am looking for ... hopefully we can still become friends. The second I saw was beautiful, but a bit extravagent (and pricey) having 4 floors, spacious bedrooms, a housekeeper and a private courtyard. I was tempted but it is out of my price range. Tomorrow I am looking at another, so hopefully the third will be just right ...

My big purchase today was a bright metallic blue bike helment. My size only came in one colour, because yes, Yvonne, my head is abnormally large. Only foreigners wear them and the odd local. I wear it proudly as I would rather have a little peace of mind as I am on a bike that heads straight towards buses and oncoming traffic. I look quite attractive because part of the standard attire is sunglasses (for the flying debris and bugs) and a cloth facial mask (for the fumes and smog). Most only wear the sunglasses and mask and a bonnet rather than the helment. I need to invest in a mask as I am started to feel it in my lungs. I hope I do not develop aesthma!