happy new year!

We have just finished Tet, the lunar new year celebration, and I finally realized what they meant when they said it's like Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving all rolled into one. Pictures up now, more to come...

day of celebration

Today is a day of celebration. Why? Because for the first time in over a month and half, the sun is shining and the sky shows hues of blue!!!! Shadows! Warmth! An end to the perpetual gray and cold of the winter! Spring fragrances! It does wonders to my attitude and general outlook on life in Vietnam. Even though I got a flat tire on my way to work and forgot about a meeting, "zippy-di-do-da" is bursting from my heart. Everything's gonna be a-ok.

from Niu y ooc to Phi lip pin

There's a wonderful, big, pacific-centered map in my room with countries like Papua New Guinea and Vietnam dead center and all the words in Vietnamese. I look it over while I brush my teeth and try not to gag on my toothpaste while I figure out the phonetically-spelled names. It's kind of like the game "Mad Gab" if that means anything to you. So I thought I'd share a few with you... If anyone posts a comment with them all correct, I'll send you something. Really. :-)

(pronunciation hint: â - "uh," d & r - "z," x - "s," ô - "oh," o - "aw," and ơ - "uoh".. or something)

US cities:
Xin xin nơ ti
Oa sinh tôn
Bo xtân
Niu y ooc
Giăc xân
Niu o liên
Hơ xtân
Lôt an giơ let
Pooc lân
Xi a tơn
Fac gô
Mi ni ơ pô lit
Si ca gô
Uyn stân xa lem
Bât tơ
Fi la đen fi a

World countries:
Phi lip pin
Ô xtrây li a
Mi an ma
Ka dắc xtan
Mô dăm bích
Ca mơ run
Cốt di voa
Hôn đu rat
Ác hen ti na
Ê cu a đo
Vê nê duy ê la
Mông cổ
Tác dích ki xtan
Dam bi a
Ma rốc
Ai len