"Hello!" "Xin Chao!"

Don't ask me how, but we officially feel at home here in this parallel universe. Lauren's birthday was certainly a unique year. We began at a center for abandoned babies, located within the disabled center at which several of the volunteers from our house spend their spare time. Within two small glassed in rooms a couple dozen babies spend their days on beds covered with grass mats. It's not the easiest environment, definitely nothing like the living conditions @ the SOS village, but the babies light up the second you get them in your arms & our time spent there feels truly important. We've been told that the center is just a temporary home as the babies await adoption- an optimistic thought.

Next, as Lauren taught feelings in English to her 8th graders, Jenny & I visited the kindergarten located right in the village. After class, we met up with Lauren & went to check out the school that all the kids in the village attend. We definitely stand out in Viet Tri. ALL the kids heading home on their bikes shouted "Hello!" & "How are you doing? I'm fine" giggling as we walked by all not- Vietnamese. From the school we head to our usual afternoon locale: house #13 to spend time with our favorite family. We put American music on the IPOD & played our daily games of shuttlecock (which is similar to hacky sack) & their crazy jump-rope game. Jenny & I had to keep Lauren out of the house so the other volunteers could set up her surprise party :)

house #13 w. Tinh, Hao, Linh, & Binh

in awe of bubbles

Around 6:30 we got back to the house where our new friends blindfolded Lauren & led her into our eating area where Korean birthday soup awaited her along with tons of balloons & a cake made from choco-pies (massive mallowmars). Happy Birthday was sung to her in English, then Korean, then Japanese, & finally Danish! After dinner we taught the group how to play American classics including flip-cup & kings. We also learned quite the entertaining variety of Korean games- it was a fun night bonding with all our housemates in celebration of Laur's 23rd!

Today Lauren & I were on mom duty, cooked & cleaned for a good straight 12 hours. The other volunteers requested American food again so lunch was scrambled eggs, homefries, toast, & bacon, then scampi pasta with sausage & garlic bread for dinner - another successful long day :)