Brother Joshua

So my little one, my precious brother has been making some very nice things in Cairns. Mum, since you don't have facebook you might have missed out a few of his more recent creations.

He's living in a wee hippie village about 30 minutes outside of Cairns city, called Kuranda. It's probably a much cleaner and more calm environment than the city centre. Surrounded by mountains and waterfalls. I spent some time up there a few years ago and it's a melting pot of aboriginal artists, musicians and earthy old timers.. it's a very nice place!

So, in case you haven't seen the artwork and music he's made recently.. here are some photos and links. And at the end of this post are links to video of new songs he is planning to record.

I think he's working very hard at becoming someone unique and special....






These music videos are on youtube. To watch these links just click and they'll open in a new window, some of them are slow to load (3 minutes or so), so you just have to press play and maybe make a tea..

Untitled
www.youtube.com/untitled

The rain came down
www.youtube.com/theraincamedown

It's not your fault
www.youtube.com/itsnotyourfault

I heart couchsurfing

I lovecouchsurfing!

I enjoy living alone, but there is something about sharing your home and your love for your city with new people.

And there is something to be said for inviting wonderful strangers into your life, I've met more than a few.

Luke, a shamanista from Mexico who shared recipes for sour dough and painted beautiful pictures, and gave me an eagle feather.

Sharon and Israeli coming from India with stories of communes, workshops and flower healers, who read my astrology, shared stories and inspiration.

Lisa and Seb a couple of flower child hippies from Germany, who waltzed into my kitchen and made breakfast every morning they stayed.

Francois a French stilt walking clown, built a compost bin out of scrap wood and lost my house keys :(

Travellers riding their bicycles around the world, camp New Yorkans, French biologists, Polish anarchists, 60 year old vegans, Spanish hippies, Australian jazz singers and and and ...it's been a riot of information, color, humor and food..and a few beautiful friendships.

Of course the idea is an old one... people with houses giving a room to people with none...simple. I've had my fair share of perpetual house guests and I've crashed on more than my fair share of floors..or tents in the backyard ;)

Couchsurfing is organised , structured, informative. It gives things a form, a spirit and makes it easy! You meet like minded travellers based on their description, personality, interests and most importantly references from other people who have met them in person. More than a simple flatmate interview will do for you!

It's an online community, with a system of checks and balances. It's a spirit of sharing and learning..there's free accommodation!

www.couchsurfing.org

General Statistics

CouchSurfers	1,263,267
Successful Surfings (approx)	1,273,016
Friendships Created (approx)	1,457,026
Positive Experiences (approx)	2,333,104
Unique Countries Represented	232
Unique States/Provinces Represented	2,734
Unique Cities Represented	62,229
Unique Languages Represented	1,270

Alternative Jobs While Travelling

Travelling? Want to make money without teaching?

If you're like me - and the idea of travel writing is extremely annoying...get your ticker ticking and have FUN while earning a decent wage.

There are many ideas for working nomads on the net, but I'm simply not interested in online blogging, WWOOFing, photography, teaching, prostitution or begging...so I created my own jobs, things I like to do. And the best piece of advice is find something you already do. ..now. Something you will actually work at rather than just think about.

I don't need a great salary to live in Hanoi, or anywhere for that matter. So here are some jobs that have brought me income (in a relaxed, Tabitha friendly way!)

Dog Lover, Dog Walker
I posted an ad on an expat site offering loving attention to little or large puppies.

Being Australian, I am not Vietnamese, therefore will not kick or hit your dog, lock him in a cage or feed him chilli-prawn curry. I will pat him, wash his coat, take him for walks and give him the love he deserves!

House Sitting Havens
A good way to stay for free or earn a little dosh. Helps if you don't have your own rent! I recently stayed in a fantastic house, with a KFC/takeaway allowance and a little cash. It was like taking a holiday from my life..with lots of dog love included!

Cake Maker Extraordinaire
I like cakes. In fact, last month I made over 30 cakes. That's more than a cake a day!!

There's always hapless vegans who stumble across my path, hehe, I plan to put nicely wrapped cakes in guesthouses. An idea for creative types, if you make...make and make, think of people and places you sell items, no matter how small. Meantime, I'm eating too much cake - someone help me!!

Garage Sale Queen
If you like 'things', you might use the Perpetual Garage Sale ninja technique. It's a secret move, hidden for generations...much like the Perpetual Student or the Perpetual Job Seeker. Collect things you love, naturally, in markets, second hand shops and other garage sale and post ads on the local expat sites.

There are tons of newbies coming to town who:
a. can't yet get the local price for items
b. need furniture, accessories, a scarf or boots in a hurry
c. like your style!

...it will ensure you have lots of interesting people knocking at your door!

Workshops and Creative Stuff
Chris and I learned loads of traditional West African drumming rhythms, and decided to hold drumming workshops. While the main point was that we want to meet drummers, we've found we are making them! Donation only, since we aren't professionals and provide the drums. Chris has seven and a great space..so much fun!

Party & Event Entertainer
Witchy wolf women of Hanoi unite! Mie (Japanese), Fred (French-Indian), Tabitha (from English witch stock, and yes, there is another Tabitha, yes, she fire twirls, yes, she is alternative and gorgeous - what are the odds!!) and I have formed Ahimsa Fire Troupe. We fire twirl and drum and generally add a fiery-feminine-feisty-flavour to events!

So far we've opened hostels and pubs, a cruise ship, a 6-story rooftop party, art exhibitions and charity events - lots of free food and we're making some nice coin from it too!

So, get thinking, what do you LIKE to do. How do you like to do it...and go out and create the perfect job!

Here are some photos of the girls and I in accccttttion!!!

A School Year in Nam!

Can you believe it's been so long..

I've become comfortable life in a culture so dissimilar to my own. For the most part this year, my lesson been a journey on how to love. But I've learned many things.

For the past 365 days I've learned to live uncomfortably, let go expectations, withhold judgment, adapt my communication style, function in intense humidity. Bargained, acted, and smiled my way to new friendships, food and work.

14 things I've learned... a random, mixed bag (maybe I'll add more later when it's not so late)

1. Every human encounter is a unique and singular experience that will never recur in the same way ever again

2. To wipe my chopsticks before using them (even though it does nothing)

3. That I love children immensely and will be a good mother

4. That the world is very small and people can be very similar in fears, desires and flaws as well as love, compassion and open mindedness

5. That you can very easily welcome people into your life..you just open your door

6. To stop looking before I cross the road

7. I am not my friends, my false expectations, my partner or my bank account

8. If I want happiness..wisdom.. I have to continually seek and create it

9. Vietnamese are proud of their culture and sometimes feel a little sorry for Westerners (even though they also desire BMW's)

10. If a Vietnamese quickly and happily accepts when you offer a price, it's usually too high

11. Local wine is good, local vodka is pure acid

12. Always bargain hard, but remember there is a point you could be taking food off someone's table

13. Love can be found everywhere and anywhere if it is found within yourself first

14. No matter how small your budget, you can go from one backpack to an apartment full of crap in a short space of time...

I've learned to be extremely patient, find something positive in every interaction and did I mention extreme patience? It's been an intense year. But the more intensity the faster the learning.

Thoughts on contentment

Hanoi is hot. And getting hotter. The dog days are here! It tops 37 degrees most days, the little rain that falls barely touches the steaming streets. I am rethinking my choice to live life without air conditioning.. I miss sleep.

Summer school has begun. My lesson.. is patience and how love works. I'm a foundation builder, a bringer of knowledge, a sign holder, door opener.. Working with small children requires an extremely open heart. (And ample sleep is actually the most important resource a teacher can possess.)

My kids have got me thinking about happiness.

I wonder at adults, and how people get trapped within in cycles of negativity, unhappiness and anger. It's a short life and as we get older, we seem to absorb and collect our negative beliefs. Why is change and disappointment so difficult to take in stride? And why does past negativity so affect future thoughts and actions?

The difference between little kids and adults is they live in the moment. Negative or positive is simply judged as it is, felt, then let go. Life is happiness until it is sadness, and it is only sad for as long as the cause remains. So.. life is mostly happiness.

My kindergarten lesson this month is letting go of past and viewing my current thoughts, anger, worry, sadness etc with no judgement, asking... how do I feel in this moment? In this exact moment, how do I actually feel? Now... right now.

..perfectly fine.

Maybe there is nothing that can be negative if you throw away your preconceptions, prior judgments, expectations of others, labels and past.. it's a very Eckhardt Tolle thing to say I know. But being fully present in the moment without thoughts from the past, or worry about the potential future, is the only real life we have.

Many hats...many jobs!

Today, I was a Business Development Manager...once again. It's funny because in Australia.. it wasn't really my job either...

My work is so varied. Last month, marketing. I wrote a website, brochures, mail outs... and yes, as someone pointed out.. I've become a spammer.
www.kidsfun.vn

My business development hat today.. involved meeting the director of one of the largest and fastest growing real estate firms in Hanoi.. Ciputra. Mega bucks, multi multi mega bucks. One of the 'nicer' apartments costs around 180 thousand billion dong!!

Ciputra is a bizarre gated community between the airport and the city. Eight ghoulish black horses stand atop the imposing gates, its huge walls protect large wallets from the outside world. Imagine Vienna mixed with Singapore...with fountains with horses and naked children in strange postures.

Walking into a cathedral-sized foyer and was nearly bowled over by the receptionist who ran out to shake my hand. The owner of all the opulence that surrounded me was man who oozed money, from the top of his shiny head to the soles of his well-heeled feet. He dripped with the calm, secure knowledge (belief) that he was completely in control of his world. The experience was surreal, I pondering the lives of the rich for a good while after my meeting..

...Sunday was our Open Day...

Back to normal like, and up at 1am drinking wine, cooking psychedelic playdough and painting macaroni in my underwear (it's ridiculously hot here.) The day was busy..traditional artisans, music, games and lots of happy, fat babies meeting their teachers.

Now I'm co-writing a the summer school program at the kindergarten.

A very new hat.

Nursery rhymes is our theme for the next 7 weeks of summer school...it was mildly tempting to make it Dr Seuss ...

.. haha, 7 weeks of stripey cats in hats, and frogs in socks might be a little intense for small, developing brains!!

:)

I've just had internet connected again, so I'm free for more skypee chats!

Less stress, more cake!

Ok, so being a vegan is a ridiculous amount of fun!

Never mind about people's shocked looks when you tell them you've cut eggs, dairy and cheese from your diet...

I didn't think I would cook or eat so much aaamazing food. (Which maybe it's not so good, the speed at which my waistline is expanding is a little frightening.)

Actually being so conscious of the food I cook and eat is very nice. I find myself looking at each ingredient, studying menus and the backs of packets, adding nuts and seeds, extra colourful veges and experimenting a lot!

And making friends, I recently hosted a few vegan dinner parties with not a single stirfry or carrot stick in sight :) lovely people with the desire to live a more environmental, kinder and pure gastronomic lifestyle.

Ok, so I like cake. My first chocolate cake bombed! The second wasn't much better and the third, well, more like chocolate putty. Finally, when I thought of giving up ever eating a moist, rich chocolate cake, my angel couch surfer, Lisa, introduced me to...wait for it...

..chocolate zucchini vegan cake!

I will graciously post a recipe here, because the love must be spread.

Mix in a big bowl all the dry ingredients

2C plain fl
2C brown sugar
3/4C unsweetened cocoa
2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Then add the wet ones and mix it all around

2 x smooshed banana
3/4C vege oil
3/4C apple sauce

THEN... add 3 cups of magical grated zucchini and mix it in!

Bake on 'very hot' for 1 hour or just test it every now and then... cover in icing or real chocolate (if you're not vegan-ly inclined), add nuts and stuff...

Cook it! Cook it! It's incredible, and I dare you to find a single zucchini piece, they magically disapear!

test

'THE' Traffic

I realised I haven't posted about traffic here! Hmm, strange, when you arrive it's the first thing you notice and the ONLY thing you talk about. And it's nuts.

After almost a year, the 'flow' still baffles me. It's like a metal ballet, like walking on water... it's surreal how a system based loosely on the simple adage 'don't HIT anything' can possibly work, and yet it does...mostly.

Take a look at this youtube link to see what I mean.... then... a few tips!

www.youtube.com/crazy_hanoi_intersection

Haha, ok mum don't freak out. It's organized chaos, seemingly insane...and yes, it is a little. But there is method to the madness, it takes a while to get 'driving eyes'...the rule when driving is - take care of what is in front of you and the other guy will do the same. Strangely, it works.

As a pedestrian, remember drivers judge where you are 'going to be', not where you are when they see you. With this in mind, although it goes against every instinct, DO NOT STOP when you see a bike or car coming straight for you.

1. Walk at a slow, consistent pace
2. Don't make any erratic movements - yes, even if there is a pile of something disgusting in your path.
3. Try not to make eye contact - difficult at first, but it gets easier
4. Don't wear earphones, being able to hear the traffic is a good thing sometimes
5. Remember, they have brakes. And they do/should/usually use them.

^. And finally, just take a deep breath and step out. You'll be surprised.