Week 2 Vietnam - working at CHIA

Hello everybody, I thought I'd make this an afternoon email rather than my usual Sunday evening mail, for two reasons: first, today is the final day of the English football premership, which will start here at 9pm, and secondly, I have one more day of free internet at this hotel, before I move into my Vietnamese Palace!!! Also today's email is going to be less travel centred, and more about the type of work i'm going to be doing here... I began work last Monday, really not knowing what to expect! How would the staff take to me, both persoanlly and professionally? How would we communicate? Just exactly what was I suppsoed to be doing here??? I started with a lovely ten minute bicycle ride (bicycle provided by work) to the office, which had a ground floor small 'therapy area', kitchen & clinic room. The first floor had the offices for the marketing, interpreters and administrative staff. I ws to based on the ground floor, in the clinic room, when it wasn't being used to teach the staff English, or by Dr Josh (American Doctor who has a clinic on a Wednesday afternoon). The team consists of Robyn, (Australian & founder of orgnaisation) John & Michelle (Marketing, & fundraising) Sally, volunteer from Australia (English teacher for Vietnamese staff), Carol (medical manager), Van & Phoung (Vietnamese Physiotherapists), Ly & Anh (Vietnamese translators), Binh (vietnamese supervisor), Loc (Vietnamese IT & assessment worker), Vu (newly started Vietnamese administrative worker)...After spending nearly two days going through the children's files, I was able to identify the main conditions that the children have: hydrocephalus (water on brain), Cerebral Palsy, Developmental delay, physical deformity (undegrown limbs, hands, fingers etc...) I wondered how much of the physical deformity could be linked to the chemical 'agent orange' used by the Americans for chemical warfare during the conflict here... some children's parents did have exposure to these chemicals... but I digress...Through numerous discussions this week about what an Occupational Therapist could do to help the organisation, we decided my role should focus on the devlopment of clinical practice for the physio's, and helping the service to establish a more formalised assessment & treatment process. (So a quick note to Nia, Mari & Hannah- I'll be needing some advice on physio treatment's for CP children!!!) To more social matters, my worries about being accepted by the Vietnamese staff were quickly forgotten, as they took me out on Wednesday for a meal at a real local sea food restaurant, and I got to ride on the back of their motorbikes which was good fun. They insisted on paying, which I thought was very sweet of them, and thankfully, as they ordered for me, they chose the star fish, rather than the river snail!!!! no joke!!! I began a quick question and answer session as a 'getting to know you/me' kind of thing, which was fun, but ended with me being given the nickname "moonflower' (translated from the Vietnamese), because apparently by Vietnamese standards I have had one too many girlfriends... and moonflower means... well i'm sure you guess!! Tomorrow I shall complete my move to my new home.. what a life of luxury awaits me! $600 US per month, between four of us... (Me, carol & sally from my organisation & an Irish girl by the name of Caoimhe from another children's charity), There is about 16000 dong to $1 US, or 30000 dong to the pound!! so you can do the maths! It has air con, a tv, ensuite bathrooms, four floors!!! yeah 4!!!! with a roof terrace, washing machine, kitchen & huge lobby!!! bargin!! especialyl as i'll be paying $150 month, and now i'm paying $10 per night now! Speaking of which, anyone coming here to Hoi An, on a travellers budget must must must stay here at the Hoang Trinh Hotel... the rooms are great and the staff are like family... they have been sending free plates of fruit up to me! The only negative note has been I have picked up an ear infection which has prevented me sleeping properly for days, and has had me confined to the hotel this weekend!!! I guess I should be more carefull about the water I drink here! It seems to be getting better! oh and I have had such bad luck with my bicycle, as I have had 3 flat tyres in a week!!! Unbelievable! Take care everyone and please feel free to mail me, so I know you are actually reading this!!! ha ha
Regards from Vietnam
Dan