out of sight, out of mind

some things i miss from home...

my baggy jeans, butlers soya hot chocolate, my cons, the red shoes i bought just before i left, mam's soda bread and griskins, cheddar, kerrymaid-sliced!, my bicycle - with it's gears and brakes, having my own set of keys, delicious kisses when i'm half asleep, mc cambridges, cooking, having an iron - if i chose to use it, hugs only a few people can give, back scratches, holding hands, my music, watching syllian rayle play, watching a live show fullstop, a pint or three of great guinness in doyle's, the shortcut, peace and quiet, red wine, hot water anytime i want it, coffee on a wednesday evening with whoever's around, sweating only when i choose to - and always feeling great after it, wearing a hoodie, talk radio, the news, the chips from beside fibbers, mass, mashed potatoes, the 75 at 9.40pm, cider, skinny jeans, a drawer full of underwear, knowing where things are already, brown rice, taekwondo, perfume, knowing who'll take me home at the end of the night, sending texts and knowing they'll get there, bagels on a saturday morning, not being afraid to breathe through my nose, jameson, reading the newspaper, having more than one piece of jewellry, whelan's, random post party sing songs.........................

but i'm staying here anyway! it's as definate as it will ever be, my flight is valid until may 15th 2009 so i'll be home sometime before then.

doesn't mean i don't miss you all. out of sight doesn't always mean out of mind.

stories from the other side

the bio's of two of the children i have been working with for the last fortnight that i wrote for the website.


Luong (aka "Chuckles") is three years old. She has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Her right side is most affected, causing blindness, deafness and very limited mobility in her leg and arm. Volunteers believe she may also suffer from a blood disorder due to unexplained bruising on her torso and legs.
She lives at the Social Protection Centre in Tuy Hoa and has spent the vast majority of her life on her back so far.
Currently, volunteers are helping her to learn how to swallow, doing daily physical therapy on her on her ragdoll-like limbs and providing mental and sensory stimulus.
Luong, along with her fellow SPC residents, is in need of paedeatric care, nutritious food, physical therapy and mental stimulation and also, the attention and affection provided by GVN volunteers which she is unlikely to recieve from the overworked and understaffed* SPC employees.
(*note: i used those euphamisms for the website only, there are stories i'm still contemplating whether to broadcast..)




The 'street kids' in Tuy Hoa number up to 1,000. Their families all live in daily hardship with most of them outside the normal 'family unit'. Most of them have never attended school and many cannot read, write or even draw a picture. They have been working to earn their keep and maintain their place in the family since they were very young. To do this, they take jobs as tin can collectors (30 tins = USD$0.50), selling flowers on the street and at the graveyards, tending to graves and selling gum and cigarettes, while some just beg on the streets. Their working day has no end.
Tron is one of these children. He has a mother and sister, his father is unknown. He is about 12 years old and has been attending GVN's program at Home of Affection since July '08. He never misses a class and is one of the brightest students there, always eager to learn and entertain!
GVN's program at Home of Affection provides meals and English lessons to 35 children and young adults three nights a week.

Just two out of too too many

a mother's love

sometimes knows no beginning...

in case i haven't actually been sharing enough stories of what i've been working at over the last while i'm going to share a few now, starting with what happened today, and i'll try to keep it short.

Judy, a volunteer who was here in june and july, returned yesterday after two weeks in Laos and Cambodia to say her last farewells and keep a promise she had made to two young girls at a children's shelter here in Tam Ky.
Le and Thao had been promised dolls and never forgot for one moment that Judy would be back with them.
so today when we went to visit she took the two dolls with her. the girls were elated, these were fancy dolls. beautiful hair, little voice messages etc etc. Le's mum was there when we arrived. she said something in Vietnamese to Le and Judy noticed a look of fear glance across Le's face. is her mum asking her for the doll?
well, Judy, knowing what some people are like in this world and that Le has siblings at home and really shouldn't be in this shelter, kept an eye on Le and the doll.

Le's mum left on her motobike and Judy turned to me and said, 'good, the mum's gone and Le's still got the doll, i was a bit worried'
two minutes later, the doll is nowhere to be seen...

Le's mum had driven out onto road outside the centre, called Le over to the fence and made her hand over the doll.
it's probably been sold by now.
Le is nine years old.
it was her doll...

she was a bit quiet and a bit sad but held it together alright for a while. only until Judy told the women who run the centre how angry she was at Le's mum. then the poor child bawled for an hour.

the frustration, anger, bitter disappointment and embarassment poor Le must have felt. her own mother, flesh and blood. has abandoned her in a shelter for homeless children, even though she lives in Tam Ky she only visits once a month at most.

her own mother, who abandoned her, steals from her.