Time Pour
One minute I've plenty of time on my hands, then next thing I know I'm helping out pretty much full time in the library. It seems they would like me to catalogue some English language material that's been sitting in the too-hard corner, as well as discuss generally the running of the place. So for the last couple of weeks that's what I've been doing. They have an online catalogue with a database similar to those at home, they even use Dewey classification. One staff member also speaks a bit of English, so we've been getting on pretty well. There's some material purchased for teaching, but mostly it's donations. Some from the Asia Foundation - a crowd I remember from days in Timor. It's mostly donations of publishers' surplus, which is at least recent and topical, but the level of English is way too difficult for most students and staff currently at the university. But that is so often the way. There's also some material from a joint Belgian programme which seems to be mainly books on teaching in Primary schools. Not sure what else is lurking out back. They've only had the online system for about a year so there's only a fraction of the collection entered so far. When I've finished the English material, will I have a go at the Vietnamese? 
 
I'm pretty rusty but I was pleasantly surprised at how much cataloguing information can be got from the web. The staff were delighted when I printed off some Dewey summary tables in English and pointed out that many books come with cataloguing-in-publication information included.

The library reading room is on the fourth floor (so up and down twice day should help with fitness levels) with one open side looking down on the courtyard. Lovely at present but I'm not sure how it will be when the weather really hots up - or the middle of winter!

PS: Any library types reading this. Do you know of a library which has a copy of Dewey sitting in a back room being used as a paperweight or something? That they'd be happy to part with? The library here uses a copy of 14th ed in Vietnamese so it doesn't have to be up to date. Actually what they're most interested in is the index so they could find a number there then check it against the Vietnamese version - but I'd try and bring the whole thing if I had it. I'll be in Perth in July and am happy to pick it up from anywhere while I'm there.


Party, Party
We had old (in the sense of longstanding) friends visit a few weeks back and while they were here the staff and students had lots of ideas for things to do with them. The night after they arrived a group of staff and their kids descended on our house and we cooked up a feast of local dishes. A couple of days later we visited the nearby hot springs spa for a dip before dinner. While there we saw some fireflies in the grass, which the kids delighted in catching. We went to Tan Trao with a small group of staff and students in the university minibus (put on by the Rector) to see where Uncle Ho had lived in simplicity, in the remote forest, while planning his political campaign - and the famous banyan tree under which he contemplated. One evening we visited one of Owen's classes then all retired for coffee in a cafe across the road. On the last day we took a day trip to a hydro reservoir leaving at 8am and getting back after 10pm following a day on the water and having caught and cooked dinner on a floating fish farm. 

In the couple of weeks since they left we've had two long weekends, the annual Book Day, a "convention" organised by the Psych Dept and a Photographic exhibition at the university. (You came a little early d*** and Jane)
 
The second week of my new "job" saw Vietnam's annual Book Day. This involved displays of books and a visit from Hanoi by a well known Vietnamese author. The ceremony in the main hall saw the usual introduction of dancing and singing, speeches, and an on-stage interview with the author. This was followed by lunch in the university restaurant.

The evening of the same day (!) there was an excellent event hosted by the Psych Dept of the university. Opening with singing and dancing, that was followed by an interactive speech from a prominent guest psychologist from Hanoi. (It was all in Vietnamese and although one of the staff did a good job interpreting it mostly went over our heads.) He seemed an excellent speaker though. He finished with anonymous questions from the student audience written and placed in a box then pulled out one by one. A good idea and it seems many questions and concerns of young people are the same everywhere.

Then came the first long weekend honouring the Hung kings - first emperors, regarded as the traditional founders of the Vietnamese nation. A nice restful weekend for us.
 
Then the following week a three day photographic exhibition was held in the university courtyard on the topic of Vietnamese Islands in the north and centre - those in dispute with China. It involved over two hundred stunning photos - I just wish someone would publish a book featuring them. The opening, of course, involved a ceremony with singing, dancing and speeches followed by lunch in the university restaurant. This time there were official visitors from many places and organisations.

The last weekend in April was a four day weekend with two public holidays - for Reunification Day in 1975 and May Day. We decided this was too good a chance for a short break away, especially as we'd stayed home for the Hung king's holiday. We'd never seen Angkor Wat and inspired by our friends who'd been as part of their recent Vietnam trip we booked a short say in Siem Reap. We spent one fascinating day at the temples and went to the circus in the evening (excellent) but the weather was HOT - and this leads me to the next topic ...
 
In Sickness and in Health
Why does one never get sick when it's possible to slink off and crash for a couple of days?! While our friends from Perth were here we knew we were in for a busy time as the staff and students had organised several outings. In the middle of the week one friend and I came down with the dreaded "d" word and knowing we were going on a day trip on a lake in a couple of days resorted to the medication and soldiered on. Owen was violently ill the day after they left and has continued to relapse regularly - you guessed it, always on the days of the celebrations. Reluctant to capitulate, he resorted to the medication and largely succeeded in carrying on. Then he had a relapse while in Cambodia. More pills. He's pretty well followed the flowchart in our little travel sickness book to it's conclusion. I haven't actually been sick again, but have had almost constant nausea - made me sympathise with women who get morning sickness. I'm pleased to say we're over it now (fingers crossed)

Pouring Down
The weather has seen some pouring too. Loud thunder storms in the middle of the night then overcast cooler days to follow. I like this weather and I like lying awake listening to the storm. When it doesn't rain it tends to be very hot and sticky. And it's getting hotter. I don't like that.