Fun with finances!

Many of you have probably noticed that my recent blog entries are coming farther and farther apart. I apologize, but it's a trend I'm having difficulty preventing. For whatever reason, I'm just not compelled to write the way I was my first few weeks here. I have a hard time thinking of things to write about. Even simple weekly updates are difficult; I find myself asking, "Did anything happen this week worth putting in the blog?"

It's certainly not that life here has ceased to be exciting. I still see things, usually on a daily basis, that I've never seen before. But I don't feel the same excitement I did when I first arrived. I have fallen, for better or worse, into a routine. Walking down the street is no longer a relevatory experience; it's simply another part of my life. When I ride a motorbike down the street, I don't feel the same wonder I did the first time. I've grown used to living here.

Routine isn't a bad thing; it's useful for daily life and can be comforting. But I don't want to be comfortable; I want to feel like I'm in a different country! Perhaps it's a good thing, then, that my current routine will soon be almost completely upended.

Frankly, I don't have enough money to live here as I am currently living for another three months. I need to make some major lifestyle changes to afford the rest of my stay. I can't keep eating on Bui Vien street, for one. You can get an incredible meal on Bui Vien street that would cost at least $15 in the US for about $4--but that's still unfortunately about 3 more dollars than I can afford. So the fine dining is out. I also need to start taking the bus to and from work. I am currently paying my xe om about $2.50 a day; in contrast, taking the bus would cost about 20 cents a day. Over a entire month, that's a lot of money saved. Over three months . . . well, you get the picture. It's a good idea.

I also need a job. The job opportunity I mentioned previously would have worked well under different circumstances (not having to volunteer 4 hours every day), but I think that, because of my arrangement with AIS, I'm going to have to back out. So it's back to the drawing board. There are plenty of language schools in the area, though, so I don't think I'll have too much trouble. Job searching will certainly give me more to write about.

Finally, I need to seriously consider a new housing arrangement. I'm currently paying roughly 5 million a month to stay at the hotel ($270), which is a good rate, but it's too much for my current financial situation. I'm considering a wide variety of options; if any leads look promising, I will be sure to keep you all informed. Location is an important part of life here; it affects almost every aspect of your life. If I make a big move, it could change my routine more than any of the things I've mentioned.

Oh yes, and regarding pictures. I've been experiencing problems with my camera lately, so until they can be solved, new pictures don't seem like a possibility. The camera itself is fine; the problem is with the batteries. I brought rechargable ones along with me but the charger I brought doesn't work with the Vietnamese power system. I went to buy new batteries, but they did not work with my camera. So once I sort out the battery situation, I should be able to start taking pictures again.

Finally, everything has been worked out with the English Club. Don't worry about it. All issues have been resolved.

So, I guess we'll see where things go from here.