Phong Nha & 4th of July

So much to update on. Saturday we went to Phong Nha caves with the TAs. Last year I went with Van and my student Diep. Even though I had already visited, it was still an amazing experience. Aside from sharing pictures I really only want to comment on one experience. During breakfast, on the side of the road, they collected all of our trash in a waste basket. I had a bunch of trash in my bag I emptied into the container and was quite surprised that the TAs were being so environmentally conscientious...the impression didn't last long as after I dumped my trash the box was emptied out on the side of the road :( . People here really do not understand cleanliness. I don't think I realized it as much last year.

















On the 4th of July Thong took us to a little restaurant with "burgers" and then later to this amazing "central park." We had to pay 15,000 VND to enter ($1 = 18,600 VND). It was lit up with Christmas lights everywhere and had rides! I got some pretty good shots while riding the swings and a group of us were brave enough to go on this zipline across the pond. In retrospect that was probably a really stupid thing to do, but I enjoyed it and survived to tell the tale. Classes are going ok...my students are not studying so I don't think they're really learning as much as they could be. This weekend we're going to Ha Long Bay in the South China Sea. We'll spend the night on our tour boat! I'm really excited to get some amazing shots.