100 happy days: week 3.

Continuing the 100 happy days project...

Day 86

Day 86: when we visited the Womens Museum in Hanoi. Really excellent exhibits on womens' roles in family as well as their part in the past 100 years of war. This is a bridal ceremony costume. The red bridal costume signifies happiness and good luck - another trump to the boring western tradition of chaste white dresses!

Day 85

Day 85: when we saw some skater boys in front of Lenin's memorial in Hanoi. I bet he would've LOVED that.

Day 84

Day 84: when we had a communal dinner of rice noodle egg wraps and pumpkin soup after our first volunteer day in Sapa. It was a humble but homemade meal and I appreciated every bite.

Day 83

Day 83: when Son Mai, one of the three girls currently staying at the volunteer center, braided my hair. These girls are really affectionate - always hugging or leaning or sitting close by. And they are almost always laughing, often times at the westerners but that's okay! It's hard to not to smile when they're around.

Day 82

Day 82: when little things like this remind me of Portland.

Day 81

Day 81: when I can capture the pollen on a stamen. I love my camera. It's old and beat up and the battery doesn't last long, especially in the cold. But I love it.

Day 80

Day 80: when I got to teach these five sweet little boys some English words at the volunteer center. They had their numbers down so we moved on to animals, and hearing them say "chicken" and "buffalo" was about the cutest thing I have witnessed in a long time. Oh, and they really liked when I pointed to the "beeeee!!". (Not pictured: me.)