Finding a apartment in HCMC

Hi!

I am getting at home here, and am excitied for my apartment that I found with the help of Thuy Anh. We looked at many places, all over the city. I hope it works out, It's on a very busy tiny street in district one, where my work, Head Office of Holcim Vietnam is at. District one is in the heart of the city, where most foreigners stay, and where the best english is spoken. There are tons of little places to eat there on the little street, and its a very expensive location for HCMC standards. A small family owns this "mini hotel". Its really just a tiny apartment building. I think there is one or two rooms for rent, Im not sure. But the family will take care of my clothes and everything else. THE BEST PART is that right across the hall from my room is a huge balcony by HCMC standards, maybe 20' by 20 feet big. The older women who owns the place has hundreds of plants in all kinds of pots all over the place! bonsai, orchids, all kinds! She told me for a long time, "I have no room to rent, no room! no room!" Then she invited us inside for a little talk. She said in vietnamese to Anh, "i will help you find you find a place here on this street with someone else." We went up to the balcony to so she could show us some other places by pointing, but when I started to ask questions about the plants she began to get interested. She showed me up a little star case that leads to the top of the building from the balcony, up here she had many more plants! After quite a long time, she said she would call the other couple who would be staying in that room, and them them she liked me more. She said "I will ask them to find a another place, then see what they say" "After i will call you and maybe confirm with you" but then........"its ok, I confirm now!" but I will call you tomorrow!" For some reason this made Anh laugh a lot! I'm not sure why. Its nine in the morning here. I hope she calls at noon like she said. Then Anh and her best friend Anh took me and jennifer the other intern to a pizza place. Tomorrow the Project manager, a swiss, will go with me and jennifer and the rest of the Talent project team, including some very fun coworkers I had lunch with yesterday, I ate cuddle fish and HOT HOT HOT chilli peppers with rice to go dancing at 6pm(hahha) and then after for coffee! And before in the afternoon I will have coffee with some others after helping the HR director Anh Hoa read business magazines, and to give her comments about her presentation to all HR employees on tuesday. How to make it more Western! ahah. But I have to skip bad mitten with Thuy Anh and Heru(from Indonesia, another foreigner here). Im sad about that!

I might also try to visit the Mekong Delta this sunday, but thats not much time for that.

I have seen all the art museums here in the city. They are not quite what London or Paris had, but the ancient wood carvings are really interesting. The painting is watched closely by the government so the expressions are almost always peaceful, even though its nor always the general thoughts around here.

Tonight because its friday, and jennifer teaches english here, she doesnt have to work with the same things or times as me, and even though i have to work tommow, you and i both know it will be very easy, with Anh Hoa, the HR director, so are going out tonight! The city doesnt seem to stay up very late anyways, only for coffee after a while.