First Time with Minnie

My sister, Minnie, had been working in Edmonton, Canada for nearly five years.

By 2005, when we were returning home from Vietnam, my youngest sister was packing her bags to explore work and life in Canada.

This was going to be her third foreign trip. She visited us in Vietnam around the summer of 2005 and even got to meet up with Patrick Velez, our cousins based in the East Coast. We had also travelled to HK that year with mom. It was our first trip together as a family.

Last month, my sister had come home and for the first time, she would meet Rafael! Am sure Rafael felt the love and affection when Minnie first hugged him. I, too, was all smiles to see the immediate connection between my son and my sister.

And for the first time, we would all go duty-free shopping. You could see the smile and excitement in Rafael as he kept Miguel busy running after him at the lobby, while Minnie was filling up her registration form.



Maybe, Rafael was saying, “What are you guys getting for me. I have been sitting here in this push-cart for so long and haven’t really gotten anything for myself.” Baby Crocs?



But I guess, Rafael was amazed just the sight of the bright packaging of candies and chocolates around him. Plus, seeing the M and M mascot. And the Disney-inspired merchandising items, from bags to pillows.

He would point endlessly at these items, probably wondering, what’s for him? Well, that would be all the love and affection that our family can share!

Wifi at Tan Son Nhat

Wow.... wi-fi at Tan Son Nhat Airport! This is a newly-opened airport. Just a few weeks old. Very modern and clean. And spacious. Really a far cry from our own Centenial Airport, NAIA 2. The are around 20 Immigration counters.

I didn’t even have to pay airport tax, which is probably included in my ticket already. A couple of Pinoys talking near me and blabbing about the new airport too.

What it lacks is duty free shops. Of course, nothing compared to HK and Singapore Airport, which have coffee shops and all the branded shops. Here, I saw a Swatch retail shop. Another shop sells traditional Vietnamese products, from Trung Nguyen Coffee to Chateau Tea and cashew nuts, But I pulled back from buying any more pasalubong as I exceeded shopping allowance already.

According to Wikipedia, the airport begun as an unpaved airport during the early 1930s. It was constructed by the French in the village of Tan Son Nhat. Around 1956, the US built a 7,200-foot runway. During the war, it was an important airport for the US and South Vietnam. Today, it is one of the newest and modern airports in the Region.

I remember reading in Vietnam News around December 2004, when the United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to fly to Vietnam since the fall of Saigon.

Chief just called me from our Greenhome. She says that she couldn’t sleep last night. Eager and excited to hug me after ten days.

Soon, I will be home again and continue the steps of our lives together!

1st Day

Back in ATS Hotel. First day is done. Guess, language comprehension and understanding would always be a challenge for doing an English-driven workshop on PR.

There are many business terms and jargon that is hard to translate or even, doesn’t have an English counterpart. But with the eagerness to learn, this could be overcome. But with the lack of focus due to work or even, simple, sms messaging, this again presents a tougher challenge.

Guess, I miss being inside a CFAD classroom where language is not a challenge. Only, the mobile phone.

Back In Vietnam

Yup, am back in Vietnam, where our first ever Greenhome was made at 25 Tran Nhat Duat Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Now, am in Hanoi already after attending the Asian CSR Forum last week in HCMC. Arrived this noon via VN214 from Ho Chi Minh City. Finished dinner earlier. Had fried pork. Around 2 dollars only.

Chief also called as I was watching the Finals of FIFA between France and Germany. And Germany won according to Yahoo News.

Will write more later. Denzel Washington is calling me to watch his movie at Cinemax.