'Tis the Season (Part 4): Thuy's Family Supports an Impoverished Shelter for the Sick and Poor

The final part in a series of short stories of friends and family back home who have gone out of their way to extend their own generosity to those in need here in Vietnam.

Sharing information can be one of the most important ways you can help an organization. You never know from who and where help can arrive.

Thuy tells her family about the Francis Shelter in Dong Nai province. On a budget that would make the Seattle non-profit community cringe, the Francis Shelter cares for some of Dong Nai province's most dire and ill citizens. Thuy's family immediately makes a contribution to their cause.

'Tis the Season (Part 3): Friends Donate Large Box of OTC Medicines for Those in Need

Part three in a series of short stories of friends and family back home who have gone out of their way to extend their own generosity to those in need here in Vietnam.

This is a story about friends finding a unique and personal way to make a helpful contribution to people in need.

Two of our close friends in Seattle make a unique donation in the form of a box of medicines to be dispensed to anyone or any organization who needs them.

'Tis the Season (Part 2): UW Foster MBA Alums Offer to Pay for Christmas Gift for OBV Girls

Part two in a series of short stories of friends and family back home who have gone out of their way to extend their own generosity to those in need here in Vietnam.

This is a story about a small group of classmates turned friends who overhear a conversation and take it upon themselves to be awesome.

Three UW Foster MBA classmates and friends want to ensure that the OBV girls have one of the most entertaining and memorable Christmas gifts ever.

'Tis the Season (Part 1): Krav Maga Renton Donates Equipment to OBV Vietnam Self-Defense Class

At the time I wrote this, it was the evening of Christmas Day, which made it the morning of Christmas Day back home in Seattle. Another Merry Christmas to our friends and family in Seattle and across all timezones. We love and miss you all.

In celebration of this spirit of giving, this is the first in a series of short stories of friends and family back home who have gone out of their way to extend their own generosity to those in need here in Vietnam. The protagonists in these stories would probably insist that their contributions were "no big deal." Nothing could be further from the truth.

Thank you to everyone mentioned in these stories, to those unnamed, and to those who continue to offer their support of our work and of OBV. However small these benefactors might think their act to be, they've made a difference in other peoples' lives.

Don't Ask Me If I Learn Vietnamese Because of Thuy

Speaking a language is like doing a crossword or sudoku puzzle. There's the fun in making something unclear clear, the logic and associations needed to make the right guess and get the correct answer, and the beauty of a completed puzzle.

When you ask someone if they learn a language because of a woman (or man), you reduce the years of hard work someone put into achieving that fun, logic, and beauty into nothing more than some pursuit of affection from someone else.

Cambodia Medical Mission Trip (Part 2): OBV Delivers Medicine to Patients in Vietnamese Village

On Monday, December 16, we rejoined Linh Doan, Director for OBV Cambodia, in Phnom Penh for our second mission trip. During this visit, Thuy would be taken to a Vietnamese village to provide follow-up medical consultations for and dispense medicine to the villagers she saw on her first mission trip to the country.

This post is a collection of photos and a video journal detailing our task of purchasing and bringing medicine from Vietnam to this Vietnamese village in Cambodia, and, in doing so, sharing with you a tiny piece of what life is like for these villagers.

UPDATE: Decision Made, Huong Will Return to Vietnam

On Monday, December 16, Huong gave a somber, tearful goodbye to her sisters, a group of girls she met no more than a week prior. She left the OBV Cambodia house and returned home to her father.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 09

Greetings from Cambodia! Thuy gives an emotional account of her last OBV mission to Cambodia and explains how someone's $50 donation can easily translate into medication for 30 people in an impoverished Vietnamese village in Phnom Penh. She also reviews her recent OBV health road show to Can Tho and Soc Trang. Jesse runs through his recent trip to Ha Noi and relives the body waxing experience.

Listen through the SoundCloud player below, or download the episode by clicking "download" at the bottom of the player.

Cambodia Medical Mission Trip (Part 1): Thuy Treats 30 Patients in Small Vietnamese Village

During our first One Body Village mission trip to Cambodia, Linh Doan, OBV Cambodia director, took us to two Vietnamese villages in Phnom Penh. Thuy would have a specific task on our visit to the second of the two villages: She was to see and diagnose ailments for 30 men, women, and children.

Even if you read our last blog post "New Girl Joins OBV Cambodia House, Faces Tough Decision," it's worth reminding you that these villages exist in very poor conditions. Generally speaking, these Vietnamese communities are shunned by the larger Cambodian society.

Although many Vietnamese grow up speaking both Vietnamese and Khmer, their undocumented status due to a lack of citizenship in Cambodia makes it hard for them to find proper employment. The men end up working as low-paid construction laborers. The wives take up work of their own while raising their children. The kids go to a school in their village if one is available.

For the two hours that we visited this village, Thuy would become the Vietnamese American version of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Here is what it was like for Thuy to become the doctor for the inhabitants of this village.

Two Bros, Bro'ing It Up: Ha Noi Edition

My friend Andrew stopped by Vietnam for a week to conclude his five-week vacation across Southeast Asia. He stayed with us in Ho Chi Minh City, but we carved out time during his visit to head north to Ha Noi and Ha Long Bay.

We returned from Ha Long Bay late Tuesday evening and would spend the following two days paling around Ha Noi on foot.

Wednesday we walked to some of the more common tourist spots in Ha Noi. This included the Norther Gate, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, and the Lake of the Returned Sword.

Thursday we walked to a few popular-but-less-touristy spots around the city. This included the Temple of Literature, the Ha Noi Train Station, Thien Quang Lake and Bay Mau Lake, the history museum that doubled as my Vietnamese language school a decade ago, and one more walk around the Lake of the Returned Sword.

We ran into all sorts of fun and unique things during our walks around the Hoan Kiem District.

Here is a collection of photos from our two days in Ha Noi.

Ha Long Bay is Actually Quite Nice This Time of Year

On the morning of Tuesday, December 10, we boarded a van for a day-trip to Ha Long Bay. We would wind up spending more time on the road than at Ha Long Bay, but it was still very fun to visit for the day. The scenery was beautiful, and we met some nice people along the way.

It turns out that Ha Long Bay is actually quite nice this time of year.

Here are a few photos from the trip.

I Got My Torso/Back Waxed, and It Was Awful

This is going to be one of stranger posts I've published during this trip. This won't be edited much because I don't want to spend too much time reliving the experience.

There will also not be photos or videos. At least not yet. We have them. Andrew documented the entire experience on his phone. I'm just not sure how comfortable I am with the rest of the internet world actually seeing me this way. I have an image to uphold, you know!

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 08 Part 2 w/ Special Guest Andrew Roberts

In part two of this past Sunday's podcast, Andrew shares highlights from his recent travels in Thailand, Laos, and Bali. Stories include his visit to the Loi Krathong Lantern Festival, riding an elephant, the fun (and risks) of driving around on a motorbike, and the marvel that is the Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok.

Warning: NSFW language.

Listen through the SoundCloud player below, or download the podcast to your media player by clicking "Download" at the bottom of the player.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 08 Part 1 w/ Special Guest Andrew Roberts

Thuy is out of town for the next few days, but Andrew Roberts, MBA classmate, friend, and all-around great guy, just happened to be in Ho Chi Minh City right in time to be our special guest!

Part one of a two-part weekly podcast.

Krav Update: I taught solo, so I seized the opportunity to give an 8-min soapbox speech about the reasons I work the girls hard. I bought the girls ice cream and cookies to celebrate two months training together.

OBV News: We review the recent OBV mission trip to Cambodia, and we FINALLY dissect what went down with the uncomfortable (yet hilarious) task of looking for Vietnamese and underaged sex workers. Witty banter at my expense is a decent way to approach this topic.

Warning: NSFW language.

Listen through the SoundCloud player below, or download the podcast to your media player by clicking "Download" at the bottom of the player.

New Girl Joins OBV Cambodia House, Faces Tough Decision

On the first full day of our three-day mission trip to One Body Village Cambodia, Linh Doan, Director of OBV Cambodia, brought us along on a house visit where we would be picking up the newest member of the OBV Cambodia house.

Huong (name changed to protect privacy), 14,  faces a tough decision: Should she stay with OBV in the Cambodia house, or should she move back to Vietnam and join the OBV Vietnam house. Staying with OBV Cambodia allows her to be close to her father, but she would have to start back in first grade since she doesn't know Khmer. Going back to Vietnam allows her to continue her education where she left off and provides her with more career opportunities when she's older, but she'll be very far away from the comfort of her father.

This is the tough decision facing Huong as she joins her new sisters in the OBV Cambodia house.

[Podcast] Linh Convinces Families to Send Their Daughters With OBV, OBV Cambodia Takes in a New Girl

Listen through the Soundcloud player, or download the episode by clicking the "download" link at the bottom of the player.
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From Monday, December 2 to Thursday, December 5, Thuy and I have been on a three-day One Body Village mission to Cambodia.

During our time with Linh we learned about the plight of the small Vietnamese villages in Cambodia and what drives some parents to sell their young daughter's virginity.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 07

I accidentally get the girls in trouble with Sister Ngoc for narcing on their sub-par showing on Saturday's class. I try to digest the task of rewriting Father Martino's stories that detail his interaction with young Vietnamese girls who have been forced into prostitution in Cambodia. We get into the challenges of keeping girls out of the sex trade once they've been rescued. We then recap our mini-vacation to Da Lat.

Download the episode to your media player by clicking on the download link at the bottom of the player.

We Visited Da Lat, Here's What the Trip Was Like

Thuy and I decided to take a mini-vacation to Da Lat to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. It was either Da Lat or Nha Trang. I insisted on Da Lat because I thought it best to celebrate the holiday in a climate close to what we would've had back home in Seattle.

We stayed two nights and three days in Da Lat. It was a great trip filled with good food and lots of nice scenery. Above all else, it was just night not to be in the sweltering heat every day. We look forward to going back soon.

Here are some photos from the trip. I've included links for more information on some of the places we visited. Hover over the description to find the link--it's not exactly easy to spot with the font template assigned to this layout.

How to Find and Rent an Apartment in Vietnam

Renting our own apartment in Vietnam was much easier and quicker than we expected. We took our time to explore multiple options, got a free tour of the city going from place to place, lucked out on a reasonably priced unit in the dense District 1, and moved in within a week of deciding on a place.

Here's a breakdown of our search for those interested in living here for an extended period of time.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 06

Been a while since we actually recorded and posted this on time!

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In this episode...

Krav News: Girls continue to kick ass. OBV purchased new equipment, which means the girls are in for some seriously muscle soreness from here on out. OBV News: The workload is increasing by the week. Thuy is getting more engaged as a doctor, and Jesse is helping with their social media and becoming a regular blogger for OBV. Jesse and Thuy have more interactions with people their age who willingly came to Vietnam to create new roots and have little intention of going back to the States. Jesse has a professional and personal breakthrough during a final round interview, and a day later falls victim to a stupid snap judgement.

Download the episode to your media player by clicking "Download" at the bottom of the Sound Cloud player.

OBV Hosts Counseling and Prevention Workshop in Ca Mau

About once a month, OBV Vietnam organizes an awareness and prevention mission trip to areas with a high prevalence of sex trafficking and sexual abuse of children. OBV sees such outreach as a critical first step towards the reduction of child sex trafficking.

It's worth noting that OBV VN is officially a counseling and consulting company, believing that education and family counseling is key to prevention of child sex trafficking and abuse. Each trip includes seminars on parenting and child psychology, along with OBV message on sex trafficking and child abuse. With Dr. Phuong, a visiting OB/GYN, and myself on this trip, sessions on women's health and prenatal care were added to the program.

On November 15, 2013, I joined OBV on this month's trip to Ca Mau, the southern most city in Vietnam.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 05

OBV Krav News: Girls continue to be awesome, and 60-year old Sister Ngoc does MMA style ground-and-pound. Thuy goes to Ca Mau with OBV to present at a prevention workshop for local residents. Meanwhile, Jesse learns how to ride a motorbike and realizes that it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Father Martino explains his new project, "The Boys Project," that focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating young boys who suffered from sexual abuse.

Episode available for download onto your preferred media device via the word "Download" below.

OBV's "The Boys Project" - Rescuing Young Boys from Sexual Abuse

Father Martino was back in Vietnam for a couple of days on OBV business. While on a three-hour bus ride to Vung Tau for OBV's annual retreat, I asked him to shed some light on OBV's latest project.

Launched earlier this year (2013), The Boys Project rescues and provides rehabilitation opportunities to young boys suffering from sexual abuse. These boys are not sold into prostitution or sex trafficking like many of the girls OBV rescues. They are, however, tricked, cajoled, or are otherwise forced into reoccurring sexual acts, often times by an acquaintance or friend of the family.

I Violated the Sixth Commandment

When people asked me if OBV is a Catholic organization, I’ve always told them: “Not really.”

While the founder of OBV is a Catholic priest and the girls living in rehab houses are raised by a nun, OBV work is not exclusively Catholic. Only two or three of the 18 girls currently living at OBV house in Ho Chi Minh City are Catholic.

All the girls get a Catholic education at home because OBV believes this is the best way to raise and discipline children. True enough, no matter their background or how unruly they were at the beginning, after a few months with Sister Ngoc, these girls became among the most well-behaved kids I’ve met.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 04

Posting this much later than usual. Thuy and I haven't had much time together. Well...we did have a few hours, but that was primarily spent finishing up the final season of Breaking Bad.

It doesn't help that I've been sick as a dog...again.

I'm flying solo on this one. Thuy is out for the next few days.

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Jesse and Thuy hold their second and third Krav Maga class for the OBV girls, and they're killing it! Jesse checks out another salsa venue and befriends a group of Japanese expats in town for training. Thuy's uncle scores tickets for the Diwali Indian New Year festival, and it's a riot (almost literally). Jesse and Thuy check out a Muay Thai class, and, despite the teacher lighting up a cigarette in class, they're sold on signing up.

Blue Handprint: Leaving My Mark at the OBV House

We were back at the OBV house today.

Thuy resumed her work seeing the girls for individual check-ups and physical exams. I taught two Krav Maga classes today. Shortly after teaching our first class last week, I decided it best to divide the class into two groups based on age (older and younger) to provide a more tailored and personal experience.

Shortly after lunch, we inquired about the handprints on the wall closest to us. We learned that OBV was having each of the girls place a painted handprint on the wall to spell out the letters "OBV."

Like a five-year-old, I blurted out "Aww I want one...," not realizing that OBV actually did want their volunteers to participate, and that they had paint right outside.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 03

In this week's podcast: Jesse and Thuy move into their new place in District 1, but not before trying out a 2hr massage session for only $15! Jesse teaches his first Krav Maga class for the One Body Village girls, and they kick ass. Shorter episode, Jesse caught a cold and had to crawl out of bed to record this...

Listen directly through this blog post or download the mp3.

OBV Girls Exceed Expectations in First Krav Class

[NOTE: Pictures of OBV girls are taken from the rear so as to protect their identity]

We recently moved into our new place in District 1, a milestone that meant that we were finally ready to get to work. From our first meeting at the One Body Village house we concluded that our Krav Maga classes would be regulated to the weekend so as not to disrupt the girls' academic studies. This past Saturday, the first of November, would be the day when the girls foray into Krav.

Shadowing Fr. Martino: A Review of His Investigation into a Sex Trafficking Claim

Last week, Father Martino--a.k.a. "Cha Thong" as he is called in Vietnamese--invited us to join him on an impromptu investigation mission. We travelled for six hours to another province to meet with someone who contacted him via social media with a tip about young girls being trafficked to China.

Our role was to shadow him and learn what he does. We were to provide assistance when needed.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 02

In this week's podcast: Jesse goes apartment hunting, Jesse and Thuy shadow Father Martino on a child trafficking investigation trip, the OBV kids go wild when Father Martino comes home, and Thuy takes Jesse back to Kinh B village in Can Tho province to meet her relatives.

Special guest: Uncle Thai's dog, Lu.

Listen directly through this blog post or download the mp3.

First In-Person Meeting with Fr. Martino, Founder of One Body Village

Father Martino Nguyen Ba-Thong arrived late Monday evening for one of his regular visits to One Body Village. We met with him at 8:30 AM Tuesday morning for our first in-person meeting since taking on this opportunity.

Prior to this meeting, all of our interactions with him and the rest of the OBV board have been either through phone or email. It's actually quite amazing how we've been able to build trust and coordinate everything that has transpired so far without actually meeting face-to-face. We didn't know them, and they certainly didn't know us, so clear communication aside, both sides had to rely on trust and luck that we all carried the best intentions for one another.

[Podcast] Week in Review, Episode 01

For those who prefer their stories in audio format, we're experimenting with a weekly downloadable podcast that covers some of the previous week's stories posted on the blog, as well as a few other happenings not mentioned or covered in detail.

Below is our first podcast. It's a work in progress. Will figure out how to spruce this up as we go along. Feel free to make suggestions!

First Meeting with the OBV Children: Harsh Reality Sets In

The following post includes a bit of difficult and uncomfortable content. We invite you to read at your own discretion.

Arriving at the OBV House

Taking the bus to the OBV house

Early on our first Saturday morning in Vietnam, Thuy, OBV employees An and Quynh Anh, and I traveled to the OBV compound.

First Days in Ho Chi Minh City

We arrived late yesterday evening and were met at the airport by An, Xuan, and chu Binh, employees of One Body Village. After a 20-minute ride, we arrived at the OBV office and housing unit in District 3.

Sans specifics--keeping the locations of OBV units is important for safety reasons--the housing unit is situated behind one of the many retail stores along our street.

We have to cross through the shop to get to and from our room. I've already had to pull Thuy away from sifting through the clothes and shoes in the shop.

Bringing $400 in Medical Supplies for OBV

Thuy offered to purchase and bring medical supplies to the One Body Village compound. OBV got back to us with a list of items; Thuy purchased them yesterday at Costco. These supplies will be distributed across the Saigon and Cambodia compounds. As you can see in the photo, that's not a lot to distribute.

A colleague within our local Vietnamese community had suggested that we put together a Kickstarter campaign for our project work with OBV. Once we get there and assess the situation and needs, we may look to you all for additional support.

Visions of Walter White flashed in my head.

When Searching for a Job, Accept Discrimination as a Potential Norm

I've ramped up my job searching. I'm looking for a product marketing or brand management role for a multinational company in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG, a.k.a. "consumer packaged goods" here in the States) space. Fortunately, there are a couple of LinkedIn groups specifically focused on these kinds of jobs. I get daily updates from these groups. A new job is posted to the group nearly every other day, so I'm optimistic that I'll find something.

However, actually getting my foot in the door may not be as easy as it seems.

Here's an example of a job posting. While not along the career nor industry path I want to walk, it's a telling sign that Vietnam seems to approach hiring a bit differently.

"We're looking for Talent Development Manager /Training Manager (building materials) based in HCMC, Vietnamese only, 33-40 years old. Salary range: 50-55 mio (gross), ..."

It was sobering to read the 'Vietnamese only,' and '33-40 years old' part.

I realized that what I would view as blatant discrimination in the US may just be regular habits in Vietnam. I'll have to get accustomed to the fact that I'm an outsider operating under a completely different set of rules. I can't get too angsty if I feel like I'm hitting brick wall after brick wall because of things outside of my resume.

While I may have some positive characteristics that may help me in my search (native English speaker, MBA, working knowledge of the Vietnamese language and culture), I'm not Vietnamese, I'm not exactly the prototypical American/Westerner (i.e. I don't have white skin), and I don't have the familial nor personal relationships that could help me get an interview.

I'll continue applying to jobs while I'm here. My job hunting will probably pick up more once I'm in the country.

Two Weeks Left! Found Krav and Salsa Places in HCMC

We're two weeks away from departure! We're definitely starting to feel anxious and excited. Those feelings became more real when I started organizing a few farewell get-togethers.

I spent an hour researching places where I can engage in my two favorite hobbies: Salsa dancing and Krav Maga. Took some sleuthing, but I came across spots for both of these hobbies.

Krav Maga
K1 Fitness and Fight Factory
100 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC, Vietnam

Salsa dancing
La Salsa
212 - 214 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, District 3, HCMC, Vietnam

The only problem is that these places seem rather far away from where we're probably going to be residing in District 9. Then again, we won't really know what the commute will be like until we arrive. I'd just hate to spend a lot of time and money commuting to engage in these activities.

Will report back on what I learn once we're there.

Update on Housing

Last week, we received an update from OBV that the housing arrangements would have to change due to permitting issues with the local government. In Vietnam, whenever someone from out of town stays overnight at someone else's residence, the owner of the residence must register with the local government and receive a special permit to be noted in the owner's family record book.

Long story short, it's a paperwork hurdle that is made suspicious by the fact that they're housing many girls, and made even more risky by having two American's on the premise.

OBV's current recommendation is for us to either stay at an OBV house in the heart of Ho Chi Minh city, which is a one-hour, 15mi commute to the OBV compound, or stay at a hotel 3mi away from the compound. Option 1) is better for play, option 2) is better for work.

I asked for more details and photos of the two options available. I've also asked if they could look into renting a modest apartment for us nearby or at least between the two areas.

Concerned that the final decision would come down to cost, I sent the OBV board a friendly but firm reminder that Thuy and I are forgoing a lot of personal opportunity cost and spending much of our personal savings to make this volunteer trip happen. We're OK with not getting paid during this expedition, but we'd like to make sure that our residency is adequate, to the best of OBV's ability, for our six-month stay.

We'll be able to make a more informed decision once they send photos and details of the options they've provided. Better to know what we're getting into before we leave rather than be surprised when we get there.

Getting More Krav Teaching Experience

My experience teaching Krav will be better were I to go in with more experience teaching Krav here at home. Thus, I've been requesting to take on more responsibility during the classes that I co-teach.

Typically a co-teacher is like a T.A. in a college class. You might hear them chime in from time to time or seek their assistance while trying to figure out a difficult concept. For a co-teacher to move up the responsibility ladder, they have to prove themselves capable of managing and executing the most basic parts of a Krav class.

Most recently, the leadership team at Krav Maga Renton have been kind enough to let me toss myself into the deep end and teach a few classes on my own, thereby blasting through various parts of standard instructor apprentice curriculum. One instructor allowed me to sub for her Women's Krav and Intro Krav classes, both of which were successful experiences.

Through these classes I've been able to get a better understanding and feel for the different types of people I will encounter in Vietnam. As fun as they are, a rigorous class isn't for everyone, and they can sometimes discourage people from practicing. Being more aware and conscientious of the different physical and emotional limits of even a small batch of students will help me create a better curriculum when I'm in Vietnam.

My end goal for these classes are to increase the health and emotional well-being of these young women. If that means creating a much less intensive course first, then so be it. We can always ramp up as they progress in their training.

The teachers at KMR have been very helpful in providing the guidance and coaching I need to become a better teacher, both here and abroad.

Stay on Top of your Visa Applications

Finally got our passports and approved visas back. Last week I called to check on the status, and the travel agent who took our application for processing told us that there was some sort of a delay due to a mistake on the side of the Vietnamese embassy. Not sure if they were telling the truth, but, nevertheless, we were told to call back later in the week.

I called today, and--after reminding the agent of my call with her last week and that she was, in fact, the one who took our application--found out it was ready for pick up.

Five-year visa with multiple entry!

Key points:

1. If you go with a third-party to apply for a travel visa, stay on top of your visa applications and passports. Chances are that the third-party may not keep you top-of-mind, and you want to have your passports back at home ASAP.
2. Give yourself enough time to apply for the visa and deal with any issues or delays that arise. If we applied later and they lost our passport, then we would definitely be screwed.

Adjusting Finances to Accommodate the Trip

As summers usually go, we've had some unforeseen expenses come up that have eaten into our savings a bit. After a bit of scrambling and planning, we found some unique ways to compensate and put ourselves in a better financial position going into Vietnam.

1. Wife--bless her heart--is taking on medical locums. She found an easy, 8-to-5 4-week gig that doesn't cut into her evenings and weekends. The additional income from this work definitely pads the savings.
2. Wife also had the brilliant idea to defer our student loans. My deferment application was approved immediately. Thuy is still working on hers.
3. As mentioned in an earlier post, we rented out our place for a weekend. That brought some extra cash that we didn't expect to have before. We'll continue to make the house available while we're still here. Our friends and family are kind enough to have us stay with them when we have renters in the house.

We've come to terms with the fact that we'll have to live off of credit cards in order to achieve our larger travel goals. The adjustments taken above will help us push out that reality just a bit further down the road.

Calming a Nervous Parent

When I told my parents that we were planning on doing this trip, my dad was immediately against the idea. He didn't outright say that I couldn't go (mainly because I'm a grown man and he know I wouldn't listen), but he did express his concerns and overall disapproval.

He called me yesterday night asking me to come over to their place to talk. When I asked him why, he refused to tell me, but instead insisted that I come over.

Fearing the worst, this morning I stopped by to have this conversation. He sat me down, and he explained to me that this trip was keeping him up at night, and that he's really concerned for our safety. Coming from a 50+ year old Brooklyn-born, tattooed man who at one (or more) point in my childhood exercised corporal punishment to set me straight, I had to give his concerns the respect they deserved.

His main worry was that we were going to be involved in the obstruction of the sex trafficking industry. To put it more plainly, we're going to be messing with the livelihood of some very bad dudes. Furthermore, he fears that the corruption he observed during his time in the Vietnam war hasn't changed much, and that these bad guys won't have any issue with bribing the necessary government officials to make us "go away" or to have them look the other way while we're kidnapped and killed.

He mentioned this concern in passing over the past few weeks, but I figured that he'd just get over it. During this unexpected heart-to-heart with my dad, I came to the realization that a parent really never "gets over" the idea that their child would willingly walk into a situation that has the inherent, but remote, danger of harm. I even told him that as much as I appreciate the concern, I won't really know how he's feeling until I have a child of my own.

He gave me some information on orgs that are fighting the sex trafficking industry, information that he's been collecting from a teacher in the school district where he works as a custodian. Apparently he's been sharing his concern with others.

I made an agreement with him that I will gladly accept and follow up on any information and contacts he provides if it helps put his mind just a bit more at ease while we're away.

This reminds me of something a former colleague once told me: "It's ok to give your parents at least one thing to worry about once you've grown up."

Key point: Sometimes parents will still be parents. Call them, make sure to let them know that you're still alive and safe from time to time. Otherwise, they'll freak out and worry themselves into illness, and you don't want to be the cause of that.

Vaccinations...Get Them.

Last month I convinced my wife that we needed to visit the travel clinic at UW-Seattle's Hall Health. the travel clinic is exactly what you'd expect: They have a few doctors on hand who specialize in all things related to travel. When you make an appointment with the travel clinic, they'll send you a form for you to complete and bring with you to the appointment. On this form you'll list all of the places you'll be visiting. With that form, the doctor can print out a host of resources and information on how to keep safe against the various diseases and virus in that area.

The doctor was very helpful and knowledgeable about the places we plan on visiting. She explained to us the health risks and ways for us to stay safe against contaminated water, mosquitoes, and other dangers that we might forget about. She then gave us a list of vaccinations that we could get at Hall Health and at our preferred pharmacy.

We received vaccinations and medications for:

• Japanese Encephalitis (two shots, the second one taken 28 days after the first, $330/shot),
• Typhoid Mary (four pills, each taken 48hrs after the other on an empty stomach),
• Malaria (Doxycycline, take every day until four weeks after leaving)
• Traveler's Diarrhea (Azithromycin, 2/day, up to three days)

It's worth noting that our insurance did cover the visit to the travel clinic, but they did not cover vaccinations and medications for travel. I hear that this is the case for most insurance policies, so be prepared to pay over $1,000 for the recommended treatments. They're expensive, but beats the alternative.

I know many of you probably travelled to SE Asia for a couple of weeks without vaccinations or medications and escaped unscathed. However, we decided to err on the side of caution because we are going to not only stay in Vietnam for an extended period of time, but also do some adventurous traveling across the rest of SE Asia that may last more than a month. I'd rather shell this money out now than be confined to a hospital or worse.

Key point of this post: See if Hall Health is in your insurances network. If they are (or even if they're not), then consider paying them a visit. Even if you opt not to get what they recommend, it'll still be helpful to hear how best to prepare for your trip, especially if you're going to developing countries.

Airbnb Trial Run a Success!

This past weekend, my wife and I rented our place to three Airbnb renters from Florida. We wanted to give the Airbnb rental experience a shot while we're in town, that way we can fix things and make improvements before we leave, and we can experience having others stay at our place while we're gone. Two good friends of ours invited us to stay at their place during this experiment.

Overall, the trial run was a rousing success. Our guests left our place clean, if not cleaner than how we left it for them--and we left it pretty damn clean to start. The money was deposited into our account when they checked in. They even left us a thank you note! At first I was cautiously optimistic given the warnings I read online, but this positive outcome definitely gave us more confidence that the Airbnb process will work out for us while we're away. We know not every experience will be as positive as this one. We'll continue to set the right expectations up front on the listing page with the intent of attracting the right guests for our place.

Major thanks to Val and Kalid for opening their home to us this past weekend.

Preparing the House for Rent on Air B&B

Quick update on what we're doing with our townhouse: We've decided to put it up for rent on Airbnb. This is primarily because we don't know when we'll be back. We'd hate to rent it out for a year, only to come back and evict the renters. It'll require a bit more management on my end, but fortunately we have a couple of friends and family in the area who offered to check up on the place.

This move naturally provides us a great chance to purge unnecessary items laying about the house and in closets. We've already made a few trips to the local Goodwill donation drop-off site. Don't be surprised if I'm offering random goods to you when you visit.

Turns out Airbnb is really easy to set up. Their user interface is really straight forward and easy to use, they connect to your PayPal account for quick receipt of payments, they offer to send a free photographer to your place to take professional photos for use on your listing page, and they have a mobile app that helps you manage your listing and communication with potential renters.

There are definitely risks in using Airbnb, but in our case, we're planning on leaving our place in such a way so that there isn't anything worth stealing or that couldn't be replaced quickly and cheaply.

Along those same lines, we have to explore the insurance angle to make sure that we're not voiding any policies or otherwise breaking any contract obligations. We don't want our insurance company to balk at helping us if anything catastrophic were to happen to the house.

If you have any experience and advice for using Airbnb, please do let us know!

Tickets: Purchased!

We bought our plane tickets! We used a local travel agency; they offered a price comparable to what we found online, and they will also manage our visa application.

We purchased our ticket for an October departure two months in advance. We paid approximately $660 per person. The 5-year visa option was $125 per person. Fortunately, this travel expense will be reimbursed by the One Body Village organization in trade for our work as volunteers. I figured that it's worth noting the price on this blog in case any of you are interested in purchasing a flight around the same time.

We had to decide between between buying a one-way or round-trip ticket with the option to reschedule a departure within a year. We opted for the one-way because we're really hoping to stay there for longer than a year, assuming I find a job soon after we arrive. The overall decision on a one-way was based on a gut feeling more than anything else. I have no idea what is going to happen when we arrive. We might be forced to leave back home in three months. I also might find a job and stay for longer than a year. We made the optimistic decision to buy a one-way and risk the additional cost of buying a more expensive ticket home within a year.

My personal recommendation is to have the travel agency prepare and submit the visa application. This is mainly because I want it done right the first time. When deciding on visa options, we were provided with the unique option of applying for a 5-year visa that requires us to reenter the country every three months. This option is provided only to overseas Vietnamese. Visa applicants don't have to be Vietnamese nationals, just born in Vietnam, as was my wife. Since we're married, I'm also eligible for the same visa. A 3-month visa required reentry will certainly motivate us to visit neighboring countries since we're in the area.

I wanted to fly Asiana, and I was told by the travel agent that we might have an issue with the fact that we don't have a return flight. Apparently foreigners are not allowed to stay in Vietnam with any level of permanence unless there's some sort of a work opportunity and work visa already secured. The travel agent instructed us to call them for a ready-made solution in the event that we run into any issue at the check-in counter. Essentially, the agent will inform the counter representative that we do have a return flight home, and that we should be allowed to proceed to boarding.

In summary, we pulled the trigger, and this is finally going to happen. We're really excited to embark on this adventure, and equally as thrilled that we can share it with you. Please keep in touch, be it through this blog or through our own Facebook pages and emails. We definitely want to hear how things are going for you at home. It'll give us a great amount of comfort and ease to know that you're doing well as we gradually adjust to a new life abroad.

Options for Putting House up for Rent

One side task that comes with preparing for an extended trip abroad is deciding on what to do with one's property. In our case, we're aiming to put our townhouse up for rent.

Putting our house up for rent will cut our monthly expenses, thereby extending our savings and allowing us to live in Vietnam that much longer were I unable to find employment.

However, renting out a place isn't as easy as it sounds. There's a number of risks that we have to mitigate or outright avoid. While it'd be nice to decrease this significant mortgage expense, we definitely don't want to come home to a trashed house or worse.

Risks aside, we've come to three options:

1. Rent on Air B&B and Craigslist
2. Rent through a property management company
3. Rent to a close friend

Option 1 requires remote management on our part, as well as having a friend or family member help us with issues that come up. I'm not sure that I want to deal with property management while we're away trying to enjoy our time abroad.

Option 2 requires up-front preparation with the company and eats into any rental income. However, they'd take care of any issues that arose. The only problem is that we don't know when we'd be coming back. If we came back in three months, then that'd create even more hassle to essentially kick out the renter.

Option 3 is ideal. The only two downsides that I can think of are forgoing any potential income because we'd offer the place at a discount and the relationship risks that come with renting a place to a friend. That said, if we have the right friends rent the place, then we'd happily forgo income to rent to someone who will keep our place safe and secure.

We're aiming to have this figured out within the month.

OBV Board Member Response: "Plse plan on teaching KM"

As the title suggests, we got another positive update from OBV today: A board member gave the go-ahead for us to teach Krav Maga. This is exciting news, but it's also very sobering. Both the OBV board and our head KM instructor understand something about this situation that Thuy and I will soon come to learn first hand. We're going to be interacting with young women who have been tremendously traumatized, many, if not all of them, during the formative years of their lives. We acknowledge that we won't know what we're walking into until we get there and build relationships, and hopefully trust, with the young women.

I'll have to figure out a suitable training regimen that meets their needs and keeps to the KM standard of training, while at the same time tailor it to be sensitive to their experiences and target the development of their self confidence.

Between now and the trip, I figured I'll be better served by talking to people around town who have experience working in similar capacities. A former classmate's wife had brief experience teaching a self defense class in the rough part of Philadelphia, and she expressed a willingness to share her insights. That'll definitely come in handy. On the teaching front, our head instructor was kind enough to offer to help me improve my teaching ability through more exposure to co-teaching and by shadowing him during his classes.

This is going to be a good experience for everyone involved.

Green Light to Buy Plane Tickets!

We just got the ok from the One Body Village board to purchase our plane tickets and visas, and confirmation that OBV will reimburse us. This opportunity got a whole lot more real.

OBV is consulting with nuns who stay on the compound about my offer to teach Krav. While interested, they expressed concern about me being a male (their abusers were mostly if not exclusively all male), the body contact required, and what one board member described as "the cultural meekness of Vietnamese girls." Not sure what the last one means. Nevertheless, my wife and I are going to politely push the issue, as we firmly believe that this would be helpful for them.

Now, to buy those tickets and start working on renting out the house.

Requesting to Teach Krav Maga

I recently asked the leadership of One Body Village if I could teach Krav Maga to the young women being rehabilitated on the compound. I'm still waiting for their reply.

I hope that they approve. Krav Maga would be useful skill for them to practice and have. I know I'd get a lot of personal development out of the opportunity, as well.

No other updates on the trip as of late. I don't think we'll see much action until mid-July, when we're to finalize the contract with the leadership. Assuming all goes according to plan, we should have a better idea on our departure date by the end of this month.

Discovering Job Opportunities

Turns out that LinkedIn has a few career groups specifically for the kinds of jobs I'm seeking. There are groups for marketing jobs in FMCG that, on e you join, send you daily postings on new job opportunities. I posted on the group page that I'll be moving to Vietnam, and a fellow group member suggested a website that has even more job postings!

Nothing is guaranteed, but this is promising information.

First P0st!

In the early part of 2013, my wife and I had a simple conversation about what it would be like if we dropped everything and lived abroad for a few months.

This daydreaming exercise started to gain traction, as we both secretly dwelled on the conversation in the days that followed. We revised our first conversation a few days later, and we realized that we both really did want to move abroad for a short period of time.

With my wife finishing her final year of residency in September, and with me having decided to leave my job as a business consultant, we figured that with the right planning, disciplined budgeting and saving, and a bit of sheer throwing caution to the wind, we set our sights on relocating to Vietnam this fall.

The current plan is for my wife to volunteer her medical experience to an NGO, One Body Village, where she will provide medical care to young women rescued from sex trafficking and improve the continuity of care offered by the organization. Once in country, I will start looking for a marketing job for a multinational corporation (MNC) in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry (e.g. Brand manager for Nestle Vietnam).

We'll rent out our house and live off of savings for a few months while we establish ourselves in Vietnam. After that, we'll see where life takes us.

This is an exciting time for us. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and hope that you'll join us with comments and suggestions along the way.