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.