[thyfortwo]

Yesterday was the coolest rave pool party thing ever

I can't explain. But it was just... insane. And they gave us waterproof pouches for our phones and I want to kiss them for it, otherwise I might not have a phone right now.

ESCAPE PARTY 2014

I bled at this party. That's how insane it got.

Thank

GOD. for water proof casing.

Unfortuntely, Ly's phone didn't survive the party. MINE DIIIIIDD

[thyfortwo]

Nha Trang

So this past weekend, Nam, Ly (soul mate) and I took a vacation to Nha Trang, one of Vietnam's most beeeaauuutiiffuull beaches.

THANK GOD I GOT THE FUCK OUT OF SAIGON.

So yeah, the night I met Ly, I asked her if she wanted to come to Nha Trang with us. Since that night, she and I have gotten infinitely closer, and I'm so thankful she decided to come with us.

We took one of those overnight buses (with beds!) and rode 10 hours to Nha Trang. Upon our arrival we encountered a slight mishap with our hotel  and switched to a much BETTER place where we booked three beds in the 16-bed dorm room... which we had to ourselves. ERGO. HUGE living space where we could hop from bunk bed to bunk bed. It was the cleanest hostel situation I have EVER been in, with a view that SLAYS.

The dorm room. Which we had entirely to ourselves.

View from the balcony.

(No. I did not take these photos myself. I stole them from tripadvisor. Seriously, I just don't take pictures, okay?)

Day one, we spent at the beach right by our hotel. The sand was beautifully smooth and white-- the closest thing I've seen to "paradise" in a long, long, long time.

Later that day we decided to meander our way to this tourist attraction called Thap Ba Hot Springs, where we got to do, like, mud baths and mineral water bathing and play in water falls and rejuvenate our skin and stuff. Honestly, it just felt like playing in mud and swimming and stuff. Gorgeous place. 'Twas a jolly good time!

Don't taste the mud. It's salty and really, really not very good.

The following day, we went on this boat tour where they took us to four different surrounding islands. The boat tour was called "Funky Monkey," so there's that. Seriously the guides were some of the goofiest, funniest, craziest, most outrageous and kindest mother fuckers I've ever had the pleasure of being lead on a tour by.

Jumping off the boat to the sea. Scarier than I thought it would be, considering I've jumped from much, much higher places. I still can't believe I got my ass off the 70 ft tall bridge and into the Rhine River in Switzerland last year.

Me and my girlfriend, Ly

Drinking a coconut.

Ly, our Canadian guy friend whose name escapes me, and myself.

Me, about to go parasailing with this awesome stranger whose name I still can't remember.

This cost me less than $25 USD.

At one point during this day tour, the guides put on this show for all of us and I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard. The part that I reeeeaallly appreciated was when they went around and asked everybody where they were from, then proceeded to call each country's representatives up to the stage and play traditional fun songs of that specific country for them to dance and sing to. I heard and saw songs and dances of Ireland, Sweden, France, Canada, and various other countries. 

And then they spent a whole hour pouring unlimited alcohol down our throats while we were swimming in the water.

The entire experience was like a drunken spring break and I can't WAIT 'til I get to do it again.

[thyfortwo]

I met my soul mate

And her name is Ly Tran. She's from Germany. We're the same person. I want to date her.

[thyfortwo]

I've done a lot of partying since I've been here.

And I think that's why so many expats visit Ho Chi Minh City and then decide to stay for 2, 3, or 4 years. I've met a lot of those. While I find regularly myself feeling smothered by this crazy city, I'm good at keeping my spirits up and making lots of friends. If I don't, I know I'll grow too homesick and miss Ryan too much. Call it a distraction, whatever, I'm having fun regardless.

One of my first weekends here I went to this Saigon pool party with somebody I met on couchsurfing. I got drunk off of three beers because I'm a pussy. It was like a party you'd find in Las Vegas, with tons of foreigners and natives alike who all shared a mutual love for ridiculous, rambunctious binge drinking and dancing. I was home here. 

I found a few better photos from their facebook page that are pretty sweet

Really glad I got in one off these!

Seriously SO MUCH FUN. I'm a crazy girl always out for a wild time, so I was totally in my element.

I've had a handful of experiences like that here in HCMC. They're really not that hard to find, this city seems to be the ideal place for partiers alike. Thank God I have this kind of stuff to keep me entertained, in addition to all the fun couchsurfers who are willing to take me to these places.

Another one of the bigger partying events actually happened yesterday! I find it ironic how I posted this short, semi-depressing piece about how it sucks being here sometimes and then a few hours later I was greeted with one of the funnest nights of my life. Oh, and hey get this I was SOBER the whole time. Even when I danced on the bar (where everybody proceeded to cheer for me, might I add. #humblebrag)

Lush Club had their 10th anniversary party and it. was. insane.

Nam tried to get a photo of me on the bar and failed at it. 

They had a raffle and gave away 30liter bottles of vodka, guys.

[thyfortwo]

I feel trapped.

It's too crowded and the air is so polluted. I can barely go anywhere without being bumped into by someone. If I'm not being bumped into, I'm trying to maneuver my way through crowded sidewalks filled with motorbikes and tables, and it's impossible to escape the sounds of bike and taxi horns beeping. Impossible.

My apartment is a quiet safe haven, but it has no windows. If it did have windows, I'd constantly hear the sound of traffic, so I guess that's okay.

Saigon is far too fast-paced for me. It's loud, over-crowded, polluted, and there aren't enough trees. Also, nobody says "excuse me"!

Someone, anyone. Help me escape the chaos of this concrete jungle.

[thyfortwo]

I haven't felt very inclined to write about my stay here. I wish I did! Seriously. To be honest, I feel like this post is merely and obligation.

I've been keeping busy finding various activities, work, and people to keep me from thinking of home and missing Ryan too much. I'm a pathetic sap, and I hate myself for it. I know, I'm thinking it too.

First and foremost, I'm here in Saigon to do my research. I'm doing lab-based work on the ability of native halophyte plants and their capacity to improve the quality of water of shrimp farms located just outside the rustle and bustle of Saigon. My research partner, Hoang, and I gather our samples from Can Gio, the district our research is focused on. Some of the most unsustainable and environmentally degrading shrimp farming practices are located here, and the surrounding ecosystem has debauched over time. SOOO with our project, plants could improve it. I'll be able to write a report and solution proposal when I'm done.

It sucks so much more than it sounds. I'm so over it. I hate lab work. So much. Can't do it. Sucks. So much suck. God help me.

This is me and Hoang in Can Gio, assessing the area we're working on. He's the shit. I adore him.

This is the seaside of Can Gio. We were trying to catch crabs.

Collecting plants for study

Creating my garden site for testing.

This is the boring part of my trip.

[thyfortwo]

Do you believe in fate?

I do. It's not a coincidence that Ly and I are both westerners who met each other when we were both feeling sad and only and we also happen to be the same person. It's not a coincidence that Hoang and I were paired together as research partners and we both share this love for Harry Potter and we're the only ones in our university that just don't like Saigon and have the chemistry that we do. It's not a coincidence that I get in a fight with Ryan and start doubting our compatibility, and then that one scene with Jason Segel and his parents in The Five-Year Engagement comes on RIGHT as I turn on the TV.

It's also not a coincidence that I met Cayla yesterday night. A 20-year-old, free-spirited girl from South Africa who's interested in international development and politics who is arriving in Chiang Mai the DAY after I do and is staying until the DAY after I leave.

It's not a coincidence. It's fate.

[thyfortwo]

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once"

We were supposed to be AT THE BAR to help his aunt set up for his parents' anniversary party in 20 minutes. But we were 10 minutes away from his town, still had to go home, change, he needed to shower, and before all that we needed to stop by the gas station to fill two of his dad's gas cans. We were both frustrated as hell.

We pulled into the gas station and he frantically hopped out of his Grand Am to grab the empty cans from the trunk. I waited in the passenger's seat with the door wide open for air circulation. "Fuck," he said. I don't think he realized he swore.

He grabbed the gas dispenser after pushing the necessary buttons and squatted down to the can to fill it. It was sunny, warm and clear, ideal for his comfortable outdoors-y attire: grey t-shirt, ugly baggy blue work jeans, dirty hunting boots, and camouflage cap. He held the dispenser while it fed the can with diesel, and he turned his head to face the gas pump, mouth gaping. He had cut himself shaving the morning before, and I saw that his scab was bleeding again.

In an instant, nothing was more perfect than that small-town Iowa boy that beautiful afternoon.

I didn't tell him that his face was bleeding, and I suddenly felt much, much better about being late.

[thyfortwo]

There is a negligable amount of pictures

For a number of reasons, I just haven't taken many pictures:

1. I'm gonna be here until July. I have plenty of time to take pictures and not look like a tourist

2. In reality, I'm living here alone until July. I don't really want to be or feel like a tourist

3. People will jack my phone if I take it out to take photos in a motorbike

4. I'm lazy as hell.

You could probably disregard the first three points, actually.

Now, I've been here for going on three weeks, and I have grown to actually kind of love it here. I give aaaallll credit to the friends I've made They've shown me the coolest parts of this thriving city, taken me to some of the most delicious (and, uh, most interesting) restaurants, and have really helped me fully assimilate in this country.

I adore them.

[thyfortwo]

I JUST SAW THE BIGGEST COCKROACH EVER OH MY JESUS

IT WAS JUST IN MY ROOM. OH MY GOD. HOLY SHIT.

So I was sitting on my bed, right. It's late, I'm home, and in the comfort of my privacy I've taken off all my clothes and am stark naked, with the exception of Ryan's giant sweater to cover me. Because who doesn't do that, right?

THEN.

OUT OF THE CORNER.

OF.

MY EYE.

I see a SMALL RODENT fall from the light fixture ONTO MY DAMN JEANS and then I see that it's NOT a rodent;

IT'S A FUCKING COCKROACH.

I'm frozen. My heart is pounding.

I hear its wings flap, and then I see it kind of lightly crawl ON MY FUCKING JEANS, and then its still again. Whyyyyyyyyyy, God?

I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I don't know what I'm seeing. I don't know anything anymore. All I know is terror, and fear, and shock, and panic, and OOOHMYYJESUS ITJUSTTWITCHEDI'MGONNALOSEIT. GOD HELP ME.

I obviously need to seek help. I can't conquer this thing alone, its too much.

But I'm naked. And my shorts are about three feet away from this creature. Shit.

So I muster up every bit of courage to get out of my bed, and inch my way to my clothes. It doesn't move. In one swift movement, I swipe the closest pair of shorts and put them on. The cockroach is still.

At this point, my fear has made me kind of black out so I don't remember how I managed to gather the courage to shuffle past the roach and out the door, down the stairs, to my two land ladies. They were sleeping. I woke them up.

"There is a cockroach in my room. Please help me."

They were obviously used to this because they kinda just laughed, and the older woman came up stairs and DESTROYED THE SHIT OUT OF THAT MOTHERFUCKER. Then sprayed my whole room with RAID.

I've never been that scared in my life. I see life so differently now. Everything has changed.

[thyfortwo]

I've been in Vietnam for less than a week

and I've just been too busy settling in and being kidnapped from family and friends to update my blog. I don't want to bore me or bore anybody who may be reading this with the details, but I got into Ho Chi Minh City Friday at 10:30 and jet lag ruined me. I slept for two hours that night between the hours of 3:30 and 5:30 and the next two nights were also haggard attempts at trying to escape my wretched northwestern sleep schedule.

Let's start with the basic honest truth: I don't like this city, but I appreciate it. I appreciate how the chaos is so in sync and harmonic that it's actually sort of beautiful. I appreciate that the loud, motorbike-filled traffic is completely insane but everybody can still functionally drive it. I appreciate the food and culture, and it is very rewarding to see part of the city and country of Vietnam where I'm rooted.I think it's just because I feel like I've experienced the city life before. I don't like the city. I'm an outdoorsy, countryside, quiet small town kind of traveler trapped in heart of the busiest district of Vietnam's most over-populated city.

But you know, I suppose I'm not here in HCMC to travel. I'm here to complete my internship, and that's my first priority for now. Adventures and traveling can happen in July after I've finished and possibly during some weekends.

Thankfully, the heat isn't too much of an issue for me, probably because I absolutely hate the cold :). It averages about 95 degrees Fahrenheit here with a heat index of at least 105. Humidity likes to linger around 50%, give or take. I'm spoiled with a cute apartment to myself with air conditioning, cable TV, and cleaning services. It's a small, but VERY comfortable living space that resides in a little apartment building in this alley.

You take another right and you see this:

Then you take a left and find the front, gated door to my apartment building

(The photo is blurry because I took it while riding a motorbike up to it)

And here are some photos of my second floor, one room, one bathroom apartment.

The door entrance view

I think this is a full size bed? Maybe queen?

My desk and minifridge. You can sort of see part of the bathroom in that door there.

GIANT mirror, which I LOVE.

Peek into the full bathroom. It's nice and clean :)

Other side of my room. I move the chairs when I want to work out in here.

I know it seems pretty small, but it's actually very roomie and comfortable! The ONLY downside is that there are NO. WINDOWS. AARRGGHH so I never know how it looks outside. But I guess I'd rather not have to listen to the noises of the city all the time anyway.

I met my supervisor today to tell me what exactly I'll be doing for my internship. He's exceptionally kind and I'm excited to start my research.

I'm going into the Cần Giờ District of Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow to see where I'll be collecting my data and I'm sooooo looking forward to sneaking out of this crazy city.

[thyfortwo]

Ryan and the 'Rents

Ryan left not an hour ago after a quick weekend in the Dirty Sioux with me to meet the family and now I feel silly to have been so nervous. They all like him, and he likes them. I'm happy, and I'm happy with him.

Now he just needs to meet my asshole friends from high school. I hope he loves them as much I do.

Also, Mya hit her face on the couch in front of him and it was both sad and hilarious.

[thyfortwo]

I can't focus in school.

I'm sitting here in the Hub after I've just finished hot soup and cornbread, staring straight out the window facing west. It's a cold, brisk day and the weather is recovering from incessant rain from the past few days. It will likely rain again. Everyone walking by looks far too comfortable with just a light jacket; am I the only one who thinks its cold as fuck? I'm watching Jesse Lang, a fellow Globie, walk by right now and he's only wearing a flannel. Brr.

It's almost the end of dead week, and I find myself growing more and more antsy with routine and I hate it. I can't focus. In all my classes and during every study session I find my mind fixated on two things: 1) My adventure waiting for me on the southeastern part of the hemisphere and 2) Ryan.

1) Asia

All I can think about is airports.

All I can think about is what all I can fit into a backpack.

All I can think about are strangers as hostel roommates.

All I can think about is the beauty in the uncertainty of being somewhere unfamiliar.

All I can think about is the challenge and thrill of a language barrier.

All I can think about is the rewarding fatigue of a day's worth of wandering.

All I can think about is odd food and drinks.

All I can think about is how much I want to, but can't, share all of it with

2) Him

I don't know how I let myself get so carried away but it all happened so fast. I remember a time when this constant pang of doubt and uncertainty rang in back of my brain and heart, insisting that I be aware of its presence, but it's not like that anymore.

He's great. He's also irritating. And funny. And impatient. And playful. And tall. And smart. And careful. And ugly competitive. And sweet. And rude. And polite. And (so) aware. And affectionate. He holds the door open for me. He swears too much. He holds my hand in public. He makes me angry. He always, always holds me when it's too cold.

He is all I want, all the time.

But I'm just not quite... there.

At least not yet.

[thyfortwo]

People are Idiots

Last week was supposed to be Iowa State's annual VEISHEA celebration but some people decided to be assholes and start a riot. We can't even blame it on visitors because we don't have visitors on a TUESDAY NIGHT.

It's caused quite a ruckus. My parents heard about it on the national news. Whoops.

Huffington Post wrote an article titled "Iowa State University Students Riot On A Tuesday For No Apparent Reason." ... Which is pretty true. The content of the article kind of blows the event out of proportion, though. I mean we're not THAT insane.

You can read the article <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/iowa-state-riot-veishea_n_5118414.html">here</a>.

I dunno, I prefer Total Frat Move's article on us, which makes it more comical and laughable. Read it <a href="http://totalfratmove.com/what-the-hell-happened-in-ames-iowa-last-night/">here</a>

I'm less salty about it now, but it still blows that thousands of students have been preparing for VEISHEA for the past year and lost a shit ton of money because of it. Regardless, the attitude about it got better throughout the week and everybody kept calm and VEISHEA'd on. I mean I got really fucked up this weekend too #NORAGRETS

[thyfortwo]

Canada

Yesterday was our final day in Quito. We wandered the lively city during the afternoon a bit but ultimately ended up back at our hostel. We were all EXHAUSTED and I had to plan my class schedule for next semester (which is the shit, might I add). We spent our final night out drinking, smoking hookah, dancing, and singing karaoke. It was one of the best nights I've had here. I'll never forget it. Especially the part where Nick (Jackosky, not Hagrid Nick) rapped all the words to Gangster's Paradise. We made the decision to return back to the hostel until Bill flagged down two strapping young Canadian men. At which time, we got offered some sketchy cocaine by some random Ecuadorian. Some of us returned to the hostel, but Bill, Joe, and I ended up having drinks at a bar with them. Their names were Nathaneal and Spencer, 22-year-old university students traveling the world for the next year before they "have to settle down." I had an increeeddible conversation with Nathaneal, in particular. He came off as slightly douchey at times, but I suppose if I was as handsome as him I would be too. But he really challenged me during a lot of our conversation, particularly with the topic of boys and the "friend zone." There was absolutely no bullshit between the two of us. I mean I suppose when this person means virtually nothing to you, there's no reason to have any bullshit, eh? I dunno, though. We talked about a lot of really important things. I'll never forget this conversation.

I'm hoping to find them both in Asia this summer. We've exchanged info and, weirdly enough, WE'RE GONNA BE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA IN THE SAME PLACES AT THE SAME TIME. WEIRD.

[thyfortwo]

I miss Jilimbi

Today was our final day here at La Selva. We began our day finding parrots, which I personally thought we spent too much time doing. I honestly could've stayed there for maybe 10 minutes but we stayed for what felt like a half hour. We then visited the local indigenous community and it made me really, really miss Jilimbi. The live chickens running around, call of the roosters, free-running canines, and yucca, sugar cane, and plantain crops made it feel so familiar that I longed for that farm village. This place, however, was admittedly a lot cleaner and overall nicer than Jilimbi. They shared some of their local cuisine with us and I actually enjoyed it! 

We spent our final hours resting and preparing ourselves for our departure tomorrow. We've only been here for two and a half days, but we did sooooo much stuff it felt like ages. It's hard to believe we'll be back in Ames a few days. I'm nowhere near ready to face real life

[thyfortwo]

I broke a bed.

Today was a full day of Amazon rainforest adventure-ing. We began out day with a 5:30am wake up call, had a shwanky breakfast (THEY HAD BRIE CHEESE), and continued to a hike into the forest. We climbed a tower/tree thing to find one of the most beautiful, richest views I have ever seen.

We continued with a hike and found several species of birds, insects, and monkeys.

I wish I could have gotten more and better photos, but those suckers were usually super far away and we had to see them through binoculars or a telescope the guides set up. I can also say that I swung on a vine in the Amazon rainforest, which is pretty neat. I cam in like a fucking wrecking ball. Yeah we did and saw a lot.

During outbreak in the afternoon before our evening canoe ride, Bill and I got some solid bonding time in. He and I have built this more or less platonic friendship and he's the shit. I know that a lot of people on our trip pick on him since he's so cheery, outgoing, bubbly, somewhat spacey, too talkative, and childish, but I've never met someone with energy or joy like his before. Like, I'm being completely sincere. I wish I was that happy. During our break we hung out in his cabana (lucky bastard got a single with a king-sized bed) and talked a lot. He has a lot more depth than meets the eye and has a serious side of his own. I wish more people in our group knew that. It really annoys me when I see them talk down to him. I know everybody means well and we all give each other relentless shit out of love, but there's no denying that Bill gets the most of it. Of course, he has such a positive attitude about it, it sincerely doesn't get him down, and that's why we all still adore him. Anyway, we also at one point got too hyper and started jumping on the bed. Which we broke. And got reprimanded for it. Bill got reeeeaaally mad about being scolded at. But it all turned out okay, because we fixed the bed (it was just a matter of wood placement) and I was positive enough to make up for his crappy mood, despite getting in a little trouble! Soon after the bed incident, we proceeded to go on an night time canoe ride (it gets dark at, like, 5) and I GOT TO SEE A FUCKIN SLOTH. IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT. I couldn't get any good photos due to the darkness,  but everything was unforgettable.