Setting up Camp in HCMC

I checked into the HCMC hotel that will be home base for the next three weeks.  It is actually quite nice, which is especially surprising because it is a state owned enterprise.  If the government owned hotels in the U.S. they would look and operate like the post office.

The room comes with breakfast in the restaurant.  There is a "health club" on the second floor, which is really a "massage parlor," which apparently offers more than a massage.

My room is has a decent work space and the a/c works beautifully.  The internet connection is reliable so far.  I don't have a view out a window, and I could move to another room with abundant, natural light, but it will be loud with all the scooter buzz.  I am choosing quiet over a view.  I feel right at home actually - it reminds me of my apartment at home with the view of a brick wall in the living room.

When I got in last night I set up my room and work space, checked out the conference room where I'll conduct my class and then headed out for dinner.  We are near the backpacker area and I had lemongrass chicken and rice at a little cafe and watched people walk by.  I ordered the pork in clay pot and the waitress insisted I get lemongrass and ginger chicken instead; she was so insistent that I took her cue.

When I got back from dinner I caught up with the other professors in the lobby and ran into some of my students.  One of the professors greeted me with "we've only had 5 hospitalizations so far" and then went down the list of ailments, including a motorcycle burn and dehydration.  After catching up, I worked for a few hours and went to bed.

The hotel stay includes breakfast but I wanted strong coffee and decided to go out for a walk before it got too hot.  I did some reading in a coffee shop and headed back.  I was going to try to check out the lunch lady today but I was asked to stop in and help close out the proctoring of an exam, reminding me that I am now supposed to be in at least quasi-work mode.

I leave with the group at 3:00pm today for Cambodia.  It is a little unsettling that I don't have any of the details of the trip for the next few days, but it was also nice to not plan anything and just be told where and when to show up.  This is apparently what we'll be doing (from the summer abroad program brochure copy):

This trip travels by air to Phnom Penh in Cambodia and returns by air from Siem Reap in Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City. The first two nights are spent at a 3-star hotel in Phnom Penh. In that city we will visit the Cambodian Courts, where the leaders of the Khmer Rouge are being prosecuted, the Royal Palace, and the Choeung Ek Killing Field. On the morning of the third day, we travel by air to Siem Reap, transferring to another 3-star hotel.That afternoon we will visit the Angkor National Museum, and watch the sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng hill. On the fourth day we visit the southern gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon,Terrace of Elephants and Leper King, and Preah Khan temples. In the afternoon we will visit Ta Prohm, and Angkor Wat World Heritage Site temples with another sunset view. On the final day, we will visit the town of Siem Reap, including its market, and tour the city until our airport departure time and the end of the tour. 

Looking forward to it, especially Ankgor Wat.