Park gets cleaned up; more tennis disruptions; adapting

I have good news to report about the park where I take Joanna five times a week. The litter has almost disappeared after police posted a sign threatening to fine people who throw their trash in the park. A rancid smell still emanates from the open sewer and river overflow canal that runs along the park, but there is very little litter in the park itself. It looks good. The White Monkey has always tried to do his part, picking up and discarding litter in the one and only trash can that's located near the security hut. If I'm too far away from the trash can, I'll put the litter I collect in trash piles near the street. Hopefully, these piles are picked up by the sanitation crews, which come by frequently. The streets near the park are still trashy as hell, and I've got the pictures to prove it. In fact, I've posted some here and on Facebook. But the park's condition has dramatically improved. A clean park is crucial because Joanna takes off her shoes the moment I look away. It's a struggle to keep shoes on Joanna, who's very determined and has a strong personality. On some issues she'll acquiesce, but when Joanna makes up her mind, she'll go to war with you. Some adults point in horror at her bare feet, and then try to tweak her cheek with their filthy hands. I don't let strangers get too close to Joanna here, especially after some creepy creep tried to kiss her and pick her up. Joanna doesn't like to be handled by strangers anyway. Who does? She'll let my friend/student Sam pick her up, but other than Sam it's pretty much family only.

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Tennis remains a challenging activity here. We play at two different locations -- the courts next to Dong Nai Square and a court at the police station. At Dong Nai Square, trash is regularly burned next to where we play. At the police station,  high-powered saws are occasionally used next to our court to cut sheets of metal. We switched to another court at Dong Nai so the smoke is somewhat less intrusive. At the police station, we play later in the day and under the lights after the chain gang has gone home. That means we eat dinner late and extend Joanna's bed time. It's a little bit of a hassle, but life goes on. Phuong, having lived her entire life in Bien Hoa, rolls with the disruptions, danger and dirtiness. The crazy driving (she's had three accidents since I've knowm her), the line cutting, and the littering are no big deal to my wife. It's what she's used to. The White Monkey admittedly still can't accept this stuff. I've adapted to some degree but I make too big of a display in public about how my daughter throws her trash in a trash can -- and she's only 28 months old. I have no solution to line cutting yet. Going everywhere with my wife and Joanna seems to slow down the line-cutters, but some people just don't care. Ultimately, I try to minimize my shopping.

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My life and mood have improved significantly here since I put myself under limited house arrest. No more motorbike riding is wonderful. Sometimes, student/friend Sam will give me a ride to a coffee shop near our house, but otherwise I travel by taxi and walking.  I enjoy riding a motorbike, but not where people ignore all rules of the road (and sidewalk) and think nothing of hitting and running. The coffee shops I go to for sweets and reading are very close to the house. I've read 10 Jack Vance books since August, and I'm in the process of reading the last three I have in Vietnam. I ordered three more online and I'll pick those up and buy a few more when I return to the U.S. next year for eye care.

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I cracked the screen cover on my cell phone three times in the past three weeks, one time ruining the screen and disabling my cell phone. Phuong, who's the most patient person I know -- and not just because she's married to me -- got the phone fixed three times, buying a thick, protective case the third time. When I'm not with my wife and daughter, I have to have music in my ear and a book in my hand.