Semi-lockdown limits gatherings, slows pace of life

 Our semi-lockdown continues in Vietnam where we've had a very slight increase in the number of coronavirus cases. We're getting about 10 new cases a day and we have about 135 total. I say "about" because the situation is obviously fluid and changing by the minute. The government appears to be doing a good job dealing with outbreak here. I call this a semi-lockdown because restaurants are open but they can not have more than 30 patrons inside at the same time. I believe the same restrictions apply to coffee shops. People seem to adhere to these policies. You're supposed to wear a mask in public, but a lot of folks ignore this mandate. A lot of people don't wear helmets when riding their motorbikes, either. I wear the mask, but I don't like it because it's hot and steams up my glasses. My daughter Joanna wears it but complains a little. My wife Phuong has always worn one. Our family wears helmets as well. My wife and I were discussing how sad it is that the pace of life here is slower, calmer, and somewhat more pleasant because of the coronavirus. Actually, these were my observations and my wife was nice enough to listen. Anyway, the restrictions and shutdowns of massage parlors and little shops have created a seemingly more caring and careful approach to life. Even among strangers. Traffic is reduced and fewer people are driving recklessly and selfishly. There appears to be a sense of concern for others that wasn't as obvious before the virus. The human toll is tragic and overwhelming, especially in China, Europe, and now the U.S. Maybe we'll learn from the adversity we are facing as we move forward. Hopefully, we can move forward at the appropriate time, and we always appreciate what we have. These are remarkably challenging times, but people find a way to meet these challenges.

 • • •

I'm not a real political person. For example, I'm not interested in trolling for or against President Trump. But I have to say I was perplexed by Trump's tirade at reporter Peter Alexander. The two engaged in a back-and-forth over the merits of a malaria drug for the treatment of coronavirus. The exchange was a little testy, but I thought Trump did pretty well explaining his stance on the drug until Alexander asked the president what he would say to nervous and frightened Americans to reassure them in light of the number of infections and deaths. Trump snapped at Alexander and responded in a way that was terrible ... I thought it was a nasty response, very nasty, given that he was being relatively reasonable up to that point during the questioning.Whatever.

• • •

I've gone four years without a cigarette (March 23) and nearly four months without a drink. I haven't cursed in four hours, but at least that slippage wasn't in front of my daughter, and raw language is a rarity in our house. I'm trying to play a solid end game.

• • •

Maybe a lockdown, even a partial one, isn't such a trauma here because it's 97-98 degrees F every day with serious humidity. People go out early morning and early evening for a spell -- the same as in Peru -- for walks and such. Before coronavirus, motorbike traffic was relentless throughout the day. Now it's turned into a rush hour thing as folks hunker down during the heat of the day.

Coronavirus may have entered our neighborhood

I woke up to a new world on Tuesday. And the coronavirus seems to be threatening our neighborhood as well. Police came to a neighbor's house -- he lives five houses down from us in our cluster of row homes -- and told him he has to stay in his house for two weeks. The man recently returned from a business trip to Switzerland. His wife chose to stay in quarantine with him, but his kids were sent to a relative's house; the mom now regrets the decision because she won't see her children for two weeks. A similar situation occurred on the street behind us. A couple from Japan is now under quarantine due to recent travels. In yet another nearby incident, an ambulance came to a house about a half-mile from our house and took two people away, most likely for testing. Those folks live two houses down from a daycare center. If they test positive, I was told the street goes on lockdown. The number of cases in Vietnam has gone from 18 to 61 in a little more than a week, according to reports from the government.

• • •

The government sent out online notices over the weekend requesting that everyone wear masks when they go outside starting Monday, March 16. Most businesses have come to a standstill here. Only a couple of coffee shops have customers, and there's countless coffee shops. The big mall in town is eerily quiet. Most of the people in Bien Hoa -- and Vietnam -- are good about following rules. They are now more focused on hygiene ... and it's about time. But there will always be those who flaunt their civil disobedience by not following new rules and regulations they deem intrusive or insufficient. And some people are too poor and/or ignorant to worry or care about healthcare, hygiene and a pandemic like coronavirus.

• • •

My daughter, who is a little more than 3 1/2 years old (44 months), doesn't understand the gravity of the situation and gets upset when we don't take her to the local market as much as we used to. We go out for necessities, like coffee and groceries. Rarely are the trips only for fun and entertainment. The heat contributes a little to this since the temperature is the mid-90s. But the coronavirus is the overwhelming factor, deterrent and topic in town ... and everywhere else, for that matter.

• • •

I sent in my overseas absentee ballot on Monday via Federal Express because I wanted my vote to count in Tuesday's Democratic primaries in Ohio. It was a bit of a scramble. Then I saw Tuesday morning (Vietnam time) that voting may be postponed in the Ohio primaries until June.

• • • 

Since I'm Joanna's primary caregiver most of the day, I've bought puzzles, downloaded "educational videos", alphabet pages and coloring pages, and increased the amount of reading we do every day. Joanna has begun speaking in a British accent because she watches a lot of Peppa Pig, which even I find entertaining. She has become rather tall lately, and the growth spurt may have contributed to her moodiness. Or maybe that's just her age, or the fact she's stuck inside so much with her dad and misses her mom time. Or maybe it's her personality. Regardless, I'm humbled and inspired by the leeway Phuong has given me as I take care of Joanna. Phuong is rather limited in her activities due to her difficult pregnancy and to make matters worse, she's had relentless back pain the past few weeks. Nonetheless, we plod along in disturbing and frightening  times.

Effects of coronavirus are being strongly felt here

I’ve been dealing with personal issues so I put my blog on hold. Because the issues are personal, I'll say no more. You could ask my therapist, but he won't say anything, either. I'm trying to be a better person as I begin the end game at age 65. No alcohol since Dec. 1, no more plastic bags (a difficult task here) and no more cursing (a difficult task anywhere). My daughter Joanna copies everything I say and do. I’ve been taking care of Joanna nearly around the clock -- except when I teach English -- because my wife Phuong is expecting our second child and she's having a very difficult pregnancy. I'm doing my best to step up. All that said, I’ll get back to writing my blog, which I’ve been told can be therapeutic. It's the process of writing that can be therapeutic, not my blog per se.
• • •
The impact of cornonavirus is quite profound in Vietnam. There are only 17 reported cases here even though Vietnam is one of China’s southern neighbors. Schools have been closed more than three weeks to be cleaned and disinfected, and presumably to keep large groups from congregating. Three villages in northern Vietnam consisting of 10,000 people were under quarantine, meaning people must lay low for two weeks. At least two cases of the virus reportedly were diagnosed in Bien Hoa,  both relatively close to our house. But that's hearsay, meaning that's just what I hear people say. Masks are strongly encouraged and the streets, businesses and coffee shops are considerably quieter now than they were before Tet holiday and the coronavirus outbreak. Joanna did have a persistent fever a few weeks ago, one of the signs of coronavirus, but she seems fine now, insisting on Peppa Pig and dinosaur videos. She writes the dot-to-dot alphabet and politely listens to me read My First Little House Books to her so she can earn Peppa Pig and dinosaur video time. When we go out, I’m militant about people not touching Joanna. Strangers, who are trying to be nice, attempt to stroke Joanna’s face. Hygiene and personal space can be issues here. I have a hands-off policy. I usually just pull Joanna away from any contact with strangers; I had to “jokingly” use my walking stick as a barrier on three occasions. We’re especially concerned and careful because of Phuong’s pregnancy. When schools get back in full swing, we're planning on enrolling Joanna in preschool. 
• • •
Air travel has changed in terms of cost and availability because of the coronavirus — of course, we know it hasn’t been convenient for a long time. I don’t want to jinx my air travel in any way, but my ANA flights to the U.S. and back have been splendid. No waiting, nice seats with adequate room, nice enough seat mates (no guarantees there), and an adequate movie selection. I absolutely enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood even though I’m sometimes lukewarm on Quentin Tarantino. I was totally absorbed in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, a documentary chronicling the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos, which made a bogus health screening device that was supposed to require only one drop of blood. Flight attendants are friendly enough and the flights are smooth. I’m considering a trip to the U.S. real soon … again, for personal reasons. I’ll be happy to have my temperature taken, but I don’t want to be quarantined in Dubai or Tokyo for 14 days, which is the supposed incubation period for coronavirus. I will say the cost of a round-trip ticket is quite reasonable, which is understandable given the world’s circumstances.
• • •
Since getting books shipped to Vietnam is prohibitively expensive, I’ve downloaded Kindle on my iPhone. It’s not like holding a book, but I’ve downloaded a bunch of Jack Vance books to my iPhone, and I enjoy them almost as much as I enjoy paper versions; buying and shipping two Jack Vance books to Vietnam would possibly cost me $50. I’ve downloaded 10 books or so for a cost of about $50. I don’t even want to think how much it would cost to have 10 Jack Vance books shipped to Vietnam.
• • •
A very belated thanks to my wonderful hosts and hostesses during my last visit in the U.S.: Robyn, who always provides perfect gifts for my daughter Joanna; Ron, a great friend who happens to be a great salmon and turkey chef as well; Andy and Jane with their warm welcome, wonderful house and even more wonderful generosity and kindness; John, who treated me to an awesome concert/show by Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band with guests J.D. Wilkes and Dom Flemons, and a very comfortable futon; and my brother and his wife, who opened their house to me. My brother was a great listener, and helped me find gifts for my wife and books for my daughter. Thanks to all. I’ll forever be indebted.
• • •   
Phuong and I took Joanna to a public pool and a boy about 7 or 8 years old -- much older than 3-year-old Joanna -- tried to kick her. Not sure why. Then he sort of grabbed her, and Joanna gave the kid a left hand to the face in retaliation. After all, she’s a lefty and has displayed a fierce temper of late. Then, she bounced away as the boy tried to splash her. This occurred at Buu Long Tourist Park, where we had a wonderful time even though Joanna had to “stick and move.”
• • •
I do yoga stretches now since my back rejects tai chi. I’ve abandoned acupuncture after coronavirus  — hygiene is a big concern for me and my family, and there was a very communal atmosphere where I was getting treatments. I don’t want to put anyone at risk. 

Hear that noise? I'm hammered; visa, motorbike hassles

Neighbors who live two houses away from us are having work done on their house. The work involves knocking down walls with a jackhammer followed by the prolonged pounding of a heavy mallet. The noise is obnoxious and persistent -- this work has continued intermittently for two weeks. As bad as it is for us, it's worse for the family next door. An 80-year-old man with a heart condition lives next door to the noise with his family, and his wife says they may have to leave. When there is jackhammering and mallet pounding, I can't hear Phuong talking to me in our kitchen. I can just imagine what it's like for our neighbors. When the ruckus starts, Joanna always says, "Hear that noise?", which is a line from the Eric Carle story The Very Lonely Firefly. Oh, we do hear the noise Joanna. Phuong and Joanna go to Phuong's parents' house when the pounding begins, sometimes as early as 6:40 a.m. I'll put on headphones and clean or work on the house, but the bad vibrations of the jackhammer still come through. As is usually the case here, I'm told there's nothing that can be done about the disruption. I don't begrudge anyone trying to improve their living space, but two weeks of pounding at unexpected intervals is over the top.  I tried to ask the woman who owns the house why she doesn't have the walls knocked down in one or days and then start the remodeling. She laughed, which is her response to me and everyone else when she's asked any questions. A woman next door to us (three houses away from the pounding) just had a baby and she and the newborn are struggling to get some sleep because of the noise. And the folks with the 80-year-old in residence discussed the issue with their neighbor; she laughed. "Hear that noise?"

* * *

More paperwork is being requested from me by the U.S. immigration folks before they'll consider granting Phuong an interview to obtain a U.S. visa. There seems to be a question about the legitimacy of my "domicile." I wrote a letter and produced mortgage and bank statements that prove I'm a U.S. resident who owns a house in the United States. I've been paying the mortgage for more than 14 years. That's no scam, folks. That's $1,200 a month I pay to the bank every month for my property in Yellow Springs, which I'm sure the government could find out if they wanted to. I'm not sure what the point of all this is. I'd be living there now if the government would give my wife a visa. I'm a U.S. citizen with income. Our daughter is a U.S. citizen. My wife is a Vietnamese citizen married to an American, and she and her husband (me) want our daughter to attend school in the United States.  We've lived together more than five years. We have no nefarious motives. We want the best for our children in the country where I was raised and have paid taxes for the past 48 years. I just don't get it.

* * *

I was walking down a little cut-through alley that connects our street to the street behind us on my way to get coffee and read. (See picture of alley on the top right of this blog.) I forgot my walking stick because my back has been feeling so much better. Anyway, a motorbike rips around the corner and doesn't slow down or move to the side so we both can pass -- there's not much room anyway. I had just enough time to step to the wall and protect myself by putting up my right forearm, which hit the woman driving the bike on her right arm and shoulder.  She stopped the bike and began screaming at me, I have no idea what she was saying, so I gave her the hand-wave and laughed. She got really angry and continued jawing, so I gave her one more hand-wave and laugh and was on my way. I was so happy with myself for thinking of the hand-wave and laugh when I was being screamed at. I think I'm finally adapting to living here although I'll never pee outside in the middle of the day on a busy street, like I saw three times in the past week walking with Joanna. I have pictures to prove it, but what's the point?

* * *

• A little supermarket opened around the corner from our house, and it's a fun trip for our family. We'll get popsicles and candy there, and sometimes fruit and vegetables. It's not nearly as nice as Tom's Market in Yellow Springs, but it's cheaper.

• I bought a smoked pilsner at the Craft Beer bar near the little supermarket, and it gets a thumbs-up. The smokey taste was rather subtle with hints of fruit and a slightly tart finish. Or something like that ... I saw a description like this for some other beer on a beer rating site. 

• It's still raining nearly every day and another big storm is on the way. The weather hasn't stopped me and Joanna from going in the pool every day.

• Phuong has hooked me up with a great barber. When he gives a haircut, he shows videos of himself on a big scream cutting customers' hair with new-age Enya music as the soundtrack. Cool stuff.

• I'm traveling to the U.S. on Thursday to take care of some business. It's a short visit that I'm really looking forward to.

Yellow water means we tap out; coffee shop conflict

My wife poured water from our tap into a pan to cook green beans this week, and the water was yellow. I immediately poured some water from the tap into a clear glass to check, and it was as yellow as ... well, the sun. Occurrences like this are the reason we never drink water from the tap here. An hour later, the water was clear again, but my faith was shaken. I used to put tap water into my kettle and boil the water for coffee, but I've lost my nerve. You could say I've gone yellow. You pretty much have to use the water here for showers and brushing your teeth. I won't rinse out my mouth with tap water when I brush my teeth; I use Listerine, so my breath is pretty good. A lot of people here have breath like a goat because they eat the spicy soups for breakfast and don't seem to brush their teeth the rest of the day. And maybe because they drink the tap water. I really don't know.

* * *

Joanna and I go swimming in our third-floor kid pool every day. We were taking long walks (she still likes the stroller) but dirty air and heat caused me to get a skin rash on my face and chest -- about the 12th rash I've had since I've been here. The walks are shorter now and pool time is longer. Joanna is a challenge in the pool, and elsewhere, because she's not a fan of clothing. Comfort takes priority and the heat is unsettling for her. She gripes, but she knows the bathing suit is mandatory or no swimming. I'm trying to teach her to use her imagination to find shapes and animals and objects "in the clouds" while we swim on our open-air balcony. Not sure she's got it yet, but she can spot a plane that's remarkably small and far away. It takes me two or three squints to see the same plane. I pray she keeps her incredible eyesight and doesn't become visually challenged like her dad. We'll also play with plastic ducks and an inflatable giraffe in the pool, blow bubbles, spell S-P-L-A-S-H and count to 100, finishing with a big jump and S-P-L-A-S-H.

* * *

Joanna attracts a lot of attention because she looks different than other kids here, and strangers try to hug or cuddle her, or even give her a kiss. Most mean well, but Joanna doesn't like it, and neither do I. So we don't allow it. But some folks just sort of grab her -- it happened twice at a coffee shop this past Saturday. Also, a boy threw hard, plastic balls at her in the play area. As I carried her out of the shop, I said to Joanna something to the effect that "there are real losers here and you have to be careful." A young woman sitting at a nearby table was apparently listening and starts screaming at me, saying "NO NO NO!" And I mean screaming at me to the point where nearly everyone at this outdoor coffee shop was looking at me. I gave her a pass at first -- and even apologized -- because she probably thought I was insulting all Vietnamese. I wasn't -- I was insulting the guy who grabbed my daughter's arm and hips while she tried to pull away and pulled her close while holding a lit cigarette, and the guy who squatted down in front of her seeking a kiss, and the boy who threw the balls at her. But then I got a little irritated because I wasn't shouting my warning, I was talking to my daughter and not to some woman at a table, so I said to the woman, who was sitting Indian style in a short skirt, "Since you understand English so well, maybe you can understand I'm unhappy because two guys just tried to grab my daughter and she was upset. I don't like people grabbing my 3-year-old."  She scowled at me, put her head down and looked away. Whatever. The people here are like people everywhere. Most are wonderful, there are some "tough guys," as Donald Trump would say,  and there are creeps and losers (put the tough guys in this group). Same thing in the U.S., same in Peru. Same everywhere. Poverty can feed anger, but some of the most caring people I've ever met don't have any money and some of the most arrogant have money.  So my lame conclusion is that people are people. Unfortunately, there's just too many of them. NO NO NO!

* * * 

I won't say cured or all better, but my back has improved so much from my fitness regimen of chi and yoga, and most importantly, from acupuncture, that I sometimes I forget I have sciatica. That said, I think a possible source and aggravation of the problem is that I climb and descend our three flights of stairs about 10 times a day. Three flights up and down 10 times comes to 840 steps. Yep, it's 42 up and 42 down of unforgiving faux marble stairs. It helps explain my fatigue as well as the formerly serious back pain. It's not an issue for Joanna, however, who climbs like Sir Edmund Hillary. Ah, the sweet bird of youth.

Daycare done; very local lunches; needles do the trick

Our daycare business officially shut down on Wednesday, Oct. 9, instead of Thursday as planned. I guess the parents and kids couldn't wait to get away from us and our house. My wife worked incredibly hard on this project for more than eight months. She cleaned, cooked, redesigned our house, created pool time and helped with every activity the kids did. She gave every kid a bath and shampoo daily, and assisted with potty training when necessary. And believe me, it was necessary. The kids left us gifts -- I got a sore throat and mild cough from one of the girls. and a boy left our daughter Joanna a case of diarrhea. Joanna is a hearty soul and shook it off in a day. So far, nothing for Phuong other than grief for her choice of food, milk and water. There were complaints about the fact we served chicken twice a week, and used brands of milk and bottled water that allegedly contained chemicals. Despite some parents' focus on "organic" food, their kids seemed to have their fair share of illnesses. Perhaps these were "organic" illnesses, which are probably better for the kids than the generic brand. Who knows? Who cares? I'm sure we did a lot of things wrong regarding child care. I don't have the benefit of being an outside observer with the kids we watched or with our daughter Joanna. I'll let the experts criticize us. Regardless, Phuong and I thought every child who came to our house was wonderful, bright and a joy to be around. Behavior and English improved steadily while the kids were here. The hitting and toy throwing stopped. We got to watch them grow up and taught them how to clean up, and we loved it. Thanks to the kids and parents for letting us be a part of the children's lives. As for Joanna, she never quite jived with the group. For example, she loves sharp cheddar cheese while the other kids would spit out the small samples I gave them. She speaks English, not Vietnamese, and looks and acts differently than the other kids. Joanna is obsessed with books, letters and numbers. The other kids, not so much. The other kids didn't really play with Joanna. No big deal because Joanna does her own thing anyway, and seems extremely comfortable with herself. We love her just the way she is.

* * *

I've noted before that Phuong's sister-in-law has a breakfast business, making Pho, Bun bo Hue, Bun Rieu, Hu tiu -- my wife gave me the spellings so don't correct me, correct her. The "soups" are all well-made but Bun bo Hue -- with or without blood pudding -- is my favorite. Pho is the national dish, sort of, and I've learned to like it. Hu tiu is dependably good and I'm beginning to appreciate Bun Rieu, which has some kind of crab base. A big bowl of any of the soups costs about $1 U.S., so it's a bargain to say the least. I don't eat soup for breakfast, but Phuong and I share a bowl for lunch nearly every day. It's economical, convenient and tasty. Dessert for me is almost always yogurt.. The point of all of this is to say that I'm learning to adjust to the food here. It's taken more than six years. But I really, really miss things that I enjoyed constantly in the U.S. like pretzels, good lunch meat, apple pie, good cheese and good beer. For now, Phuong's sister-in-law is doing her best to keep me fat and happy.

* * *

I have a nomination for Time's Person of the Year, and it ain't Donald Trump. I'll nominate the lady who gives me acupuncture. No pain, no reason to complain. For the past three weeks, this low-keyed woman has stuck needles in my butt, back and down both legs -- and turned on the juice -- to produce remarkable results in the once-wobbly White Monkey.  I've combined the acupuncture with some yoga stretches and nightly tai chi to gain the mobility and athleticism of a man in his, well, mid-60s. Don't be jealous. All these techniques are available to anyone who is persistent and has a desire to be pain-free. That would be me at the moment. Back pain helped ruin my brother's life -- and my heart truly goes out to anyone dealing with chronic pain. Persevere ... and good luck to you. I've gone from being in pain to being relatively pain free -- and a pain in everyone else's ass again. I love it.

Stopping daycare; acupuncture helps; conversation class

Our daycare business will shut down on Oct.10,  a little more than eight months after Phuong began this project as a way to have Joanna interact more with other children.  Our daycare is being stopped for personal reasons that I won't get into here. Ostensibly, Phuong is tired and my back is a mess in the morning, which in my view is the most important time for kids and daycare. I leave the house from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. three times a week for acupuncture treatment, meaning Phuong is alone with the little angels. But we persevered and ultimately I found the time with kids very enjoyable. We were doing regular art and "academic" projects that focused on the alphabet and shapes; we made princess and Spiderman masks last week. Joanna's interaction with the kids was OK, but she speaks primarily English and the other kids in the group speak Vietnamese. Blame me for that. When the children took their nap after lunch, Joanna would come upstairs to play and read books with me. Really, the time she spent playing with the other kids was quite limited, although I noticed an increase lately ...  since we decided to shutter the business. It always seems to work that way, doesn't it? I won't miss the constant illnesses that came into the house and worked their way into my body, but I'll miss all of the kids. They were starting to get it: We share, we don't hit, and everyone gets along.

* * *

I've had about seven acupuncture treatments so far for sciatica and they are clearly helping. My back and legs are still problematic for about an hour in the morning, probably because of our lousy bed that my wife loves, but the discomfort settles down and goes away for the rest of the day. Before acupuncture, the pain would persist and be quite uncomfortable at times. Now I can do tai chi at night with little or no pain. I'm a satisfied customer and I'll continue with the treatment indefinitely. I get the treatments at a lady's house and there are four or five other patients there as well. It's a little odd since everyone has their pants pulled halfway down their butts. No big deal, except in the case of my butt.  Just saying. There's no fan or air conditioning in the room, which is open to the street.  I'm guessing it's close to 90 degrees F in the room when I'm getting treated, so sweat pours off of me the entire time. The acupuncture lady seems shocked every time she sees me sweat, which is every time I go there. Anyway, a massage either follows or comes before the acupuncture, and it's very good -- firm, strong, but not painful. This lady and her acupuncture business including the massage guys get an enthusiastic thumbs-up (and butts-up) from the White Monkey.

* * *

I'm guilty of generalizing about the motorbike riders and car drivers here. I've said they're all pretty much selfish, aggressive turds. Twice in the past week as I waited to cross the street, cars stopped and waved me across -- and they had the right of way. On one occasion, the motorbikes stopped as well to let me cross. On the other occasion, motorbikes raced around the car -- the stupid turds -- and nearly hit me as I crossed at the beckoning of the car's driver. I felt obliged. But I rarely walk in Bien Hoa unless I'm carrying my brother's walking stick. My brother didn't use it, fell in the bathroom and died a short while later. I bought it in Prince Edward Island and gave it to Charlie. Anyway, when bikes come ripping at me, which they're apt to do here, I'll hold up the stick in a defensive posture. They'll either slow down or give me a wide berth. Maybe Charlie is looking out for me as well.

* * *

My English students want "conversation", so when I give them a topic or ask them questions, they go silent. It's been that way here for seven years, whether I'm in a language center or in my third-floor classroom at home. Conversation seems to happen best when it's natural and spontaneous, and not scheduled, requested or forced. So, I still teach from a book and have an agenda, but try to let the conversation develop naturally, regardless of the topic. If we get off course, so to speak, so be it.