SSIS PTA Charity Bazaar - Information

SSIS PTA Charity Bazaar

Saigon South International School

Saturday, November 20, 2010 9 A.M. to 3 P.M.

Introduction: Saigon South International School (SSIS) is an international school in Phu My Hung located in District 7. Using English as the language of instruction, students from over 30 different countries work, study and play in a spacious park-like setting. Currently over 750 students attend SSIS in grades EC3 to 12.

Purpose of the Bazaar: To introduce the Vietnamese and Expat community to our school and provide financial support to various charities. We also have a deep appreciation and interest in the arts and crafts of our local culture and want to develop this interest and appreciation in our students and extended community. This will also be a good opportunity to purchase unique gifts for the holiday season.

Bazaar Participants include:

• Traditional handicraft artisans
• Vietnamese and Expat artists
• Established Vietnamese and Expat merchants
• Specialty restaurants and food vendors

Bazaar Charity Recipients

• Operation Smile
• Saigon Children’s Charities
• Anh Linh Love School
• CAS Outreach (SSIS student organized charity fund/volunteering program)
• Heart Says Free Move (SSIS student organized charity)

This year’s bazaar promises to be even more successful than last year’s. We have a much wider publicity campaign and expect more then 3,000 attendees. We encourage interested parties to apply quickly.

We are asking businesses to help us with the bazaar by donating either goods or services. These items will be raffled off or put in our Tombola. The raffle is the traditional ‘lucky draw’ where the recipient needs not be present to win. While the Tombola, participants purchase a chance at the lottery. For each chance they pull a number from the Tombola box and either it reads, “Try Again”, or “You won prize number: XX” and the participant immediately takes that pre-marked prize. Tombola is making its debut at this year’s bazaar and has been hugely successful at other international school bazaars.

Last year, the raffle drawing raised over 66,000,000VND, or 30% of the Bazaar’s profit! It was through generous donations from businesses like yours that made the event so successful!

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email.

Ms. Bich at SSIS: 5413-0901 ext. 11012 E-mail: bazaar@ssis.edu.vn

Contact me (Tina - PTA President) at:  pta@ssis.edu.vn

SSIS PTA Charity Bazaar - Update #2

Our committee has been working VERY hard to make this year's bazaar a huge hit!  With just three weeks to go prior to Bazaar, we have already secured tables for over 50 different merchandising vendors and 13 different food vendors.  Some vendors have secured more than one booth.

In additions to the amazing shopping opportunity that will be available, we have secured two big names for entertaining our kids...  Saigon Sports Academy and LEGO.  SSA will have planned clinics every 30 minutes that will cost a coupon or two to enter.  LEGO will have an open play area for creating with little LEGO and DUPLO...a coupon will be charged for entrance to the play area.   All coupons are 10,000vnd AND 100% if profit.

This year, the TOMBOLA will make its Bazaar debut.  Under the direction of Helen Daviglus, the TOMBOLA will attract many customers and they purchase chances to take home great prizes.  We will also have the regular lucky draw and silent auction.  Both Tombola and Lucky Draw will have some generous prizes, while the Silent Auction will have exceptional valued items for patrons to bid on.

It never goes without thanking HIGHLANDS COFFEE for their generous donation of beverage vouchers that the PTA sold for 20,000vnd.  These vouchers will pay for the operating/advertising costs of the Bazaar.  Thanks to HIGHLANDS COFFEE, we are 100% profitable before the doors open!  HIGHLANDS COFFEE is truly an SSIS and an SSIS-PTA partner.

Another major thanks goes to LOTTEMART for their incrediblely generous donation of 3,000 reusable shopping bags.  Each paid customer will receive a bag upon entry of the Bazaar.  The bag will make shopping easier.  It is the hope of LOTTEMART and the Bazaar committee that the shopping bags will be reused many times to reduce the amount of waste in our environment.  Thanks LOTTEMART for such a progressive step in moving towards a more environmental sustainable society.

Again, PEPSI has opened their hearts and will fill our ice chest full of cold tasty drinks all for Charity Resale.

Solaris and Epson have donated huge prizes for the silent auction and raffle.

Ben Thanh Art and Frame has made a huge donation of a painting for silent auction as well as their books and frames which we will sale for 100% profit.

This list is NOT COMPLETE, but just to give my very few readers a small glimpse of the amazing outpouring of our business community to this event.

Phan Thiet Velo

There will be a day (I hope) that I move back to the US.  At that time, opportunities like this past weekend will be gone.  Not many are willing to stick their necks out there... be laughed at... pointed at... and know that no matter what they do, they will NEVER be a local.  Many just stick to their own...  and there is NOTHING wrong with that...

but for the fine boys of Phan Thiet Velo, thanks for letting me ride with you! 

They arrived at my hotel abotu 7:20.  I had NO idea where we would ride other then the 'upper road'.  Thankfully!  That's an amazing new road that makes traveling to Miu Ne totally worth it.  This hill is just about 1/2 km from the hotel from the lower road to the upper road.  Its about .5km and averaged 9%...  hmm.... you bet I'll be going up and down THIS hill a few times!

Got the 'thumbs up' after the climb.  I was the last to the top... its been a while since I was the last.  All I could think is, "yeah... its gonna be good!"

I know they didn't know what to think of me, "aauuh, are you tired?"  they asked about every 5 minutes.  "NO, I am fine".  I ride w/ Saigon Velo and Quan 7, it is always a race and its no problem!  I TRY to tell them this, but.....

The guy on the mountain bike had no problems keeping up.  Great idea though, he went ahead on teh lower road as there is a lot of sand etc.

on the down hill, I guess I didn't know I looked so stupid stretching!  ha ha

Two (Jerry and Mr. Thinh) were on the motor bike for support!  I couldn't believe it.  After riding in the crap that is HCMC riding.... here I am on an open road, and a motorcycle escort for lights!  WHOA!

Thumbs up for the effort!

could I be any happier?

Stop after the sand dunes.... LOVE this part of the ride...

Not sure what they are pointing at....

Finally, the group shot.

It was a really short ride, only 25km for me with them... after they left, I snuck off for 10 more.  They said I could go again with them.

thanks for letting me join. 

When I came to Taiwan, riding with the locals at first was always a bit like this.  Communication is bad at best, sometimes, depending on who I rode with , there was NO TALKING... only hand motions and my bad Chinese.  But, a few nice ones gave me a chance... eventually, more and more gave me the chance.  By the time I left Taiwan, I had many cycling acquantences and joined many group rides.  Riding among females increased by 20 times as well.  Seeing a chick on a bike was more normal... seeing one that could keep up and actually be stronger, was also becoming, more normal.  Being a westerner.... women have arrived to this level decades ago...

Now, in Vietnam, I am where I was when I first started riding in Taiwan, but even less ladies, and have yet to find a local lady.  But, my riding with these boys is becoming more and more accepted...

the price:

some humilation, some pointing, some laughing, and a load of patience...

but at the end of the day, not one of them has left me with out a tiny bit of respect....  they know... we women are coming!

Mui Ne, Vietnam

Kids had one week off... so we typically take some sort of trip.  Last year we went to Mui Ne and rode our bikes from teh 1/2 way mark.  We had a tail wind and for 100km, average speed was about 35kph.  Not bad!  But now, the roads are so nice in Mui Ne, no need to ride tere.

We left Saigon at 3pm, picked Gj up at VL about 4pm.  It takes aout 5 hours to drive there.  It is only 200km north of Saigon, but the traffic is horrific and scarey.  Typhoon Magi was suppose to hit us leaving Mui Ne in its souther part... but, it took a turn to the north.

Thursday morning, Gj and I head out about 10:00 for a leisurly ride.  Just a 20km out and back.  The new 'upper road', Highway 706B is a 34km loop.  We are located about 7km into it.  There's about 300m of climbing (you need to remember, I life in Saigon, our only climbing is a 47m bridge).  Gj beats me on the two short uphills, but I get him on the longer climbs. 

There is never, leisure in leisurely riding...  ha ha... 

When we get back, our Pucci is very sick.  She is throwing up everywhere. 

She wouldn't even take table scraps....

Thursday night, eating at Jibes... The kids got candy necklaces from one of the French workers.  I was so jealous... I always wanted a candy necklace.

Emily models hers!... 

Eirik models his.  We sit at the same table every meal.  We go here for lunch and most dinners.  Its owned by the same people as the hotel.  Eirik had a big day playing in the waves (they were big enough to surf).  It seems I never get enough sun screen on him.

Friday morning, I go for Ride #2, solo... I just want to do a loop of the 'upper' road.  I made an appointment with Phan Thiet Velo for a Saturday ride.  Their average is 35kph, so I wanted to make sure I knew where to meet them, etc. 

 Always cows on the roads...

 Auugghh... so happy with Ride #2.  Though, slow, still happy. This is my 4th day in a row riding and 5 for the week.  Saturday makes 5 days in a row and 6 fo the week. 

WHOA... am I coming back from the .... 'lame'?  Am I getting better, I am feeling better.  though over the days of riding my mileage is really low for as many times of wearing spandex, I am feeling... OKAY!

 Jibes, Eirik playing pool....  lunch tht day.  Eirik has three admirers...  Its good for him to be the 'cool' one.

Dinner at Ganesh... an Indian restaurant, the owner of whom which we have befriended.

 Ride #3... meet the Phan Thiet boys.... and that they are... boys... strong little boys...  not to be conceited, but its been a long time since I have been the worst climber in a group...  I still got the thumbs up, but still dead last.  Well, there were only 4 of us!

 They didn't exactly know what to do with me... I could tell.  We ride the upper road out and then past the sand dunes and out to the beach. 

 After they rode by my hotel, I waited for them to pass a bit, then went back out for some more glorious riding.... we head back to Saigon and this type of riding is out again...

and happy to be riding

Hm.... I think there's a Golf Course here...

On the way back to Saigon, we stop to buy fresh dragon fruits

Baby Holding... September 2010

I guess tradition is defined after two times?  Well, "where is the love" was our first day of 'baby holding', and the last Saturday of September was our last 'baby holding'.  This is when my girlfriend, Christine, brings Claude and Bao over with many of the kids and moms from their shelters for a break.

Irene (Singaporean), Me, Nancy (Taiwanese) with our babies....

Susie (Singaporean - in front with baby in white), Sung (Korean), Irene, Nancy, me, Lisa, Gary

Me and Nancy....

Last time, Son was my little buddy.  When I got there this Saturday, he was taken.  :-(  So, I got this little guy instead.  I dont' even know his name.  I do know that he really needs to be held, so that was my job for the hour and a half...

HOLD THE BABY!

I love my job!

Rain...Rain... Go AWAY

YUCK! 
Every Friday night, I prepare for what I hope to be a 100km + ride on Saturday.  Typically some combination of the bridge followed by meeting up with the local boys + Alex and then maybe meeting up with the local foreingers for a few more loops. 

I should have known when I left the house at 5:00am and there were puddles of water on the street.

Crossing the bridge, I am already muddy.  This is very rare!  I go ahead and finish the bridge loop and go to the bridge to meet the boys.  None of the Saigon Velo team is there.  Just Alex and a few of the D7 guys are there.  The sky looks good and doesn't appear there will be rain. 

By this time, I am already covered in  mud.  You see... when the roads are wet in Saigon, the streets are very muddy.  It isn't just simple rain... but since there is so much construction, the roads are always covered with lots of fine dirt, actually, cement consistancey stuff.... 

I take off form the bridge.  Alex and I are visiting... we soon learn, the others turned around and went home... Alex and I ride going no faster then 30kph.  At this point, I am thourghly annoyed and just want to go home.  But, haven't talked w/ Alex for several weeks and good to catch up. 

He did the full Olympic Triathlon in I-Lan last week in Taiwan and got 6th in his age group!  Very cool!

No, these are not stockings, or socks, but the mud, the very fine dirt on my lets...

shoes...

It is only 6:45am....

My bike...

cleaned up, ready to go, and only 8am.  Home in time to take eirik to soccer

Auuggh, my 'special ed' child....

where I should have ridden... the roller.... by the time Gj was ready to ride, it was pouring!  you can see in the picture.

looking down on the street.

Empty Nest? Getting older?

This week has been filled with painful reminders that the term, "Empty Nest" will apply to us one day.... 

Some parents really enjoy their lives evolving to this phase, but I hate it!  My daugther has entered high school, my son middle school.  They no longer need mommy around, as a matter of fact, they really don't WANT mommy around in public. 

Though my relationship with  my kids is still VERY strong... just not as 'public' as it used to be, I see that they are really pulling away from me.  It really sucks. 

My kids are happy!  My kids are really doing well, so its a good thing... its just that a part of my life is now over... and its really sad....

Gj tells me to enjoy my freedom.  I can't help but be a bit angry that I don't have a 3rd child to fill these empty afternoons... someone to hold my hand saying "mommy, come look at this..." 

that's life.

Three Bikermoms

I must be dreaming...  For the first time since living in Taiwan, I rode with two other women. 

Look... I am smiling....  why?  Well, its the 2nd ride for the day.  I went out at 5:30 and met the boys... rode w/ them for 1/2 the ride before I finally got dropped... Attacked on the way up the red bridge with the European guy yelling, "Go TINA!"  so I did.... climbing our bridge of 5m gain at over 40kph, I flew...

and blew...

oh well... it was fun!

Got home at 6:40 as usual, then met up with Rachel and Shannon at Fivimart.

Freakishly strong Shannon....  new to the bike... good GOD, what happenes when she's NOT NEW to the bike?

Of course, Rachel, my Jamican friend... 

and there we are.... on the Nguyen Van Linh in the 'truck' lane...  dodging cops and truck drivers yelling at us... and lots of thumbs up and cat calls from the motorcycles...

Quite a sight....three bikermoms on a bike! 

total for the day:  80km. 

I think I am starting to feel better....thyroid levels are under control and starting to recover normally....