Three years of PTA

When I first got to Vietnam, I knew what expat "wife" life was like.  But, now my kids were a bit older and having mom around wasn't so cool.  A harsh reality!

The first coffee morning, the president asked if someone could be treasurer... well... why not?!?  So, I asked... I actually thought many people would ask... ha ha...

How hard can that be?  I remember just feeling overwhelmed with the idea, but why not?  I knew I had to get myself out there or I'd just ... not do well.  Kids were too old to volunteer in their classes, and meeting other adults would be integral to my survival.  Work would keep me isolated in my home (where ever that was... we were living in a 2 bedroom apartment on the river in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.)

Then we had the Charity Bazaar... even though I was in Taiwan racing on that day, the impact of it was deep in me!  I participated on the committee and observed.  I knew the next year, I wanted to be a BIT part of this!  Not observe! To see the impact of the lives we changed was really life changing for me.

So comes 2010-11 School year.  I am elected president (due to lack of anyone else wanting to do it), but totally on board!  I was so thrilled to be a part, and a big part of an organization that made differences in the lives of our kids and the general community to which we lived!

This year, our 2nd year, we have a great staff... we have a Prez (me), Vice Prez (Quoc who was pres last year), Volunteer coordinator Delma, Secretary Linda and marketing Teresa.  I also served as our treasurer.

The year was great!

I had two objectives as PTA President:

1.  Double the income from the Charity Bazaar

2.  Get the Middle School and HIgh School activities off the ground!

The result?  #1 was tough, the increasing dong to dollar ration meant it was harder to make double the income.  That said, we increased our income by 5,000USD and that saved a lot of lives.

#2, we started a few programs in the Middle and High Schools.  Never before had PTA been involved in MS and HS as a group.  I was very proud of this involvement. 

The following year, I hung on as President... unfortuantely, we had yet again, no treasurer...so I must do this job AGAIN.  

The year started off fine, but after Christmas, everything fell apart.  Our board became very, VERY thin.  Quoc was busy with work, and travelled almost 50% or more... when home... many other things to do.  Summer quit, Joy moved, and well...

I participated on the Head of School search committee as we sat and watched Charles health deteriorate.  

It was a tough year. 

I am glad to be done.

End of year celebration: Anh Linh Love School

Monday I got an invitation from Sister Cam Thuy from the Anh Linh Love School to attend their end of year celebration.  "Your presence will be an encouragement to the children".

I'd like to say, their presence is a lesson of humility and encouragement to me!

 I arrived on time at 8:30, amazing considering the rain!  I decided to ride my bike over, so got out all my rain gear.  I refused to take a taxi!  It is deep in District 7, and things aren't exactly, "Phu My Hung" here!

 Ms. McKinnon was there....

 MC's for the morning....

 The first performance....

 My favorite!  This girl is 19 years old, in grade 6.  She is an orphan without papers, in the eyes of the government, she does not exist.  She has two younger sisters and they stay at the school.  She sang in English, "I am Proud"... the last line, "I can do anything, I spread my wings and fly"....

damn...dropped a tear!  Beautiful girl the government just let down!

 Graduating class, all finished 9th grade, the little one on the left's name is Ocean.  He is 19, by the size of his body, you can only imagine his life prior to coming to school.  Sister Thuy sat next to me giving me lots of information about each kid.  Two of the students give speaches.  Though I can not understand Vietnamese, the content is very clear.  They are grateful for the education, grateful for not being left behind and will miss this school, their '2nd home'.

 Sister Thuy addressing the crowd.

 Hilarious dance

 These kids were #1 in their class.  You will notice that most are girls... I asked why and the speculation is... if a family has two kids, one a girl, one a boy... the boy goes to school, the girl isn't valued.  Hmmm

 These were the #2

 I got to present the gifts to the #3 kids...

 I think these were #4, or received the citizenship award.  Not entirely sure.

 Another performance, the clothes came from our school's clothing drive.

 All the children knew the song the girls were doing their fan dance.

 Elementary children listening....

 Sister Thuy congratulating them on a great year.  Many of the children received 100% on the exams that are given by the government.

A donation for glasses to 46 kids!

I am asked to stay for lunch and do.  It is always a nice time to visit with other benefactors of the school.  It is always so grounding and humbling.

So, there are two questions I leave the school with:

1.  For every child that is found and brought to this school, how many are out there?
2.  What happenes to the children that are not found....

leave #2 to ponder.

For some reference, two videos were made by a student at SSIS in hopes of collecting food for the food drive:

2012 Tour of Friendship Stage 5 - Ace of spades...

So, I enjoyed my 1/2 Leo beer the night before... I got this in the BAG!  Right?  Right?

ah....ha....

It is "GO" from the start.  Women in the front.  For the first time in 5 days, we actually get to race against each other...not man/wife teams...not M40 and holding on to the peloton... but estrogen against estrogen...

Let me tell you,

Nothing more dangerous then a group of peri-menapausal women on a bike!  Let alone, let them race!

BEST racing day yet!

I had a target on my back as big as TEXAS.  I was teh Ace of Spades...  Being the idiot that i am at times... I failed to think that I'd be a target...whose going to get 4 minutes out of me on a flat course...

Well, that was the goal.

IT was fast and furious from the gun.  New rules.... if the Juniors or Ladies go...no other group can help bridge (jeepers...that's a nice rule to EVENTUALLY HAVE!)..

Siw is determined to reclaim her 2nd place... I would to.

There was no rest for me.

I didn't dare take a water bottle....

I raced smart... I led one attack, there was one earlier by Katherin, but no one would help her.... I have bad feelings about this...

So, I attack, from the outside... I grab Katherine and say, "30 sec rotation....I don't leave you hanging...we make a break"...

eventually, we are caught!

Its blood, sweat... and no water for 60km, average speed nearly 40kph.

I get caught in the wrong position before the sprint... come in 4th... (but kept my 2nd in the GC)....

I blame only myself for the poor sprint... got a little dodgy at the end and nearly went down..

Cross the finish line congradulating Siw on yet again, another fine finish... we all laugh about the race.  Even though I had a target on my back, it by no means means we are not friends off the road.... its racing!

2nd for the Tour...

Am happy...
Am happy!

I give my trophy to the Club Quan 7 XeDap group.  I don't know what they think of it... but they understand my appreciation to them for letting me ride with them!

To D7 riders along the Nguyen Van Linh highway.....this ones for you!  Thanks for letting me be the 'white' girl and accepting me....

2012 Tour of Friendship Stage 4 - Give it all I got

So, there was this 'hill' advertised... we disected it... studied it... and just before bedtime learned that the idiot that posted it.... was way, WAY wrong.  There was no 500m climb, no 300m descent in 1.5km, it was just a steady hill.

Out with the M40 again, they put women on the front.

I am feeling even more relaxed.  Just hang with the group, I can do this... I know what I did wrong yesterday and today is all out...no stops, I'd rather puke and fall over than be conservative.  What do I have to lose?  I am 3rd in GC at this point.... all I can do is strive for better....  It would take a lot ot lose the 3rd, and I'd rather lose the 3rd by trying than not by doing anything at all.

Fairly uneventful...first 30km or so.  Small undulating hills, few bumps of bikes... a scream from the back of the pack...

The hill is there... we are on it... its a very low incline and very steady.

Siw is pulling back...her breathing is very hard and labored....she's sick.  Now it is just me and Anne-Marie.  She's got a peloton of ANZA guys not to mention her husband.  The boys surge... we both fall back, but she thinks I have completely dropped.  When she spots me she screams...her husband helps pull her back to the group... I get in there too...

Okay...not giving this up!  Ride it to the hill, give it everythign I have... I won't take 5 minutes out of her, but I can certainly try.

Then the down hill...  I grab a water bottle from another rider, but there was a surge... not in the right place to be....

My meager 57kph average over the 2km downhill was no match for the group... I had dropped.  Unbelievable!  UNBELIEVABLE and such a stupid mistake.  I should have never taken water unless I had positions to give... I didn't!

I grab on to a Phillipino guy who dropped because of a technical issue and he pulls me, we try to get back to the group.  We are offered a van pull, but it is illegal.  I am NOT doing anything illegal!

Then, the snap, when you realize its over.  We chased for 30km, they were always in sight... but there were some healthy surges that our two man group just couldn't catch.

Now, it is hot...

I am cramping...

I am miserable.  But I ignore the pain, there will be time to feel it later.  If I acknowledge any pain, I might as well just give up.  It must come with motherhood, you can easily ignore and postpone pain as there are much more important things then yourself on the line.

We get to the dam climb... parts are steep, I really question if I even have the strength to climb up it.  For the last 20km, everything has been geared around focusing on getting to the top of the climb.  I know I have 2nd for the stage, and depending on how much time I am ahead of Siw, I could take 2nd in the GC.  It depends.

 I have yet to figure out why I was smiling... I hurt so bad...and I got dropped....AGAIN...quite embarassed...

It was my 2nd, 2nd place for the Tour thus far.... fairly happy though one day would love to stand on teh top fo the podium.... Got my long sleeved - NVL-7 jersey and khaki skort...

Now, 2nd in GC with 4+minutes to lead...

Should be easy to keep....

Celebrated with a beer.... just had a good laugh and really enjoyed myself that evening...

2012 Tour of Friendship Stage 3, Redemption...? No.

Putting the day before behind me, realizing I have nothing to be worried about and relax... I am hoping this will be my day to shine.

Training on our bridge had gone well, so I thought... went to VT twice to climb the mountain there and I am a confident climber... I never doubt myself, I NEVER worry about how I feel, I just go for it.

We pull out of the resort and it is game on.  We immediately drop four girls.  They had no idea what hit them.

It was fast, I was a bit surprised.  The undulating terrain was a constant surge/slow/surge/slow

And as advertised, at 39.0km came 'the hill'.  3km with 8% average (or something like that...)  As usual, not in the best spot for climbing, but .... hey.... I am a climber, right?

O

M

G

Apparently

NOT ANY MORE!

I am doing all I can to hang, but I don't.  The leader is out of sight, I am not passing all the big boys I used to two years ago, this is NOT easy.

Is it the HEAT?
Is it the fact I rode  SOLO for 85km yeaterday w/ a head wind
Is it that our training area SUCKS?

I am shocked....and a weeee bit mortified to be honest.  I can't believe what is happening... I am climbing in slow motion... Now I aim to pass Siw Haller.  If I don't get a lot of time on her, she'll drown me int he down hill and obliterate me on the flat... I manage to muster enough energy to put 30 seconds on her, but haul ass down hill.... sadly, my @$$ is too slow.... 1/2 way down, she catches me w/ a string of guys... I can't even hold their wheel.

Eventually, I get back on.  We are four then six people.  I see Glenn, my Hong Kong expat, Mui Ne buddy, Paul Dalton who we had a few jokes together earlier...  This is great.  We just ride to the turn aruond...

In the middle of this, I realize.... it will be Siw and I for the last 20km.  I am trying to figure out how to beat her with this.... its a flat finish....she's the queen of sprints and I am the queen of mediocraty!  What am I going to do...

I am sure she's thinking of how to drop me.

After the turn, I fall back a little to see what the game plan is...dare she go alone without me?  Dare she not? She does as I thought, not go at it alone.  Maybe she could have dropped me but with some of the hills, I doubt it.  She opts to keep me.  Okay.

We will finish together.... but I know the sprint is a bit out of my reach.

and it was...

3rd....

Redemption?  No...not at all!

At the awards dinner, I simply say to Alex, "TEACH ME HOW TO SPRINT"!

2012 Tour of Friendship Stage 2: 85km ITT

We take off from The Rich Hotel.  We are set in with the M40's again.  Hmmmm, how do I feel about this?  My riding has improved, I should be able to hang with them once I get in a groove.  I fight in Vietnam to keep good position, so I hope it pays off here...

For the first 25km, fairly uneventful.  There is a surge and my poor positioning caused me to fall back for a bit.  I bear down and put myself in the middle of the group.  That will be ENOUGH of that.  

We are on the right, then the lane gives out to gravel.

I bunnyhop to the paved road along with the group.

thud...

thud...

thud...

Flat on the front.  35km in to the race...85 to go.

And...what goes through my head.... one of my daughter's iPod songs:

Riding solo....riding solo... riding solo......sooooolooooo

I get a switch very quickly, but the pack is long gone.  I ask for a push, NO... I try to get behind the motor cycle for a pull, NO!  I try to draft off of trucks.... NO

Okay... well, its early.  I can't catch the group, I have to find my comfort level and resign to work hard.  I know with more then 70km to go at that point, there is a very good chance many other girls will fall out and I can just pick them off... 70km a lot can happen.

And it did...

I passed three fairly quickly.  The fourth hung on my wheel.  Okay, I got 5th, my GC will be smashed...no chance for anything better then 5th.  I make the woman rotate but not long.  She can't hold the speed, but I really needed some rest.  We pick up a few others... but eventually, they can't hold... I can't be bothered... I take off.

Its always a tough decision.  Stay with the small group and rest so there's a chance for the next day... or just take off and try to preserve something.

At the end of the route, a 10km out and back.  I pass the finish line so I have 20km to go.  I see Alex with Nick and he gives me the thumbs up.  At that point, I am humiliated...I start to cry... all those weeks of training...and it comes down to a freakishly hot day, flat tire, and not being pushed back (I was suppose to, it was stated very, VERY clearly the night before).  

I just do what I can do to finish.  Hopefully everyone sucks at climbing and somehow, I shine a bit and I can take some time back.  Those are my thoughts, get to tomorrow, put this one to rest.

I cross the line... put my bike on the truck... get lunch... Now I have to tell everyone what happened.

Alan Grant told me: "Get a stage win tomorrow, Tina!"

I eat with the Spice girls... "You can work with us, you are strong!"  Maybe, but now tired.

I never see Alex and glad...I'd just cry and I was already humilated and I didn't want to admit it...  I just shrugged it off and laughed with everyone else.  What could I do... I got a flat.  I didn't plan it.  Really, it was my fault, I know better then to be on gravel... if I were better placed in the group perhaps it wouldn't have happened, but then again, maybe it would have.  

I take the bus back to the hotel.  Alex meets me and has taken care of getting me a room, ordering me a massage.  I was so relieved, last year, often there weren't enough rooms.  

Had a shower, pulled myself together and started to think about the next day.  What else could I do.

When Bobby returned my wheel, I asked him, "Hey, aren't we suppose to get a push back to the group when we get a flat?"

"Yes, that didn't happen?"

"No, today or last year".

"Your time will be adjusted"

Suddenly, I was back in the race.  I got the same time as the last girl in the group to cross the line.  It was a full minute behind the winner, but I was really relieved.  Worried that the other women would be angry, I didn't ask.  I explained to them that I didn't get a push, Bobby adjusted my time... I didn't ask...  but reminded them I was exhasuted now...  They seemed to feel the adjustment was the right thing.

aauugghh....

live and learn.

Luckily, I came to the race with the attitude of having fun... and even with the day's event, I was having fun.

2012 Tour of Friendship, Day 1: ITT? REALLY?

So, I have NEVER done an ITT.  NEVER.  Well, if you count the Thursday rides in Taiwan where we'd go 1/2 way around the airport one at a time...  course, I always lost.

7 km Individual Time Trial...you, the wind, the road, and a clock.  Go all out, then give more!

11:08, not a stellar time, but good enough to place me #2, 2nd only to the gal who specialized in ITT, brought an ITT bike, suit, and pointy helmet.  

AM HAPPY!

After day 1, team "NVL-Seven", 2nd place in GC.