Inspiration needed

Recently, I had travelled to Thailand and stayed there in BKK for about 10 days. I believe many of you here already been there, more than once even, and probably think 10 days for BKK is abit too much. Anyway, I couldn't have enough of it. It's vibrant, vivid and... vigourous (sorry my English, I couldn't find a better word).

Then I got back to Saigon and found it extremely dull. Maybe, I've been in Saigon for too long. Maybe, BKK has changed the way I feel about Saigon now. Or maybe, I'm just leading a plain boring life that I should not blame anything else but myself.

Anyway, as I'm sitting here roaming and moaning about my "misery", have any of you here come across the same feeling ? When you totally feel lost and there's no inspiration at all. Local or expat, it doesn't matter ! You live in the middle of Saigon and suddendly you are tired of ... almost everything.

Maybe, I'm going thru my mid-life crisis at the age of 28... Please help, I need your advice !

Maybe your hormones are out of whack.

I understand, when i came to VN my eyes were opened ,my tour guide is the best even better than che u tai who showed us Thailand BK to Chang rai, the people in VN are very peaceful and helpful when i returned to Perth i said to my friend" going back to work i found the same bunch of monkies,but felt i was in a diffferent tree, enjoy it dont question so much

Hmmm.... actually what do you want to say?
Spent some days in Bkk? :D
Relax.... may be you feel better and got rid of this 'numbness' when you find out your 'Italian' Teacher :D

the same here, dude =)

charmavietnam wrote:

Hmmm.... actually what do you want to say?
Spent some days in Bkk? :D
Relax.... may be you feel better and got rid of this 'numbness' when you find out your 'Italian' Teacher :D


Oh yeah ! The language is so inspiring !!! If you have any contacts, please let me know. Thanks !

Not sure if you are serious about the crisis situation. Everyone has ups and downs. Sometimes new places only seem better. Most of the time when we run away from home we simply pack up all our troubles and then unpack them after we move to our dream destination. The old adage of the grass is always greener on the other side until you have to take care of it.

SOLI    Do you have any contacts in Nha Trang? i am a retired Math teacher from the states and would love to be in Nha Trang teaching part time .Math or English.

rkane wrote:

SOLI    Do you have any contacts in Nha Trang? i am a retired Math teacher from the states and would love to be in Nha Trang teaching part time .Math or English.


Not really you just have to beat the bushes and turn over the stones!!

thanks!!!!!

Solo1 wrote:

Not sure if you are serious about the crisis situation. Everyone has ups and downs. Sometimes new places only seem better. Most of the time when we run away from home we simply pack up all our troubles and then unpack them after we move to our dream destination. The old adage of the grass is always greener on the other side until you have to take care of it.


Well, I wasn't serious about the "crisis" situation. Maybe, it wasn't my hormones that are out of whack, but my sense of humor is.

Anyway, I wasn't talking about our ups and downs. Ups and downs will keep us busy. For me, I just feel "flat". Suddenly, everything turns black & white instead of colorful. No inspiration... It's scary to see that what used to inspire me is no longer there...

And as I'm writting this... I just realise one thing that might answer to my own question. I'm just getting old ! haha.

But seriously, I do need advices. If only you could understand what I'm going through right now...

Sounds like you may have lost hope. How has life currently not lived up to your expectations which constitutes loss of hope?

If that's the case, could you give me some advice ?

Not sure that language is inspiring to all :D
Yup, have been one acquaintance from Italy. We just meet some time in the Ben Thanh park. I do not have any contact details of him. May be when I meet him next time, remember to collect his contact details for you :D

Anniest wrote:

Oh yeah ! The language is so inspiring !!! If you have any contacts, please let me know. Thanks !

Anniest wrote:

If that's the case, could you give me some advice ?


In order to receive advice you will have to be more specific about your life. Just feeling blue and discontented will not suffice. Did you lose your job, not get a promotion, lose a friend, have a fall out with someone, having financial trouble, been physically sick etc etc etc.

If you love BKK so much then make a plan to move there which will give you hope.

Decide something you want for your life, and work with all of your energy to achieve it.

If anything, let Thailand be the inspiration for you to work harder, at what you are doing, so that you can visit it more often and with more people.

I have had those feelings before Anniest. Returning home after a grand adventure can make you feel flat about your current situation. The adventure is over, the excitement is gone.  What use to help was planning for the next adventure.  For myself living here is the adventure.  Hope you find yours.

lucky dog, ron

"Going back to work i found the same bunch of monkies,but felt i was in a different tree."

What a fantastic analogy!  I've often felt the same hence, have lived a somewhat ephemeral existence since commencing my travels 7 years ago.

Maybe you need a gap year?  :D

It looks like you'll try anything so how about this?  Do the opposite! 

From your story, the trip to Thailand was a "level up" from Vietnam...you had your highs when you went there but now you came "back down" to Vietnam and feel uninspired.  So how about you go visit someplace "lower"?

I have a place you might be interested in:

There's an orphanage in Đồng Nai province that I know of.  It's run by a few Buddhist monks for well over 30 years.  I would be willing to personally escort you via motorbike from the Saigon Bridge to this orphanage.  All you need is to bring with you a can of powdered milk/formula (or bring 300,000 vnd and we can stop at Big C at the Vung Tau crossing to buy a can) to give to the babies there.

I just go there for the babies because the place is overwhelming with so many kids left without parents...many are abandoned.  But the little babies are just so innocent and without a mother to breastfeed them, the orphanage is in constant need of formula milk.  So I just focus on helping the little babies.  Last time I went there, there was 12 babies.  There is one in particular that will just make you forget your misery...

because his life is nothing...his head is so bloated with liquid he's like a vegetable. He looks like this kid

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxB4iH07tf2HsZvrjW2Yc7XuHkDT-l_QevDGlnEWBzJRoziF4z

There's another kid there with cerebral palsy that you can just tickle him to make him smile.  After you make him smile, you feel like you are bringing joy to his miserable existence.

So there's a baby there that puts your miserable life to shame and there's another kid there that you can do something to end his miserable life for one brief moment with just a tickle.

Maybe after this trip, you'll see the world in a different light and be inspired to live your life helping others. 

Are you up to it?  Is anyone up to it?

good old seamus and andy do VN

yes THD such a good cause would like to help, ill be in dist 1 from 23 september for 2 weeks let me know via pm

rkane,

Would you interested to be a English teacher in Danang Vietnam? Google some infor about Danang. If you are interested please do let me know. Its a small operation that we are planing to start up. You can opt to work 3 days a week on semi long term holiday.

I will drop you a few lines via PM

Cheers

Sure, THD, we can do that. And since Mark is also interested, we could have it arranged, so we all can go together. How does that sound to you ?

By the way, it's been raining ... I feel so grey :( What to do...

Where's this orphanage? I'll be living in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai. I've looked at helping a Blind Association in Dong Nai since it's something personal to me. I also adore kids and would like to spend my free time helping them out whatever I can whether it just be basic necessities to building a self-sustaining environment for them.

Tran Hung Dao wrote:

It looks like you'll try anything so how about this?  Do the opposite! 

From your story, the trip to Thailand was a "level up" from Vietnam...you had your highs when you went there but now you came "back down" to Vietnam and feel uninspired.  So how about you go visit someplace "lower"?

I have a place you might be interested in:

There's an orphanage in Đồng Nai province that I know of.  It's run by a few Buddhist monks for well over 30 years.  I would be willing to personally escort you via motorbike from the Saigon Bridge to this orphanage.  All you need is to bring with you a can of powdered milk/formula (or bring 300,000 vnd and we can stop at Big C at the Vung Tau crossing to buy a can) to give to the babies there.

I just go there for the babies because the place is overwhelming with so many kids left without parents...many are abandoned.  But the little babies are just so innocent and without a mother to breastfeed them, the orphanage is in constant need of formula milk.  So I just focus on helping the little babies.  Last time I went there, there was 12 babies.  There is one in particular that will just make you forget your misery...

because his life is nothing...his head is so bloated with liquid he's like a vegetable. He looks like this kid

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 … BzJRoziF4z

There's another kid there with cerebral palsy that you can just tickle him to make him smile.  After you make him smile, you feel like you are bringing joy to his miserable existence.

So there's a baby there that puts your miserable life to shame and there's another kid there that you can do something to end his miserable life for one brief moment with just a tickle.

Maybe after this trip, you'll see the world in a different light and be inspired to live your life helping others. 

Are you up to it?  Is anyone up to it?

mark stutley wrote:

yes THD such a good cause would like to help, ill be in dist 1 from 23 september for 2 weeks let me know via pm


Great! I'll add your name to the growing list.


Anniest wrote:

Sure, THD, we can do that. And since Mark is also interested, we could have it arranged, so we all can go together. How does that sound to you ?

By the way, it's been raining ... I feel so grey :( What to do...


It sounds good to me.  I'm thinking the Sunday morning, September 29th as a date.  That's over two weeks and Mark will be in town.  So pencil that into your calendar. 

You feel so grey...then get an umbrella and head down to the supermarket and buy some baby formula.  You'll build up your anticipation level for this trip. 

khanh44 wrote:

Where's this orphanage? I'll be living in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai. I've looked at helping a Blind Association in Dong Nai since it's something personal to me. I also adore kids and would like to spend my free time helping them out whatever I can whether it just be basic necessities to building a self-sustaining environment for them.


The orphanage is called Chùa Diệu Pháp located at Tân Cang hamlet, Phước Tân commune, Long Thành district, Đồng Nai province (ấp Tân Cang, xã Phước Tân, huyện Long Thành, tỉnh Đồng Nai).  It is about 10 minutes from the Mango Garden Resort (Du Lịch Sinh Thái Vườn Xoài).

I found a piece about the orphange on the internet.  The monk in the picture is the one I met the few times I went there.

http://chuaphuclam.vn/index.php?/tin-ph … -song.html

Using Google Translate, the first three paragraphs reads:

Marvelous Temple, located at Tan Cang hamlet, Phuoc Tan commune, Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province, has a room that Hue German nun, abbot called home ... "pre-live". In the room, the little creatures that bring unfortunate fate of being the father, mother callously rejected.

Is there any child born cried but fate "jacket" available to her children called "orphans". The implications of these children is grim affair, or the result of loose superficial moments of young people as "sex before marriage" ...

30 years, more than 100 orphans, disadvantaged was raised in the temple. Story interspersed sad, happy 30 years starting from a causal.


http://chuaphuclam.vn/images/stories/2012/T4/06cdieuphap1.jpg

thanks! I've found a Phuoc Tan on google map that seems 10 minutes or 5 kms away from where I'll be staying in Long Binh Tan.

This is the reason why I want to live in Vietnam and makes it all the more worthwhile. Thanks again this means a lot to me. Hopefully we can meet one day for coffee to express my gratitude.

WRITE ME WHEN YOU ARE READY.   LIKE I SAID I AM RETIRED AND STILL HAVE THE DESIRE TO TEACH.

khanh44 wrote:

thanks! I've found a Phuoc Tan on google map that seems 10 minutes or 5 kms away from where I'll be staying in Long Binh Tan.

This is the reason why I want to live in Vietnam and makes it all the more worthwhile. Thanks again this means a lot to me. Hopefully we can meet one day for coffee to express my gratitude.


How about the morning of the 29th?  We can get a quick cup of coffee while we wait for everyone else to meet up for the orphanage trip?

rkane wrote:

WRITE ME WHEN YOU ARE READY.   LIKE I SAID I AM RETIRED AND STILL HAVE THE DESIRE TO TEACH.


Who are you addressing this post to?  Are you talking to Anniest?

Tran Hung Dao wrote:
khanh44 wrote:

thanks! I've found a Phuoc Tan on google map that seems 10 minutes or 5 kms away from where I'll be staying in Long Binh Tan.

This is the reason why I want to live in Vietnam and makes it all the more worthwhile. Thanks again this means a lot to me. Hopefully we can meet one day for coffee to express my gratitude.


How about the morning of the 29th?  We can get a quick cup of coffee while we wait for everyone else to meet up for the orphanage trip?


I'm not in Vietnam until the 18th of January. But you solved 2 of my problems in 1 posting. I was looking for a temple that I can frequent and a worthy cause to get involved in. Thanks again.

You won't be able to get any lantern or mooncake then :(

Ok Anniest, we're doing this!

Anniest, it sounds as if you might be suffering from some toe of depression. By all means if it gets worse, get help. It can be reversed very quickly and you may once again see in living color. This searching for happiness certainly sounds like the benchmarks of depression. Hope you start feeling better soon.

bta87 wrote:

Anniest, it sounds as if you might be suffering from some toe of depression. By all means if it gets worse, get help. It can be reversed very quickly and you may once again see in living color. This searching for happiness certainly sounds like the benchmarks of depression. Hope you start feeling better soon.


I sure wish I knew how to fix it, bta87... You were right.

Anniest wrote:
bta87 wrote:

Anniest, it sounds as if you might be suffering from some toe of depression. By all means if it gets worse, get help. It can be reversed very quickly and you may once again see in living color. This searching for happiness certainly sounds like the benchmarks of depression. Hope you start feeling better soon.


I sure wish I knew how to fix it, bta87... You were right.


See how you feel after this weekend.  Always remember you get what  you put into it.  Think positive and you get positive results - think negative and you get negative results.

Rkane, You might try the Dalat School of Foreign Languages. Dalat itself is nice but with the highway they opened to Nha Trang that runs down the valley above Dien Khanh it is only a three hour ($12) bus trip. (Instead of 7-8 like n the old days)So you could teach in Dalat and hit Nha Trang on your days off.

Not sure what're they're paying at the School these days.

Anniest, unfortunately unless treated YOU won't be able to fix it. Yet with a short regiment of medication you will again see the sunshine. There are many good medications, but you must take them under the guidance of a doctor. I wish I knew more of your symptoms, but what you describe is the typical actions of someone who suffers from depression. Even the trip to BKK could well be an escape to find "Happiness". But the "happiness" is fleeting, so we must run again. What have your sleep habits been of late? I really encourage you to seek professional help. Many times this is simply transient depression. Yet left untreated you can spiral downward quickly.