Getting around town

Most people in Hanoi drive motorbikes, take the bus or catch taxis, or even ride bicycles in the crazy traffic. But the odd person does use a slightly different mode of transport.
If you are need of space, then you might like to try the Hummer limousine, but difficulty negotiating corners in the traffic suggests this may not be advisable.On the other hand, if you just like hanging around, you could give this a go...Can you see the guy in the hammock through the front of my taxi window? Both these photos were taken at the same time on my trip home from the supermarket. An interesting contrast...

2010

Greg's Office

Greg now has his own office at the National TB hospital - equipped with white board, cupboard and, of course, the all-important tea-making facilities.Note: BS stands for Bác Sĩ - which means doctor in Vietnamese

Poster art

Vietnamese love posters, banners and signs to celebrate every occasion. Here are some of the signs we are enjoying around Hanoi at the moment.

Clinic end-of-year party!

We had an end of 2009 celebration party all the achievements of the clinic last year and look ahead to the new plans for expansion in 2010. The local commune leaders were invited to a presentation and cultural exchange, which involved singing and dancing performances by Korean and Vietnamese groups.
Here are some of our girls singing a traditional Vietnamese song...and the boys clapping along appreciatively!

Sunny Korea Clinic

Stef works at the Hanoi Red Cross Sunny Korea Clinic 2 days each week. It is a clinic for the local Vietnamese people, most of whom are poor rice farmers living in the local communes. The clinic provides free health care services and medicines. It's a great opportunity to serve the locals, practice my Vietnamese and keep up my medical skills all at once.The clinic currently has 3 doctors, some nurses, a physiotherapist, lab technician, radiographer, several front desk staff, 3 guards and a driver who takes us out to the clinic each week, about 20 km from Hanoi city. There are plans to expand in 2010 to construct another building for more physical therapy and rehabilitation medicine.
We also have 1 guard dog with 6 puppies keeping watch for us!
Here I am with my trusty translator interviewing a patient.