Habitat for Humanity

Finally got all my bags unpacked and the room straight - that took about 10 minutes!  As you can see, there are only a few items and lots of room.  Kind of makes it looks spacious, doesn't it?  The outside is nothing to brag about.  Perhaps one could say the same thing about the inside as well.  Spartan is the word that comes to mind, primitive might be giving it too much credit.  What's the point?  Many, many college (across the world) live in conditions just like this or worse.  Let that sink in for a minute.

The stains on the walls were here before I arrived, so I am not worried about losing my security deposit.  Haha.  These are high water marks.  Did I tell you that Hanoi is prone to flooding?  Did I mention that now is the rainy season?  I did not see an inflatble raft in the room, but I might consider purchasing one soon.

The restroom is called a wet-floor bath.  Let's all take a guess why it got this name.  Everything that is supposed to stay dry gets wet after taking a shower.  So one must be strategic about the timing of such events, in light of other bodily functions that are required on a daily basis.  At least there is a Western-style toilet (not visible in the picture).

The lock is the weirdest thing I have ever seen in my life.  One must move the rod from the inside to the outside and vice-versa when entering or exiting the door.  A key is needed to lock and unlock it each time.  This "dead-bolt" makes me feel more safe and secure than I did before.  Actually, most of the Vietnamese people just glance at me once (or twice).  Seems as if I stand out in a crowd, but I'm not sure why.  Everyone has been very friendly and I do not feel threatened or intimadated in any way.

The television works well.  I get about 60 channels - probably 6 of them are in English.  Not too shabby.  But there is no remote or tv guide, so watching it is not so much fun. 

The bed is deceiving.  It looks like a regular bed, comfortable enough to sleep on.  But don't be fooled by those cheap imitation mattresses!  Actually, this is more like sleeping on the box springs (without a mattress).  To be honest, there is some padding, but it can be measured in millimeters.  Seriously, it is rock-hard.  I "hardly" got any sleep at all last night.  Just can't wait to try it out again tonight!  Last night, I got so desperate that I took the spread off the other bed and doubled it over, just to create some more space between me and that slab of granite.  I'll be going shopping in the morning, for a foam pad or cyanide tablets - whichever I can find first.  Such is life in the fast lane.