I've survived the first week in Viet Nam in tact. Nothing lost yet exept for my sense of navigation and perhaps my confidence. I've been living in Lien Phuong Hotel since my arrival and they're rather nice--as best as can be when dealing with tourists, I suppose. The food is mediocre at best b/c I haven't been to any really good restaurants or eateries. My stomach seems to dealing fine with the food; I've had no problems yet, and I ate banh tam bi the other day, too! Last night, I went out to eat with Anh Thien Long and company. They were surprised that I was drinking iced tea, but I've been doing OK so far. The first day I arrived, I went to the bookstore and loaded up on all sorts of maps to familiarize myself with the streets. Yesterday, after church at Hoi Thanh Saigon, I took a taxi back to the hotel. It's a short distance, and I knew which streets we were supposed to take (straight through Tran Hung Dao and Le Loi), but of course I looked like a viet kieu who didn't know anybetter. The driver took a different street (Ham Nghi) and brought me out to the river. When I asked why he didn't take the other street, since my drop off point was in the opposite direction, he made up excuses, saying that he thought it was down by the river, that he didn't know if the street construction was done (there was none!), and that he didn't know the streets very well. He even behaved as if the streets were unfamiliar to him. So I promptly told him to pull up at the gas station and let me out to take another taxi. I can't tell you how terribly exciting it was to catch him red-handed, particularly b/c I knew the streets, and knew that he was playing me for a fool. Sadly, though, I still paid him. Had I more courage, I'd have demanded an explanation and my money back. But not this fool! :)