Moved house and the reunification palace

My new house

Sorry ive not written a blog in the past few weeks. I've been busy but at the same time not doing much interesting stuff. Work is going well and im getting lots of hours and getting better as a teacher. Im also settling into the school well and getting to know the other teachers.

Last week I moved from the guest house into a house with 4 other people that I got to know from my CELTA course who are also working as teacher in HCMC. We have signed a one year contract on the house so it looks like I'll be here until September 2012.

Reunification Palace

The house its great. It's in a nice quiet back street but very close to a market. It has 8 floors. The ground floor has a lounge, kitchen, reception area and a garden (see the picture). There are then 5 floors with bedrooms so we each have a floor each. There is then another floor with a clothes wash room and then a top floor garden which has a good view across the city.

Since I'd not done much tourist stuff recently I went to visit the reunification palace a few days ago.

Warr room at the palace

This place played a part in the war with Vietnam and in 1975 was overtaken by North Vietnam after they'd won the war with America. The good thing about this building is that after 1975 they have left it as it was so all the stuff in the building is decorated as it was in the 1970s. It reminded me a bit of Poole Arts Centre before it has a makeover a few years back - it smelt the same too.

There was lots of different rooms to explore and it was a real step back in time.



Pool table with no pockets! Weird!



My favorite room was the old library which looked like something from a Roger Moore, James Bond film. One of the thing I enjoyed about the palace the most was that there was a pool table on display with no pockets! Not sure why this was on display and there was no mention of it in the travel guide. 

Other than doing this I have been looking at getting involved with more social activities. I joined a pub darts team at a pub called the 'Blue Gecho' a few days ago. I won my first match which was a friendly but the first real game takes place on tuesday.

Library at the palace

I've also joined a gym and found some people to play football with. I'm not sure when I'll be popping back to England, I want to see how the next few months go with money. I have two weeks holiday between now and the end of February and after this time I maybe able to take a bit longer off work but will see how Ifeel then.

All in all its going really well and im having a good time.

View from the palace on the top floor