HIWC Newsletter Feb2010

HANOI INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB

LOTUS NEWS NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2010

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Cover Photo by Riarebrand

Lotus News Editorial

Dear Members,

Happy New Year!

This will be my last editorial before I leave Vietnam at the end of March, as I will be travelling for much of the month of February.

Issues February 2010 Contents Comunity Aid Committee Impressions of Vietnam That Special Place Art & Culture Galloping Gourmet Upcoming Events Friends of Vietnam Heritage Circle Activities Board and Commitees/ Sister organization

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Editor’s Note Lotus News welcomes articles and ideas from HIWC members.

Please send all contributions to the editor at hiwclotusnews@gmail.com in a non-layouted Word document, attaching relevant photos in a separate document.

Please write “Article proposal” in the heading. We reserve the right to edit articles.

Lotus News Team

Firstly, I would like to convey my sincerest thanks to all the Board members who have supported me in my position as President over the past few months. I could not have asked for a more wonderful group of ladies, whose sage advice and unstinting support were invaluable to me in many of the decisions that were made in regards to the effective running of the HIWC. The 2009 HIWC Bazaar was yet another great success. We will distribute a Bazaar Report to all members and participating embassies within the coming weeks, but let me take this chance to once again thank all of you who worked so hard to make it a success. We are looking forward to another year of good works by the CAC. We were blessed with wonderful weather, a great crowd of enthusiastic attendees, and a large participation from our country tables. We had talented entertainment, and it was heartwarming to see people enjoying themselves with their friends and family and getting ready for the Christmas season.

We are now part of a new decade that promises us new hopes and dreams.

I have had a wonderful two years here in Vietnam, and have had the privilege to meet many interesting and fine women within the HIWC. I have been lucky in that I have been able to travel quite extensively throughout Vietnam and its surrounding countries. I have spent a great deal of my time learning the art of lacquer painting with Mme My, and I could not have asked for a more colourful milieu than Asia, it has truly been “eye candy” for me.

hiwclotusnews@gmail.com

Deadline for submissions of articles and photos 15th of the month

Deadline for submissions of advertising artworks

We all experience our challenges when we arrive in a new country, but the HIWC has enabled me to call Hanoi home. The friendships that I have made here will be a part of my life for many years to come. I will miss my walks through the old quarter, my haggling with the fruit and vegetable ladies, my discoveries of new villages and traditions, and my lunches and teas with friends. Perhaps I won’t miss the trials and tribulations of the traffic, but I will miss the feeling of the continuous hubbub of the city.

10th of the month

Distribution Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation Should you not receive your copy of the Lotus News please send an email to hiwclotusnews@gmail.com including your name, FULL address and telephone number.

www.hanoi-iwc.com

Finally, I wish to convey a special thank you to all members and friends for making my life here so exciting and worthwhile.

I wish you all health, happiness and good fortune.

Happy Tet.

Sincerely,

Deborah Stephen HIWC President 3

Community Aid Committee

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HIWC NeWsletter

Pencils to remote village school Sometimes it takes a trip almost to the end of the world to deliver much needed supplies to poor people. Owing to the effort of local teachers and police officers children come to school – thanks to a group of CAC-members 95 of them even have pencils, books and other essential supplies now.

at the Lo Su Thang School. The budget spent was 49.302.000 VND. One HIWC member contributed money to buy supplies for the teachers.

Text & photos by Nikita Walford and Barbara Barbu.

Din Chin is a mountainous village next to the boarder with China.

The soil is unsuitable for crops to grow. The minority people in the highlands are poor and uneducated, and the children often stay home to work in the fields, take care of buffalos, cows and look after their brothers and sisters. Parents think they can save money this way. In some cases parents are so poor that they sell their children. They have no knowledge of legal issues and many of them can not speak Vietnamese.

The Lo Su Thang School is in

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Muong Khuong, Lào Cai Province and has 400 students and 40 teachers. This school has a kindergarten, primary and secondary schools. There is no electricity so they use a gas power station. Teachers and even policemen have to go to many families to convince them to let their children go to school instead of staying home to help with chores. Some students who live far from school must walk 2 hours or more to attend school.

A request was made to the HIWC Community Action Committee to provide supplies for 95 children

Items requested and bought for the children were: Basic school supplies such as notebooks, pencils, rulers and report books, etc.

Medical supplies such as gloves, face masks, and local anaesthetic.

Blankets, mosquito nets, warm jackets and clothing for children, socks and gloves, and gifts.

Miscellaneous supplies such as tooth brushes, tooth paste, shampoo, soap, washing powder.

OUR MISSION WAS TO DELIVER THESE SUPPLIES. CAC members Barbara Bardu, Juliette McDonald, Maeve O’Donovan, Martha Tadesse, Nikita Walford and Sally El-Sayeh hired a bus to deliver the supplies to the school, and went with volunteers.

Community Aid Committee

february | 2010

The trip from Hanoi to Lao Cai is 400 km. During the night we tried to sleep on the bus with little success. Then we had to travel another 100 km to reach the town of Muong Khuong. By then we were ready for a Pho or anything else we could find.

From Muong Khuong we had to go another 25 km to get to our final destination, the Lo Su Thang School. Our bus was too big to go on the dirt road leading to the school, and the only way to get there was by motor bikes. We hired xe oms for one stretch of the road, and then teachers with motor bikes came to fetch us for the last stretch of the road. Most

of these roads were unpaved, and some roads around the mountain were 60-70 cm wide with a cliff on one side and the valley on the other. Finally we reached the school.

school manages to provide meals for the children as a way to keep them in school. In isolated areas, teachers go to makeshift classrooms to teach children.

The lovely children and people there were shy at first to see us and were intrigued to see foreigners for the first time. But later they warmed to us. The principal and teachers were thankful for our contribution and provided a traditional ethnic minority meal for us.

For the long journey into night, we decided to take the train back to Hanoi. Now we are planning a return trip in March to monitor this project. If you are interested in going, please contact us.

CAC project coordinators: Nikita Walford, Barbara Barbu and Juliette McDonald.

Despite the poor condition of the school and its low budget, the

CAC membership & meetings Barbara Barbu

Juliette McDonald

Nikita Walford

Lieke Berghauser Pont

Maeve O’Donovan

Dorte Werner

Amanda Jensen (co-chair)

Susan Regis

(Special Fund coordinator)

Sally El-Sayeh

Marta Tadesse

If you would like to join the CAC please send an email to Anna Pia Hudloff at apthbo@fpt.vn. Anna Pia will be happy to explain to you what is involved in serving on the CAC. The CAC welcomes HIWC members to join them on monitoring trips. If you are interested in being notified about upcoming trips, please contact Amanda Jensen at sonny-amanda@hotmail.com.

HIWC members are always welcome to attend a CAC meeting as an observer. Please contact either of the co-chairs if you are interested. The CAC usually meets on the first Wednesday of the month.

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Impressions of Vietnam

HIWC NeWsletter

The wonders of Tet

By Liz Rathbun. Photos by Dan Rathbun.

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I love Tet. Before Tet there is a contagious excitement throughout Hanoi. People are burning paper money to ensure wealth in the New Year, and burning paper clothes for the Kitchen Gods to make sure the Jade Emperor receives a good report on their household, and releasing carp fish into the lakes, and cleaning their houses, and buying all kinds of interesting foods.

On the actual day of Tet we stroll over to the Temple of Literature to watch the calligraphers crafting their art on the sidewalks around the Temple. We wander through the streets and marvel at how quiet and uncongested the streets of Hanoi are. It is a great time to explore the city without having to worry about being run over by motorbikes, cars, buses, or bicycles!

The streets are even more congested than usual with crowds of people buying supplies, hordes of shop keepers selling gifts, and swarms of motorbikes transporting everything.

We like Hanoi so much at Tet, we have elected to stay in town the last three years rather than travel outside the city. Tet is in fact our favorite time of the year to be in this interesting city.

On Tet eve my husband and I usually wander up to Hoan Kiem Lake to see the fireworks. After the fireworks everyone goes home and Hanoi becomes very quiet.

I hope you will enjoy this time of the year as much as we do. My wish for people living in Hanoi is for everyone to have a place to live, food to eat, good health, interesting jobs, and happy families.

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That Special Place

HIWC NeWsletter

The Final Battle?

By Merete Jensen

“What has happened to Vietnamese peoples’ pride of their country?” asked one Vietnamese newspaper commentator recently, referring to the sense of national gratification which for centuries guided soldiers and lay men alike to give it all to win battles and regain the fatherland from foreign invaders.

“Having gained independence and freedom, is all that we want to do with it, spoil our wonderful country?” he lamented while pointing an accusing finger at the way modern Vietnamese dump rubbish down slopes and into ponds, or teach the next generation by the sheer example of their own actions that it is quite ok to drop wrapping from cheap bags of crisps or chewing gum anywhere in the street.

Having recently taken a stroll down to the Red River to look at the mighty waterway at its lowest level in over a hundred years, I was once again taken aback with the amount of plastic bags and refused water bottles, scraps of ceramic debris, broken chairs, bikes and boots I encountered on my way. Archaeologists will have no problem what so ever in future centuries finding signs of human life on the river bank, that’s

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for sure. But why?

It might come down to a purely practical issue based on a general lack of facilities for collecting, storing and treating waste, but I do suspect however that it is merely a case of ignorance or sheer indifference.

(Why else would people still throw their rubbish right next to the brand new yellow and green waste baskets in the streets?)

I suspect it also comes down to the price of having rubbish removed properly, compared to the ‘free delivery’ of heaps of trash into lakes and ponds (and the obvious inefficiency of any fines for trashing public space). And I wonder if the local people in Hanoi wouldn’t appreciate the river bank, the city ponds and the lakes much more if they could see the water and the flowers instead of the swollen Pampers floating on the surface along with worn out flip-flops and rotten coconut shells.

Having for years seen how carefully our Vietnamese friends and neighbours sweep their courtyards and their entryways, I am still wondering how those same

february | 2010

That Special Place

They won the wars against foreign invaders, but so far the Vietnamese seem to not even consider taking up the battle against the country’s new enemy. So while the wheels of development are spinning ever more rapidly and the consume-and-throw-away culture takes its grip on a traditionally unassuming nation, pollution, heaps of garbage and pure negligence is rapidly turning Vietnam’s precious lakes and rivers into filthy rubbish dumps.

people can step out of their gates, walk a few steps across the narrow lane and dump their plastic bags heaping with filthy garbage down the slope to the lake without a second thought.

But maybe change is on its way. To anyone who has over the years complained to me that VietNam News lacks any essential news coverage – or that journalists in general and all over the world focus too much on negative news, I’m happy to direct your attention to one very positive news story brought forward by VietNam News just the other day: Hanoi’s local governing body, the Municipal People’s Committee, is determined to “protect” and “save” the city’s lakes and to reduce the pollution. If that is not good news…? And not a day too early, if you ask me.

Apparently the Committee’s Construction Department has been instructed to ‘inventory all of the city’s lakes as a preparatory step to taking action against their degradation and disappearance.’

Should they need a bit of help locating the many lakes and ponds hidden under years of rapid ‘development’, I hereby volunteer. If only I lean out of my office window, I can see two ponds filled in with

rubbish – and if they are prepared to take the work a step further and uncover long lost ponds, I will happily guide them to the corner of Lane 67 and Tay Ho Street. Underneath the slap of concrete where taxis now park, I know they would find remnants of a little lake with beautiful purple flowers. I’ve seen it, back then before the bulldozer filled it in with construction rubble.

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HIWC member’s pages

HIWC NeWsletter

ON BEING A WOMAN

THE ART OF HAPPINESS

By Trish Thompson

Snow blankets the landscape of the Dordogne region of France and, perhaps, all of Europe. I have no way to know. My physical world has shrunk to a few hectares. With no access to the world beyond the boundaries of the Buddhist Practice Center, Plum Village (Lang Mai in Vietnamese and Villages des Pruniers in French), where I am in a three-month retreat, I am ignorant of those things which are beyond my immediate concerns.

I am not alone. More than 200 monks and nuns and about 100 lay practitioners have committed to living a simple and focused life of mindfulness meditation for a period of 12 weeks. Free of worldly distractions, we are here to learn and practice ways to live happily in the present moment.

Of course, such a retreat is not for everyone. Each of us has our life circumstances that lead us along a certain path. Some are attracted to a holiday of playing in the sun. Others prefer to travel to large cities for entertainment. Still others want to spend time at a spa or, perhaps, hiking in the mountains or exploring a distant land. A relative few are interested in living the cloistered life of a monk or nun, even for only a day or two.

I am often asked what we do on a retreat such as this.

The bigger question of why I choose to spend my time in this way usually follows.

The schedule of a retreat of three months varies from week-to-week, especially a retreat in this tradition.

Unlike most Buddhist communities, in which meditation is reserved for the time of sitting on a cushion in the Meditation Hall, we practice mindfulness in every minute of daily life. The key word here is practice. We are simply doing our best to 12

be present, truly present, throughout the day, in all our activities. Conscious breathing is the bridge that connects mind and body, anchoring us, keeping us focused on what we are thinking, saying, and doing and what is going on around us.

The wake-up bell sounds six mornings each week at 5:00; however, my day begins at 4:30, so I can enjoy a few minutes of Hatha Yoga. I light a tea candle, to avoid disturbing my roommate, and then silently and mindfully brush my teeth, feeling gratitude for each healthy tooth. I do my best to remember to practice conscious breathing throughout my Yoga asanas and as I dress for the day. Promptly at 5:25, the seven of us, who are staying in a small house for lay friends, begin the 10-minute walk to the Meditation Hall.

Some mornings, rain is falling. On others, the morning darkness is clear and crisp with winter cold, our way lit by the moon and countless stars. This week, snow creates a kind of wonderland, and I wonder at the diďŹƒculties of being an animal or a bird, hunting for food, even as they are in constant danger of being hunted. The deer and hare are especially vulnerable, now that the snow reveals their tracks. We often hear gunshots throughout the day, and I try my best to understand the hunters who enjoy killing for sport.

For now, however, I come back to my breath, aware of my tendency to judge. I need to pay attention to my feet and the crunch of the icy snow beneath them.

We are a silent group, for our practice is one of Noble Silence, no talking or unnecessary communication from 10 pm until after breakfast.

Soon we are inside the darkened hall. The candles on the altar provide a soft glow. We each take our seat on a cushion. One friend who has back pain sits in a chair. We settle in and begin to follow the breath,

february | 2010 calming the body, relaxing after the exertion of the walk. There are about 35 of us at this location. Most of us are present. The silence is profound. Even the smallest shift in posture can be heard.

Precisely at 5:45, the monk who is the meditation facilitator for the day wakes the bell. A Buddhist bell is not the ordinary bell with which Westerners are familiar. This bell looks like a bowl, in this case, a very large one. After the faint sound that alerts us, the bell is invited three times. I love this sound. I feel the vibration in every cell of my body. This is a bell of mindfulness, calling me to be fully present. Then, he begins the morning chant. Its haunting quality never ceases to move me. Sometimes, the chant is in French, sometimes in English, and at others in Vietnamese. During the Christmas holidays, Italian and Spanish friends were with us, and we heard chanting in those languages. (The Plum Village monastic community is multi-lingual, representing 34 countries.)

We sit for 45 minutes, concentrating on our breathing, fully present for mind and body. When I become aware of thoughts, I say hello to them (silently), and then come back to the breath.

Becoming aware of feelings, I say hello, and bring my attention to the breath. I often have sensations arise in the body, usually uncomfortable. I do my best to smile at them, before returning to the breath.

HIWC member’s pages We eat slowly, mindfully, enjoying our “eating meditation.” When finished, I wash my bowl and put it in the tray to be sanitized. If my kitchen team has wash-up duty, we clear the serving table, putting away the food before beginning to wash the cook pots. There is no unnecessary talking. This is “potwashing meditation.” If my team is cooking, I practice “vegetable-cutting meditation.” Everything I do is an opportunity to be aware of my breath and my action.

Our diet is fresh, organic, and vegan (no meat and no animal products). We eat this way, in order to reduce the suffering of living beings, to preserve our planet, and to reverse the process of global warming. No chicken, pig, lamb, cow or any other animal has to suffer and die, so that I can live. No trees must be cut, in order to raise grain for animals for me to eat. No cow must spend her whole life hooked to machines, so that I can eat cheese or drink milk. This practice of eating only wholesome foods makes me very happy in both body and mind.

Most days include some sitting meditation and some working meditation, in addition to at least one hour of walking meditation, usually through the forest and always as a community. Several hours are available

Promptly at 7:00, the big outside bell is invited, calling us to breakfast. We eat a simple meal of cereal, bread, fruit and nuts. All meals are eaten in silence for the first 20 minutes, in order to focus on the food.

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HIWC member’s pages

HIWC NeWsletter monk (formerly a cartoonist for Walt Disney) who used the most ordinary objects. Imagine a camel made of a parsnip and the infant represented by a tiny golden emblem of the sun.

Why do I choose to spend three months in a Buddhist retreat, living my life so simply? Why do so many people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s choose to be here? (And, there are many, many young people here this year.) Some come for three months, one month, or even for just one week. Why?

for personal practice (reflection, reading, writing, playing a musical instrument) and rest. One entire day is known as Lazy Day, during which we are encouraged to be really, really lazy, doing as little as possible. “This is a happy moment!” We hear this mantra often throughout every day. When we say this to each other, we are smilingly reminding ourselves that this IS a moment of happiness.

Several times each week, we sit in a circle to share our happiness, as well as any difficulties we are experiencing. We regularly meet, as a group, with a monastic brother who hears our sharing. We are practicing the art of listening deeply and speaking from the heart. The entire community of several hundred monastics and lay friends gather on Thursdays and Sundays to hear a Dharma Talk by our teacher and to enjoy a Day of Mindfulness, including sharing our experience, which allows us to connect with those who are staying in other nearby locations.

The celebration of Christmas at Plum Village is absolutely joyful. Many local people joined us for a candlelight dinner on Christmas Eve, after which we enjoyed tea and cookies while listening to the beautiful music of violins and cello played by a monk and two nuns. All joined in singing carols and enjoyed a skit depicting the story of Jesus’ birth. We marveled at the lovely crèche, created by an Italian 14

This is my fourth long retreat. My initial reason for coming was similar to what I hear the young men and women saying this year, that they are weary of the world which encourages us to always be running after something, a big-time career, a big salary, a lovely house, a new car, holidays in fancy hotels, a beautiful partner, and on and on. They are here because they have come to an understanding that none of those things – wealth, power, fame, sex bring true happiness. They are looking for a different set of values, different from what society tells them.

They are concerned for the health and wellbeing of their loved ones, many of whom are caught in alcohol and drugs. They see the suffering of their parents and friends who do not understand themselves or others and do not know how to care for their anger and sadness. These young men and women want to help their families, their friends, and their communities.

They realize, however, that they, too, suffer from the inability to manage strong emotions. Others of them suffer from depression, the inability to feel their full range of emotions. All of them, like me, want to learn the art of living happily.

Once here, we learn that living happily requires awareness, moment-by-moment. This is the practice of mindfulness. By living simply, we reduce the static in our minds. By slowing and, occasionally, stopping, we calm the mind and body. We feel peaceful and at ease. Gradually, with the support of wise teachers and wise friends, we transform our suffering and discover the many wonders of life, the many conditions for happiness that are in and around us every moment.

When we reenter society, we bring with us the gift of our increased stability and our deepened understanding and compassion, our true happiness, a gift we are happy to share.

Art & Culture

february | 2010

Earth, Fire, Water … and wonderful clay sculptures

It has been on since January 10th, but you might still be lucky to catch a glimpse of Vietnamese artist Nguyen Tuan’s fantastic exhibition of clay sculptures at Module 7.

According to the exhibition poster, Nguyen Tuan spent 9 years in the pottery village Phu Lang playing with earth, fire and water – and learning the basic techniques of modelling in clay. The resulting sculptures are abstract busts full of life and quiet dignity.

Exhibition of Nguyen Tuan @ Module 7, 83 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho District

What is your passion?

Do you have a hidden talent or a flair for creation? We want to hear about your artistic and cultural initiatives or ideas - and we want to tell fellow HIWC members about your petitions and exhibitions, your readings or lectures, art and adventure - and about your private sale of cool collars, unique design, recent publications and clever cooking (just to give you a few ideas...)

So send us an email (before the 15th of the previous month) at hiwclotusnews@gmail.com

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HIWC member’s pages

HIWC NeWsletter

Past Events

HIWC Christmas Lunch at Hanoi Hilton Opera, December 10th 2009

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february | 2010

HIWC member’s pages

Happy Hour at Jaspa’s, November 19th 2009

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february | 2010

HIWC member’s pages

Tet preparations in Vietnam by Dan Rathbun

Are you a keen photographer? Do you sometimes impress yourself – and others with the quality and expression of your images? Then why not let the rest of us have a look?

We love good photographs, and are always keen to publish your images of Hanoi and the rest of Vietnam. So attach your best shots to an email in the highest possible resolution and send it to us at hiwclotusnews@gmail.com

Give us your

best shot!

Please put “Photo for Lotus News” in the headline.

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HIWC member’s pages

HIWC NeWsletter

Your Member’s ad Remember As a HIWC member you are entitled to a free ¼ page personal ad. So don’t hesitate to place those ads about your sofa being for sale, your fantastic, but unfortunately soon-to-be unemployed driver or nanny or your quest for a vintage Vespa.

Please send your ad to the Lotus News editorial team at hiwclotusnews@gmail.com by the 15th of the month.

For business ads please contact our advertising coordinator Sanna Willebrands at hiwcadvertising@gmail.com

EXPERIENCED, Tutor offers following SCIENCE (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) Secondary School MATHS - Grade 3-7 Exam Preparation - GCSE, Cambridge O Level Email: scienceklass@gmail.com for further inquiry (Please specify grade and subject) References are available on request

Teacher needed Looking for an Anglophone teacher interested in giving private classes to my 2 kids in English literacy - reading, writing, spelling, grammar. The kids are native English speakers in grade 1 (P2) and grade 2 (P3) equivalents but go to a non English language school. We would like them to keep skills sharp at age appropriate level for eventual reintegration in English language school. Knowledge/experience in any English language primary school curriculum is fine - UK, US, IB/PYP, Montessori, etc.

If interested, please contact Kelly at kellyandrewsjohnson@hotmail.com or SMS to

0904 882 102.

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Wonderful nanny/cook/ housekeeper available for full time work Our current nanny/cook, Nguyen Thi Nguyet is sadly leaving us in February to move back to Hanoi where her daughter is at high school. Nguyet (37 years old) is a lovely person, a devout Catholic and someone we completely trust. We highly recommend her to a future employer and will greatly miss her. She is seeking work as of March 1st. as a nanny or cook or housekeeper or a mixture of the three.

She is highly adaptable and an extremely diligent and efficient worker. She is also extremely loving, patient, kind and energetic with the children and can cook a variety of healthy baby foods as well as good Vietnamese food and some Western dishes.

She has completed a 1st Aid course, has a passport and has travelled with us to France, England and within Asia. Nguyet has worked for us for 3 years and worked for our friends for 6 years before that. Her English is a bit limited, but she is keen to improve it and we are confident that she could pick it up quickly in the right environment.

Nguyet’s telephone number is:

098 930 8821.

If you would like to contact me for further details, please call me (Annabelle Audier) on 090 464 1162 or call Hoa Craig, her previous employer on 0904043242. Nguyet will be in Hanoi from 9th–13th February, and 19th–20th February and from March onwards if you would like to meet her.

HIWC member’s pages

february | 2010

Running for presidency?

Do you have what it takes to become a President? Here is your chance to find out…!

Our president is leaving Hanoi, so this is your chance to challenge your organizational skills, influence the Hanoi International Women’s Club and to fully engage in the social networking and worthy charity work that the club supports.

For further information about the job, please refer to our website at www.hanoi-iwc.com or send an e-mail to contacthiwc@gmail.com for questions.

We want y

u!

Lotus News Editor The Newsletter Editor is responsible for producing an engaging, entertaining, and accurate Newsletter for the HIWC on a monthly basis. She must possess strong communications, organizational and computer skills.

A keen attention to detail and the ability to manage to deadlines is required for this position. The Newsletter is produced in English 9 times per year (due to holidays, we do not publish in July, August and January).

Ideally the right person will be able to work alongside the current editor on a few issues, taking over from May. She will work with a team consisting of journalists/writers, advertising coordinator, layouter and preferably a sub-editor. The editor should manage and work closely with this team, organizing a monthly editorial meeting and for proof-reading of the magazine.

For further information or question please contact Merete Jensen at hiwclotusnews@gmail.com or at

090 424 9051.

Remember we can always use another helping hand, so If you would like to get involved with the management of the HIWC, please send us an email – or approach any of the board members at our social functions

Vo lu n

te e

rs

ne ed ed

(Newcomers’ Coffee, Coffee Morning, Happy Hours or HIWC Lunches)

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HIWC Galloping Gourmet

HIWC NeWsletter

Time for soup For a basic stock you’ll need:

2-3 kilo bones or 1 whole chicken (head and feet removed…!)

2 big onions 2 leeks (also the green part) Bay leaves 10 whole black pepper corns Water Part of the reason why I’m green with envy when friends and family back in Europe email me snow white photos and vivid descriptions of wintry weather, is the natural crave for piping hot and comforting food that goes along with the freezing cold. (And it’s not just the food; a mug of steaming hot chocolate with whipped cream and perhaps just a splash of rum never tastes as good as when you have just come back in from a long walk in the snow…). Although a lot warmer; winter in Hanoi does feel cold enough these days for me to venture into the kitchen to chop winter vegetables and boil bones or whole chickens for hours for a good warming soup stock.

Chop the onions and leeks in big chunks and bring to a boil in a big pot along with the rest of your soup ingredients, adding enough water to cover everything. When boiling skim off any greyish foam from the surface with a spoon, turn down the heat and leave to simmer under lid for at least 2-3 hours.

When done, ladle out the bones (or the chicken), and pour the 22

stock through a sieve covered with a thin cheese cloth if you want a clear soup stock (alternatively just through a sieve). Enjoy the soup as it is (adding salt and freshly ground pepper to taste) or save the stock in the fridge and use it for your basis for variations of different soups: (For a vegetarian version of soup stock, use a variety of winter vegetables - such as carrots, parsnips, celery and parsley instead of bones or chicken) For Chicken Soup, leave the whole chicken to cool off a bit before carefully removing skin, fat and bones. Cut the meat and heat it up in your soup stock – along with sweet corn and chopped spring onion, adding salt to taste.

For a more Asian variation of chicken soup add sliced mushrooms, seaweed, leeks, tofu, finely chopped fresh ginger and spring onion - and perhaps a bit of cornstarch mixed in ½ cup of cold water. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve with soya sauce.

Use your beef stock as a basis in French Onion Soup – sautéing 34 sliced big onions, a handful of shallots and a few cloves of garlic in a generous drop of olive oil, adding fresh thyme and beef stock to cover and leaving to simmer for a couple of hours, before serving in individual bowls topped with a piece of toasted bread and a handful of cheese melted under the oven grill.

Or use your beef stock to make a healthy Goulash Soup, sautéing chunks of beef with chopped onions, garlic, sliced red bell peppers, a sliced red chilli (or two if you are feeling adventurous).

Add a few skinned, de-seeded and chopped tomatoes and enough beef broth to cover and leave to simmer for at least 2 hours, before adding pre boiled kidney beans (from a can or freshly boiled) fresh green beans, and a small bunch of fresh coriander (chopped). Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with a good crusty bread and a spoonful of sour crème.

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HIWC Galloping Gourmet

Save me kitchen, save my day

HIWC NeWsletter

Are you not sure how best to use all the deliciously looking ingredients in the market? And perhaps not too confident about baking bread and cakes using dried yeast – or simply just at a loss over the lack of variation of dairy products on the supermarket shelf?

Send any kitchen question to Ingrid Driver at ingrid@organizing.com.au

Market Tips

By Merete Jensen

This time of year is a new beginning in more ways than just a sweet memory of toasting in champagne, Tet-preparations and a new calendar indicating the start of a new year.

It is also the new season for an abundance of winter vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, cabbage, pak choi and beetroot. So if you have also been swearing at seemingly fine potatoes which turned out all black inside the peel or carrots without much taste, now is your chance to buy deliciously fresh and tasty winter greens.

According to my guidebook to local fruits and vegetables at the market “Din orientalske køkkenhave” (which roughly translates to “Your Oriental Vegetable Plot”) by Swedish Lena Israelson this is also the best season for any green vegetable for the wok: Choy Sum (cai gong), pak choi, kailaan (cai laan), Chinese spring onion (gong toi), water cress, you name it…

Choy Sum (or cai gong in Vietnamese) – an edible and very delicious bunch of flowers.

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Isrealson recommends a quick wok fry in a bit of oil adding a chopped glove of fresh garlic and perhaps a drop of oyster sauce for any of these.

Lotus News Editorial

february | 2010

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HIWC Upcoming Events

HIWC NeWsletter

Coffee Morning

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Polite notice

from the HIWC Board In respect of our hosts’ and sponsors’catering plans, the coodinators of HIWC coffee mornings, luches and other events ask members as well as non-members who would like to attend to kindly register, and we are happy too see that so many of you do register for our events.

However we also kindly ask you to please show up if you have registered - or to send your regrets to the coordinator if for some reason you are not able to make it despite your registration.

Please check our website www.haanoi-iwc.com for details of time, place and registration for future HIWC coffee events of contact the coordinators at hiwcnewcomer@gmail.com and hiwccoffee@gmail.com

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Friends of Vietnam Heritage FVH EXCURSIONS presents

Tét and the Kitchen Gods Celebration Sunday, February 7th at 8:30 AM

The Kitchen God or Ong Tao ritual is the start of preparations for Tét. This celebration marks the day when the three kitchen gods travel on the back of a fish to the Jade Emperor in the sky. The kitchen gods report to the Jade Emperor on the good and the bad of the family, and will bring back good fortune for the family on the eve of Tét.

Mr. Nghiêm Xuân Tuê, grandson of one of the last Mandarins of the Imperial Court of Gia Long in Hué, will host our gathering at his heritage listed villa in the village of Hòa Lac. Lecturer(s) will explain the origins and rituals of Tét, and give everyone an opportunity to celebrate the kitchen gods and release their own traditional fish into the stream that leads to the sea to carry their family report to the Jade Emperor. We will be able to sample a wide range of well prepared traditional Tét foods.

Included will be a tour of Mr. Tue's 300 year old villa, orchards, ponds and villa grounds. These buildings were once located in Hué and Hà Nam.

Time: 8:30am (expect to return to Hà Nôi around 3pm) Place: Melia Hotel, 44-B Lý Thuòng Kiêt, Hoàn Kiêm district, Hà Nôi.

Cost: 300,000 VND (children under ten are free) Limit: 30 people (register early as this is a popular program).

To Register: Contact Barbara Barbu at barbara.barbu@gmail.com.

Mobile 094 300 9894

Transport, a light lunch of traditional Tet foods, drinks, and your own fish for release will all be provided.

Please remember to include in your reservation, your mobile or contact phone number, so we may contact you in case of any last minute changes.

VOLUNTEER AND HELP

FVH CELEBRATE ITS

10th year anniversary Friends of Vietnam Heritage is a non-formal group of mainly Hanoi residents from many countries including Vietnam. Its purpose is to enjoy as well as enhance the understanding of Vietnam’s culture and history.

If you have enjoyed some of our programs and would like to help, we are looking for volunteers to help with the following sections; ●Discover Hanoi Walks ●Excursions ●Lectures ●Films ●Museum Liaison ●Traditional Medicine Send us an e-mail if you want to find out more about the volunteer opportunities and we can set up a time to meet:

FVHeritage@gmail.com Friends of Vietnam Heritage No Membership Fee Participation in our programs is open to ALL. To receive our free Program, please send an e-mail to: fvheritage@gmail.com You will also find the Program on our website. www.fvheritage.org

Circle Activities Bridge Thursdays from 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm at the Hanoi Club. Please contact Jocelyn Curnow at 090 434 5340 or at joscurnow@gmail.com.

Children’s Playgroup An informal weekly playgroup for young children every Thursday afternoon from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Parents are welcome and of course nannies are welcome for busy/working parents. Venue changes each week. To be added to the email list, please contact Linda Smith at 097 707 5230 or via email at hanoiplaygroup@gmail.com

Choir If you enjoy singing with a group, come join the Hanoi International Choir which gives several performances a year. No auditions, but you should be able to read music and sing in tune.

Rehearsals Mondays from 7:30pm to 9:30 pm. For more information please contact Susanne Halfmann-Hess at susanne.halfmann-hess@live.de or 012 232 78 123.

Community Aid Volunteers Program (CAV) The Community Aid Volunteers program provides hands-on practical help. This means giving up your time and providing assistance where needed.

These volunteers’ jobs will vary from joining a playgroup for orphans to assisting in a day care center for mentally handicapped children and young people. You do not need to have a special educational or medical background to volunteer. We need people who can be 28

HIWC NeWsletter committed and devote some of their time to do humanitarian work to join our group. If you are interested, please contact me and I will send you an application form. Once the form is completed I will notify you of our first meeting.

Please email to: communityaidvolunteers@gmail. com Everybody needs a helping hand.

We need your hands! Please come and join us.

Community Aid Volunteers Coordinator: Lucy Pham

English Conversation Come laugh with us for an hour and a half every week! This group is for those who have some English knowledge and wish to meet in an informal way to gain confidence in using the language.

We meet every Monday morning from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Call Liz Rathbun at 090-480-2966 or email her at hiwcenglishconversation@gmail.c om to find out where we will be meeting.

Evening Book Club There is an evening book club that meets the first or second Monday every month from 7:309:30 pm. We take turns sponsoring a meeting in our homes. Members choose one book a month to read and discuss.

It is a great way to meet new people and share a love of reading.

If you are interested in joining, contact Barbara Whitney at barbara.whitney.hanoi@gmail.com

Explore the outskirts of Hanoi Twice a month we take half-day trips to explore the culture and crafts of villages near Hanoi.

Upcoming excursions are announced in the HIWC Bulletin and in emails sent to all HIWC members. For more details contact Nanette Goodman at hiwc.excursion@gmail.com

French Conversation If you already have some knowledge of the French language but want to improve your vocabulary come and join us on Tuesdays afternoon from 2 to 3pm at Sedona.

For more information please contact Danielle Van Praet at dannyloos@hotmail.com The class will be closed until February. The next session will be on February 23,2010.

Golf If you like to play golf join our group of enthusiastic ladies.

We will play one of the different golf courses around Hanoi every week.

If you would like to join contact Karin or Susanne for more information.

Both experienced players and beginners are welcome.

Karin Vogel at josvogel@hotmail.com or 0904 125 665 Susanne Jepsen susanne@jepsen-online.com or 0904 509 050

Intermediate Tennis Group Plays at Quang Ba Court, 98 To Ngoc Van Street, Tay Ho District (right next door to Sedona Suites).

Every Monday and Friday, 9:00 to 11:00 am. Everyone welcome.

Lotus News Editorial

february | 2010 Just show up. Please contact Maeve O’Donovan at hamerodonovan@aim.com or at 091 729 1390. Cost per morning is 40,000VND which includes the court rental and tennis balls. So grab your racquet and come on down!

Beginner's Tennis Group Don't be afraid, come hit some tennis balls with those who know what it's like to be a beginner. We meet every Wednesday from 9-11 at the Quang Ba tennis courts.

We have fun and help each other out. You can even get some pointers from our Tennis Pro from time to time.

Contact: Anne McElroy-Arnaud at anniemacnaud@yahoo.com or at Tel: 0123 388 6630

Lunchtime Book Club We meet once a month, from 11:00 – 1:00 on a day agreed upon by the members. The members take turns hosting the meetings where we discuss the chosen book for the month, and enjoy a light lunch. Books are chosen in September by all the members and usually include a good cross section of choices. For further information please contact Donna at htdt56@yahoo.com or phone at 090 296 1555.

Mahjong Anyone interested in playing the Chinese tile game? We usually play the Western games unless someone requests to play in Chinese style.

We meet every Wednesday from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm at Jaspas restaurant in Hanoi Towers, and every Friday from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm at Jafa restaurant in

Ciputra. Please contact Tuula Mellin at tuula.mellin@gmail.com or 090- 414- 6730.

Cooking Classes If you would like to receive the monthly notices for the classes please email France Marcoux at francemarcoux@gmail.com to be added to the email roster.

Members sign up for individual classes not a series. Classes are not advertised to the whole membership.

Metropole Cooking Classes If you want to impress your guests and have the privilege of learning from the Chefs of the different restaurants at the Metropole, join this class!!! Every month, a group of enthusiastic ladies learn how to prepare a variety of dishes, discuss ingredients and try the delicious results! This is a demonstrationtype class.

The cost is 250,000 VND per person per class and you may register by email with France Marcoux at francemarcoux@gmail.com

Hilton Cooking Classes Chef Frédéric Meynard will teach us once a month in one of the kitchens of the Hilton. Menu is varied and reflects the many experiences and countries Chef Meynard has under his Chef's hat!

This is a demonstration-type class.

Special Classes From time to time we will hold special hands-on classes at the Hanoi Cooking Center as well as other activities such as vegetable carving classes for example.

Suggestions are welcome.

-France Marcoux Email: francemarcoux@gmail.com mobile: 0936 28 86 91

Needle Work If you enjoy cross stitch, embroidery, quilting, needlepoint, crochet or knitting, join us. Bring your own project. All experience levels welcome.

Contact: Diane at mombogan@earthlink.net

Photography So much experience among members that we can share and learn, to get better results when picturing the beauty of Vietnam.

Meeting every Saturday at 9.30am; first outside to get material, after that, we go to a quiet place to discuss the results.

Once in a while we can get a professional to help us to solve some of our photography issues and to explain some of the areas of photography we know nothing about. For more details on where to meet, please contact : John Reilly at lefthanded2hanoi@yahoo.com Markus Steffen at fotomarkus@web.de

As of February 2010 the cost is 250,000 VND per person per class and you may register by email with France Marcoux at francemarcoux@gmail.com

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HIWC NeWsletter

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HIWC Miscellaneous

HIWC NeWsletter

The Hanoi Guide

Due to popular demand, the Hanoi Guide has been extensively updated. The Guide lists shops and restaurants in Hanoi which were recommended by our members and is the essential reference for all of your shopping needs and more.

Only 150.000 VND each and the purchase proceeds will be donated to the HIWC charity fund for those in need.

HIWC mugs

Yes!! Our Club has finally got our very own mugs! These mugs have been specially ordered in high quality porcelain. There are two designs to choose from - the “What We Love About Hanoi” mug and the “Lotus” mug. Both nearly guaranteed to make your coffee and tea taste nicer! They also make great souvenirs.

Only 50,000 VND each with all profit going to our community aid projects.

Sister Organisations American Spouses Group We welcome all Americans and their partners - no citizenship required. We meet every third Tuesday of the month. Please contact Kathy Ramsey or Liz Rathbun at americanspousesgroup@gmail.com to obtain information concerning this month's activity.

We'd love to see you!

Australian and New Zealand Citizens The Australia New Zealand Group holds monthly coffee mornings, open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and their partners. They meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 10 am and ask that you RSVP to the host or coordinator by the Friday before the morning tea. If you would like to join this group, please email to Jocelyn at joscurnow@gmail.com or call her at : (04) 758 2642, 0904 345 340.

British Spouses Group This group for British spouses and those with ‘British connections’ meets for informal luncheons once a month. We do organize other events as well.

Newcomers are especially welcome. For information about the next meeting, please contact Britt Goodall at 091 237 7946 or at brittgoodall@gmail.com and Armine Pain, 718 0100 apt 301 or via email to armineghevondyan@hotmail.com. We are happy to assist newcomers – don’t hesitate to call us !

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International Ladies Vietnam, (ILV) in HCMC The ladies in HCMC meet every Thursday from 10:0012:00 am at the Rex Hotel Tea Room (enter from 146 Pasteur). Admission from January 10 would be 100,000 VND. If you are in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), you are welcome to join. Our new website is www.ilvietnam.com and it details events and activities, as well as local contact info.

Hanoi Japanese Women’s Club We welcome all Japanese and their partners to join our meetings. We hold a newcomer meeting everytwo months and various kinds of lectures irregularly. If interested in the latest events, please send e-mail to hanoi_fujinkai@yahoo.co.jp

Cercle des Francophones de Hanoi The «Cercle des Francophones de Hanoi» is an association of French speaking people, from any nationality. The purpose: helping people settling in Hanoi, discovering the area and local culture. They organize “meeting cafés”, parties and various entertainment and sports. A guide collecting best addresses, shops, information about Hanoi is also edited in French every year. For any information francophoneshanoi@gmail.com. Reception and subscription : 1st and 3rd Friday each month, from 10 to 12 am at Stop Café, 11b - Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem district or call Catherine Martel 09 85 12 15 21

Board and Committees

february | 2010

Board and Committees President Deborah Stephen hiwc.president@gmail.com

Membership Coordinator Jessie Richardson hiwcmembership@gmail.com

Bazaar Coordinator festivalbazaar@gmail.com hiwcbazaar@gmail.com

Vice President Mirjam de Boer Anne Lund-Roland contacthiwc@gmail.com

Website Coordinator Merete Hoeberg Dahl hiwcwebsite@gmail.com 093 620 3256

Liaison to Vietnam Women’s Union Chie Kimura chienkl@hotmail.com

Treasurer Mariselle Fettke hiwctreasurer@gmail.com

Communication Officers Mirjam de Boer Anne Lund-Roland Louise Raggett contacthiwc@gmail.com

CAC Amanda Jensen sonny-amanda@hotmail.com 090 610 4215

Website Advertizing Coordinator Ingrid Divers Ingrid.divers@iinet.net.au

Lotus Newsletter Team Editor Merete Jensen hiwclotusnews@gmail.com 090 424 9051 Layout Trang Huyen Nguyen thankbrand@gmail.com

Newcomers Welcome Open position hiwcnewcomer@gmail.com 091 557 4530

Circle Activities Coordinator Chie Kimura Hiwc.activities@gmail.com

Advertising Coordinator Sanna Willebrands hiwcadvertising@gmail.com 090 471 4250

Coffee Morning Coordinator Helle Olsen Reher hiwccoffee@gmail.com

Excursion Coordinator Nanette Goodman hiwc.excursion@gmail.com

Photo Exhibition Coordinator Kathy Ramsey Hiwc.photo.exhibition@gmail.com

Luncheon Coordinator Star Johnson hiwcluncheon@gmail.com

Sales and Marketing Coordinator Jessie Richardson hiwcpublications@gmail.com

Events Coordinator Position currently open

Lotus News is the newsletter of the Hanoi International Women’s Club (HIWC). HIWC is a non-profit group whose membership is opento all expatriate women and men. HIWC aim to promote the development of social, charitable and cultural activities among its membersand the people of Vietnam. For details on joining the club, contact membership coordinator.

Our website www.hanoi-iwc.com also provides information about HIWC and upcoming events.

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HIWC Advertising Rates

HIWC NeWsletter

New Premium Advertising Positions Lotus News is now offering a new range of advertising options for its Valued Customers.

The new options include Premium Cover Positions and the opportunity to print your adverts in colour.

Book your Premium Position now!

Booking requests will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

RATES PER MONTH: Full page*

Outside Back Cover

Inside Front/Back Cover

Colour

4,000,000 VND

3,000,000 VND

B/W

3,500,000 VND

2,500,000 VND

* Only full-page size available for the Premium Positions. No members’ rates available

Remember !

As a HIWC member you are entitled to a free ¼ page personal ad. So don’t hesitate to place those ads about your sofa for sale, your soon-to-be unemployed driver or nanny (for those of you leaving that is) or your quest for a vintage Vespa.

Please send your ad to the Lotus News editorial team at hiwclotusnews@gmail.com by the 15th of the month. For business ads, please contact our advertising coordinator at hiwcadvertising@gmail.com

HIWC Advertising Rates and Artworks Technical Requirements Size

JPEG File

Vertical Advertisement

Horizontal Advertisement

Compagnies

Members

dpi

Width

Height

Width

Height

VND

VND

full page

300

18cm

26cm

/

/

1,4000,000

850,000

1/2 page

300

9cm

26cm

18cm

13cm

800,000

450,000

1/4 page

300

9cm

13cm

18cm

6,5cm

480,000

250,000

1/8 page

300

9cm

6cm

18cm

3,25cm

360,000

150,000

* Who run small scale business.

All advertisements in Lotus News are in black and white.

Lotus News offer to members a 1/4 page free advertisement for private matters only (garage sales, domestic staff).

Although the HIWC believes in the integrity of the services that are advertised in the Lotus News, members are advised that HIWC cannot be held responsible for their content.

For further information please contact the Lotus News Advertising Coordinator (refer to page 44)

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february | 2010

February Calendar

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