Retreat

With our tail between our legs and our bags of dirty laundry, we have beat a retreat back to the Hoang Yen Hotel. I am reclining on the bed in our suite (we even got the same room back), luxuriating after a long, hot shower.

Two nights ago, the kids and I went down to the Guard's latrine to fill up our garbage cans with water. We barely made it in the front door before Elia lost her grip. The container she was carrying lost its lid and water spilled everywhere. We were all frozen, watching the water pump out - over our shoes, over the dining room table legs, over the floor. We had no towels to clean it up. Sobbing, Elia said, "I only wanted to help!"  Of course she did.

The kids have been great with the whole situation.They've been helping fill buckets at the guard shack and running back and forth with dishes from the bathroom to the kitchen all week. But today, it's nice to leave that behind for a bit and to feel clean, shaven, and ready for the week.

We have been fortunate in the support offered us by Andrew's school. Staff there have been helping us to interpret the water situation this entire week. Many have offered their swimming pools and showers. The Principals at both the Elementary and High School offered the return to the hotel as a possibility earlier this week. We have been making it all work with trips to the swim pool and sponge baths. But last night, we got word that it may be another entire week before the situation is remedied. Andrew starts work tomorrow and we are out of clean underwear. When the School Director called us last night to offer us the hotel, we gratefully accepted.

Andrew starts New Teacher Orientation tomorrow. We will all join in for a kick-off brunch and there will be many opportunities for the kids and I to join in throughout the week. On Wednesday, all the teachers return and the kids will join in for children's activities. We are all looking forward to meeting some of the people who will be filling our days in the year ahead.