"Brave"

Each time I have gone abroad before (Italy twice and once to Ecuador) I have always been with others and guided through the trip. Even with the comfort of the support and guidance, each trip has been an incredible growing and learning experience. I knew that this experience, on my own and for a much longer period of time, would be so much more than what I've been through before. ...And I already feel / see it!

I'm proud of myself.  :D  I feel as if I've accomplished so much already. Now it's time to begin a new job.

It's been really great to have others tell me that they think I'm brave for doing this on my own! Friends and family told me that back at home... and now I'm hearing it from other teachers who are taking the same leap to teach abroad but have come with another person.

...And just tonight when Mai came for this month's rent money and I told her that I made it out on the main road with my scooter, she said that Mr. Nhan already told her and he said that I'm very brave.  :D  That was so great to hear! I really like Mr. Nhan but was unsure what he thought of me and really wasn't sure of how he felt about me on the scooter. Maybe he thought I was a silly American girl who buys a new scooter and crashes it the first day! ...So to hear that he told Mai I am brave is awesome.

Now I need to be brave about... bugs.  :P  Since the cockroach finding a few days ago (was it even a cockroach??) I have been a bit paranoid because I hear a chirping-like noise. Mostly the noise is only at night, although I heard it this morning once too. Now it seems to have changed areas in my apartment as well! I have not seen it yet but I swear it's alive ...and probably super gross-looking (right?!).

Phone calls back home about the bug have helped me to realize that it's fine and I shouldn't get all worked up over a bug. If it wanted to get me, it would have already.

Well, again while Mai was here for rent money tonight, she asked if everything with the apartment was good. I said it was wonderful... except for the noise. I described it to her and even played her the following video that I got last night:

(Yes, I seriously took a video of it. I figured I'd post it on here and maybe someone can figure out what it is?? haha. I've even Googled insect noises, insect chirping, cockroach noises, etc. But nothing I find is a match.)

Mai said that it is only the water pump. I told her no, I think it's alive... and it's in the apartment. She called Mr. Nhan, who came up and watched the video. They even tested the water to show me... but then they too realized that the water pump is not it.

I'm supposed to call Mr. Nhan when I hear the noise tonight. Of course the little guy (no... BIG guy) didn't want to make noise when they were here. No, of course not. Nor have I heard him since.

But, like I said, I've realized I shouldn't get worked up over this. As you can tell, I'm dealing really well with this, right?!