Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 06

They stopped eating and watched as the men ate a few mouthfuls. A buzz went round the room when Austin broke the silence, "its great can I have some more ." Kim laughed, "You like it, that's good. It is always available here in our canteen. We will introduce you to more local food down in the markets."

Ly and Anh met Jack and Austin each afternoon at the feedlot and escorted them home. The men responded to their kindness thinking of little changes they could make that would improve the widow's lives.

They bought solar hot water heaters and water tanks and installed them themselves. "We did most of the plumbing and machinery work on our diaries Jack explained to Kim when he asked her to order some water and sewerage pipes. "I'm installing a western toilet I can't stand the local design and I love a good hot shower."

Every evening after dinner, they gathered at the hotel or Roses house to talk and exchange ideas on the co-op. The serious talk took place at the house. At the Hotel, they made the lobby bar their home.

Gradually young local men and women who spoke some English gravitated to the bar and it became the place to be especially on the weekends. One evening as they watched an English soccer match on the TV Jack asked why he couldn't receiver foreign channels at Ly's house.

Mick joined them, "we receive nine channels one Vietnamese and eight foreign from MMDS. The package price is too expensive for average Vietnamese families."

One beautiful young Vietnamese girl sitting at the back asked, "Can I say something. The best way is what the media term 'Chao Lau' it's putting up your own illegal dish antenna. The antennas are made in China they pick up dozens of foreign channels. One of my friends in Hanoi picks up dozens of Filipino music channels from the Agila satellite with her antenna."

"The ministry of Culture and information is trying to stamp out the use of illegal parabolic antennas. VTC are now providing cable TV at low prices in some areas. What we need up here where communication is poor is community antenna television."

They sat back impressed. "Where did you learn all this," John asked. "I want to work in television so I have studied media and TV in Hanoi and HCM but I don't have the money to continue."

John looked at Mick, "let's employ her. Our communications are ratshit. The phone system is poor. The internet intermittent at best and the locals have to come up to the pub to watch the top UK footy. He called the young woman over, "What's your name love?" he asked.

They were struck by her beauty as she sat down crossing her long legs. "My name is Trinh. I have some friends who are interested in communications. They are party members so they will not break the law. I am sure they would like to help if you are going to try to improve things up here."

While she spoke, Glen studied her closely. "Your very beautiful and speak lovely. I suppose you want to be a TV presenter in front of the camera?" he asked with a leer. Trinh dismissed him and turned to John. "I want to be in communications management eventually. I heard you mention a job. If you are offering I would be interested."

John smiled, "I am looking for some way to improve communications up here. We use walkie-talkies because the mobile phone coverage is so poor. We set up an air-conditioned communications room for our computers. We use them to keep our cattle records and for our accounts, they work well. Nothing else seems to work. We can rarely access the internet. Our landlines are inefficient and as you heard international TV coverage is really only available at the hotel."

"Mick will hire you. Work out the terms with him. Spend a day or two looking over our four major operations, then talk to your friends and provide me with some ideas and their costs. He stood up, that's enough business now enjoy yourself. I can see Glens waiting to dance with you."

Trinh was super efficient. She brought her friends to the feedlot and introduced them to Kim and Rose. They went over the equipment and talked to Kim about internet access. When they finished on the farms and at the Hotel John told them to go down to Hanoi and talk to the five main television services.

Trinh delighted in telling him, "Three of the services are owned by the one television station. The companies provide cable television. There are two new services under trial, Community Antenna television, and direct to home TV. I think one of them they would welcome your investment in some local trials."

"The downside is people have to buy a decoder and pay a monthly fee. We could propose that you pay a fee and act as their agent locally. The other option is to seek government permission to install a satellite-receiving dish and re-transmit the signals locally. The government might agree as long as you endorse their censorship rules."

John left it to Trinh and concentrated on the Co-op. Austin and Jack started to transfer cows to individual farms. The new vet set up shop outside the cold room to receive their milk and distribute money and fodder.

New calves belonging to the farmers were branded and kept at the feedlot until they were properly weaned. When they were strong enough to fend for themselves the farmers were invited to take them home or sell them to the slaughterhouse.

Glen visited each farm at milking time. He concentrated on raising hygiene standards. He danced with pride when Vinamilk told Kim that milk from their farms met the highest health standards.

Charles and Georgia reported regularly to Mr. Treet and the Chairman. They both took a keen interest in the reports and visited some of the farmers to hear first hand of their feelings now that the Co-op was up and running.

John started to smile. The co-op built up sufficient funds to meet a few small problems and settled down to a happy little organization. Local opposition all but disappeared. New farm families started to approach Charles about joining the co-op.

He lost his smile when Lesley came by to advise that she was ready to return home. "I will be back," she cried. "I love it here. I am sure some of the other teachers will think about coming when they see my videos and hear what fun it's been."

When Jack and Austin heard the news, they approached John, "we have built a gas BBQ down at the workshop and would like to put on an Aussie BBQ for Lesley before she leaves. We have been training the butchers at the slaughterhouse to make sausages and cut thin steaks. We will do the cooking and invite the schoolteachers and the students to come along and say goodbye."

It was the first John had heard of the workshop. He knew they had been gathering equipment together but did not know they had set it up. "Kim has been great, she has bought what we wanted and let us set up down here," they said as they showed him around. "We found a couple of men who could repair motor bikes and employed them. They introduced another who has some electrical skills. Sarah sends any students she thinks suitable over to the workshop after school. Our people are teaching them as much as they can."

The numbers who turned up to Lesley's farewell BBQ taught John how much the locals valued the educational opportunities Sarah and Lesley provided. He was not the only one. Mr. Treet turned up unannounced.

He asked to use the bands microphone. "I came to say thank you," he said as he made a presentation on behalf of the province. I know you have only been here just over a month but the value of your visit will last much longer."

"Sarah has spent a tremendous amount of time refining the curriculum and our teaching methods. She told us on many occasions that English is the world's business language. She told us that those students who learn English will have more opportunities when Vietnam joins WTO and does more business with the world.'

"She said we could provide Basic English training in the province. We never realized how valuable her work would be until you arrived. You have shown us by your expertise and enthusiasm what a properly planned teaching program can do to improve a schools performance."

"My friends tell me that you have worked day and night helping individual students. They say that your happy enthusiastic way of teaching made our school a fun place. Please come back again."

Glen decided to stay. "I think Pansies too young for me," he told John over a beer. He grinned "don't worry I have a few prospects. Trinh is fantastic. We have got over my stupid remarks when we first met. She is not only beautiful but also very smart. She would be great in bed and could run my business"

"Kim is another brainy bird, she is more mature than Pansy and more beautiful. Lelani introduce me to a couple of older women. They come up to the hotel some evenings. They have been more than friendly. I am not leaving this to go home."

"There is no hope for him," he told Rose that evening. "He will never change." "Don't worry about him," Rose said as she led him inside. "Ly tells me that Jack has become very good around the home. He has rebuilt her bathroom and kitchen and started to build a shed so she can have a cow. They have bought a motor bike and go for a ride every evening. They seem very happy together."

John smiled at her remarks. "Yes, both Jack and Austin are completely different to Glen. He winked, "They were lucky that Lelani and the girls picked good places for them to stay."