Con-d-om?

Seen the title? I thought it would be a great idea for the VSO stand at the latest "For the Love of Life" event in Hanoi - an annual fair in which disability, HIV/AIDS and International Volunteers days are "celebrated" jointly on 3rd December for awareness-raising and generally to give us VSOs (and ok, other NGOs too) the chance to catch a cold.

So back to the title. Being responsible for the idea of the HIV/AIDS stand to promote condom-fitting training on different fruits and vegetables, I was looking for a name to attract the shy Vietnamese teenagers. So how about Con-D-Om?
Con= Children (as in kids but also sons and daughters)
D= go (the word is actually di)
Om= hug (it can be a meaningless hug - like on the Xe Om; or something else like Karaoke Om)

I thought it was a pretty amazingly creative idea, which, ok, admittedly would leave a lot of room for misunderstanding and disturbing thoughts. Hence it was not used.

This did not take away the coolness of the HIV AIDS stand though.
A basketful of carrots, cucumbers, corn on the cob, courgettes (I'm not convinced they were, but hey) and many many many condoms.

Stole the idea from the condom race that the Welfare staff at Hoa Sua get the new students to do during the HIV AIDS training, and it's granted to be loads of fun.

So anyway - tactic was, lure them in with a survey on knowledge on HIV/AIDS, and then catch them quickly for the condom fitting. Soon enough, the stand was surrounded by what seemed to be billions of people of all ages and backgrounds...

Before anyone actually grasped a cucumber and a condom, I would give a demonstration on how to fit one properly. Honestly, if I didn't know then, I certainly did after fitting an average of 10 condoms per hour. And you tell me if you can beat that. Ah ah.

Besides the joke, it was probably one of the most amazing things I ever did. After a while, many deaf people who would refuse to do it, hold a condom, or just take one, because they were too "stupid" to ever have sex, this guy came as enthusiastic as one can be. He is deaf himself and took over the show completely, showing people - whether young or old, with disabilities or not, how to answer the questionnaire, and how to fit a condom (we're still talking cucumbers and carrots here). It was a very powerful statement in Vietnam and I am proud to have witnessed it.

And then, here comes a little girl (LG), to whom I smile and start chatting:

LG: Have you got any Femidoms?

me: ehh, not yet, but we'll have them later

LG: What's your name?

me: my name is Patty! what's your name? (as i'm busily throwing used condoms in a plastic bag)

LG: (Can't remember). How many condoms do you use, Patty?

me: Eheh, not many, I'm afraid

LG: NO?!?!?

me: no...

LG: Are you pregnant?

me: no.

LG: Ah, but looking at you, I thought you were!

me: ehm, no.

LG: Are you married?

me: no.

LG: AH?! OH?!? UH?!?! (look of utter and complete disbelief and disgust) not married?!?!? How old are you?

me: 30! (ya little #@&%$&#?!?)

LG: But you're sooo old!!!

me: (clocking someone looking from afar) Helllooooo! Would you like to fill in a questionnaire?....

Photos: Mike's - one taken from the insides of Mr OK!