The daily grind

I've been getting into the thick of things over here, starting week 2 of being an official teacher. Just received the contract offer today, turns out the company wants to pay me WAY less than I expected. This will not do, and I guess I have to negotiate. I was hoping it would be super easy, with my ideal salary, vacation days, and contract length, but alas, tis not the case. I'm going to seek out advice before I start negotiating, so if anyone has any tips, PLEASE feel free to send 'em this way!
Since talking about school just makes me tired, I will take this opportunity to describe my morning commute, which is definitely a daily adventure:
I hop on my bicycle in the morning and take a right to cross 3 lanes of insane traffic (this being the most difficult part of the commute, so once I'm crossed, all is well). Immediately to the right of my house is a park, which abuts the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
This whole area consists of magnificent French mansions, all of which have been converted to government buildings. This fact makes my alley incredibly safe, since there are armed guards all around the vicinity. The French houses have been beautifully cared for, with lovely gardens and fresh paint, making it an absolute joy to cycle past them every day. After passing through the Government district, I hit Kim Ma, which I consider a Vietnamese version of Route 22. Each side of the street is one way, and the variety and number of shops is unmatched anywhere else in Hanoi. Now if you picture Route 22 with some trees and thousands upon thousands of motorbikes, you might have a better idea of what I'm dealing with. I stay on this street pretty much until I take a right and end up at the front gate of Singapore International. This street has 3 primary schools and one university, so traffic at 4 pm is absolutely atrocious... although, having a bicycle is a great advantage. I can pop up onto the sidewalk if it gets too bad (that is, if people haven't set up stools and grills). Despite the fact that I cannot take my eyes off the road for even a second, I really do have a great time riding my bicycle to and from work. I actually feel like I'm part of the daily grind, taking part in the Vietnamese work force in all its glory.
Speaking of the work force, people put some pretty ridiculous things on motorbikes. I often see men holding giant plates of glass, and I make sure to steer clear of these bikes, since an accident with them could get pretty messy. A lot of dogs stand at the front of the bikes, with their paws over the handlebars... I would give anything to see Petie and Penny do the same. Parents tie toddlers to their wastes with scarves, in order to keep them on the back of the bike. An American child care advocate would have a heart attack seeing the way children are draped all over motorbikes. The motorbike culture in itself so far has proven to be the most interesting/entertaining part of Vietnam. The things people carry, the way they carry them, and the absurd vehicular maneuvers never make for a dull moment on the streets of Hanoi. I am going to make an attempt to get a video recording of my morning commute... when the mist lets up (don't want to ruin my camera just yet). I think it will prove to be a very enjoyable video.