Vietnamese culture

I had previously been complaining about the lack of culture in Vietnam, but looking at my last two posts, I know that I am learning about their culture, just not what I expected.  I have been looking for the artistic culture like I saw in Mexico, but what I am experiencing is the social culture and it is definitely much different than ours.  For one, if someone wants to take you somewhere or give you something, it is going to happen no matter how much you protest.  Secondly, it is almost impossible to pay for anything, even when you are the host.  Thirdly, progress happens very slowly.  Yesterday, the train bridge was collapsed by a barge, thus shutting down the train route from HoChiMinh City to the rest of Vietnam.  The locals estimate a period of several years before it is repaired. 

How far away is it and how long will we be gone?

Arin went downstairs to have orange juice and I began to panic after he didn´t return in several hours.  He finally has arrived and I should have known, he was invited to visit a friend´s house a couple kilometers from here.  7 hours later, here he is.  We must remember to ask, not only how far we are going, but how long will we be gone.

9 year old´s birthday party

We were invited to Tony´s cafe for Peyton´s birthday party. She's his daughter. There were two tables:  The kid´s table and the grown ups table with 30 or so at each, and plenty of food.  Although there was a clown making balloon animals, the highlight of the party was the fun activity of riding up and down 7 floors in the glass elevators.  This went on for about 2 hours.  So, if you own a building with glass elevators, begin offering little kid birthday parties and you could make a fortune.  We were seated by another English teacher from the Philippines who is teaching at Peyton's school, a public school.  She has it rough with 36 kids in 20 separate 35 minute classes.

Business meetings

 Sometimes I get a last minute call  and have to drop everything and run.  Vietnamese do not understand planning ahead and everything is _in ten minutes_.  Also, all business transactions are done while meeting for coffee or drinking beer.  Coffee also means smoothies and other fruit juice drinks such as those with custard.  Have you heard of soursop fruit.   Soursop custards are very popular.  I usually have strawberry or my favorite Asian fruit, jackfruit. The meeting was organized not by my family friends whom I have mentioned, but by one of my local friends with whom I hang out by my apartment pool every night. She set up a meeting with a friend concerning teaching English. Nothing was set in stone during the meeting so we shall she if anything happens.

Cambodia

Arin and I needed to renew our visas, so during TET holiday we took a trip to Cambodia.  We went by bus and returned by plane.  The bus ride was $15 for a 12 hour trip, the plane was $125 for 35 minutes, and you know what, we actually enjoyed the bus ride more.  We were given snacks and watched movies, plus, at our lunch stop I had the best ginger beef.  Usually my right leg kills me after sitting in most chairs seats for more than 15 minutes, but not on this bus.  I would not describe the seats as comfortable, but my leg liked them anyway.  At the end of our journey, waiting at the bus stop in Cambodia, we were many tuk tuk drivers.  A tuk tuk is a carriage hitched to a motorcycle.  They are quite cute.  They can fit 4 comfortably with their padded seats and fringed top.  Of course most of them are old and dilapidated, but being a passenger still feels like royalty.  Tiger was our driver.  He offered to take us to the ruins tomorrow and anywhere else we wanted to go, at a cost of  $18 for the day.  I have his facebook  page so I can refer him to you if you are going to Siem Reep, the town is which we stayed.  I had book a hotel online for $20. We arrived after dark, but I could see that the hotel lobby was just as gorgeous as the online pictures.  The walls and ceiling are made of carved wood and are so fabulous that you have to see it to believe it.  My pictures do not do it justice.  If you are a wood enthusiast, look up HKN Boutique Hotel in Siem Reap.  You will be awed.

I love the smell of burning plastic in the morning

From  my 16th story building I can see several fires burning.  The Vietnamese have not learned the importance of protecting the environment.  I have a hard time sleeping here and I suspect I am affected by the pollution.  Fires burn constantly emitting a myriad of odors, but burning plastic is my favorite!

Invitation to speak at a local high school

One of Thahn Su's friends, Thien, is a math teacher and asked if Arin and I would help distribute stuff to the poor kids.  Well that 's what I thought he asked.....We accepted, then arrived to find ourselves as the honored guests at an award ceremony facing hundreds of high school students.  We were seated at the head table and given lucky money to distribute to the high scorers on the state tests.  At one point, I was asked to give a speech.  Of course I was not prepared  and am now forever memorialized on DVD stumbling through a speech in front of 800 students.  To further my embarrassment, I was wearing shorts while everyone else was dressed up.  My friend said it didn't matter because they were used to it from Americans, but still, I apologize to all Americans for embarrassing us so!  At the end  of the assembly, Arin and I were given gifts of a 2016 SanDiego calendar and wall clocks.......

The TET holiday or Lunar New Year

Tet is celebrated in Vietnam and China.  The most obvious indication of Tet are the yellow flowers.  Thousands of potted yellow mums and yellow flowering trees invade the scene of Vietnam.  Most families purchase a pot for their home, but the interesting part is that they let them die afterwards, even though they are contained in pots.  Arin likens it to our Christmas tree tradition.  Also, specific foods are placed on an altar for good luck, then red envelopes of lucky money are distributed to family, etc.

The nun seranade at the Buddhist temple

We were invited to visit a local temple where we had lunch and tea with, and then were serenaded by, the nuns.  Arin especially enjoyed the visit as he had the chance to engage in a philosophical discussion with an actual Buddhist  nun, and has been invited back.