Photo op

The entrance to our building has been decorated with flowering trees representing the Lunar New Year.  Folks come from all over to snap photos.  Just now, I was coming back from work and was asked to accompany a girl in her photo.  Next thing you know, several little short Vietnamese people were surrounding me.  I had my arms around their shoulders and arms were at the level of my waist.  I went ahead and threw my blonde hair about my shoulders as I suspected that this was the fascination. 

Hot rock massage

I asked around and discovered a legitimate massage parlour called Pro massage.  Today was my first and only massage at this location but not because they are bad masseuses.  I prefer a Swedish  massage and this was not one of those.  She began by putting pressure on my entire back, and finished by chiropractoring my neck and bonking me on the forehead with something that sounded like one of the toy hammers we have at the school. After my massage, I went to the school and discussed it with my coworkers.  They informed me that it was a deep massage.   Apparently I do not really like that type as I was in pain a majority of the time,  however, there was one new experience which I loved. At one point, my back became very hot.  I was confused until I reached back and felt a smooth surface which I deemed to be one of those hot rocks of which I had heard.  Now that was nice.  It was an unusual but very enjoyable sensation.  I really can not describe it.

Of course the massage cost only $6, but I still will need to find another place.  I do not know if they are all legit or not, so I will need a recommendation.  I remember being struck with fear one time in America at a Vietnamese massage parlour when the  masseuse questionably climbed on my back.  Perhaps it is the the Vietnamese way. Also, for the massages here, one lies on a floor mat rather than a table and the masseuses crawl around (including on your back) rather than being required to stand the whole time.

Sushi

I just discovered the sushi cart on the patio, thanks to my new coworker Josh.  Most of my friends are not too interested in exploring for food, but he is adventurous. I had seen the cart before but for some reason it did not register with me.  I will post a picture of my $2.50 meal (55VND) which you will not believe.  I do not know what sauce they use here, but I am hooked!  I rarely ate sushi in the USA for obvious reasons.  Josh paid 150 VND for his meal.  We´'ll see how long it takes for him to start mimicing us in stating that 25 VND is expensive

My first motorcycle ride

I had to ride on the back of Van An`s motorbike to go somewhere and I must say it was not frightening at all.

The smoothie search.

Ever since we arrived, I had been searching for a nearby juice- smoothie stand.  As the cost of fresh squeezed juice in the USA is prohibitive, we were spoiled in Mexico where we had fresh bottles of juice in the fridge at all times, purchased for next to nothing. I had expected to find the same thing here but it is not to be.  Fresh juice is only sold by the glass and is not so cheap.   Now that I have reconciled myself to the fact that all developing countries are not the same, I was able to find my smoothie stand. Yesterday I ordered fresh squeezed orange juice which is of course my favorite fresh juice, and today I had a strawberry smoothie. Yes, yes, smoothies are made with sweetened condensed milk, but I have decided that I do not care because they are DELICIOUS.  Between the yogurt and the fruit and the milk, it is two thirds nutritious.......... right...........?   Also, the barista, Dung, and I are now facebook friends.  We are teaching each other to  speak our perspective languages.  Of course she is practically fluent and I know 10 words........

She has invited me to join her tomorrow for homemade tiramasu cake and we are going to discuss Chinese New Year.

Anything you can do, I can do better.

This song is in one of the textbooks, so the students have learned it, or, as is said in British English, learnt it.  In class, I am now using it in reverse.  When a child states that he can not do something, I sing to them.....Yes, you can!

The evil monosodium glutamate

We found a whole rack of spice packets at the grocery store and decided to try the Chinese black mushroom soup powder tonight.  When we discovered that it literally tasted like a bowl of salt water, we viewed the ingredients.  Here is the list in order of quantity.

salt
sugar
MSG
mushroom *5%*

I remember when  MSG was villafied in the US.  In the 1980s, signs began appearing on the door of Chinese restaurants stating No MSG.   This stuff is sold in giant packets in every local store in Vietnam.