If I had to do it over again I would certainly come back to Vietnam. I've heard many comparisons about teaching and life and Vietnam. The food here is viewed more favorably and the culture is more social and informal. We literally could not have met more genuinely nice and happy people here! Everyone has offered to take us out for coffee or lunch at some point and each time has been a treat!
This morning I had a very sweet class of mostly girls. This was the class I told you about last week where some construction worker almost poured water on me. Well this week he did, except not on me - on a student in the front row. If you can imagine this stream shooting in from the door from nowhere... It caught us off-guard. I went to investigate what was going on for her, but got nothing.
My van driver today was the same as yesterday - crazy crazy man. Today we took a more bohemian truck.. Yesterday he made these two buses collide and passed a truck while driving on the wrong side of the road. So daring. And frustrating to ride with.
Right now I can hear the music blaring from a home nearby. It's gotten unbearable. Club bass starting at about 8:30 at night, every night. Now the clucking lizards have started. I still hear that man who got in the fight several nights ago yelling, everyday. He needs to be hauled off. He sounds like a disturbing individual.
Today I communed with a wheeling lizard on my way to class. You know those ones that are about 8-10 inches long and wave their hands around like they're swimming angrily as they walk? This was one of those guys. You don't even blink... Do you? He didn't. I could approach him and get right up in his face and he wouldn't budge. I've seen him a few times now. It'd be great to snap a photo!
So let me tell you about my buys. Because the name of my other blog is "Claire eats the world"... I need to live up to my name. We already knew I was an adventuresome eater. My cohorts here gave me that designation earlier in the week. But today I took the plunge. No more fertilized duck eggs, no more durian, I ate something dark gray. A dark gray smoothie. Not officially knowing what kind of water or whether milk was in it (or what it was, mind you), this was my biggest leap yet. What you get for about 28 cents is the following: a used water bottle recycled and filled with purified water, sugar, and what tastes like peanut shell. Probably not worth it's weight in gold or oyster shells. But well worth the experience and knowledge that I wouldn't due from imbibing this mysterious drink.
I went on my way to a soup restaurant, very nice ad clean and a woman greater me with English - no one here every speaks English... She told me about what was on the menu, finally explaining that you make the last item at home on your own? Oh, i asked. Then she revealed that it was a store for baby food! Did I want to try any? Haha. No thank you, and I was on my way.
People are much nicer to me when I'm out without my American compatriots, we've all found. Were just more approachable. One thing I'll be glad for when I get back home will be the lack of stares, hellos, and touching. Non-white people who rarely see white people here like to touch their arms I guess. I was over it the first time our lunch lady touched me on the arm. Sweetest person ever. But I don't really care. I don't like being touched like I'm surreal. If I saw a green person or rainbow plaid person I might touch them, but all other colors - even albino - I would leave alone... Because they're human.
Anyway, my food journey ends another 30 cents later when I buy a carmel donut. Or so my English friend told me. It's actually a really friggin good donut, with a sticky butter shell outside, but inside is an egg yolk. They put eggs inside of everything! Sandwich, soup, bread, pastry, and now donut! Gee!
I should let you all go - it's way past my bedtime.. Happy adventures!
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