Right now I'm sitting outside a balcony that sits outside my room and my neighbors. Today is overcast, but the clouds paint a beautiful picture. I have all afternoon free, but really need to plan for tomorrow, when I teach about all day long.
I just finished up a lunch of fish (the best I've had since I got here), spinach soup with meatballs (I ate all my meatballs, and cucumbers with beef. I ate all my meat and cucumbers. I eat close to no rice during the meals, instead I dab it up with some yogurt so it makes something similar to kheer or Indian rice pudding.
Today I asked our server for fruit. I first did this by pointing to the bowl and spoon of our neighbors empty fruit dish. This got me five spoons. Then I pointed to the word fruit in our two language dictionary, which worked at getting me some fresh orange papaya. Very good! Apparently it's uncommon to eat fruit here even though there is so much, unless it's a desert.
Eating here really makes me feel bored with American food. Whan-whan. Big whoop if I can get a cheeseburger or quesadilla. I can get that here, in the middle of no where with no Americans or Mexicans around. What if I wanted vegetables and wide yellow noodles? What if I just asked for items out of a dictionary, and then a chef had to invent recipes that were tasty enough to sell in restaurants on the spot?
We did this yesterday and asked this of a chef at a local restaurant. Wow! Were we well fed! I have never tasted such simple dishes prepared so well. And I think it's because they are all prepared fresh that they taste so good! Yesterday we ordered: tofu, fruit, vegetables, oj, noodles and veggies, and beef. We got a feast for a king for the pricetag of about 10 dollars, which is really freaking expensive here (I was actually blown away that it cost so much). The beef was prepared in a huge toppling salad almost wig watercress vines. It was delectable. The fruit included crabapples, some dragonfruit, guava, watermelon, pineapple, and ice on top. It hit the spot. The crabapples I hadn't eaten before and were very good - like they look; like cherry apples.
The Australians who taught at the university before us said that we are more likely to get sick at a large restaurant here than on the street because we are sure to get fresh food on the street. Doing the math, it makes sense because the turnover on the street demands a constant cooing of meat and ensures that food doesn't sit around. Speaking to their point, the Australians said that the only time they had gotten sick was after eating in a McDonalds in the LA airport.
Last night, after two days of wondering the city, museum and pagoda-hunting, we had a good laugh at the end of the night describing our English-learning comrade, Binh. Binh. This is a little 4'9" guy who looks like a mix between a chia pet and a chihuahua. He's ageless. And 32. His hair is so chia-like and miracle-grow-y that it makes it tough to determine how old he is. On the way home from the airport he was forced to sit in the trunk part of our van because he was the only one who could fit. This guys just a character because he desperately wants to learn English, but just repeats the same phrases over and over, stating the obvious. We've convinced ourselves now of several conspiracy theories as to his whereabouts because he's disappeared. He used to eat every meal with us. Either he's found a woman, secretly makes fun of us and can already speak English perfectly, or it could just be that he's a crossdresser. We do know that he: can't hold his alcohol, acts as the official interpreter to English even when other more apt people are present, and that he speaks French. In Ho Chi Minh City. This fact he repeats continuously. And the fact that I speak French as well. Thank you, Binh. I was worried I had forgotten that factoid about myself!
Today I taught for three hours on the other university campus on the subject of housing/accommodation. My class was extremely active and willing to engage, which was great because it was seven o'clock in the morning and most Asians are taught to be respectful in the classroom, which comes off as being passive. This is throughout Asia and not just specific to one culture. The class will stand and applaud for me when I enter or exit, which let's face it, is tough not to love. They also give you their eyes, with twinkles in them. Not one of them isn't ready to spring on and tackle
English, even though it
Isn't their major. Dont think ill be treated like royalty again in a classroom..
Not that this compares, but it was nice to be back in class and not continuously hear the "hellos" from friendly people on the streets of the city. If only I were Asian...
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