A lovely day in Vietnam

Got up nice and early in true Vietnamese style and went for breakfast with Annika to a spot my Xe Om showed me. It’s basically a load of little metal tables stuffed down an alleyway where the locals all come for their morning Pho Bo (beef noodle soup). We were sat with a real mixture of business workers, street sellers, families on their way to school and a posey of female traffic wardens – the only white people of course!

Then I went for a lovely long walk into district 3. On my way I stopped by the side of the road and sat on the pavement to have a ‘quick’ 45min ca phe sua da, to start with it was just me and the coffee seller but after only a few minutes men came to join me. We must have looked pretty funny to passersby – one white girl, and 7 vietnamese men all sat on the pavement in a perfect line drinking coffee in silence.

 

Exploring district 3 on foot was fun. I found a great traffic watching spot right on the corner of a junction so I had maxium entertainment. When I first sat down it caused a scene as usual and no one was that friendly. But after the first hour the owner and her friend started to chat to me very animatedly, I understood a bit of what they were asking but not much, still it was nice trying out a bit of my very limited Vietnamese. Another hour later and one of the women started playing with my hair. And another hour later she was absent mindedly stroking my arm while we watched the traffic together in silence. I stayed for 4 hours and had a lovely time waving and smiling at the kids on the motorbikes as their parents pointed me out and drinking my coffee and reading my book.

Then I went and called Daddan from the post office which was also lovely to catch up with her and share my weeks news. Then my Xe Om, A Ty`, and his best friend took me in convoy to Tan Binh where I  work with my teenagers (private students). I had the best time there too! Xuka was delighted to see me as usual and Alie & Mary wanted me to go to the shop with them (aka: parade me about a bit in front of their neighbours) which I was very happy to do. Then Alie,13yrs old, decided she wanted to make me a drink… It consisted of 7up (lemonade), mint green tea, and MILK…

Then her mother decided she wanted to make me Sushi. We all sat round their kitchen table and Xuka climbed onto my lap and fed me pink yogurt. I felt so happy and content. Sitting with their family being hand fed sushi by Alie and her mother, while her Aunt tidied up the yogurt Xuka was flicking everywhere, and everyone was babbling away in Vietnamese,I really felt 100% me and 100% happy. A perfect end to a great day.