Questions

How old are you? How much do you weigh? Why aren't you married? Almost two years later and I've come to love asking and answering these questions.  It's very open and freeing.  What is private in the states seems to be public here.  What is public in the states is private here eg physical affection. I watched a few painful minutes of the Bachelorette recently and was really annoyed and kind of disgusted by all the kissing ... almost two years later and I see kissing as a very private affair:). ... or I'm just getting older?

Market Ladies

Crowded little stalls of soap and shampoo, coffee and ginseng.  Flower stands, fruit stands, tea stands and incense everywhere. Women sitting on top of long steel counters hacking huge pieces of meat.
My favorite is by far my vegetable ladies - Long and Dung.  We banter in sign language and laughs with a few Vietnamese words thrown in.  I get a huge bag of cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli, limes, dill, cilantro, onions, garlic and chilis.for ten dollars ... and they always throw in more ... always something extra.  This has definitely become one of my favorite things to do.

Birds Nest

There is a little bird, the swift bird, high in the mountains that makes beautiful little nests out of it's saliva.  This is used to make bird's nest drink that for a year and a half have avoided.  This morning, one of my fellow teachers threw out my water and made me drink an entire can saying that I looked sick and was loosing too much weight.  "That's the plan", I said as I tentatively swallowed the sugar water with strings of what felt like thin gummy worms.  Supposedly it has amazing healing powers.  I'll let you know next week ... although I'm not quite sure what I'm being healed of.

Kindness

Several times in the last week, I have found myself in need of help whether I thought I needed it or not.  On an anxious drive home due to too much planning and a heavy schedule, one of my bags fell off my bike and a hundred copies spilled onto the street - most of which thankfully were to be recycled.  Regardless, three little street boys appeared out of nowhere and picked them up in a matter of seconds in the middle of jammed packed traffic no less.  Two other gentlemen made sure my bag was securely attached to my bike before I left.  I gave most of the copies to the kids half of which they returned to me after they saw that it looked like homework.  The next day, I was struggling to start my bike - as usual - it's typical of a Nouvo. Great bike - bad starter.  A young man looking very concerned, wouldn't leave until he started the bike.  We then realized that there was no gas.  So, he then walked me to up and out of the parking garage to the little man who sells gas across the street.  He wouldn't leave until I was firmly on my bike with engine running.  The next day I lost my parking ticket and the attendant refused to let me out.  I was trapped in City Plaza Supermarket.  A young woman approached me asking if I was okay.  I explained and she helped me to look for the ticket.  We wandered around the lot and stores for about an hour.  No luck.  She stayed with me until the owner of the bike arrived with proof of registration.  Today, my little corner cafe was closed and I stood staring blankly.  A man stopped and asked me what I needed.  I explained and he insisted on taking me to a cafe down the street. A true genuine concern - a natural one.  Not asking for anything. All these gestures just felt selfless and immediate..  Maybe that's why they always ask "An com chu" - have you eaten yet?. A real concern for your well being. I've heard so many people say in the last year that the Vietnamese are rude or demanding. All I can see is people who help you just because ... nothing asked in return ... well, most of the time;).