Here are some of the fascinating things I saw:
- An 8-person long massage chain
- A little boy on a tricycle with a sippy cup of milk and a pair of chopsticks in the front basket (what else could you need as a little kid in Vietnam?!)
- A huge group of women doing choreographed sword dancing
- A man dressed like an old-fashioned boxer (silk trunks, knee socks, boxing gloves) who teased me as I interrupted my walk to stop at one of the exercise machines that are set up along the lake. (My friend MJ mentioned that she saw him yesterday on her run, so I am beginning to think that he is a fixture here at the lake
- A motorcycle overloaded with boxes solely of lettuce
- 4 matching brown-and-white mop dogs in front of their person's store front, 2 white fluffers, 3 chihuahuas, and 1 dachshund (these are only the dogs with recognizable, domesticated breeds, who also do not look like they are carrying rabies)
- the same Spanish couple that I walked past last night, sitting on the same front step of their hostel, smoking cigarettes (guess the hostel must be non-smoking, and guess they must really need their nicotine fix)
Time for a shower, some breakfast, and a day of classes. At least I have my endorphins pumping now!
Wow, all the interesting things you observed. That eight person massage train reminds me of when you and all your girl cousins had a chain of braiding each other's hair many years ago, which was a very special photo. I guess it shows that touch is a very important part of staying close! I wish I could give you a nice hug and remind you of how capable and competent you are. Trying to learn a foreign language with a teaching style that doesn't suit you is like trying to learn to be a runner and starting on Mount Kilimanjaro - that would also be an exercise in frustration. Hopefully you can get through the final day of language class, reminding yourself of how good you are at languages, and that you will learn enough to get by once you're in Ha Tinh. And if you forget that, just keep asking all of us to remind you, because we on the other side of the world know how smart and capable you are!!!!! Love you lots, Mom
ReplyDelete