A cafe sooda (if that's how you spell it, but that's how it is pronounced) is basically an iced coffee. The coffee in Vietnam is made very strong so you only need a little bit in your cup. You pour it over ice, followed by condensed milk and sugar. It is very delicious because of its sweetness and I try to forget how bad for you it probably is.
Some of you are wondering how my luggage was opened after my purse containing my luggage key was stolen. When we got to Phan Thiet, the receptionist at the resort asked for my passport. I explained what happened and that my passport was stuck inside my locked luggage. After she finally understood through the language barrier she radioed to a man that would try to break the lock. Eventually it took 3 men and several different types of tools including the hammer to break the lock.
Soup and tea are very popular in Vietnam for all meals. Why do they serve such hot stuff when you are already sweating your bum off? It was explained to me that eating hot liquids in the heat actually helps to cool your body down. Strangely enough, despite sweating my face off into the soups and teas, I do feel refreshed after I eat them.
Today I looked up Ho Chi Minh City out of curiosity in my Lonely Planet guide book. Most destinations in the book include dangers to look out for. Dangers listed in Ho Chi Minh:
" HCMC is the place to really keep your wits about you. Don't have anything dangling from your body that you are not ready to part with, including bags and jewellery, which might tempt a robber. Keep an eye out for the Saigon Cowboys- drive by thieves on motorbikes- they specialise in snatching handbags and cameras from tourists on foot in the city." (Lonely Planet, Vietnam, p. 482).
I laughed to myself after reading this. I was a victim of the Saigon Cowboys. I wish I would have read this earlier. HCMC is listed as the city with the highest crime. Another reason I dislike it.
Back in My Tho:
Last night we went to Galaxy again to say goodbye to Frank and Dave. Everyone was off their face except for me. It was one of my last times teaching today and I didn't want to miss that. One of the British sisters was only 17 and she was so drunk that I had to follow her stubbling body outside to make sure nothing would happene to her (don't worry there were security everywhere so I felt safe being outside at night). She began spilling her life story out to me. It turns out she is the youngest in the house and she has been trying to act older which is why she drank so much. She also wants to go to medical school but in Dubai, if you don't recieve a certain test score, then you cannot go. She was freaking out about that. Medicine is all she wants to do. She doesn't know anything else. She decided to volunteer in Vietnam so that she would win a scholarship to help pay for school. She sounded like a younger version of me. I told her that if I don't get my grauate skilled visa in Australia then I am at loss as to what to do as well. Suddenly, my annoyance with her for getting sick subsided. I felt bad for orignally thinking she was quiet and snobby. You can't judge a book by its cover. I do hope that she remembered the advice that I gave her though. At that time I didn't mind being the oldest person in the house.
This morning it was sad saying goodbye to Dave and Frank. They are like my younger brothers. Then I was on my way to teach. In the cab I felt a bit sad. In the classroom, I got to teach alot and felt sad again. Then Mrs. Sno took Riley and I to the amazing vegetarian restaurant again. She ordered us a feast: spring rolls (two types), soup, tofu, pumpkin flowers.
Our waiter was a younger boy who spoke a decent amount of English. Riley offered to help teach him. He said he loves English and needs to learn for America. Mrs. Sno explained to us that his family was divorced. He lives with a friend and works at the restaurant to pay rent. He goes to school, works and tries to teach himself english. He cannot afford to go to the English centre that we teach at. The entire time she was explaining this to us I was staring at this boy. He had gentle eyes and a warm smile. He seemed so happy to practice his little english with us. He was one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen. Something strange was happenig in this moment as Mrs. Sno was explaining his life: I was crying. Tears were streaming down my eyes. I tried to pretend to wipe away sweat. Riley took his contact details and arranged to help him learn english. She asked when he was available. He was trying to explain but then he grabbed a notebook and wrote: morning next to a drawing of the sun and evening next to a drawing of the moon and a question mark in the middle. We exlained to him that the middle was the afternoon. He was very pleased to know this. When he went to get even more plates of food for us, Mrs. Sno asked if I was alright and I started bawling and explained that I didn't know what got over me. He was beautiful, his story was touching and I felt in that moment why I was really here. I am here to help. These people have dreams and don't have the privileges that the Westerners have and if teaching them English makes them happy then I want to help them. Riley and Mrs. Sno agreed and said I just experienced a beautiful moment.
My time here in My Tho is precious. I will never have another chance to really experience the personal things that I have the opportunity to experience in My Tho.
After lunch we went to sit in the gardens next door and ordered cool drinks. Mrs. Sno laughed about all of our mosquito bites and explained: " The only way to not have mosquito bite is to tell the mosquito you love it like this: I love you mosquito. If you say you hate mosquito it will bite you."
She also explained that she loves to smile and that she always wakes up with a smile on her face. It is the best way to live she explained. I love her. She reminds me of my grandma. She never lets us pay either. She always sneaks over to the counter and pays before we can offer. Sneaky lady! I want to buy her something nice before I leave.
No comments:
Post a Comment