Spotlight on ME

I had some intense blog posts in the works, but I received a suggestion that I should be more careful about what I say about governments, etc on this blog. So for now I will stick to what is safe: Writing about ME.

In Hanoi, you are always meeting new people. It is a city of transient souls and there are certain established questions that go along with every initial interaction. Here are some of my answers.

I am thinking about profiling some of my friends too and asking these same questions:

How long have you been in Hanoi?

I have been here since August. I had been saying “five months” for a long time, but now it is about seven months. Wow, how time flies!

Where do you live?

I live off of Doi Can, a crazy traffic-infested street with lots of accessory shops and some street food. To get to my house, you have to make about twenty turns in an alley. There is a morning market with breakfast stalls and fruit and vegetable sellers that always smile at me. I have my favorite ladies that I buy from.

Actually, we have been quite unlucky with people stealing things from our house. It is so strange what goes missing – slippers, money, a plastic buddha, a necklace, a ring, an MP3 player, sunglasses… I am getting really frustrated and looking to move. I think a fresh location would give me a new perspective and be quite nice.

What is your job?

I have a fellowship through Princeton in Asia to work at an environmental NGO. I also teach one english class a week because I really enjoy being with kids and I learn a lot about the culture by teaching. My favorite thing that I have been doing is freelancing for The Word, a magazine about life in Hanoi. I have been able to do some really cool things – like take cooking courses and attend a boot camp – because I was writing articles.

Where are you from?

I’m from the United States…. Oh really, you don’t think I look American? Well we aren’t all huge and obnoxious, I promise. I just graduated from a college that you have never heard of and majored in history, which seems worthless to you.

Where do you normally hang out?

This may sound lame, but I actually think I hang out at The Cinematheque, although not in that creepy middle school sort of way. There are always really interesting films and it is a gathering spot for many of my friends. I love being able to bring a glass of white wine or a lemongrass martini into the theater. There is also a nice outdoor space that is used for classy social events.

Do you drive a motorbike?

No, I have been riding a bicycle for seven months. For the most part, I really enjoy my biking and my commute to work is short so it works. However, bicyclists get no respect in this city and I am always getting run off the road. Also, it gets frustrating that I cannot wear skirts or dresses to work when I ride my bicycle. My bike is a piece of junk with no gears, but it does have a lovely basket and a new bell.

Sometimes I get tired and don’t want to cycle so I end up taking a xe om. I am so sick of dealing with xe om drivers, especially the drunk toothless ones. Luckily, I have a reliable xe om mien phi (free xe om = boyfriend), but I am about to take the plunge and get my own set of wheels. I have a crush on the electric scooters because they are little, automatic, and don’t add to the pollution in this town!

How is your Vietnamese?

Oh…not so good. I had been taking lessons, but my tutor/great friend went to Australia for 2.5 months and it has all be downhill. I can get around and go shopping, and I  am good at understanding hand gestures. My boyfriend always makes fun of me for the way I talk in Vietnamese…it reminds me of how my sister makes fun of me for the way I speak Spanish. Yes, I am a gringa. And, I should really get back to studying Vietnamese. Duoc, khong?

Have you traveled around the area a lot?

Yes, I refuse to be one of those expats who get stuck in this Hanoi vortex scene and forget to explore the country. I have been to Ha Giang, Sapa, Hoi An, Ha Long Bay, Tam Dao, and Saigon. I still want to go to a lot of places like Phu Quoc, Mai Chau, Ba Vi, and all those other names that people rattle off but will mean nothing to me until I go there!

And there are so many places I want to go outside of Vietnam. So far, I have been to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Singapore. My list of places I want to go is endless, but Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia are on the top of my list!

What is your favorite street food?

I could eat pho quon on Truc Bach any day of the week. I’ve lately lost my taste for pho. My typical lunch is rice line or bun dau. I want to get more into che so that I can tell the difference between those refreshing  globs.

How long do you plan to stay?

My contract is until August. I would consider breaking it if something amazing came up…. I might stick around Hanoi or move somewhere else in Asia. I also have a strong desire to move to Tel Aviv, to New Orleans, or to San Francisco. But, I am not going to plan or worry too much about the future. When an opportunity arises, I will try my best to seize it!

If you would like to be profiled in my blog, let me know. I think this could be a great series!