I would like to start off by discussing a topic that we all know and love: food. Food can make or break us. It can cheer us up or make us sweat in extreme regret. Food has always been my loyal friend and I am happy to say that we are closer than ever here in the HCM. My love affair with Vietnamese grub began long before I came here. While working at a BBQ joint before I ventured here, I would secretly slip out and order pho* from a place across the street. I felt like a foodie version of Benedict Arnold. It was a delicious secret that I shared only with the employees of Saigon Pho in Forest Park. I fondly remember talking to a lovely employee about my impending move to Saigon as I quickly slurped noodles before my shift. She shared a lot of helpful information with me, but what I remember most is her saying, "It's really hot and very crowded. There is a lot of honking." Touche.
Pho (FUH) is a game changer. (It's also pho-nomenal if you're into puns). If you are having an awful morning or if you had a tiresome evening, pho can turn that around. It is an incomparable dining experience that should not be rushed. You must sit down, soak in the sounds, and survey the sights to really enjoy the entirety of its brothy goodness. Think of it as culinary meditation. Smell the pho. Taste the pho. Be the pho. There are several components that one needs to create the perfect bowl. Thai basil leaves, bean spouts, chilis, hoison sauce, and lettuce must all dive in together to constitute a perfect bowl. This is a public service announcement: All of you need to go out and get pho-ed up. There are plenty of places to grab a bowl wherever you may be reading this (As I always suggest, you should come here to eat it. Pho isn't the same without the incessant honking of motorbikes and inevitable street entertainment).
Don't worry folks, pho isn't the only food that has taken me under its delicious wing . My heart has been encapsulated by several other Vietnamese dishes. Shout out to morning glory, banh mi, and spring rolls! One day I shall write love letters to all of them as well. They all deserve it as we have been in a relationship for over a year and a half.
I wanted to elaborate on my love of pho because on last Monday morning I had an eye opening experience involving my noodley friend. I am going to make a confession that I am not proud of. Often times, I get too wrapped up in the Western side of life here in Sagion. I don't drive a motorbike. I can only speak a few words of Vietnamese. I eat at expensive restaurants. There are days that I fail to appreciate the little things that make Vietnam so unique. Last Monday, I woke up with the familiar feeling that I had too indulgent of a weekend. I was angry about not doing the things that I had promised myself that I would: take my motorbike out for a ride, take pictures all around Saigon, eat street food, fight for world peace, and yada yada yada. While I was laying in bed trying to debate which road to take, bed or productivity, I had a plan. I was hungry and determined to test out the pho stand that I had so unconsciously passed twice a day for the past six months. I jumped out of bed and trotted my tired butt down to food stall. As I sat down, I was joined by a young teenage boy who was having breakfast before school. He opted for a sweet cake. We sat in silence as I waited for my bowl of magic. The beauty of food stalls is that there is often only one specialty. You sit down and there is no need to look at an extensive menu; the simply bring you the one item they have perfected. This is perfect for indecisive people like me. I began talking to the woman who runs the food stand. I learned that her name is Van and that she is from Hanoi. The type of pho that she serves reflects the Northern cuisine. This means the addition of garlic sauce and a slightly spicier broth. As I was slurping she said, "I see you every morning. You should come here all the time." Not only was the food delicious and cheap ($1.50 a bowl), but it was also a reminder that I need to support the friendly locals that I take for granted on a daily basis.
I could go on phoever, but instead I will run through my week very briefly.
- My MRI results showed that I have tendinitis. It's nothing too major, it just means that at 26 years old it hurts to walk up the stairs.
On my walk home from the doctor, I decided to stop at a local park. The wonderful thing about Vietnamese parks is that they have free, old school workout machines. The instructions for these workout machines are obviously in Vietnamese, so any time I attempt to use one I create my own rules. I jumped up on a machine meant for the triceps dip and started to do pushups. Almost immediately, I had an audience. Two Vietnamese security guards came up and started laughing at my misuse of the machine. Then, they decided to jump on to show me the correct way to use the machine. I tried to tell them that I am worthless, weak and unable to execute the proper exercise, but to no avail. They both took over the machine to have a dip competition. Then they started showing me their muscles. I chuckled, handed one of them my Starbucks coffee as a reward, and was on my way. When I'm strong enough, I'm totally going back to show those dudes up.
- Friday was full of adventure at my school. We had a Tet fair at our Nha Be Campus. Tet is a celebration of the Lunar New Year. That's the best thing about living in Asia; I get two chances to start over. The Tet fest included musical performances, magic shows, and plenty of traditional Vietnamese games and snacks. It was awesome to see all of the kids dressed in traditional Vietnamese gear. I even got to wear an Ao Dai, a traditional Vietnamese dress. I spent the day chatting with friends, eating Vietnamese snacks, and tossing a disc in an open field. The guards even grilled some fish (that had been used in a children's game hours before) for me. It was a pretty nice afternoon at school.
Speaking of Tet, I'm going on vacation tomorrow! I am flying Air Asia on Friday the 13th so this may very well be my last post (Anna, don't freak out). We get two weeks of for Tet and I am headed to Chiang Mai and Laos to celebrate the occasion. I am super stoked. I will be playing with tigers, living in the treetops of the jungle, and bathing with elephants in the river. I will be sure to post a lot of pictures!
I will leave you with a Valentine that one of my students made for me. Everyone should really start writing each other more letters. These brightened, and continue to brighten, my days. Written word>texting.
You are all invited to my first kiss wedding.
Here are a few more random photos from the week. Chuc Mun Nam Moi friends!
My new ride
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*I have tried over and over to use the correct accent marks for the Vietnamese words in my blog, but to no avail. There are accents, but they are not used for formatting purposes.
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