Hello Hanoi!

Chao cac ban (Hello friends) -- friends, family, previous colleagues and students! It's been a week since I settled into Hanoi, and I am having a blast! Although I am placed in Hue (Central Vietnam), all the Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) are completing their teaching and Vietnamese training here for four weeks. There's 15 of us ETAs, along with our teacher Andrew, and we've been hanging out everyday, exploring the town, eating, etc. Here we are eating together on our boat going through Halong Bay (next entry):

(front left to back) Quan, Andrew, Koua, Tyler, Claire, Amanda
(front right to back) Trevor, Amelia, me, Jefferson, Jess, Vanlam, Kate
missing: Justin (back in Hanoi), Lindsay, Michelle

Even though this is my fifth Vietnam visit, this is my first time in Hanoi. Once upon a time, I was too intimidated to come to this side of the country. My parents are Vietnamese refugees who fled after the Fall of Saigon, which occurred after American troops left the country. Since my parents saw Hanoi as the capitol of the country that was responsible for the loss of their family and land, we had never made the effort to come up here. I remember the thought of that kept me from studying abroad in Hanoi while I was in college. However, it's been over 35 years since the Fall, and as my parents are still healing emotionally and psychologically from their loss, I have had an insatiable appetite to learn more about myself through my Vietnamese roots. Therefore, I applied to be a Fulbright ETA during my third year of teaching. It was difficult, thinking about leaving the wonderful community I had become a part of at my school (I miss you all!), but I knew that this was something I had to do to empower my personal growth and to professionally develop as an English Language Learner teacher. I hope to return to the Bay Area with my newfound knowledge next year!

Fried spring roll, pickled veggies, bun cha

What's Hanoi like? In comparison to my visits to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the traffic's just as busy. You have to watch your hands, feet, and the road at all times -- it helps to have eyes on each side of your head. Also, the food is just as amazing. I cannot recall a time that I didn't crave Vietnamese food. Hanoi's speciality is bun cha, which is rice vermicelli with ground up pork cakes and broth. Here it is with a side of fried spring rolls. (Yes, drool away.) The only thing that I've noticed that's different so far is the accent. I have a Southern Vietnamese (and American) accent, where a lot of words with the "d" and "gi" beginning sound like a "y," and here, those consonants are pronounced with a "z." That, and the language here sounds a lot more formal. I find myself getting corrected a lot here, which is perfectly fine because I'm here to learn. =)

Koua and Amelia singing their hearts out in our private karaoke room

Basically, the best two things about Hanoi so far are friends and food. The other ETAs here are absolutely wonderful. We've all been bitten by the travel bug and come from all different walks of life -- and yet we all came here with the passion to learn and teach. Also, we all love food and enjoy it together -- among other things. We've been dancing, singing at a karaoke lounge -- did I mention eating? -- traveling to Halong Bay... it's just been amazing.


On a side (and superficial) note: I'm growing out my hair. The uniqueness of the style that I once treasured is too hard to take care of; the humidity is not friendly to hair styling products. If you notice my hair looking a little disheveled, just know that it looks like way purposefully -- because there's nothing else to do with it. 

Claire, me, and Vanlam enjoying our street food.

I'll update you again soon, my friends! I hope to blog at least once a week, and I would appreciate any of your comments and questions! Thanks for reading! =)