It is nice to be back here with former colleagues. Hugs, smiles, and laughter are exchanged upon the first greeting when the language is not shared. As Vietnamese are very direct about body weight (most know all of their friends weights, for example, and comment constantly on how fat/thin people are), the first thing my Vietnamese colleagues say when they see me is, "You are thinner!" (I've lost 7 kg since May when I was last here).
What comes after is amusing. The best so far is, "Did you get married, is that why you are thinner?" I wanted to tell them that women in the west usually gain weight in the first year after they marry, instead of cooking and giving all the food to their husbands like in Vietnam, but I decided not to. The second best, "Wow, you are even more beautiful!"
Welcome to ego booster land.
The Vietnamese love light skin, so again, I get nice comments.
The Vietnamese work hard and age much faster than westerners (except for tiny little women that look like they are 12 years old, but are actually 30!), so people think I am between 15 and 18 here. I guess I can put away that anti-wrinkling cream!
It's back to the familiar here, though I live in a hotel now instead of a house next to a karaoke bar and newly installed restaurant. Now, I am above a restaurant and at the main intersection and closer to the loud speakers. Everything has its pros and cons, but so far I am happy with my decision because it avoids 2 gangs of dogs and walking along a dangerous road. The food is the same: tofu, pork fat, pork deep fried spring rolls (a nice variation though is with seaweed rather than rice paper wrapper for the outside), tasteless spinach/cabbage, and lots of fish sauce and salt.
More updates later on how it is going here. But for now, I will continue on Cloud 9.
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