the world for more than it simply is

The last day in Viet Nam has finally arrived for me after almost everyone has already gone and left. There are parts about the states which I look forward to seeing again–family and friends mostly. However, I have been here for so long that I do not yet want to leave this place. My future plan, if it remains constant, is to return to Viet Nam in a year and a half to two years time after graduation. There is much about this country that needs to be addressed, but I do not yet have the capacity to. At current, I see Viet Nam as one of the countries in which I will do future work in and have a residence in.

What I will remember most about this country are the people I’ve met and befriended throughout my travels and studies in this region. Secondary to the people are the unique landscapes in each region I’ve visited. One day I will return here.

Below are a series of observations made in the past few days here in Sai Gon.

A woman carries around an infant
hours before dawn even breaks,
the child may not even be hers,
perhaps borrowed or rented,
she sells gum to tourists.

Children lay asleep on the sidewalk
covered in pieces of tattered cloth for warmth,
one takes a break from her nightmarish work
and joins her sibling on the tarped pavement.

A prostitute covered in layers of make-up
asks for a light.
She smiles after her cigarette is well and lit
while waiting for the balding western men to return.

A child of not even ten sits
outside a night time eatery
selling chewing gum to patrons.
She is frail like a skeleton.

Young girls all about town sell roses
in front of the church,
at the bars,
at the art exhibition.
All at night.

The study abroad program in Ha Noi has come to an end–I am now back in Sai Gon before heading to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh for a few days. Soon enough Christmas and New Year’s will come to pass and I will be back in the states. I can already sense that I will have some level of depression upon my return. In fact, I have already started to plan my future returns to this country.

Four o’clock this morning, after farewells at both Balcony Bar and the newly opened Hanoi Alcochol University, Nguyet, Hac, and I were on to our way to the airport without sleep. Arriving in Sai Gon around eight thirty, we gathered our luggage before parting ways. For this was all we had left for now apart from the past conversations, adventures, and times we all had together.

Today is my mother’s birthday back in states, Happy Birthday Mom!

It’s another day here in HCMC. This morning we took a bus near Cho Ben Thanh to go and visit the old house where Ong and Ba Ngoai use to reside in. It has now been converted into a bida (pool) hall along with an adjacent clothing store. I used my camcorder to capture the surrounding area to and from there, as well as what is left of it on the outside. Now all that remains of the old structure are the back bedrooms. We managed to go to where the kitchen used to be; it is now an alleyway with backdoors for the adjoining homes and shops. Ong Loi mentioned a tennis court that used to exist there, but was now no more. Once very different, it is now almost unrecognizable from the street save the address–300 Duong Le Van Sy.

Before going there we had breakfast with Ong Loi at Thuan Kieu 9; a few minutes walk away. I had com tam with thit suong, cha muc, and a kind of chung hap–not bad at all. After the visit to view the old residence, we stopped by a pastry shop and bought some treats for the kids and a few pate chaud. Soon thereafter, we stopped by the coffee stall in the alleyway which Ong Loi frequents each morning–more of that good cafe da.

Yesterday after getting a great massage, we went with Hac’s friend Kenny to the Caravel Hotel to go swimming in what I’ll call a luxury pool. Since Kenny has a month-long membership there, we were able to accompany him into this high class resort for foreigners in the middle of downtown HCMC. The same night after a dinner of chao, the family here took us out to eat banh xeo. To get to the restaurant, we took 4 motorbikes–12 individuals total. Imagine if you will the size of your everyday banh xeo (like the ones Bac Ty makes each summer), now double that. Hac and I each had one mammoth banh xeo, washing it down with Tiger bia on ice. In addition, we also snacked on some banh tom. Each day I’m here, I usually always full. After eating the banh xeo, we were taken to get some nuoc sinh to at a streetside location somewhere in Q11 if I recall correctly. I had the mangostein one while Hac had the avacado. Also before I forget Hac and I had lunch at Cho Ben Thanh earlier on–Bun Thit Nuong with some shrimp wrapped around the sugar cane and gio cuon.

Pictures of the old house will be posted on Hac’s blog.

Yesterday Hac and I went with Ong Loi to the US Embassy to register our presence in VN. The process was quick as we only had to get our passports photocopied and a form to fill out information. To get there, we took a bus (which was air conditioned) to Nha Tho Duc Ba–the church where the infamous statue of mother Mary that weeps from time to time. Traffic is intense here as this city has the most 2-wheeled vehicles in the world. However, crossing the street isn’t all that bad. It’s just a game of watch and dodge.

After getting the embassy business done with, we went to eat lunch with Ong Loi. We had some Cha Ca Chien, Battered Cua Chien, Canh Cua Rau Dai, some okra with nuoc mam and mam tom, and Bia 33 (better known to westerners as Beer 333). Afterwards we walked around the city and went shopping and site seeing. Without Ong Loi to accompany us, we would have been unable to effectively haggle the prices to lower levels (a savings of over 50% on some items). When the price is too high after asking, it’s best to haggle and walk away to get the sale. Other locations we visited included the large and updated Buu Dien, the opera house, a few parks here and there, and the statue commerating Bac Ho.

The day before last we awoke around 830am to go eat breakfast with Chu Bi and his friend. We went on the back of their xe om (a scooter-kinda motorcycle Honda branded). Weaving through traffic was pretty intense. I held onto the sides at first to keep my balance, but eventually it got to the point where I was comfortable enough to ride on the back of it without holding on. If you ever come here, you should ride on one. It’s more exciting than riding in an air-conditioned SUV with hip-hop music blazing sipping on a 40. Unfortunately that morning the place that sold Hu Tieu was clean out of it since we got there too late so Chu Bi asked us what we wanted to eat. We said banh mi, which he mistakenly mistook for KFC American sandwiches instead of banh mi thit. Thus, our first breakfast in good ol’ VN was a chicken sandwich at KFC and some cola. After eating, we headed over to a hip coffee joint called Mercury Cafe which blasted western dance music along with local VN MTV style songs. It was here where I got some Cafe Sua Da priced at an unreasonably high 16000d. This place was full of VN’s young crowd sporting the latest fashions. The girls there were well, pretty hot.

The night of the same day, we had a home cooked dinner over at Ong Loi’s home. Afterwards we went to an nhau with cac Chu over at a streetside drink and eatery. The uncles were pretty cool. We had some good conversation and ate some good food I had never seen before along with several glasses of Tiger Bia on ice.

Well off to get a massage.

More later. Pictures will be added in once I get the internet working on my laptop.

I’ve just arrived in HCMC the other night. I will have to update in a few days. Check back then for more details. I’m not really experiencing any culture shock as they call it (it’s probably because we are staying with family members here in VN and that I already speak the language for the most part.)

The flight to Korea was pretty long–12 hours if I recall correctly. I filled the time on the plane by watching in-flight movies and playing chess against a virtual opponent. The arrival in Incheon, S. Korea was different to say the least. Never have I seen such a large amount of Korean people. The duty free shops there are stocked with goods that tourists would buy. All the usual souvenirs and then some. Everything was seemingly overpriced though. After touring the airport with my cousin Hac and eating a light Korean meal of noodles in broth with seafood on a stick, we boarded the plane to VN. Before I forget, Hac’s VN friend who goes to Depaul with him was also present during our flight to VN. A nice girl who was carrying an Xbox 360 home for her brother.

During the flight, I slept in intervals of wake and sleep. A bit of the restlessness of sitting in an uncomfortable seat for so long. Not to mention, I was half awake when the flight attendents came by with the airline food and knocked over a cup of water I had in the cup holder. Still feeling a bit of fatigue as it is a 12 hour time zone difference. Ong Loi’s family picked us up from the airport. After getting through VN customs (which was remarkably faster than I had expected), we were greeted by a large sign bearing the names ‘Xuan Hao (though incorrect) and Quy Hac.’ That night we were welcomed into Ong Loi’s house and Chu Bao went and got some Pho–pho chin to be exact. It was pretty good.