A New Life

In the past four days I've focused on the fact that I have to make a new life here. It's an odd idea, since the last time I had to do anything like this was when I began college at HWS almost four years ago. I have an awesome job so it was time to begin to construct my extra-curricular life. On Wednesday I began the search for a singing group here in Ho Chi Minh City and stumbled upon an ad for the HCMC International Choir. After emailing the director and receiving a prompt reply, I am going to a short audition on the night of Monday, February 2nd and hopefully afterwards I will practice with the group. They are preparing a giant Haydn piece for some June concerts and I'm really excited.

On Tuesday night I went with the roommates to a bar that was hosting a giant party to watch the inauguration live on CNN. We stood for almost three hours among so many ex-pats. It was exciting, and not because that was the most white people I had ever seen in one place in Vietnam. When FORMER President George Bush (has a ring to it, no?) appeared on the t.v., there was nothing but booing. And crying was soon to follow as President Obama's speech was inspiring and put forth quite a challenge to the American people. It's a different sort of rallying the troops- a helpful and less expensive one. So we watched the arrivals, entertainment, and speech and then came back home at about 1 am. This is DiDi and I in our excited state. And then there are all the housemates...





On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I took motorbike taxis, xe oms, to the backpacker's district of the city. On Tuesday I watched the movie "Defiance," which is the true story of a community of Jews in early 1940's Belorussia. They hide in the wood and make their own community. One of the giant themes was their very lives as defying the plans of the Third Reich and the constant choice between physically fighting back (killing German soldiers who stumbled upon their camp) or just running and remaking their lives in another part of the forest. It was a darn good movie. Just after the movie ended and right before the credits began to roll, a long-haired man of about 65 began to ask if anyone in the small theater could speak English. I caught his eye and he began to talk about how glad he was that this movie was made and is being seen by the masses. He explained that he was a Belarusian paratrooper and that more people need to know what actually went on there. He was happy to hear I'm a skydiver and then continued on to tell light war stories and about what he felt are the downfalls of globalization. I just sat there are he spouted all kinds of half-baked ideas about people moving to countries and having to accept the culture there.

On each day I took a xe om into that district I would walk back towards the giant market, Benh Thanh, and take lots of photos. The big park outside the market has been transformed into a flower market for Tet (the upcoming New Year) and it's a great place to meet people and take great photos. I've seen some very interesting things there--giant water buffalos (better known to the Native Americans as tatonkan) crafted from fruit, a small street boy being hit by a livid man toting a bamboo stick (presumably for trying to steal from the flower market), and lots of cute babies. I've also seen men taking their after lunch naps in odd positions on benches, a display with Santa Claus and seven dwarfs instead of elves, and had a short chat with a street kid carrying his baby sister. Here are some of my favorites.



























After spending time in the park/flower market, I'd walk past the giant Benh Thanh market and then into the square with the historic cathedral and the giant post office. I'd grab a Coke or a coffee and sit on a small stool by the side of the road either taking photos or writing postcards. By then it'd usually be about 3 pm and I'd take another xe om back to the apartment to rehydrate.







At night DiDi and I go out and meet with friends. On Wednesday night it was half-price mojito night at this great Spanish restaurant so we went and chilled out there. We also took awesome photos using the bathroom mirror. Reminiscent of junior high activities, I'm aware. From left to right it's Inny, me, DiDi, and Sarah. Inny and Sarah are German and we hang out all the time. In fact, Inny's having us all over for another barbeque tonight in order to have a last dinner before Tet. I'm excited because there's nothing like good friends and good food.



In other news, I have begun my anti-malarials and have had none of the expected side effects (dizziness, stomach illness, liver failure, etc.). Early tomorrow morning DiDi and I leave on a bus bound for her family's house in Bac Lieu, the southernmost province of Vietnam. I'm really excited to meet her family and eat well for the next week. I've been practicing saying the names of her four sisters and almost have them down. We'll have a review session sometime during the eight hour bus trip. Plenty of time. I'll be back to my computer at the end of next week. At that time another blog entry will appear and all of your awesome emails will be answered.

Happy New Year! Chuc mung nam moi! :)