Little things I have noticed

When pointing to something, use your whole hand. I learned this when I was in Japan. Pointing as we do in the US is rude.

In Vietnam they often use the spoon along with chop sticks. It helps with slurping soup and noodles. And slurping seems to be just fine...not quite as loud as in Japan but it is no condoned like the US.

Frequently a spoon and fork is given for food. The spoon is used as a cutting utensil. I really just wanted to pick up the drum stick and eat it with my hands but I am sure i would be viewed as some barbarian so I refrained.

Utensils are faced down when taking a break from eating. When you are done you face them up.

Leave some food over on the plate. It shows you were well fed and there was more than enough when someone else is providing. Still getting used to this one but is useful when you don't like the food.

Bathrooms- Its a BYOTP. Everything from newspapers, loose leaf, cloth are used. It goes in the garbage and not the toilet. They also have a garden hose attached to the wall. I will not go into explaining but I am sure you catch the drift.

Pepsi and Beer you are in the clear, but tea you should fear.
I still drank it when it was offered but try to avoid it along with vegetables you boat captain offers you.

boat ride

Today the exciting thing I did was jump on a little boat used for bringing food to market and took a ride around the river. To my suprise the boat had pfds. The captain, a woman between 35 and 45 took me over to the Can Tho Bridge and then through some windy channels while pointing to things to try to teach me some Vietnamese. I now know Luoc is water...or at least that is the finetics of it. I tried to say some of the words but I am sure I butchered them. We do not have a lot of these sounds in English. I asked me how to say some of the items she pointed to in English. After pointing and repeating alot of English and Vietnamese between the two of us we arrived at an Island with fruit trees and fish ponds.  They were also growing snakehead which was cool to see. They also had snakes and turtles there too eat. I opted for the mango and beer...ummm. On the way back she let me drive the boat for a little while. Nothing like a little fun touristy stuff.   

Answering Gennady and Marc

So the internet is a little strange here and cannot comment on my own blog so I will answer questions in posts. I am also unable to use facebook for the moment...not really sure why.

So I will describe the traffic as it was best described to me by a family friend to me. Picture hundres of mice scurrying past elephants. There are some lights and they apper to be followed most of the time. The mice sometimes drive against the flow of traffic if it is easier to get to their location. Marc, they do have lanes but staying in them is a different story...haha. More like recommended lines to stay within for a kid's oloring book.

The airport is an airport. Nothing special about that. The signs there are also in english which is very helpful.

I am staying at a hotel that is very close to the university. Maybe a 7 to 10 minute walk. Its called the Hai Duong Hotel. Its about $300/month. Less than half my rent back home! And, I get Wifi and utitlities in this deal.

First Night

After Hong Kong, I had a two hr flight to Hochi Minh and then a 4 or 5 hr car ride to Can Tho. Finally here. Mr. Hein who met me at the airport and accompanied back to Can Tho was very nice. Mr. Hein treated me to some dinner along the way. It was a very good soup with beef in it. I also had coffee which is very different from the U.S. but tasty

I have never seen people drive this way in my life before. The drivers just push through the motor cycles and it somehow works. Never really seen anything like it before.

Off to explore the town in an hour with Ms. Hein (I think that is here name) and get a cell phone, Vietnamese Dhong, and hopefully some breakfast.

Almost There

Hey all,

Just got into Hong Kong after a 17 hr flight. Suprisingly, I met someone from East Hartford who is also going to Vietnam.