Settling in but never Settled

Yesterday I had a great day. I taught two lessons (terribly) and then headed into central Hanoi for some aimless wandering and lazy drinking with friends. The sun was shining and it was wonderful. Until I got home at 10PM and had to start throwing together lesson plans for my 8 lessons today. However I digress.

While I made the move to Hanoi "to teach" I did it more so for selfish reasons. To explore the world, live in a different culture and soak up everything life has to offer. So while this blog is supposed to be about my life, and an update of it...I think I can leave it at....I'm settling in, I have 25 lessons a weeks and no idea how to teach, I am pretty sure the teachers think I am a sham and they are RIGHT, I want to make more friends, but I truly do like the ones I already have.

Instead this blog is going to be about things I have observed in this great city:

1. People in Vietnam do not have beverages during meals. Unless it's wine. I have never been a part of a culture where it is not essential to serve water and some other kind of drink with the meal but not in Vietnam. In fact when I try and say, "Oh I am thirsty" the reply is "There is soup." Soup to me is not water. And in many ways I am trying to conform to non Western life as possible, I don't think I can give up my habit of a tall glass of water with my meals.

2. Manners. Chivalry is still very much alive and kicking in Vietnam. Men stand up on the bus to give me a seat. I get awkward about it but they insist. Men of America...I watch them as they see a pregnant woman or the elderly stumble onto public trasnsport and avert their eyes so they can pretend like they didn't notice so they don't have to give up their coveted seat. Listen, I am all for equality, and I readily and often give up my seat for those in need. The point is, most American men do not. And it is disgraceful. Give up your seats! Open the door! Let women out of the elevator first! These are all basic rules by which to live.

3. Rice wine+green tea='s amazing.

4. When someone offers to take a picture of you here, they expect money.

I have decided that I really want a motorbike to get around but I think this would be very dangerous for me. Because a)I still have little to no concept of how to get around here (it's only been a week!) and b)the driving is insane...INSANE here and I would either: hurt someone else, seriously injure myself, or spend the whole time screaming as I drive. Maybe even all three.