Riddle me this: Let’s say you are a budget traveler. Which is the best option to get from Hanoi, Vietnam, to Vientiane, Laos… while still maintaining your sanity? a) $150 for a one hour flightb) $40 for a 24 hour sleeper busc) $14 for a “20 hour” sitting bus ride which is widely reported to… [Read More]
Vietnam
YUM: Eat Vietnamese Bun Bo Nam Bo!
In Thailand, you can wake up in your hotel room at one pm (two hours after checkout), stagger to the reception clerk and say, “I think I’ll stay another night, cool?” The clerk will usually smile and nod, graciously murmuring something like, “I guessed you would.” Being a George Bush style genius, I decided to… [Read More]
Hanoi’s Super-Cute Ex-Pat Cafes
“I’m analyzing your deepest fears and desires right now,” said the short-haired, middle-aged Canadian woman, staring at the drawings her French co-worker had scrawled on their paper placemats. The warm lighting in the Hanoi cafe made the colors glow. The French woman smiled. “I just drew lots and lots of elephants. Not really any reason… [Read More]
Little Stools and Other Situations Close to the Earth
Here are three differences between American culture and Vietnamese culture that have to do with being closer, physically, to the Earth. 1. Feet. I went to college with a fellow who never wore shoes, even in winter. He also walked around frequently with a giant live boa constrictor around his neck, and was generally considered… [Read More]
Mannequin Bodies, By Country
One of the most hilarious aspects of teaching is having the opportunity to absorb the latest teen slang. It’s endlessly entertaining! In the Boston Public School in which I worked for five years, one of many slang words for a nice, plump rear end was: a fatty. “Oooh, she got a fatty!” girls would squeal… [Read More]
John McCain’s Hanoi Prison, Today!
Across from the glass case holding the uniform John McCain was wearing when he was shot down (pictured, right), Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi has a sign that reads as follows: “United States government carried out a sabotage warfare by air force and naval force against the North of Vietnam from 05 August 1964 to… [Read More]
