Yesterday was my first day of language classes. It was perhaps the most overwhelming 3 hours of my time in Viet Nam yet. We spent the first half doing pronunciation which, let me tell you, is not what you would think. I think it is going to be quite a process to un-teach my mind the connection between letters and sounds. For example, r, d, and g all make z sounds. At this point in time I feel pretty sure there is no way I am ever going to learn. But, I know that I will eventually. Particularly after three days a week, for three hours at a time, in a classroom of just Calah and I, for ten weeks. I guess I at least know enough for the title of this post, which says, "I study Vietnamese".
By the time class was over, Calah and I were very ready to head home. Biking hasn’t been too bad, but yesterday was rush hour and to make matters worse, I lost my shoe. Not forever kind of lost, just the momentary kind. But it was kind of an issue. There I was, patiently waiting at a stop light with the masses and when I stepped on the pedal to go my shoe decided to stay on the ground just a little longer. I had to pull my little bike over, and hope that my shoe would still be there in the road. Luckily, for some reason a woman decided to, in essence, guard my shoe. She, along with a crowd of other people, had stopped around it and were not running it over. So I ran out, picked it up, thanked her and ran back. And then, I was on the road again. Now, REALLY ready to be home.
Luckily we had a fun evening planned to make up for the overwhelming afternoon. Hannah, Calah and I went to a symphony at the opera house! We dressed up, took the bus down, sat and enjoyed a little Beethoven, took a lot of pictures and then went to the most famous ice cream shop in Hanoi. I don’t think anything could be a better for a Friday night, especially after such a long day!
By the time class was over, Calah and I were very ready to head home. Biking hasn’t been too bad, but yesterday was rush hour and to make matters worse, I lost my shoe. Not forever kind of lost, just the momentary kind. But it was kind of an issue. There I was, patiently waiting at a stop light with the masses and when I stepped on the pedal to go my shoe decided to stay on the ground just a little longer. I had to pull my little bike over, and hope that my shoe would still be there in the road. Luckily, for some reason a woman decided to, in essence, guard my shoe. She, along with a crowd of other people, had stopped around it and were not running it over. So I ran out, picked it up, thanked her and ran back. And then, I was on the road again. Now, REALLY ready to be home.
Luckily we had a fun evening planned to make up for the overwhelming afternoon. Hannah, Calah and I went to a symphony at the opera house! We dressed up, took the bus down, sat and enjoyed a little Beethoven, took a lot of pictures and then went to the most famous ice cream shop in Hanoi. I don’t think anything could be a better for a Friday night, especially after such a long day!
Here is a quote from Calah today that I think just about sums up life:
"These days, happily ever after means I made it home from work alive and there is pineapple for dessert."
