Touching Down

It’s been a busy three days here in Da Nang. I landed, found out my home stay wasn’t going to work, went around to two hotels before settling on a third, unpacked and relaxed for a moment, dinner with colleagues, and then home and passed out by 9pm. I was met at the airport by two colleagues who are absolutely great. Tram is the woman with whom I was supposed to do a home stay; but unfortunately, her brother is not feeling well and moved back into the family house where I was going to stay. Tram has been my liaison at DISED, has helped me get situated, and is an all around great person. Our desks are next to each other and it is fun to talk with her and learn about the Vietnamese culture.  

On day two, I hit the ground running with Dr. Ingle. I was in and out of meetings with him and high-ranking Da Nang political officials, meeting my colleagues at DISED, and eating amazing food at every turn. I sat in on an all-staff meeting at DISED that was conducted entirely in Vietnamese. I was introduced, I stood, and people applauded. It was Peace Corps 2014 in Vietnam. Over the last two days, Dr. Ingle and I have met with the equivalent of the deputy mayor of Da Nang and a few other Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) officials. These have been great initial discussions that have demonstrated the desire of Da Nang’s political representatives to change their governance system for the better. Another perspective I am very interested to learn about is that of the Da Nang residents. DISED has research on this topic, and I look forward to the opportunity to review it.

All staff meeting at DISED

I have a meeting tomorrow with the director of DISED, Dr. Thai and the manager of the department in which I work, Ms. Hoa. We will discuss a timeline for my work, set feasible milestones, and I will be assigned a counterpart with whom I will collaborate during my time at DESID. Dr. Thai has wanted to set up a timeline for my deliverables and activities at DISED, and I appreciate this since my time here is short. Outside of meetings over the last two days, I’ve been keeping myself busy conducting a literature review of what research/action has already been done in the realm of better governance in Vietnam. I am finding studies done by the Asia Foundation, the World Bank, and ideas suggested by the Vietnamese government. Concurrently with this review, I have been working to build an elementary understanding of the municipal city government structure in Da Nang. To put it mildly, it’s complex. It’s clear to see why the CPV, local government officials, and the general public would want to change some of the system to become more efficient. More on the political system at a later time; let’s talk about food.

It’s amazing. Delicious chicken, amazing pork, vegetables drenched in garlic, and tasty fish. The coffee is black, thick, and strong, and the bahn mi sandwiches are great breakfast treats. I was looking for dinner last night when I approached what seemed to be a popular outdoor venue. Popular for the locals, that is. Neither the cook nor any other employees spoke English and I asked if they had any chicken on the menu. The cook pointed at something and I nodded in agreement. I sat down with many eyes fixed on me and friendly locals nodding in my direction. When my plate came, it smelled delicious, but it was definitely not chicken. I asked an employee what I had in front of me and he answered back in Vietnamese. Normally it’s not that big of a deal, but I am trying to cut out red meat from my diet, and if I can avoid it, then I will. At the very least I would like to know what I am eating. My new friend and I were getting nowhere with the language barrier until technology swooped in. He broke out his iphone and went straight to Google translator. “This is barbeque pork. Is that ok? Can you eat it?” I had a huge smile on my face with two thumbs up. I wrapped the barbeque in lettuce leaves with sprouts, smothered it in some kind of delicious sauce and thoroughly enjoyed every bite. Afterwards, I shared a beer with a table full of locals, explaining to them that I am indeed Indian and American (Peace Corps 2014: Vietnam!), and that I was currently studying in Da Nang city.

Barbeque pork, which I now know is called heol (pronounced like 'hell')

My experience thus far has been filled with gracious hosts, mouth-watering meals, and productive professional interactions. I am looking forward to the next week as I continue to learn how I will be able to contribute to my host agency and to the city of Da Nang.

-P-