What I've Been Told, and What I've Observed

Below are a few things I have observed/been told about the Vietnamese culture since I arrived 12 days ago:

• I grossly underestimated the heat and humidity here. Maybe I don’t remember the weather situation in Fiji as well as I should, but Vietnam is definitely winning in the sweat index, in my opinion.
• Local people are interested in my Indian background. One of the first questions I am always asked is where am I from? “USA”, I answer. “How about your family, where are they from?” is the eventual follow up question.
• My friends at DISED, and the Vietnamese people are tremendously nice. Example: I have joined up on the DISED soccer team. These guys are solid in an intramural-all men’s league. They have won the championship in this league, so their skills are definitely legit. Mine are not. I know this. We had a game yesterday and I was the only one that didn’t score. I missed two open nets (seriously, ooooopen) and was generally bad. After the game, my teammates were saying how good I am at soccer. These guys are just way too nice.

I am actually running away from the action.  

• Related to soccer - I live by the newer soccer field in the city. When out and about on three different occasions, I have been asked by local shopkeepers if I am an international player, playing for the Da Nang squad. "You play soccer?" making a kicking motion, they ask. Yeah, definitely. you should come check out one of my games with DISED.
•  I am riding a motorbike around town. Riding a bicycle would be suicide via heat exhaustion (see observation #1) and places are just far enough that necessitate my own transportation. Driving here is very different from Portland (Understatement of the year. Ha!). Going through smaller intersections is like a game of chicken: who is going to stop first and let the other person go? It can be quite nerve wraking, but also satisfying when one comes out unscathed.  Don’t worry mom – I am wearing a helmet and taking it slow! 
• The video here is my usual morning commute. All in all, it takes about 15 minutes, including a stop at the local bahn mi cart. I pull up to the office, which has a coffee shop next door where I find colleagues having coffee and breakfast. I've obviously sped up the video here; so no, no one is actually driving as fast as shown. 

That video quality is pretty bad. Here's a link to a (hopefully) better video: Ride to Work

• As mentioned, from a western's perspective, there is neither rhyme nor reason to “right of way” here. You honk your horn, go forward confidently, or stop and let the other person go. I have been spending time with an old friend who just happened to be traveling through Asia, and he made a stop over in Da Nang to catch up. He made the astute observation that even though everyone is honking at each other, there’s very little to any road rage. Everyone understands what’s happening and goes with the flow. Think about how much road rage there is in the States; and how much more there would be if everyone were honking at each other all the time.

• Vietnamese do not go to the beach during the day. Here’s a picture from Saturday at 1:00pm in the afternoon. No one. On a weekend. On this glorious, amazing, wide stretch of fine, white sand beach. The locals do not want to have any semblance of a tan, therefore they do not spend much time outside during the hottest hours of the day.

• Speaking of not wanting a tan; this is how many of the local women ride their scooters/motorbikes around town. I usually have a decent sweat just wearing a helmet and my pollution mask. These women aren’t breaking any kind of sweat once they take off their sun shields. Pretty amazing.
  

  

  This is one of my friends/colleagues, Ha. Looking good and fully protected, Ha! 

•  Locals take a two-hour lunch break from 11:30am – 1:30pm. Something I could easily get used to; but probably shouldn’t!
• Small chairs and tables – this is the norm in Da nang. In fact, I am sitting at one such arrangement as I post this. The first time I saw it was at my hotel and I just thought that was all the owner had. Then, as I got around town, I noticed these small seating arrangements were everywhere.

Friends, colleagues, and soccer teammates

Well, I hope you enjoyed a few of my thoughts and observations, and also learned a little something about the beautiful culture in Vietnam. I hope to have a little update regarding my work for the next post. Until then, take care!

-P-