Morning away

This morning Trang's sister, Thuy, picked me up to take me out to eat. I don't know what I expected (Vietnam taught me a long time ago not to waste time with expectations), but what happened certainly wasn't it. I met her at the school gate and she had her three-year-old son sitting in front of her on the motorbike. We got on the road and she told me we'd be going a little far. I said that was fine. I didn't realize that 'far' meant that we were going to another province. We went to the city of My Tho in Tien Giang Province. It's only on the other side of the Mekong, but it takes about 40 minutes to get there you have to cross the longest bridge in southern Vietnam. I've been trying to get a good picture of the bridge for the last six months, but I'd only ever crossed it at night or on a bus. Being on the back of a motorbike makes photography a lot easier.

Mother and son

Approaching the bridge

We arrived at her favorite cafe and proceeded to feast. We had fish soup, roasted pork short ribs, and a squid dish with vegetables. Thuy told me that she and her husband often eat here on the weekend or on nights when they don't feel like cooking. They live on the north side of Ben Tre Province, so it's a much shorter ride for them. It was a really lovely, peaceful, comfortable way to spend the morning. On the way home I reflected upon the fact that this was the kind of weekend morning I love: a day trip with a friend. A jaunt somewhere different, just for the fun of it. Thuy told me that whenever she has free time she goes out and does something. I think I'll start trying to join in on her outings.


In the evening Trang and I went out for pho. I wanted to see her but I also wanted to talk to her about the oral translation class I'm teaching. Planning it is generally stressful because I don't really feel capable of teaching it. How am I supposed to teach translation when I only know one of the languages involved? Last class, Trang didn't want to sit in because the thought that the students would feel more comfortable with me if she weren't around. However, I just felt uncomfortable and somewhat undermined by the fact that I had to ask my students whether their peers' oral translations were correct. Tonight we agreed that she will be present and participate in my lesson tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

Another thing we talked about was this past week of Tet. Trang was worried that I had been feeling overbooked and tired. You know that I was, but I didn't want to say so and seem ungrateful for everyone's generosity. However, she said that she worried that I felt that way because she herself would have felt that way in my situation. She would have wanted some time to herself. I have been feeling guilty and ungrateful for not being delighted and energetic every moment through Tet, and hearing her say that made me feel validated. It was a big weight off of my shoulders.

Now, post-Tet, my schedule is switching back to early morning teaching, like it was during my first few weeks back in September. I start teaching tomorrow, bright and early. After finishing my turned-upside-down day, I'll have a schedule meeting to discuss the inversion of my schedule. Naturally.