Born with a chameleon tongue

"You were born with the skill to communicate with people easily." - Fortune cookie confidence-booster

Today I understood two consecutive overheard sentences. It has been sunny for the last three days, despite the fact that the forecast continues to predict daily thunderstorms. I can make introductory small-talk, count, bargain (đắt quá! - Too expensive!), name animals (con cá sấu, crocodile, literally means ugly fish animal), and reply appropriately when someone sneezes (sức khỏe!). I am feeling more confident about the six tones and have taken to quietly reading aloud all the signage I pass in the streets. Language is being learned. Food is being eaten.

Last night we took a walk to the cathedral. When we went inside there was a contingent of primarily older people praying the rosary. I couldn't understand a word, but I couldn't mistake the structure. The church was beautiful, built during the French occupation, and the stained glass windows were imported from France.

Tonight we had a reception to meet representatives from our host institutions. I got to meet the man who has coordinated my schedule, Mr. Luan. As soon as I walked into the room he started taking pictures of me, and this continued throughout the evening. He was thrilled to meet me, but spoke very limited English. To give you a sense of how much we were struggling with English, when he mentioned that he had learned Russian in college, I immediately tried to switch over, thinking we would have more success that way despite the fact that I only speak a spoonful of Russian. Unfortunately, he told me that he didn't remember any of it anymore. I am starting to believe my guidebook's assertion that though many middle-generation people studied Russian, they forgot it as soon as the Soviet Union fell. At first Mr. Luan and I struggled and relied on repetition and writing things out (he seemed to have an easier time understanding written English), but as the evening progressed we started figuring each other out and communicating better. He told me that there are no foreigners in Ben Tre, and that I will be a great resource for the College. It is certainly a nice feeling to be so appreciated and to be received with such enthusiasm, but I can only hope that that old fortune cookie is right. If he is any indication, communication will be a challenge. On the upside, I hope this means that my Vietnamese skills will develop substantially.

Today, on the way to our reception with members of our host institutions, hosted at an ambassador's house, I saw a completely different part of Hanoi. We live in the Old Quarter and everything seems within walking distance, but Hanoi has a population of over 4 million people, and there is clearly much that remains to be discovered. Every day I am wiped out by the end of class, but I can't not seek out more of Hanoi. I am trying to find the right balance between rest and exploration.


Want to see what it's like to cross the street? Watch a video on Kelly's blog.