I debated a lot whether to publish that last post. I didn't want to come off as negative, especially so close to the end, but it was the truth. Fortunately, last night did a lot for my emotional well-being. It was the last meeting of the adult English club, and we had a party at one of the teacher's houses. The idea was that I would get there early and learn how to cook some traditional dishes but, as I suspected, that turned into me wrapping spring rolls while everyone else did the serious cooking. I didn't mind, though. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people who hadn't been coming to the club this semester show up for the party.
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| Our handiwork |
While the cooking continued, Ngoc and Mr. Luan took me to a nearby site of importance that they couldn't explain. I found out later that it was a Cao Dai monastery. Aside from the hellish swarms of mosquitoes, it was really nice. It is a place for meditation, so there were a lot of small fountains, rock formations, and gardens. There was also a sort of burial area with these massive grave markers. I'm not sure who got to be buried there. We met some of the monks, and they seemed somewhat tickled to have me, an American, in their midst.
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| Graves |
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| Whoever it is that gets buried under these apparently gets some fancy headwear |
By the time we made it back to the party, it was time to eat. And like any Vietnamese meal-based gathering, eat we did. For once, having been around for the preparation of the food, I knew exactly how many courses there would be, and I had an easier time pacing myself. Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't end up stuffed to the gills. As is often the case, we ended up splitting into a men's table and a women's table. In theory, I wonder whether this division should bother me, but in reality, in Vietnam I find it very comfortable. Given the different social expectations for festive men (lots of drinking) and festive women (less drinking), it makes sense and it cuts down on drinking pressures for me, since I straddle the line of expectations as a western woman.
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| Men's table |
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| Ladies' table |
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| Most of the group, except for the five people holding cameras |
I appreciate that you posted the below post, even if it was negative. It validated a lot of the feelings I've been having, and it was really nice to know that Adelina-who-appears-so-good-at-handling-all-Vietnamese-situations-with-grace-and-dignity-and-calmness is also struggling with some of the same feelings as Allison-who-is-too-impatient-for-Vietnam. SEE YOU SO SOON.
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