Sombreros in Vietnam?

Sarah and I visited West Lake (an area of Hanoi named for, well, its lake) for the first time last weekend. As we walked along the lake's edge, we saw a number of men fishing. Some wore traditional Vietnamese hats, others wore motorbike helmets, but one man was proudly sporting a large, neon sombrero. We couldn’t help but laugh at this unique and unexpected mixing of cultures.

You Know You're Not in the U.S. When...

One of the lessons that has been stressed throughout my cross-cultural training is that when we experience differences, they often seem categorically wrong. It’s easy to make unwarranted, premature judgments on aspects of a new culture and situation simply based on this negative feeling. And many of these judgments eventually prove to be inaccurate, or at least not so cut-and-dry as you initially made them out to be.

So this post is a post of noticings. Differences I’ve observed since being here that poignantly remind me I’m no longer in the U.S. Some of them initially seem positive, some neutral, some negative…and some just hilarious. But for now I’m refraining from judgment (or at least attempting to), focusing on understanding the cultural reasoning behind them all, and enjoying the ride as much as possible. J

So. You know you’re not in the U.S. when…

• when you see commercials and billboards for skin-whitening lotion, rather than tanning lotion, and people carry umbrellas just as much (if not more) for the sun as the rain
• when bathrooms:
       1)      have doors with windows
       2)      have showers that consist of, well, a showerhead
       3)      have toilets with half & full-flush options
       4)      have butt-washers (I’m sure there’s a nicer name, I just don’t know it)

• when people giggle and take your picture as you’re eating your lunch at a restaurant...or just randomly walk up and ask to take a picture with you
• when no one says “excuse me” when you bump into someone because there are always so many people
• when lines don’t exist; if you’re not physically close enough to the person in front of you, someone else will jump in
• when Backstreet Boys, N’Sync, West Life, Britney Speakers, and Michael Jackson are the most popular artists among college students, and you hear Titanic played frequently in public locations (musical taste here is stuck in the 90’s)
• when traffic laws are suggestions
• when things just aren’t as reliable, steady, streamlined, and efficient as you’re used to – both relationally/professionally (communication, last-minute changes, follow-through), and with amenities like water, electricity, and internet
• when the appearance of something is often more important than the actual content (gifts, meetings, etc)
• when napping on a park bench with your leg slung over the back rest or sleeping on a parked motorbike beside a crowded road is perfectly normal
• when people think you have an Australian accent
• when bed mattresses are hard enough to double as both exercise mats and ironing boards
• when random people come up to you that you’ve never seen before and start talking to you because they want to practice their English
• when personal bubbles are much smaller...if they even exist
• when washing machines beep childrens' songs to alert you they've finished running the cycle
• when typical seating at streetfood shops consists of mini-tables and stools

 

Missing Fall



Central Park, Roseville MN

I was thinking the other day about how much I miss the Minnesota fall. And I realized this is the second autumn season I’ve missed in the past 3 years (thanks to Chile and Vietnam J).  I really do miss it. The colors of the flaming maples and yellow beeches. Stepping outside and filling your lungs with the nippy air that’s so fragrant and rich, but has just a bit of a pungent edge. Perfect sweater weather. Raking leaves and getting blisters on your hands (believe it or not, I really do enjoy that experience about once a year). Jogging down park paths, engulfed in a colorful canopy, and staring at leaves reflecting on both lakes and puddles. Hot apple cider. Autumn Spice lattes from Dunn Bros Coffee. I never feel like I can drink in enough of the beauty of Fall. I just don't have the senses with which to comprehend it all. It fills me with a sense of longing and sweetness. Part of that longing, I know, is for the season itself. Yet another part of it, I think, is also a bit of an ache for our true home and final destination. When beauty will become more palpable and our senses less dull.

Teaching Moments

Oohhhh teaching. It can be stressful. It can be tiring. But sometimes, it’s just downright hilarious.

1)      “I’m tall.” A couple of my male students said this in introductory speeches. They were maybe my height (5’4”). I had to physically check myself to keep from laughing.

2)      “Mieul YAHSson” and “Lady GhaGHA.” Translation? Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga. This led to a 5 minute pronunciation lesson on the letters “k” and “j” and “g,” as well as a quick mention of syllable stress. Hopefully it sticks and transfers to words other than the names of their favorite pop stars.

3)      “The beautiful, enthusiasm teachers.” Student response to the question, “What was the best thing about your first week of university?” Wonder if he woulda said the same thing if he knew I’m not the one actually assigning his grades. Hmm….

4)      Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Ever tried using Mary Poppins to teach syllables? We were reviewing comparative/superlative adjectives and the differences in formation based on the number of syllables in the word. The students had the look on their face of “Are you seriously making us review this?” So I hit them with the above. Can you decipher the number of syllables in the word? How ‘bout “hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliaphobia”? (Which, by the way, ironically means “the fear of long words.”)

That's it for installment one. More to come, I’m sure. J