First of December

It doesn't feel like December. In absolutely no way does it feel like December. It's warm. I'm wearing t-shirts. I make sure I have a poncho, not mittens, when I leave the house. And didn't I just leave the States, like, last week? Actually, it was July when I left America. July. I remember very clearly watching my mom and Sam disappear as I went up the escalator at the airport...and then falling apart and crying while waiting at the gate. Yes, I remember that clearly, but in a way it seems like another lifetime altogether. I've been here for over fourth months now, which I can barely believe.

The installment of Christmas decorations around town helps to remind me that this is the last month of 2008. Maximark is donning tinsel and wreathes. The Yasaka, in its ever tackiness, is glitzed out with flashing lights and giant santas. Next door, the posh Sunrise Resort displays more sophistication in its use of lights and garlands, which are hung tastefully in the arched doorways behind a classic christmas tree. And "Asianized" Christmas carols provide a musical backdrop in many stores already. 'Tis the season, even in Vietnam.

I'm really loving all the Christmas stuff, though. I used to hate Christmas, but in the past few years I come to love the holiday season. And even though I'm bummed about being away for Christmas, and even though Christmas in Vietnam will never be the same, I'm finding comfort and excitement in all the lights and tinsel and jingle bells.

I'm also excited about finding THREE new vegetarian places this week! One was decent, and not exactly new, as we had stumbled upon it in my first week here but had never been able to find it again. The second place was incredible--maybe the best "plate of rice and stuff" I've had! And by far the cheapest, at 7000 dong (about 41 cents). The place was full of locals, which is always a good sign. Katherine found a third place today that we'll hopefully try sometime this week.

Our favorite, more up-scale veg place is also offering new appeal, as it's moved from it's tiny, 8-table location to a three-room joint further down the same street. Hopefully it's upgrade won't bring a jump in prices!

In other news, last night Katherine and I ventured into a "fair" we'd heard about in the city. It was a bit outside of town, towards the airport, but it was a lovely night for a long bike ride. We paid 8000 dong to get in and thus witness what, exactly, constitutes a Vietnamese "fair". Apparently it's a two dinky kid rides, a handfull of "games", free samples of wine and tea, clothes vendors and lots of mops for sale. Yes, mops. A disproportionate number of mops. It was all a bit strange and underwhelming, apart for the earsplitting volume of the music blasting through the place. Some guy gave us free bottles of tea, which we decided compensated for the 8000 we paid for ticekts, and we shelled over a few thousand for real ice cream cones. We were, after all, at a fair, and it was the only "fair'' food that appealed to me. (No funnel cakes in sight. Only fried meat on sticks. Ew.

This morning I got another sweet treat. I finally managed to get some office hours set up, since I was sick last week and re-scheduled them. One student, one of the girls who had come to visit me while I was sick, showed up. She took a few years off before starting uni so she's actually only a year younger than me, and she speaks great English. I helped her with a few sounds she was having trouble with, and then we just chatted for nearly an hour. Before we left she handed me a plastic bag with a metal container inside--she had brought me home-made che!!! Her mother had made it--creamy tapioca with stewed plantain bananas. One of my favorites!

And if that gesture weren't enough, she offered to take me on Thursday to check out the private English school in the city. And then to take me to see how fish sauce is made. I'm kind of dreading the olfactory experience involved, but I'm sure it will be interesting!

Due to a killer headache I took a long nap today. I feel great otherwise, no stomach pain, but I'm still just so tired.

I also got my first piece of unopened mail today! Granted, it took nearly a month to get here, but I can't complain about that when the mail had clearly maintainted its integrity through the Vietnamese postal system. A true feat! It was a mailer from Judi, Sam's mother, decorate with autumn leaves on the outside. On the inside I found 9 cartoonish illustrations of some of my experiences here--getting my jade bracelet, singing and biking in the rain, performing "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" for my students (really one of my brightest moments in life...), watching Obama win the presidency with Sam, from a cozy bed in Asia Paradise Hotel. It was really just so "Judi", the whole concept and aesthetic, which I miss. The package made my day, and luckily I have another mailer to look forward to as I hear she sent a Christmas one too!

I have only a week left in Nha Trang before I head to Da Nang for conference, where we will be staying at a five-star beach resort. American tax dollars hard at work, I tell ya! I'll travel for at least a month, I think, before coming back to Nha Trang. I'm feeling a bit sad about being gone that long. For being such a nomad I sure get attached to places quickly. It's a bad quality for a wandering soul to have! At any rate, I'm looking forward to it, though, and luckily I found a (knock off) North Face backpacking pack at Maximark for $24 dollars.

In the mean time I still have a splitting headache (vomit). Time for bed. :) I've been having crazy dreams lately--last night I met George Clooney on a bench here in Vietnam--so I'm looking forward to some unconscious, nocturnal adventures....