VIETNAM - part 1

I am currently staying at my aunt's house in Saigon with Mom and Brittany. This is my fourth time back in Vietnam, but just like the other times, the visit has been mainly about visiting family. The only difference is now Brittany's getting a taste of what it's like to live with a Vietnamese family in Vietnam. She definitely stands out, but everyone is just in awe with her wherever we go, greeting her with the only English word they know ("hello" or "hi") and waving frantically at her with the peace sign until she responds. She's picked up quite a bit of Vietnamese, so people get shocked and joyfully surprised when they hear their own language sputtered from her mouth.

We live right in the heart of the Phu Nhuan market, which means, fresh foods are available right outside our door: everything from pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) to nem nuong (grilled fermented pork, might sounds disgusting, but trust me, they are delicious) to banh chao quay (Chinese doughnuts) fried right before our eyes to dip in our ca phe sua da (iced milk coffee). We even have access to beautiful fabric for ao dai (the traditional dress, the ultimate symbol of Vietnamese femininity) and the best shampoo session completed with a face wash/massage.

Tonight is our last night in Vietnam so we are busy packing up to go to Thailand tomorrow morning. This entry is very short, but I will update with more as soon as I get a chance.