Hooting in Saigon: please note that this has absolutely nothing to do with safety or anything practical here, this I have discovered, it is a mere ' I acknowledge you there fellow road user', nothing to be stressed about. I do feel the need to go on about the traffic a bit more, dull as it may sound, but it is simply insane! The fact that I have not seen anybody stop their motorbike, pull out a gun or at least resorted to some vulgar language and hand movements is simply beyond my South African mindset. I do believe that there should be some sort of a ceremony for every time I have crossed a manic busy street all by myself managing to keep all my limbs in tact. As my ma maar geweet het wat haar ou dogertjie doen!
In other news a bit more personal than hooting and my pure fascination, I am more than half way to my TEFL qualification. As part of the course we are required to get in a number of practical lessons before the end of the course. I have been as entertained as to give two lessons to an Engineer Varsity student and about 2 lessons to some high school kids. I must say that I have really surprised myself so far, I expected it to be much harder and I have found patience somewhere inside I never knew I had. Rather cute the way the kids are so interested to find out more about me, not so cute the way the boys feel it necessary to call me beautiful and so forth just before a lesson... tsk tsk kids! I must share that I was asked by my varsity student if Joburg is so dangerous because of all the wild animals, imagine. Basically me a teacher might just work out. So far so good.
I confess that I have been here more than two weeks and have hardly done anything of touristic (is that a word) value. The first weekend was geared towards getting over culture shock, second weekend recovering from staying up all night and the futile attempt of shopping. Then come the last weekend and was arrested by what I though was Swine Flu and hardly had the energy to walk to the window. So the coming weekend will be a date for all that is museum, cultural and Saigonish.
I started thinking about leaving Saigon and rather moving up to Hanoi... not as hectic, cooler and apparently more scenic. I admit that this inner crazy city living is starting to get to me, I'm used to space. Seeing as I'm living on the edge why not pack up and go somewhere new while I'm in the habit. I do however look forward to settling a bit, renting a house, buying pot plants, cooking my own dinner, you know. Not that I could possibly complain about the food here, most of the times it is so good and so affordable, I definitely am not going hungry here. Think this evening was the first time I had some western food... chicken and mushroom pizza. Somehow I have not had any sushi yet! I don't know how this happened and I'm sure Belinda is very worried about this.
That is all for now folks, I actually have homework, imagine that.
As you've learned, Hanoi isn't the best place to find space or serenity. But you made the right choice! --Sarah
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