The grieving leaving expat

Ways I can tell that I’m not in Hanoi anymore…

I drink tap water.

I can’t even imagine ordering a second beer because I can’t afford it.

Waiting for the little green man to flash before I even think to cross the road, but at the same time cars stop for me at designated crossings, just strange.

Wondering why I get these judgmental looks from cashiers when I ask for a plastic bag. They don’t out right say it but I can tell they’re thinking “murder of the planet!... seriously who still uses plastic bags girlfriend.” (Hanoi would gladly provide a plastic bag at the drop of a hat, or even just bottle of water for the road)

Apart from that second beer it sounds great right? No. No! I have now left Hanoi and it hardly took 24 hours here in Switzerland for those rose tinted glasses to be thrown on. Gone is the road rage, gone is the cursing at constructions that starts at 6 in the morning 7 days a week… gone gone gone. I miss Hanoi suddenly and with passion.

I might be going through the first phase of ‘the grieving expat': romanticisation (the act of indulging in sentiment)

Hanoi as great as an experience as it was, was not always an easy city to live in, ask any expat that’s been there for a while, even though these expats, myself included would defend the city from outside criticism any day.

I think what also just adds to this longing is the fact that I’m here for a few days. Think for a second, especially if you know Hanoi, of the most possible opposite place in the world ever… Switzerland right? Right? With its order and spotlessness and its ridiculous prices. I’m almost addicted to a sense of craziness which Hanoi has gotten me used to so I’m forced to contrast facts from Hanoi to Bern/Zurich constantly.

Not that it’s fair to compare, there is no winner or loser here. Having said that I don’t think you’ll be reading about ‘Lan in SwitzerLAN’ anytime soon. Lan in Nam part 2, maybe… I’ll need to get over the unknown phases of ‘the grieving expat’ before I can soberly make such a move again. I’ll be sure to post my finding of phase 2 if I find it.

Hanoi was my home for more than a year and a half, even though it feels like a lifetime and 3 months at the same time. So of course leaving is dramatic, exciting and heartbreaking. I’ll miss so much more than I even realize now…

Right now I’m on my way home, Ben is coming with me as soon we can get dearest Bona at the Embassy to do her job and give him a temporary permit as a ‘life partner’. An American in the Northern suburbs of Joburg might be the source of my next blog muse, will see about that one.


Lan in Nam again???
or

Lan in SwissLan? well will think of a better name if I ever get back here... promise

The kids are alright

...not really, they are amazing!

It's been over two weeks now that I said goodbye to arguably my highlight of being a teacher in Vietnam, I had to bid my 192 Grade one and two students fair well, sad day. I have for the most part of my year and half been teaching at language center, where I mostly taught adults on week nights and kids on Saturday. This was fun for the most part, mixed in with so 'not so fun' at times.

I started teaching in the public schools around January and my regret is not having done that sooner. I'll be honest teaching young kids is not every teachers cup of tea, I hardly knew I would get so into it. However, getting paid to sing songs and help color, hoping my English native accent will rub of on the kiddies was well worth it.

I had the joy of having to teach, and I quote from the textbook, things like:

"Please don't wink"
"Do jumping jacks"
"Plant a tree"
"Take off your cap...quickly quickly"
"Please don't whistle"
"Can you play the violin?"
"I love cucumbers... yum yum yum"
"Bounce the basketball"
"Pick up the clock...slowly"
"Touch the starfish"

And the word Iguana and Umpire... so my kids can't ask what your favorite color is but they can say the word Iguana?!

All these random lines where set to annoyingly catchy tunes so I'm yet to go a day without at least one song being stuck in my head. The fun part of course comes when you and kids work together to add moves to the songs and ta-da there is half your lesson gone.

The great thing about teaching public school kids as opposed to language center kids is the fact that they absolutely looove coming to English class. I can completely understand why too. Think about how excited you would be about going to extra English lessons on your weekend? But think about excited you would be if there was a part of your school day filled with songs and a teacher that would do just about anything to amuse you??

The first 5 minutes of class, usually after I receive a good amount of hugs, playful punches and pictures would include a routine of doing Kung Fu Panda and Ben 10 moves, followed by the Macarena and then the alphabet song (because you know I was actually teaching a language). Not going to be doing much of that in my next job, but more on that later.

I must add that teaching would not be half as pleasant were it not for the help of the teachers assistant, a teacher that can help with the translation when needed and discipline more needed. Having not to be strict while trying to be the best teacher ever helps a lot. Only problem is that if there's a lesson without a TA it's near impossible to convince the kids that discipline means more fun, just not going to happen.

I was convinced as a kid that my teachers had favorites, ... but now being a teacher myself I simply know that it was true. My favorites where usually the trouble makers, how unfair is that.

My students amused me every single day I taught them, let it be said, there is no such thing as a dull day when you're teaching these kids. Yes yes I know it's easy for me to say that now, weeks after having to wake up early and be energetic before I was even fully awake. After all that I only have good memories of teaching young kids.

Let me end with this, before I get way too carried away, teaching these kids will forever be one of my favorite memories of Vietnam.

The Hanoi of small things

I didn't really plan for this to be a photo blog, but in my rush to photograph the city as the weeks turn themselves into days I have decided to share more. The fact that it is near impossible to log onto Facebook and just create one album after the other and my lack of Flicker knowledge leaves me no choice but to flood my own space, cause after all it is 'my space'. umh.

Anyway, one of my favourite things about Hanoi is that it's so visually stimulating, always and everywhere. The small things, the corners and walls and tea pots and little chairs, I'd do a whole post on Hanoi chairs... The power lines, the fruits and hats and flowers and.. get the picture?

So here with the bits of small Hanoi:

walks around the block and lamentations of a sentamentalist

Well, hello there rainy season.

Fact: Driving a motorbike in the rain sucks.
Fact: Listening to the down pour on the tin roofs surrounding my room is amazing.


As I’m writing this I have CNN on in the background, they’re doing a travel segment on Hanoi, something tightens in my heart. I seem to be having a bit of a reverse emotional ride with this city and all it so colorfully offers.

In the weeks counting down I find myself being amused and amazed with uniquely Hanoian things that I have come to take for granted over the last year and half. I’m have to stop my mind and all it’s sentimentalism to get carried away at regret of not doing more.

“How did I not spend more afternoons taking a stroll around the Botanical gardens with all it’s green (trees) and white (brides) and patterns (grandma pajamas)”

“Why didn’t I try more street food”

“How did we only discover taking drives out of the city like last week!!!?!”

“I should have totally given small clothes shops more attention” (I think as I purchase a gorgeous mid length skirt with cherries on it at a cheery 6usd)

"Spa! come on Lanette"

“ I should have gone with public schools earlier, I loooove my Grade 1 and 2 classes. Love.”

“All those photo’s I never took”

The list can go on and on from the big important things to the small quirky things. I don’t get too down for long, I’m reminded of the fact that I was living a very different life here than I would have at home, I wasn’t a tourist for 19 months. (but I kind of was) Although having said that, Hanoi is so gracious when it comes to being interesting around every corner.

A few days ago I decided to go for a walk with my camera, something I don’t do often , cause a camera around your neck instantly strips you of any expat cred, and I have been working hard on my cred. I thought wearing shower slippers in my walk would balance this out. True story. I don’t have enough Vietnamese to show off otherwise, I real shame after being here for so long.

Here are just a few things from my walk around the block.

Firstly the shower slippers. Sexy stuff.


The cherry skirt shop, just down the alley from where I live.


Two very common outfits in Hanoi, the standard conical hat and in the background the sun escaping Ninja by sunlight and pretty light skinned lady by non-sunlight ( I assume).


Young (ahem) gentlemen inviting me to join them for a nice tin of red bull and good conversation I’m sure.


After being told ‘no photo’ … But I’m just that bad ass.


Ladies of leisure


Some more afternoon exercise.


Love for the Uncle.


Flowers.



One of my favorite things about Hanoi walls

random right...

The to do, not to do and done list

Sooooo, all the tickets are booked. .. and by all the tickets I mean Hanoi/Bangkok/Dusseldorf/Zurich/Geneva/Jeddah(SAUDI ARABIA!)Johannesburg. Yes, stops in Jo’burg. Yes, leaving Vietnam in less than 2 months.

Despite living in Hanoi for the past 19 months, I still have a few things that I haven’t done that would be high on any three-day tourist’s list. Now, I have about month left in the city and then about three weeks on the road with Ben.

So, I’ve thought about a few things that I need to do before I leave:

-I’m still to visit Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh- National Hero), so an early morning trip to the Mausoleum should be in order. Apparently, it’s a rather interesting experience so make this official number one on the list.

-Cyclo, taking a cyclo tour around the touristy areas of Hanoi is about as popular a thing to do as a gondola ride in Venice, yet I have never taken that ride. Soon I’ll have to humble myself from my imaginary lofty expat status to become just another tourist in the city… will be time to whip out every single Vietnamese word I know to avoid a higher price.

-Buy a Good morning Vietnam T-shirt, obviously can’t wear it until I’m out of Asia. Speaking of touristy things to buy I’ll add a few propaganda posters to the cart. Not as cliché as a conical hat but not very groundbreaking either, but the pictures will work well on my ‘when I’m a grown up and have a big house’ wall one day.

-Need to take some ‘in the moment’ pictures of my school kids, I’m already getting a little teary thinking about saying good bye to those Grade one and two babies. Or am I trying too hard with this one?

-I’m yet to actually visit another pagoda, other than the one in Hoan Kiem Lake, they’re everywhere, I actually used to live with one on either side of my house a few months back and still lacked a proper visit. (I did however see the most interesting Catholic Church on drive out of the city yesterday)

-O and then there is this other minor thing I need to do; take a three week motorbike trip around Vietnam to bid my gorgeous home of almost two years good bye. I’ll be doing this trip with Ben through out the month of June, on his sexy gold and black and white and orange off road bike. Can’t wait, will surly blog my heart out about this.

-Get a picture of the goldfish man… if I get a picture of him it will be a post in itself. I always seem to spot him when I don’t have my camera.

-Pay at least two more visits to the Fantasy toys/Saigon Nails shop… Yes it’s a toy shop with princess and super hero outfits as well as a place to get a manicure and pedicure for 5USD. 7USD if you want nail art. I went with a cherry theme the last time.

Then there are a few things I feel I can skip:

-Eating: Dog or cat in any form whether it be hot pot of BBQ style, I don’t think it will deprive me in the slightest degree of my Vietnam experience. I know if I even thought about it my dog ‘Patches’ will know, even though Patches is long deaf and almost blind and hopefully still alive.

-While I’m on the eating topic, no snakes… no snake blood shots, no beating hearts. I’m good thanks.

- I think I might just make it through Vietnam without the conical hat pose.

-As elegant as the Ao Dai is I don’t think I need one to remember Hanoi by, I’m simply too tall and I think I’ll look a little odd. I do like seeing women wearing them but I’m not going to look good in another cultures clothes.


And then there is the been there done that list:

-Swan boats, on both West Lake and Truc Bac Lake. Fun.

-Walking on water in bubbles at the zoo. More fun than Swan boats.

-Museum of Ethnology, a worth while and colourful visit.

-Art Museum, a pleasant surprise.

-Ate uncountable bowls of Pho Bo

-Halong Bay and Catba Island, three times, so that’s a solid check next to that one.

-Wore the most ‘beautiful’ dress I could find.


-Celebrated something in Vietnam, like the 1000 year celebrations was a pretty big deal.


-Karaoke… although who gets tired of karaoke?

-Drives over Long Bien Bridge, built by Eiffel.

Ladee and the Lan

Spending my third day in bed with an ever growing danger of actually getting hooked on American Idol season 10 I realize that it’s time to update.

So here the post on how I turned cockney.

My Fair Lady, a classic in its purest form, loved by millions over generations it seems to be time proof. So HITS (Hanoi International Theater Society) thought, and well they were right. A decade of HITS is something of a big deal so the good theater people decided to go big, big as in My Fair Lady.

Thanks to my friend Dana, I was convinced to go to the auditions, not that it took much convincing… a musical? A musical! Of course I’ll try be a part of that. Hoping to satisfy that internal agony that wonders why life can’t be a musical, I found myself surrounded by drama people singing “A whole new world” and forgetting the words at the audition, this was end October last year.

Throw in some hard work over the following months, giving up at first Sunday nights then also Thursday nights, and then Tuesday nights and then in the last week just giving up sleep a group of dedicated, passionate, for the most part amateurs, Hanoians (expat and locals) put a damn fine show together. I’m a little bias.

Well many and I mean many a rehearsal later we performed to three sold out shows at the Hong Ha “retro” theater. I was a flower girl, with a few ‘cockney’ lines, as well as a snob at the Ascot races, and then also the Queens lady in waiting. Dancing some of the numbers was by far my personal highlight.

I woke up with songs like ‘Get me to the church on time’, hummed ‘With a little bit of luck’ all day through and went to sleep to ‘Wouldn’t it be loverly’. Even now a week later I can’t help but sing ‘I could have danced all night’ while driving.




For me the best part of being in this show was working with all the talented people, such a pleasure to be around creativity in motion. Hanging out with people who enjoy performing as a hobby, or for a living, means that there is hardly a dull moment.

This is something I would not easily be able to participate in back home. For the theater lover there’s plenty of option on any given weekend so not much demand for a couple of people to come together in their free time and put on show. In Hanoi however there is demand plenty, which explains why 450 seats per show was sold out days before opening night. Hmmm pressure was on.
It was also the first time that a show had Vietnamese subtitles, expanding the audience.

The Rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain

To round it all up, all proceeds where donated to HEDO, Highlands Education Development Organization, in keeping with the theme of education.

A well worth it experience!