Super excited to be on summer break!! ...Mostly because that means I am heading Home to the States soon. :) :) I have much to post... our school's summer dance, sports day, the graduation ceremony, etc... they'll be coming.
For now... to describe the most basic of happenings in my day --> walking the two blocks to my neighborhood supermarket and stopping by the local tailor on the way...
This is the street one block from my place on the way to the store...
I've been hit pretty hard (and suddenly!) by a bad cold... so ventured out to get some tissues... on the way, I stopped by the local tailor's place to have a dress cut into a top. She is so incredibly sweet... she always asks me to come by and talk with her... but she barely knows any English so it ends up with us sitting there awkwardly, giggling every now and then to fill in the gaps of silence.
This is the second time, however, that she has done something for me and refused money. Her teenage daughter was there today too and she is learning English in school, so she was able to translate for us. They wanted to know what I bought at the store... so I was pointing to my nose, saying that I have a cold and showing the box of tissues... and also showed them the dragonfruit that I bought... which I learned is thanh long.
The tailor would look at me and speak to me in rapid Vietnamese... and then the daughter would translate... she also wanted to know how my parents are (as I introduced them to her when they were in town back in December)... and where my husband is. (HA!) Ending by telling me that I'm beautiful. Very sweet. :)
I really do need to stop by and hang out with her before heading out of Vietnam on Tuesday night. I found out that she likes her coffee as ca phe da (iced coffee without milk)... so I'll bring that by and we can hang out... sitting in the entranceway to her house/shop on the back street like the locals do!
As I headed back to my place from the tailors, I walked into my corner fruit lady! Love this lady! She's the one that my dad became friends with and she always gives me a thumbs up and kisses on the hand/arm.
She also wanted to know what I had bought! Hahaha. So there I am showing her my tissues and pointing to my nose... but it's a good thing she didn't see the dragonfruit, since I really should have bought it from her...
The tailor's daughter was asking me where I live (one block down from her...) and if I feel that the Vietnamese are friendly, like everyone says (yes, I do!). It was nice to be able to talk to a native about how our street is quiet and the neighborhood is safe. She's on summer break now too... but she said that she just stays at home all summer helping her mom with the clothing.
There was a lady at the tailor's looking through the piles of fabric and held some up while saying something, something, something, ao dai... I said, Yes! ao dai... dep (basically trying to say that yes, that fabric would make a beautiful ao dai)... they loved that! Haha.
The daughter said that she has one ao dai... a white one, that she must wear to school on Mondays. I did know that female high school students in public schools had to wear white ao dais... but didn't realize that some schools would only require it on certain days (breaking the tradition).
I really do wish she would let me pay her... they need it. ...Way more than I need my lattes. And then the mother is asking me what kind of foods I like... and that she's going to buy me a bunch of fruits in the market! Good thing she doesn't know exactly where I live... I don't want her to have to do that but it is so sweet.
It's pretty awesome to notice the small amazing pieces of this culture and country... and realize that I'll miss them while away this summer. It'll be good to get back for another year!
The tailor's shop where I usually have things made
is located in a very central part of District 1 in the city...
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