Not the Hanoi I Expected

I'm now living in the neighborhood of Cau Giay in West Hanoi. The University of Hanoi is close by, which makes the morning commutes through the sea of motorbikes short. The district follows along a boulevard, also named Cau Giay. Trendy clothing shops line the boulevard, and shopkeepers sport fashions that seem straight out of California or New York.

This trendy thoroughfare is only half of Cau Giay, however. Behind the flashy Western-style storefronts is an entirely different world. Tiny alleys wind and twist for miles. These alleys are also filled with stores, but these stores sell goods and services that seem more accustomed to the Hanoi I was expecting. Food stalls, Internet cafes, motorbike shops, barbers, and fruit stands line the alleys. There are so many shops selling what essentially seem like the same thing that I wonder how they all stay in business.

Having no real obligations today, I simply wandered around the alleys. I'm always amazed by how much is going on in the back streets, and thoroughly enjoy just taking it all in. The shopkeepers stared at me from their storefronts. They don't seem like they're used to seeing Westerners, especially big tall ones like myself. I've caught several Vietnamese raising their hands over their heads as I walk by, presumably referring to my height.

Tomorrow I go back to language training and orientation at the university. The language training has been slow, though I am happy to report that I can read a few key Vietnamese words. I now know that "xin chao" is hello, "tra" is tea, "xe buyt" is bus, and, of course, that "bia" is beer. Pronunciation is difficult, and most Vietnamese seem to have a hard time understanding what I'm saying. Still, I'm happy with any progress, and look forward to perhaps maybe possibly forming complete sentences in the next few weeks. I'll be happy if I can speak like a three-year-old in a couple of months.