Arrival

I arrived at Hanoi airport at 9:30am but the luggage-pickup took another 45 minutes. Then Gerard, our program director gave us a quick 30 minutes tour from the airport to our dorm.

I was taken back by the sharp contrast between recently developed skyscrapers and the dying parches of farmland. From Canon to Mercedes Benz, you can have whatever you like if you have the means. but most people live in such poverty. I don't know how to feel at that moment when I heard about cooperation of investors and governmental gentrification of these farmer's lands. Where do these farmers go? to the canon factories? or are they the ones digging holes in scorching heat, men and women flowing the hard dirt in their conical hats, visible through the narrow windows of my recently-landed airplane. i did not expect to encounter poverty so soon. privilege seeps though my skin like the endless heat and humidity, a constant reminder despite my frequent whinny complains. today, privilege is like the aftertaste of MSG, bitter and omnipresent. you can't really tasted it when you eat, but afterward it stays with you--always. i realize i am so dependent on it that i cannot live without it.

so when i reached the "Guest House" student dormitory, i was pleasantly surprised at the luxurious accommodation. The spacious room contains a tv--with channels like HBO and ESPN--a fridge, beds, desks, and a balcony with such a beautiful view of the pond below. this is way better than the conditions i've lived in the states.

After unpacking, the rest of us meet up at a Hanoian bistro called "Chim Sơn" or L'Oiseau Siffleur. I love the blend between french-influence vibe and rustic look of the place. the boiled rau muong reminds me of my grandmother since she loves this simple peasant dish. i tried a shot of mien traditional liquor and it was strong. 50% alcohol i think. i like their other drink, the jujubes-herbal drink though. the food was simply AMAZING.