Mingling with the locals

After having spent 3 months living in this stunning,tranquily city already, I felt comfotable and grateful to be there. Beach life accommpanied with a teaching English job. A good way to meet the people of that country and to educate them with the things you find simple and trivial but to them is very new and interesting. I had been riding a motorbike to and from work each day along the beach with its marble like seas and the crashing waves. So this day was like any other, a good day of teaching. The lesson was mostly improvised as i had around 20 students in the class and each of them a different level of English. We started with some warm-ups as always. Getting the students in pairs and standing them in front of the rest of the class and having them tell their daily routine or something of interest, with examples from myself. At the start of each lesson I tell my students to be confident with whatever they say and do. It seems to be a good booster.The whole lesson went down very smoothly. As I arrived back to my house I got a call from a new friend (neighbour) I had made a few nights ago just around the corner at the nearest coffee shop i liked to sit at from time to time. This place was called `Bond` and did very nice Vietnamese coffee (condensed milk and fresh coffee all over ice) and nice blended smoothies.

So my new friend was a local, 26 year old. He worked for a Japanese company. He has a wicked sense of humor, a calming presence and knew the area very well. Over the next few weeks i learnt lots of short cuts through the city, hidden bar/cafes and met so many locals, including lots of old ladies who were mostly street food vendors. They could make a Bahn Mi (sandwhich) so quickly with such flavour. It was brilliant. 

That evening he invited me for dinner. We met and he took me to a tradtional pancake house. In Viet Nam a pancake is made from rice paper, the fillings include thin strips of mango, slices of pork, cucumber, spicy lettuce leaves, thin glass noodles, potent fish sauce and chili sauce. All of these indgredients rolled up together in the pancake is a great combination of taste, like a firework going off in my mouth! So many different flavours and textures. We also orderes a dish called `chip chip` which is mussles in a lemongrass broth, a portion of seafood noodles and a lot of beers to wash it down. A delious meal for any queen or king.

There were 6 people eating with my friend and I . A woman from England i had met a few weeks before and we got along very well. She is a medium, which is essentially someone who can contact the deceased. All the others were from Viet nam. An Engineer who had the softest tone of voice and the creepiest smile, but a very clever man who could fix the engine of an airplane in half an hour. A man we nicknamed `young buffalo` because of his clumsy arms and legs and his high paced energy. Another two men ,one who was a doctor and has the most infectious laugh and the other was the owner of the cafe `Bond` i often visited. 

We enjoyed dinner together with time passing before us without care, we made a group decision to go to one of the clubs in the city. It is called `TV Club`. I had seen it driving on my bike before and was drawn into it because of its trippy colourful exterior. 

We entered the booming place, its walls were like that of a warehouse but all along the walls there were private seating booths, with red velvet covers, mirror mozaiques on the walls and huge bowls of fruit tempting you in. The night continued and many smiles and laughs were exchanged. 

I stayed in this city for a total of 6 months and I  have formed a very peaceful and strong bond to that place. I would recommend it for anyone, couples, families ,solo travelers, friends. 

My experience is a special one, as everyones is and i wish everyone enjoys the experiences they have.

It`s only going to happen once so treasure each day as it comes !