galmc2Report

When we arrived in Ho Chi Minh, we were dropped off near our hotel at about 6 pm (in the wrong alley which, as we later realized, isn’t surprising as it’s easy to get the alleys confused). The taxi driver tried to convince us that we owed him 500,000 VND (350,000 more than the meter indicated – it doesn’t only happen to you, Madeleine). Fortunately the hotel had told us in advance about how much we would be expected to pay, so I gave the driver about that while Paul got the bags out of the car. Lesson 1 – negotiation is an essential skill.

The next thing we experienced was the craziness that is Bui Vien Walking Street. It is packed with people heading out for drinks, scooters, people flogging their restaurants and bars, loud music, go-go dancers, tables and chairs spilling out into the street, bright lights and neon signs.

Surprisingly, I was less overwhelmed with it all than Paul was that first night. The 3 times I have been to Vegas, it has taken me at least 18 hours to settle in and feel okay, so we both expected me to feel the same way here.

I wondered that first night if I had messed up with the accommodation and perhaps we were too close to the action. After our 4 nights there, we both agreed that the location was pretty great- close to lots of restaurants, bars and the common tourist sites were all pretty close by. Lesson 2 – first impressions do not always stand up to the test of time (and experience).

And then the adventure to find a place to eat breakfast that first morning was upon us. We were given a name of a coffee shop that might be good and, once we found it, it was a lovely first breakfast meal.

By the 3rd morning we had figured out how to order banh mi with eggs and veggies from the street vendor around the corner, and then we would head to the park to eat it. Lesson 3: the easiest or most familiar thing is not necessarily the best option.

There is constant pressure and pushiness to buy something – a drink at their bar, food at their restaurant, clothing at their stall, coconut juice on the street, a tour, a shoe shine,…. It can be a LOT and there are a variety of ways you see people handling it – no eye contact, a hand up towards them, a grumpy face or a curt NO. Well, being the polite Canadian, I always look people in the eye and I usually smile and give them a variety of answers “ I just ate but thanks, maybe another time” or “nope, I’m good thanks! Have a good night!” or to the shoe shiner “are you kidding? These things don’t shine. Thanks anyway!” To the tour guide hocking their tours, “ Oh, I did that tour yesterday. It was great!” Many times I get a wave or a smile in return so even though much of the time, they may have had no clue what I said, they seem to appreciate that I wasn’t a jerk. They are just trying their best to earn a living and, it may be annoying and not the way I earn a living but, it’s not my place to judge. (But I do get quite judgey when I see people send their kids out to hock the items.) Lesson 4 – when you have a choice, choose kindness.

One night we were having an after dinner stroll and I tripped over something on the sidewalk, stubbed my toe and was bleeding and limping along. A woman from a pharmacy popped her head out, asked us if I was okay and insisted I come in and let her clean me up so it didn’t get infected. We offered to pay but she waved us off. The next day, we went back to the pharmacy and brought her flowers and she was seemingly overwhelmed, insisting it wasn’t necessary. Lesson 5 – Lift your feet and don’t look around while walking (and, once again, Choose Kindness).

Thank-you Ho Chi Minh!