adventures with my Mom: Hanoi chapter

Hello all!

So the big update for this week is that my Mẹ (Vietnamese for mother) is in town for the week! She has  been here for five days already, and she'll be here for another five. Now seems like as good a time as any to update you on our adventures! This post will cover the first few days of her trip here, from when she first arrived to our return from Hanoi

So, Mẹ came down to Bến Tre last Thursday to meet me and to drop off supplies from home. She came with Bac Kim Anh and Anh Cung, my cousin and first cousin from Ho Chi Minh City. When she came here she got to meet several of my co-teachers and co-workers!

It was really fantastic to see Mẹ speaking fluent Vietnamese with my co-workers, all of whom were absolutely thrilled to speak with my mother, talking about working with me and how she liked Bến Tre so far.

Meeting Mr. Hoang, Ms. Trang and Mr. Vu Hung

Taking pictures around the room

With Bac Kim Anh and Anh Cung

With Bac Kim Anh and Mẹ 

The supplies my Mẹ brought included a very special drawing, given to me by a very special someone

After dropping off supplies we all went to get lunch at a nice restaurant. Mr. Hoang accompanied us, and it was great getting to show my family around one of my favorite restaurants. It was also very strange to be sitting at a table with four native Vietnamese speakers...three of whom speak English fluently. I had to remind myself that I don't have to slow down my speech around my Mẹ. 

At lunch!

There was a pet monkey at the restaurant

So of course Mẹ had to take a picture with it

After Mẹ left to go back to Ho Chi Minh City, I taught a class on Friday and then jumped on the bus to go to the airport. There I caught a flight to Hanoi with my Mẹ, to go meet family and explore the city!

We landed in Hanoi and were immediately picked up by Chu Thuat. We spent the rest of that afternoon and evening with Chu Thuat and his family, eating delicious che and a fantastic dinner. Mẹ spent a lot of time catching up with Chu Thuat and I reveled in my recently-acquired ability to actually understand my Mẹ when she is talking about me. 

At Chu Thuat's che restaurant

Playing with Chau Duc Anh

Chilling with the kids

A bit of roughhousing

Mẹ taught him basic math skills using beer cans. I'm not sure if Mẹ is really a kindergarten teacher...

Mẹ taking pictures of the children, excellent photobomb as well

All the men

All the ladies of the house

After dinner with Chu Thuat we checked in at the Rising Dragon (yay!) and I introduced Mẹ to most of the staff there. Then we crashed, exhausted from all the traveling and excitement. 

On Saturday morning we went out to my Ong Dich’s house in Son Tay, a province about an hour outside of Hanoi. This was a much shorter visit, just long enough for us to take some pictures and catch up with Ong Dich a little.

This is my family's backyard. Way too beautiful

Three generations of the Tran family

This time we were able to go to the cemetery where my great-grandfather is buried, along with several generations of my mom’s side of the family. I saw the grave when I came here ten years ago, but I haven’t been back since then.

Fresh flowers strewn at a new grave

Lighting incense at the graves

Going to the graveyard was a particularly moving moment for me. I haven't been back in almost ten years, but I remember even that long ago I was struck by how powerful a place it was. I felt more Vietnamese than ever, standing at my family's tombs, but I also felt more foreign than ever, knowing that I am standing there as a distant offshoot of my Vietnamese family. It is a strange feeling, to know that I am deeply connected to people who were buried in Vietnam almost a hundred years ago, and to also know that if they were still alive I wouldn't even be able to talk to them. I feel like a child of this land sometimes, but a very distant cousin who will always be the black sheep of the family. 

My family's graves

The grave of my great-grandfather

The tomb of my great-grandfather on my grandmother's side

After finishing the visit to my family Mẹ and I went to meet with Michelle. Michelle is my ETA friend who is teaching in Tay Nguyen in the north. It was great to see her and catch up with her, and we got to hit up my favorite cafe in Hanoi, the western coffee shop Joma. 

After lunch I went off to play ultimate frisbee! Mẹ and Michelle came to cheer me on, which was awesome. It was so much fun getting back on the UNIS field and playing ultimate with the Hanoi Ultimate Club. I haven't played with them in two months but I still recognized several of them and a lot of people were really eager to chat. They're a fun group of players and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in Ho Chi Minh City for Vietnam Hat in December!

Warming up

Michelle and I on the sideline. Silly hats were provided. 

Team orange!

Thanks Mẹ for coming out!

Thanks Michelle, so great to have a fan there!

After the tournament I went home and showered, and then we went off to Mediteranneo for dinner. This Italian restaurant is a place that I think Tyler, another ETA, is actually in love with. I had never actually been there before, so I resolved to check it out. It was delicious, thanks for the recommendation Tyler!

Drinking gin and tonics on the balcony of Mediteranneo 

On Sunday morning we got up early to go explore Hanoi a bit before our afternoon flight. We walked over to the market to get some items for friends and family back home and in our provinces. 

Wandering Hanoi

Best towel ever? Best towel ever.

This is how people transport things in Vietnam

Dong Xuan market, the huge Hanoi shopping area

I bought an incredible number of presents, and then it was already time to go! A really quick trip to Hanoi, but in one evening, one full day and one morning we were able to see family, play ultimate, go shopping and meet some of my friends. Not bad at all

With the Rising Dragon staff. 

After flying back to Ho Chi Minh City, we paused for a bit at the bar in the luxurious Caravelle hotel, catching our breath over delicious smoothies. 

The Caravelle

Then we got in our car and our driver drove us to Bến Tre. 

So, that concludes the chapter of adventures with Mẹ in Hanoi. Check in later to find out what's happened in Bến Tre, including some very special Halloween updates!

Talk to you later!

Sincerely,

Jefferson