It's Sunday and I am still in Hanoi. Two more days before I leave for Ninh Binh. Like every day, I walk to the V-Sandwich-Eatery place opposite my first accommodation here in Hanoi and have a vegan breakfast. Because I eat the same two Banh Mi (sandwich) every day, I don't have to tell the owner what I want. She nods approvingly when she sees me and prepares the two banh mi. Aren't I boring?
I then walk to the Hoan Kiem Lake, which is south of the Old Quarter. The streets around the lake have been closed to traffic since Friday afternoon and will open again tonight. Every weekend, the area around the lake becomes an entertainment and recreational zone for the locals. There are arts exhibitions, concerts, dances, people play on the streets or just take a stroll around the lake and occupy the numerous benches and enjoy the sun and the view.
I too, take a long stroll around the lake and enjoy the view and watch the locals. My goal however is to find a bench, preferably with a free communal WiFi connection to do some work. My mobile carrier unfortunately doesn't allow me to use my phone as a hotspot, so I have to find a free WiFi connection somewhere. I succeed in finding a spot on a bench with free WiFi reception just opposite the turtle island and sit next to an artist who draws the Turtle Tower and everything around it on a sheet of paper with a pencil. We look at each other shortly, he goes back to drawing and I take out my computer. I have to write three articles until tomorrow and will spend a big part of the day working.
I glance over to the artist next to me and on the tower on Turtle Island every time I need some inspiration and notice how many people have gathered behind the artist. He doesn't seem to be bothered and continues his work. I am drawn into my work and don't notice when he leaves. When I look up again to gaze and think about what to write, I see that the space next to me is empty.
However, a few minutes later, as I am about to finish my first article and struggle with the ending, I hear a female voice asking:
- Can I sit here and practice English with you?
My thought is, please no, I am busy and blah blah. To tell the truth, I am busy and I have been warned by my first landlord to avoid everyone who says they want to practice their English, because in many cases, they are up to no good. During my time here, I have been asked this question a few times by dodgy looking people and I have either not responded at all or replied in a foreign language, so they went away.
But this time it's different.
Before I can even answer, before I can even look up, I hear the sound of a plastic bag landing next to me on the bench and someone crawling up the bench. And then I face her:
The one on the right
I have the fried tofu and the vegetarian kebab (bottom right)
The owner
inside
I then walk to the Hoan Kiem Lake, which is south of the Old Quarter. The streets around the lake have been closed to traffic since Friday afternoon and will open again tonight. Every weekend, the area around the lake becomes an entertainment and recreational zone for the locals. There are arts exhibitions, concerts, dances, people play on the streets or just take a stroll around the lake and occupy the numerous benches and enjoy the sun and the view.
Some images of the stroll around the lake
The Southeast Asia Football Cup is on (Vietnam will win the cup)
Turtle Tower on Turtle Island
I too, take a long stroll around the lake and enjoy the view and watch the locals. My goal however is to find a bench, preferably with a free communal WiFi connection to do some work. My mobile carrier unfortunately doesn't allow me to use my phone as a hotspot, so I have to find a free WiFi connection somewhere. I succeed in finding a spot on a bench with free WiFi reception just opposite the turtle island and sit next to an artist who draws the Turtle Tower and everything around it on a sheet of paper with a pencil. We look at each other shortly, he goes back to drawing and I take out my computer. I have to write three articles until tomorrow and will spend a big part of the day working.
I glance over to the artist next to me and on the tower on Turtle Island every time I need some inspiration and notice how many people have gathered behind the artist. He doesn't seem to be bothered and continues his work. I am drawn into my work and don't notice when he leaves. When I look up again to gaze and think about what to write, I see that the space next to me is empty.
However, a few minutes later, as I am about to finish my first article and struggle with the ending, I hear a female voice asking:
- Can I sit here and practice English with you?
My thought is, please no, I am busy and blah blah. To tell the truth, I am busy and I have been warned by my first landlord to avoid everyone who says they want to practice their English, because in many cases, they are up to no good. During my time here, I have been asked this question a few times by dodgy looking people and I have either not responded at all or replied in a foreign language, so they went away.
But this time it's different.
Before I can even answer, before I can even look up, I hear the sound of a plastic bag landing next to me on the bench and someone crawling up the bench. And then I face her:
Julia
'Oh, that is a surprise!' I think to myself.
- I would like to practice my English with you.
Well, my mind is still on my article and needs a bit of time to do the switch, and before I can even answer, she says:
- Thank you for letting me practice my English with you!
- Err, I haven't had the time to answer you yet and I haven't said yes. And how do you know I speak English?
- You are a foreigner and you look intelligent, so you must speak English.
- Thank you very much for the compliment. In fact, I do speak English, but it is not my mother tongue.
- Not your mother tongue? Where are you from?
- Your English sounds very good to me. Are you sure you need someone to practice?
- Thank you very much. Yes, I want to practice. Where are you from and what language is this on your computer?
- This is German.
- What are you writing?
- An article.
- About what?
- About healthy food.
- Healthy food? Like what?
- Mainly fruit and vegetables and how more and more people become vegans and vegetarians.
- Interesting. Are you a vegan or a vegetarian?
- No, I am not. I eat everything.
- Then why do you write an article about this topic?
- Because I am paid to write it and because the topic interests me. I have a vegan breakfast every day.
- I see. Why do you have a vegan breakfast if you are not a vegan?
- Because I wanted to try something different and I liked it. So I have it every day now.
- Would you like a snack? She asks and takes a bag of crisps out of the plastic bag she threw on the bench earlier on.
- They are crisps, not a snack.
- Crisps?
- Crisps is the British English word for chips.
- They are not chips, they are a snack.
- No, they are chips or crisps and they are not healthy and I don't eat crisps.
- They are a snack and they contain tomatoes.
- Hmm... Fair enough, but they are crisps and not healthy.
- They are a snack!
- I give up. Snack it is.
- What do you mean?
- Well, if you say it is a snack, then it is a snack.
- But you don't believe it is a snack.
- It is unhealthy junk food. Your English is fantastic! Where did you learn it? At school?
- No, we don't do English at school yet.
- So, where did you learn it?
- I have a teacher.
- Your teacher must be a very, very good one! How old are you?
- You haven't told me where you are from. Are you from Germany? This is an Apple computer, right?
- Yes, it is a MacBook Pro. You seem to know about computers.
- Yes, I have an Apple at home, but with a big screen.
- Ah, you have an iMac. I want to buy one of those, too.
- Where are you from? What is your name? Are you married? Do you have children?
- So many questions .... Do you work for the government?
- No, I am too young to work.
- How old are you? And what is your name?
- I asked first.
- Ok lady! My name is Theo, I am 44 years old and I'm Greco-Bavarian. I am not married and I have no children.
- Of course you have no children.
- What do you mean?
- You can't have children if you are not married.
- Really? I didn't know that! Why is that?
- Because you can't kiss on the mouth if you are not married.
- Hmm... that is interesting ... tell me more!
- It is easy. Only married people can have children, because they can kiss on the mouth.
- Well, it's not exactly like that, but I believe in this country things might be as you say.
- Yes, you can have children, when you are married, because you can kiss on the mouth.
- Do you want to get married and have children?
- I am a child.
- I can see that. But in 15 to 20 years, do you think you will want to get married and have children?
- Yes.
- How many?
- Two. A boy and a girl.
- Many people have the same wish. You still haven't told me your name.
- My name is Julia.
- Pleased to meet you Julia. What a wonderful name you have! Do you also have a Vietnamese name?
- No, you can call me Julia.
- OK, Julia. How old are you?
- I am nine.
- You are very intelligent. Your parents must feel very lucky with you.
- What country did you say you are from? I didn't understand it.
- Oh, I am Greco-Bavarian.
- What?
- Hahahahhaaa
- Why are you laughing?
- Well, I was born in Germany, in Munich, which is the capital of Bavaria, but I hold a Greek passport. So, this makes me a Greco-Bavarian.
- Aha... Do you know what this is? She points at the Turtle Tower on the island in front of us.
- Yes, I do. Do you?
- Of course I do. What is it?
- Why do you want to know, if you already know what it is? Do you want to test me?
- Yes!
- Oh boy!
- What?
- Nothing. It is the Turtle Tower on the Turtle Island.
- Do you know why it is called like this?
- Yes, I do.
- Why?
- Oh boy!
- What?
- It is the long story of Le Loi and the sword he received from the Dragon King and the battle against the Chinese.
- Yes, it is. How do you know the story?
- I went on a bicycle tour with some friends last week and the tour guide told us the story. I wanted to learn more about it and found some information online. It is a very interesting story.
- Yes, it is. Where are your friends now?
- They have left. Some are still somewhere in Vietnam, but most have returned to their countries.
- Aha.
- Who taught you the story, Julia?
- Everybody in Hanoi knows the story.
- Really everyone?
- Yes. We also learnt it at school.
- Ah, good. Where are your parents? Is it them? (I point at a couple that has sat next to us, but look far too young to have a daughter that age).
- No!
- No? Where are they?
- They are sitting over there. (She points at some people sitting on the ground, but none of them is looking toward our direction).
- When did you come to Vietnam?
- Are you sure you don't work for the government?
- I am a child, I don't work. I go to school.
- Hmm...
- What?
- Nothing.
- When did you come to Vietnam?
- Two weeks ago.
- Why?
- Oh boy!
- What?
- I came to run a marathon.
- A what?
- A marathon. Actually, I ran half a marathon.
- What is this?
- A marathon is a distance of 42,195 km. Half a marathon is 21,095 km.
- Where did you run it?
- In Ha Long Bay. Have you ever been there?
- Yes, in my summer holidays.
- Did you like it?
- Yes, a lot.
- Did you like it?
- Yes, I also liked it a lot. It is a very beautiful place.
- Why did you go to Ha Long to run?
- I saw photos of it in a magazine and liked them. That's why I came to run there.
- Aha. Have you been to other places in Vietnam?
- Yes.
- Which ones?
- Oh boy!
- Why do you say Oh Boy all the time?
- Are you sure you don't work for the government? Are you spying on me?
- I am a child. I don't work. What is spying?
- I have also been to Sa Pa.
- Oh, Sa Pa is beautiful!
- Yes, very beautiful! I liked it a lot there.
- How many days did you stay?
- Three.
- Will you visit any more places?
- Yes, many, but I don't know which ones yet.
- Why?
- I haven't decided yet.
- Why?
- Because there are so many beautiful places in this country and I don't know where to go.
- Why?
- Oh boy!
- What?
- Look, I am sure you know that Vietnam is a very long country with many places. I have bought a tourist guide, but I haven't had the time to read it all. I have made a list with a few places other people suggested.
- Why haven't you read the tourist guide?
- Because I am busy. I have a lot of work and not much free time. And in my free time, I visit places in Hanoi or as I said, I went to Ha Long and to Sa Pa.
- Aha.
- Can you recommend and places I should go?
- Yes.
- Which ones?
- Ninh Binh and Hoi An.
- Ah, I read about them in my guide book.
- You said you didn't read your guide book.
- I said that I haven't had the time to read it all, but I had the time to read part of it.
- Aha.
And in this moment her mum appears behind the bench and apologises that her daughter kept me busy for such a long time. I tell her that the pleasure is all mine and that I have enjoyed it and have found it quite funny.
- What did you find funny? Julia asks.
- Oh boy!
- What?
- I find it funny that, despite the fact your English is perfect, you wanted to practice with me. And I found some of the questions you asked funny.
- Why were they funny?
Her mum tells her something in Vietnamese and she stops asking questions. I continue the little chat with Julia's mum and after a few minutes someone from a group of people calls her and she says they have to go. I ask Julia if I can take a photo of her and she agrees. Me and Julia stand up and bow at each other and then I bow at her mum, like it is custom in this part of the world. We exchange a few nice words and off they go.
I then continue my article and when I finish it and am about to leave, a street artist approaches me and shows me the drawing he made of me. I buy it, we say thank you to each other and I go for dinner.
What a day!
The drawing. Me on the bench writing an article on my Mac.
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