TubeNet

The Vietnamese public school year runs concurrent to the traditional school year in California (September to June). I have been able to work several jobs in a week but I committed a terrible faux pas...

The language schools prepare lessons for teachers to teach and must be carefully followed. Sometimes, though, we run out of things to teach, so we have free chatter. This usually means, "ask the teacher personal questions!"

These are new English learners. By law, at these schools, only Vietnamese teachers are to teach English grammar. Native speakers teach ONLY pronunciation and culture. If a student asks a poorly stated question, we are supposed to be able to guess what they mean!

OK, so I got through a 45 minute lesson in 20 minutes. This was a class of children, ages 8-11. They asked me where I was from, about my family, and about what I like.

They also asked, "How old are you?" I refuse to answer that one--remember, we teach culture, too. There is a belief that only women hide their ages and men can tell everyone. Those of you who are about my age KNOW that your age can cause problems. Consequently, I never indicated my age on any work applications here. If my age is of any importance to a prospective employer, I know I am too old.

Anyway my question came from answering this question:

"What kind of food do you like in Vietnam?"

My answer:

"The same kind of food I liked in California: Mexican!"

To be honest, I don't like most Vietnamese food. But people here sometimes think, if someone doesn't like the food he doesn't like the people. I didn't want the kid to think I don't like Vietnam or Vietnamese people. I love them both!

Also, if I lied and told him I like a certain dish, he might bring it for me to eat and, by local culture, if someone brings food to you, it is expected for them to watch you enjoy the food!

The owner of the school, an elderly Vietnamese gentleman, entered the classroom when the boy asked his question. Although I put a lot of thought into my answer, I didn't know how much trouble it would get me. He wanted to see me after class.

"You don't correct the students' grammar!" he admonished.

"Yes, sir."

"Ever."

"I don't!" I pleaded.

"A smart alecky answer is just as bad and you did that."

"No, sir. It was an honest answer."

"Whatever you thought, it wasn't what the student meant."

And I received my two weeks notice.

So I went to many other of those language schools all over Saigon. And I would tell them why I got fired (that old man carries lots of weight in this city!) I was going to be very dependent on that job to keep food in the house until school starts back in September.

There was an ad in one of the Vietnamese language newspapers that an International school needed a resource teacher with backgrounds in music and psychology (for my Master of Music degree, I minored in clinical psychology!) The school runs on an Australian school year, plus there are other classes which make an eleven month year. The twelfth month is a paid vacation, which is unheard of in freelance teaching circles here.

For those of you who don't know, the Australian school year runs roughly from March to December. The school is the Singapore International School. Since I am a resource teacher (I work with students who have trouble learning things), I don't have to worry about what NOT to teach. I must maintain my own strict teaching plans. For some of my students, I am the only teacher they have. The job also has the secondary task of music teacher.

Anyway, in my seven months here I have gone through many changes. I finally have a real live contract. Most people who work in developing countries get their job before they leave. If any of you have the yearning to go to Vietnam, it's relatively easy to come here for work and get a job after you arrive.

Thanks to my new job, Saturdays and Sundays are completely free. I used to have to go to church on Sunday nights because I worked seven days a week. Now I can go to any church service I want.

Which reminds me of something else about Vietnam: We can go to church. Most Vietnamese are NOT atheist. You see a lot of Buddhist temples and Christian churches. I have to laugh because schools here, no matter what kind they are, involve some kind of uniform. The Sunday school classes in my church here are no exception.

If anyone has any questions about Vietnam, go ahead and post them up here. Chances are, if you can post it in this forum, I can answer the question--I won't get political.

Congratulations on a permanent gig, Bill!

Has the culinary influence of the French colonial days persisted in the cuisine there? I remember some really exceptional food cooked up by some of the Vietnamese immigrants. Sort of Chinese with a French twist. Very very yummy!

Bob1062 wrote:Why are you in Vietnam again?

A woman... the best reason in the world.

Bad news, guys...

The Lotteria hamburger chain of South Korea has sold out to McDonald's...

Rumor is that the changeover will be slow and gradual but by this time next year all the Lotteria restaurants will be Korean versions of McDonald's...

This is really sad because in the past month, the Lotteria chain expanded their menu to include everything the stores in South Korea have. Ever have a hamburger made from a boneless pork chop with Korean barbecue sauce? This is the best fast food sandwich I have ever eaten. There is also a Triple Burger (triple fast route to triple bypass heart surgery). It has three beef patties, two fried eggs, four strips of bacon, white cheddar lactose-reduced cheese, all the condiments, and three pieces of bread. It's not quite as good as the Six Dollar Burger at Carl's Jr. (or the Thickburger at Hardees--I think they're the same thing), but it's the best chain stand hamburger in Vietnam. You can wash it down with two Tiger beers, which is also served in all the fast food places here.

Sadly, we will have Quarter Pounders, Big Macs, and Filet O'Fish Burgers. They call them burgers because the bread makes them that way. Be careful when you go to a delicatessen here and order what you see in the display case listed as "hamburger." Chances are it's a baloney sandwich on a hamburger bun, although some of my colleagues at work have said some of them actually sell a real hamburger. You have no way of knowing unless you eat one.

Vietnamese cuisine is not that different than Chinese but the spices are very strong. The Vietnamese generally don't like sharp (hot) spice, but they do like it strong and pungent. Table manners are similar to Chinese manners, except that belching is considered rude. Smacking and slurping are signs that one is enjoying his food and it's considered a compliment to whoever cooked the food--which turns my stomach, since my mother spent 18 years teaching me to eat quietly!

If I could think of a "national dish" in Vietnam, it would be banh mi and pho (pronounced "fa"). Banh mi is the Vietnamese term meaning "bread," but it can also mean "sandwich." Consequently, when going to the supermarket looking for a loaf of bread, the wrappers are marked "Sliced Sandwich," with the word "bread" appearing nowhere. Banh mi, the sandwich as sold on the street, is extremely cheap, tasty and filling. It is made from a baguette of French bread and slit on one side. This is stuffed with cold cuts, various vegetables, tomatoes, spices, and a generous dab of mayonnaise. Pho is soup with glass (transparent) noodles.

There is a banh mi fast food chain based in California (with stores spreading out all over America):

http://www.leessandwiches.com/

What you get at Lee's is almost identical to what you can get in Saigon, plus you can get ROOT BEER to wash it down, which you can't get here.

I disagree, LoyalTubist. Pho is pronounced more like "fuh?"

Authentic Vietnamese food and Vietnamese food here are very different, mostly because of their source and quality. I had my first taste of fresh chicken in Vietnam and it was shocking how different fresh chicken and frozen chicken tasted like. The sugar there is not quite as pure but because of that it gives character to the sugar and something "americanized" vietnamese food cannot completely replicate.


One huge difference I also noticed is that "authentic" vietnamese food requires enough MSG to preserve your body with each serving.

I say "fa" as "fuh."

Since I arrived here, the sugar refiners have changed their sugar formula. It's almost identical to C&H now.

One reason I don't like most Vietnamese food is that I am allergic to MSG, so I can't eat it.

Alot of my memories of Vietnam are from the countryside, so our sources and cuisine may be different.

And I am here now.

Your comments about what Vietnamese food is like over there differs from my experience. I suspect that back in the 60's and 70's, there was a class separation in cuisine. Most of my experience comes from food prepared by an immigrant Vietnamese army colonel. Very Frenchified, with presentation a big part of the meal.

Could this be similiar to the situation with Mexican cuisine? It is my experience that the upper echelon urbanites don't eat tortillas and beans and might be insulted if you were to offer them, say, a nice tamale.

Bill,

I noticed you list your location as Saigon, Vietnam. I thought they insisted on the new name, Ho Chi Minh City. Are both names now accepted?

Rick F wrote:Bill,

I noticed you list your location as Saigon, Vietnam. I thought they insisted on the new name, Ho Chi Minh City. Are both names now accepted?

Always have been. The reason for the name change was that it was a signal from the Hanoi government that Saigon fell. The people of Ho Chi Minh City are called "Saigonese," nothing else. If you talk to people here in HCMC, you will get a very different understanding of what the Vietnam War meant than if you were to talk to someone from the North--even if they were not around during the War.

the elephant wrote:I have discovered that I prefer the street food of Thailand to some of the more "esoteric" upper class offerings (which are also very good, but not as appealing to me).

You a big fan of curry bugs?

The only "objectionable" food I have seen here is dogmeat, which I have eaten and dislike.

I think the big equalizer in food is fast food. Fast food, no matter where it is or where it comes from, is popular with all. One of the reason why only two Asian hamburger chains have been here is because the prices are about the same as what one would get from the street stalls. Most Vietnamese like hamburgers, hot dogs (made from pork and/or beef), French fries, and soft drinks.