Come On!

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I navigated my way to Ha Hoi street by trial and error. First, there were several failed verbal requests for the street to local street vendors, which were greeted with nods and choruses of "Ha NOI". Yes, I knew I was already in Hanoi, but now I needed to find Ha Hoi, so I resorted to address-written-in-Sharpie-marker-on-body approach. Flashing my hand to a book vendor, I was relieved to see that smile of recognition flash across her face. With an X on my map, I easily found my way to my free night's accomodation at the Travel Indochina HQ.

I arrived to find Snuggle J had not yet arrived, but was quite happy to set down my pack and rest on the front stoop. I had hardly settled on my bum, when a shuttlecock flew over a wall into my lap. A young girl came over to collect it, and when I handed it back, she sang out, "Come On!" Or that what i thought...

It was only later that I learned cum on means "thank you" in Vietnamese.

At any rate, I happily joined into their hacky-sack like game of dakou kickery, and by the time Joshua D arrived, I'd made my first three girlfriends in Vietnam.

Lien, Nga, and Thuy are hardworking 16 year-old girls who run a Pho shop, or noodle stand, on the corner outside their house. People come by for a noodley soup concoction from early in the morning through the afternoon. Whenever I peek my head out from across the street, the girls are attending to some task or another until late until the evening.

Their playful spirits are kept in check until dark, at which time, their duties are complete and shuttlecock play commences. They shout out to each other encouraging exclamations, and giggle widly when I manage one of my gangly, unco kicks.

Despite our inadvertent introduction, I'm grateful for both the friendly comraderie and enthusiastic linguistic instruction.

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Comments

[Amanda P]

wow that sounds awesome! are you alone there? so brave :)