Going Native in Vietnam

---

Vue Mom Nam...Happy Half New Year today! It is a Vietnamese holiday-we have been invited to our friend's home for lunch to celebrate. We went to the market this morning to buy flowers as a gift. I brought some back for the girls in the hotel-of course they argued over who had the biggest bunch of flowers 😊. I can now "talk good price" in the market ( a sign of respect), point using my whole hand in a waving gesture as pointing with one finger is rude, order a drink/get the check/say hello all using slightly different head nods, yelled at a pedicab to get out of the way while riding my bike, and can eat noodles morning noon and night-sounds good all the time. Yes, turning Vietnamese.

Yesterday our friend invited us with her to go to Danang, the large city near Hoi An. She is a shopping queen-three markets and and then lunch in what we would call a food court in the mall. She can eat too! She ate more than Steven and I combined. (Siy-I have found your Vietnamese twin.)

There was an interesting stall at the market. Big packages containing clothes, watch, jewelry, mobile phone, money-all made of paper. The people buy these packages for their deceased relatives, take it to the tomb, and "send" it to them by burning it. Right after the person dies the first items sent are a home and motorbike. Steven and I thought this was a very cool custom. Today there is candy in the streets for the dead looking for sweets.

We have stayed here in Hoi An for one week-and very sad to leave tomorrow. We are recognized throughout the town, and welcomed with open arms. I truly feel at home here.

---

Photos

Anh, Binh, and Suzie
The size of these bowls represent how much we eat. Notice the size of Binh's.

Celebrating with Friends
We are at our friend's house celebrating half tet. They own a tailor shop-they live upstairs but we ate downstairs in the shop!