What happened?
I took a deep breath, said seven Hail Marys and went for it. I heard that crossing the street in Hanoi would be like a game of Frogger but I wasn’t fully aware until the hundreds of motorbikes sped by me, leaving only my hair in the wind as I made my way to the other side.
Before touching down in our first Asian country on the itinerary, Vietnam and Asia in general scared the hell out of me. I had never been to Asia before, mind you I’d be living there for the next four months. I’m not sure if it was exhilaration or the fact that I didn’t die that first time I crossed the street, but I suddenly felt a new wave of excitement for what the month was going to bring.
The Deets
For a few of us, Vietnam was our first month pulling the night shift. This meant spending most weeknights at the office until 3am, mostly thanks to Vietnamese coffees, but also a comfortable co-working space. I’ve been impressed by most of our offices along the way but I found myself really happy sitting cross-legged in a spinning chair with my daily free coffee and mango smoothie, and a short distance from my favorite places in Hanoi.
Have you heard of Bánh mì? I hadn’t. It’s this incredible sandwich like, sub bread filled with undetermined meats, shredded vegetables and a magical paste spread. I know i'm not really selling it right now, but if you ever get the chance to try it you'll be thanking me later. These glorious sandwiches were sold around the corner from the work space and became my dinner nearly three times a week.
Not far from the Bánh mì café, was the gym, just after Hoan Kiem lake. I’m not sure why I chose the hottest month, I’m talking 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 90% humidity, to do a running challenge, but I alternated between the treadmill and multiple lake-lap miles, 28 of the 30 days I spent there. I felt incredibly grateful to de-stress the upcoming night shift each day in a place I once feared I’d never feel at home in. I also wasn’t upset to be in my best shape in five months and not gain weight from all the crazy foods I tried.
What to say to your mom when she makes your favorite; spaghetti and meatballs?
Nah thanks ma, I eat Pho now. I’ve mentioned Bánh mì, but spring rolls and Pho (an incredible broth filled with beef, fish cakes, noodles, scallions, chili peppers and usually poured by a wrinkly woman from a humongous vat, who spent her life perfecting it) were also a part of my regular diet. This paired with an avocado shake and likely another Vietnamese coffee had me feeling all the vietNOMS.
I knew I’d like Vietnamese coffee, but for more than its ability to make me feel I was on crack, it had an incredible taste. What could ever be so wrong about strong coffee and condensed milk? I also challenged myself to a “coffee shop a day” and found my favorite, a coconut frosted, iced coffee from Kalina Café. **Confession -- I went back nearly every day after that on my way home from the gym.
Did someone just throw up sweaty socks after a long night of drinking Bia Hoi?
Probably. But this was the smell of Hanoi’s food streets whether someone had a rough night or not. I can’t brag about this part, or Ben & Jerry, the two cockroaches Laura and I saw regularly in our apartment that we felt we needed to name, but I did get used to both and in some ways, kind of miss the smell; not the cockroaches. It sounds weird, but like NY on trash pickup day, no one likes the smell of it or the piled garbage impairing your view of the Uber driver’s license plate, but in a way, you always know that smell and its the familiarity that makes you smile.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a hot dog blimp!
Nope it’s Uber Moto. Flying up with an extra helmet and a small space on the back of the seat was an Uber Moto driver picking me up and take me anywhere in the city for less than one USD. Yes, you heard me right. I rode on the back of many motorbikes and embraced the organized chaos of traffic that drove any direction it pleased. I don't know how those motorbikes never hit one another, but i'm still pretty impressed. I also didn't master the side saddle as well as a fellow Remote Blanca, but it’s something I’ll add to my list of reasons to go back.
Remember when we heard the word side, and immediately decided between mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables or small salad?
I don’t. I hear the word side, and immediately following that in my brain is “trip.” I’ve mentioned side trips before, its one of the things that take up most our free time on Remote Year. It’s the only thing that’s not planned and scheduled for us and there are always too many reachable places, it gets overwhelming. **First world problems, I know.
Our first month in Asia, most of us decided to only side trip within Vietnam to really embrace the culture. For me, it involved a massive group trip of 30, boarding two boats of cabins and roof decks to sail around Ha Long Bay. I also took a trip to Saigon, or the south of Vietnam which is now referred to as Ho Chi Minh. Two very different trips.
Ha Long until we get off this friggen’ boat?
The day was made up of sailing the bay, spotting jelly fish and deciding whether or not to let your friend’s sinking Kayak leave him singing “My Heart Will Go On” or drag his butt in. I decided i'd drag him in, but i'll never let him forget it. We drank until the sun came up leaving us with a night we’ll never forget; well some of us that is!
On the contrary, Ho Chi Minh was everything traditional and historical that I’d seen in screen savers, discovery channel episodes and imagined Vietnam would be. From both floating and land markets, to traditional wooden boats on the Mekong Delta, biking around rice plantations and a visit to the war museum, I learned a hell of a lot in three days.
A week prior to the trip we had heard two war veterans speak at the Hoa Lo Prison where they were held under French control, an
d years later the Americans under the Vietnamese. They talked about their experience during war against the French and time in the prison. It wasn't hard to recognize the propaganda in the prison museum, as well as the war museum in Saigon, but I was glad I got to hear first hand from a couple vets.
I was constantly conflicted. Not about what really happened there or what side to take, I am American after all, but in trying to understand how the country itself had been through hell and back and a lot of people once suffered there (including Americans). This once very dark place is now filled with happy, welcoming and respected people who continue to drive tourism to this underrated place. I myself can’t wait to go back.
So…
I spent the month coping with long and late hours, chasing the places Anthony Bourdain shared in his “Parts Unknown: Hanoi” episode, eating my way through food street and coming to love the plastic stools and tables you find in the Little Tikes section of a toy store. Always stumped that a family of five could fit on one motor bike and that it wasn’t rare to find a pet store, a grill and pop up restaurant or babies with no car seats carried on the back. It took me until the last night to find Beer Street and actually make time for a drink, even if work ran over and I couldn't sign off, i took this "work from anywhere" RY motto seriously! For some people, this was a rough month, it’s hard to embrace the things that make this city unique, but I am already asking myself how soon I can go back and to this day it remains one of my favorite months along this adventure.
