Birds of a Feather. Do They Flock Together?

Last weekend was the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is similar to Christmas for children. The festival is only celebrated by children which means that parents are tasked with gift giving and creating the perfect conditions for blissful childhood merriment. As such my college hosted a karaoke festival for the children of the staff of the college. I attended the event as a faculty member and to observe this uniquely Vietnamese holiday.

The children were so inexplicably happy. The major holiday in Vietnam is Tet, which can be, described as Christmas, Hanukah, New Year’s and your Birthday all rolled into one…so holidays are somewhat scarce… thus the kiddies went bananas.

During the first performance Bong (the dog and my buddy) found me and he sneaked in and hid under the desk I was sitting at and put his head on my lap and I petted him throughout the night. It was during one of the following performances that a child set down a plastic toy on the desk next to me and walked away. This toy sparked the following (approximately 10 minute) internal dialog:

         “Gosh that looks like a turkey. How cute it’s a light-up turkey. Who knew turkeys were so popular. They’re not really autumn birds but they’re more visible during autumn due to the holidays. In fact this one looks like Tom the Turkey at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Gosh I love the parade…insert Norman Rockwell images + my mother’s cooking...more blabber about the Thanksgivings of yore at GG’s in Syracuse. Who knew Turkey’s were so international. Hell, Tom’s got a passport and visa apparently.”

A child tries to belt the high note = piercing screams that jolt me out of my hazy wistfulness.

         “Oh look at that peacock…wait, peacock? No Turkey! Wait, WTF Turkey?! Tyler you nincompoop. Turkey? You crazy American. What’s wrong with you? Of course it’s a peacock. Vietnamese toy makers are going to make toys that kids can relate to…these children have NEVER seen a turkey let alone eaten one!”

Immediately following this I busted a gut, which garnered worried looks from those around me. After I composed myself I pointed to the toy and told my host (whose daughter was singing and won) “that’s a peacock!” to which he replied with a befuddled look splayed across his face “yes, Tyler that’s a peacock.” What he didn’t say but what was hanging in the air was “You feelin alright? Oh God I think my ETA just went off the deep-end. Culture shock stage 2. Where’s his reset button?” Just to be clear this toy was orange and yellow (Thanksgiving colors) and it's neck/head to tail plumage ratio was nearly 1:1 like a turkey. In hindsight it didn't have a gizzard and was much too graceful to be a turkey. What can I say I was clearly desperate.

One of these is food and the other is not. If you were in the middle of the jungle could you tell the difference?

Besides the funk of the first couple of days here I haven’t really missed home that much. I do miss my family and friends terribly but not America, at least not yet. Or so I thought. It’s pretty clear from this slight meltdown that my subconscious was projecting America onto Vietnam…how American right?! I crossed ambassador off my list that night for sure.

Vietnam has this way of creeping up on you. You think you’re adjusted and you’re strolling along through your day feeling pretty content, confident and competent and then BHAM! Vietnam hits you, or you get hit by a motorbike or somebody serves you pig’s blood and immediately you want to withdraw into yourself, run home, put in an American movie and just let the hot, humid world outside you melt away until you’re ready to face it again. Much like that tightrope there are times when the breeze is strong and is working so hard to knock you off. But you wrap your toes around that wire and you hold on because making it across and finishing the day is such an accomplishment in and of itself.

On a happier and startling note. It’s October 1. That means I have been here for 2 months! 2 months out of 10. That’s 1/5 of my time. 20% of my adventure is done! Where oh where does the time go??? I am so unadjusted and so naive in so many ways here. I feel like I just established a rhythm to get through my days and weeks then ding, the bells sounds, and a fifth of my journey is over. Not fair!

On the bright side I love teaching and love working here at DTCC. Cao Lanh is still revealing itself to me but so far I am content with the pace of life here and my colleagues are out of this world awesome. Last night when Anh Hung drove me home from a party Bong (the dog) came running out of the guard house and chased the motorbike to my door, tail wagging the entire way! To be greeted like that was truly indescribable. As a cat owner my usual greeting from the animal world; if I am likely enough to be graced by one, let alone both, of their esteemed presences at the door, is obviously motivated out their expectation of food.

         “Hey there ‘evolved one’ you look chubby and bedraggled today as per usual. Assuming you can coordinate your dim wits and get those brain cells firing do ya think you could feed us...now! By the way we left you a little gift, you can clean it up after we're through here. What's this no food? Begone, I will call if I need you.”

Once I feed them or once they realize I am not going to feed them their effervescence leaves and they return to deigning to be in the same room as me. Why do I miss them so? I am beginning to understand why dog owners think us cat people are crazy. Maybe we are? We’re crazy in unrequited love that is! Picture me laughing at my own joke.

This weekend I am attending the 20^th Anniversary Gala of the Fulbright in Vietnam Program. Gosh I’m such a grown-up going to a Gala. I will post sometime mid-week next week.

Have a good day readers!