or this:
or this:
Those were some of the images we had when we first started exploring the possibility of going to Vietnam. We knew that our country had fought in the Vietnam War, we knew that it was a communist country, and not much else. So far, the Fulbright application process has forced us to learn what an amazing country this is. For instance Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Yes, it is communist, but sometimes it is hard to tell.
Some of the questions we have been asked when we tell people we're going to Vietnam:
Will you have Internet access? -- Yes, we're told this will not be a problem in Vietnam, especially in Hanoi which is a city of 7 million.
Will you have running water? Uh, yes.
Will you have to live in a hut, or will you be able to get a house? The houses we are considering renting have four or five bedrooms, and there are many options.
How will you survive in a communist country? Not sure about this one yet, although there is a healthy expat community in Hanoi and we are not worried. Yes, the system will be different, but we're confident we can navigate it.
What will your kids eat? We get asked this a lot. Our kids have been raised on lots of different kinds of ethnic foods since they were born, and in general they are adventurous eaters. One of the staples of Vietnamese cuisine is Pho (pronounced "fuh"), which is a soup base filled with different meats or seafood and vegetables.
Of course, the kids were excited when they saw what is right across the street from Libby's university where she'll be teaching:
And you know who gets the most excited when we say were going to Vietnam? It is the Americans who have actually been to Vietnam, from people who worked in the same department, to tourists just returning from Vietnam, to some of the Vietnam War veterans. As the day gets closer for our departure (whenever that is), we are getting more and more enthusiastic and eager to get this adventure under way.
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