It's a beautiful, quiet morning on campus. Most of the students are gone and the rest are preparing to leave for summer break - the month of July. The entire university closes down for this month, including the cafeteria, my source of sustenance. Likely, in July, I will walk through campus and see only the guards with whom I will share this space and time.
Summer break signals yet another turn of events in what has been an exciting albeit challenging time here in Ha Noi. It will challenge me to extend beyond the safety of the cafeteria to experiment with local Vietnamese restaurants where we do not share a language. I walk by many of them frequently and have identified some that look interesting to me. The question is, however, how will I know the menu and how will I communicate with the owners? I have engaged my English speaking friends to introduce me to a couple restaurants. At one, I have a relationship with the owner and can select from a buffet those foods that are of interest. Because of our friendship, I have no concerns about being overcharged. I will get my breakfast there. At another, I recorded the menu in English and so will be able to point to the Vietnamese words. I will frequent this restaurant for dinner. I will also continue to eat my fruit, crackers, yogurt and peanut butter meal. Funny to talk in such detail about such a simple thing. But, it is an interesting experience in food access.
The other major question concerns water. I learned through experiencing severe dehydration and the subsequent requisite IV drip that I need to be conscious about my water intake. I buy water in 5 liter jugs, which are quite heavy to carry the 20 minute walk from the store. I have a colleague at the university who takes me on a weekly water run. He, too, will be leaving for summer break. So, I'm stocking up, but will run out of water by mid July. My plan??? I will walk to the store daily to purchase and carry home one jug of water. Water...another resource we take for granted in the US. Actually, if you think about it, we really consider water a right. Imagine if you were told you can't have access to water? How would you respond? I think, with outrage and disbelief...that would be my response as an American accustomed to potable water at the turn of a spigot. That, however, is not the reality for much of the world's population. In fact, the poor have even less access to potable water. I have the resources to buy bottled water. They don't, so have to drink whatever is available to them, regardless of the contamination or disease which it may carry. 'Well, then, they shouldn't drink it!' you say. I say, try going without water and see how long you make it. In this experiment, we'll allow toilet flushing and showers and dishwashers and wash machines and car washes and lawn sprinkers... But, no water to drink, not added to juice or in the form of ice or out of the tap.
And, I shall make my daily walk to get my 2 liter bottle of water, which I shall drink religiously as I now know what it feels like to be severely dehydrated...and because I have the resources.
Summer break signals yet another turn of events in what has been an exciting albeit challenging time here in Ha Noi. It will challenge me to extend beyond the safety of the cafeteria to experiment with local Vietnamese restaurants where we do not share a language. I walk by many of them frequently and have identified some that look interesting to me. The question is, however, how will I know the menu and how will I communicate with the owners? I have engaged my English speaking friends to introduce me to a couple restaurants. At one, I have a relationship with the owner and can select from a buffet those foods that are of interest. Because of our friendship, I have no concerns about being overcharged. I will get my breakfast there. At another, I recorded the menu in English and so will be able to point to the Vietnamese words. I will frequent this restaurant for dinner. I will also continue to eat my fruit, crackers, yogurt and peanut butter meal. Funny to talk in such detail about such a simple thing. But, it is an interesting experience in food access.
The other major question concerns water. I learned through experiencing severe dehydration and the subsequent requisite IV drip that I need to be conscious about my water intake. I buy water in 5 liter jugs, which are quite heavy to carry the 20 minute walk from the store. I have a colleague at the university who takes me on a weekly water run. He, too, will be leaving for summer break. So, I'm stocking up, but will run out of water by mid July. My plan??? I will walk to the store daily to purchase and carry home one jug of water. Water...another resource we take for granted in the US. Actually, if you think about it, we really consider water a right. Imagine if you were told you can't have access to water? How would you respond? I think, with outrage and disbelief...that would be my response as an American accustomed to potable water at the turn of a spigot. That, however, is not the reality for much of the world's population. In fact, the poor have even less access to potable water. I have the resources to buy bottled water. They don't, so have to drink whatever is available to them, regardless of the contamination or disease which it may carry. 'Well, then, they shouldn't drink it!' you say. I say, try going without water and see how long you make it. In this experiment, we'll allow toilet flushing and showers and dishwashers and wash machines and car washes and lawn sprinkers... But, no water to drink, not added to juice or in the form of ice or out of the tap.
And, I shall make my daily walk to get my 2 liter bottle of water, which I shall drink religiously as I now know what it feels like to be severely dehydrated...and because I have the resources.
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