“A day of traveling will bring a basketful of learning.” — Vietnamese Proverb
I arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport rather disoriented and disheveled. After over 30 hours of continuous travel, I was ready to hit the ground running. I went through customs and quickly found the public transport bus to make my way towards the city center.
There is an interesting sense of informality and lawlessness here, especially when it comes to traffic patterns. The constant beeping and zooming of the vehicles all around me was impossible to ignore. While chugging along in the public bus likely from the 90s, I could already feel the electric buzz of this Southeast Asian mega-city — it was almost palpable. I was now at the mercy of Saigon.
And oh, the mopeds. They are everywhere here. And I mean everywhere. There is an endless sea of them, looking out onto the asphalt, they never stop coming; no matter the time of day. Think you can take refuge on the sidewalk? Think again, that “pedestrian” area is free game for them as well. I learned this all too quickly after not glancing over my shoulder before I stepped onto one… close call.
I also noticed almost immediately the sheer size and importance of the informal economy here. Drivers pull to the side of the street in busy traffic to have a chat with the street merchants, or to buy up whatever it is they happen to be selling. And people are selling everything here. From clothes, scrap metal, souvenirs, magazines, the daily newspaper, shoes, hats, literally about anything you can imagine can be bought off the side of the road. Street vendors are the true heartbeat of this city.
Also, the food. My god is it everywhere. I’m like a kid in a candy store here. Except the candy store spans farther than the eyes can see and has candy varieties whose names I can’t pronounce. Down every alley, every street, every last crevasse of the city, you will see a vendor selling something delicious.
Another thing that sticks out is the kindness and hospitality of the Vietnamese people. Now, I know about three words in Vietnamese, but this didn’t stop me from trying my hand at ordering something when I first landed. You would be surprised how far you can get by body language and pointing alone; I’m making due. And my taste buds have thanked me greatly for it so far.
For my first dinner, I decided to enjoy some nem nướng cuon (grilled pork spring rolls).
The way this dish works is, they give you all the ingredients (rice paper, meat, various herbs/greens, and a plethora of sauces) and it’s up to you to construct the roll. The older woman in charge of the restaurant was watching in concern and suspense and I attempted to assemble my first roll. And I have to admit, I was a bit intimidated. After witnessing my struggle, she soon came over to lend a helping hand and kindly showed me a more efficient method.
When I finally made one in success, I could tell both she and my waiter were elated. They expressed genuine joy that I was able to now fully experience the meal in its purest form. I think there was something beautiful about this moment, and it speaks volumes about the Vietnamese people. They are extremely proud of their food culture and love to share it with others. I won’t forget this brief instant of shared happiness. What we couldn’t communicate with words was made up by the connection of simply being human.
Don’t be afraid to look like an idiot, it’s how experts begin.
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