February 11, 2001. Saigon, Vietnam.

Yesterday I took my first thrilling ride on a Xe Om - xe means "vehicle" and om means "hug" - in other words, a 2-wheeled Honda on which I hug the driver if I want to stay on. It's a trip to be had at least once in Vietnam, since the Vietnamese care not for red lights, one ways, or any rules of the road. It's quite a talent to be able to drive here. You should see six-year-old kids crossing the street - it's like crossing a six lane highway during rush hour with no pedestrian paths.

Forgot about the other job offer; I got a second one on Friday to be Creative Director for a guidebook in Vietnam, and I have an interview at the English school tomorrow. I'll work on the guidebook awhile, and see what else comes up. The Vietnamese businessmen are cunning and somewhat conniving. All big talkers; I'm watching out for myself, but I also know that what comes around goes around. If I get cheated, I don't really mind since I'll just gain from the work experience I'll have here. I've learned how to read fairly well in the last week, and so my writing will improve if I practice. At work, everyone speaks to me in Vietnamese, and though it's difficult, my vocabulary is increasing day by day.

Yesterday I ate a fruit called mang cau -- soursop -- and on the outside it's green & yellow, really lumpy (like a bunch of grapes would be if they were sealed under plastic wrap), but on the inside, it has a flesh similar to pineapple and a flavor that crosses between pineapple and well, I don't know?The flesh has large black seeds that slide right off. It's refreshing and tasty. I also had Vietnamese grapefruit for the first time yesterday and it was amazingly good. The grapefruit here is unusually large, and I recall my dad's stories of playing hookey from school playing soccer with grapefruits in lieu of soccer balls.

This morning mom and I had facials and foot massages for about $15 USD total. The girls there kept telling my mom, what nice eyebrows she has" and then one asked me if I "had family" ?it's their way of saying "are you married?" No way, I said. People keep asking me that. Then when I say no, they ask me if I'm still living with my parents (that's what unmarried children do here). Life is either easy or hard here; it's difficult to accept. You see so many poor people begging on the streets, sleeping under tarps, and little kids trying to sell packs of gum or other knickknacks. Smoking is allowed everywhere; in fact, the guy next to me in the internet caf?is doing it as I write.

Tonight we go eat in the Caravelle Hotel to test its wedding dinner menu (it's where my uncle is getting married on Saturday). It's a world famous French hotel that has been here forever. Right now, they are building a movie set just outside of it, and Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser are starring in it ?"The Quiet American" or something like that. My aunt's ice cream shop is on the road in back. The Vietnamese don't understand how such an intricate set can be built just for a movie, only to be torn down. Alas, they need it to look like pre-1975 Saigon, and the entire budget is a mere $30 Million USD (labor's cheap). By law, no one is allowed to check into hotels under assumed names, so anyone can call the hotel and request Mr. Caine or Fraser's rooms.

Met a few more family members in the last few days. I ran into my great aunt today at a restaurant in town. This morning we ate a delicious plate of mien cua - vermicelli noodles sauteed with lump crab meat, and another dish that is made of fried yams & shrimp. Drank fresh squeezed orange juice and a cup of ca phe sua da - iced coffee, vietnamese style. There's much more to tell, but I can't recall so I will leave off for now. Till next time, glad you're keeping in touch. h.