The Hanoian Lifestyle

I've gotten through my first month teaching at Vietnam National University. So far, I am really enjoying working with university students; I'm enjoying it enough that I don't mind waking up at 6:30AM every day. Additionally, I've finally worked up enough nerve to wear one headphone and listen to music during my commute. It's amazing how much more fun I have taking on the Hanoi traffic with some good tunes to back me up. Back in the states, I could never drive a car without some form of music playing, and I'm surprised that it took me over a year to start listening to music while driving around Hanoi... I guess this means I am officially comfortable driving my motorbike around the city.

Recently, my friend Flip had a bit of a going-away party since he was leaving Vietnam to travel for a few months. We all met up at his favorite Bia Hoi to enjoy cheap beer, cheap food, and good company. Oddly enough, a TV crew for a local station arrived to record the party and conduct some interviews. Given that I have lived here for a while and currently have a Vietnamese boyfriend, they were very interested in getting my opinion on life in Hanoi. So, along with 3 other friends, I was interviewed for a newscast concerning the foreigner lifestyle in Hanoi. Son managed to track down the final video, and seeing myself dubbed over in Vietnamese is extremely hilarious. You can watch it here. Even though you won't be able to understand a word of it, the video gives a pretty good idea of what my nightlife consists of...

And, as promised, I've added some pictures of Hanoian street food that I enjoy on a regular basis:

Bun Cha and Nem Cua (grilled meat with bun noodles in vinegar broth, paired with crab meat fried spring rolls. This is Hanoi's signature dish and can be found on every street.

Bun Bo is bun noodles, beef, cabbage, peanuts, fried onions and bean sprouts in broth, typically a Southern dish.

My Van Thom... a "soup"with noodles, various meats, mushrooms, dumplings, veggies, eggs, and lard.

Tit De... goat udder with sesame seeds "Korean BBQ"... skewers of random things, ranging from fish balls to veggies wrapped in meat. Paired with traditional Vietnamese sauces And my favorite dish, Bit Tet! Beef, pate', fries, and an egg smothered in a garlic gravy, served with crunchy bread and pickled cucumber.