Here we are in the kitchen with daughter #4, Ba (matriarch of family), me,
Nhu, the 13 year old all Saigon star pupil, and Don.
On our first morning we were treated to pho which in Viet Nam from north to south is considered a breakfast meal. There are little pho shops all over, filled with young students on their way to school with Dad or Mom, colleagues, families ... it's quick, in and out because that is all that they serve. In Saigon it is with raw beef, to give you strength for your day ... but the broth is so hot that the thinly sliced meat cooks within seconds. Served as all pho with plenty of basil, mint, sprouts and lime it's a counterintuitively great way to start the day ... who would think steaming soup would be what you would want when you are sweating like the proverbial farm animal, but hey, it works.
The Saigon family, similar to the Hue one, is a multi-generational affair with grandma and 2 of her daughters sharing the 4 storey house. The downstairs has a commercial space fronting the street which is rented out to a local merchant. Just behind the commercial space, which family come in and out of at any time, is what would be known in the early 20th century US as a parlor. A semi-public space to greet guests/friends. It has a couch, 2 chairs and a coffee table and is where prodigous amounts of tea and Viet Namese coffee were had by us along with fruit and many conversations. There is also a tv on the far wall and a charming waterfall centerpiece below the stairs, which separate the kitchen from the parlor area. Behind the kitchen is a bathroom and small bedroom.
Don and I were given the 3rd floor which had a large bedroom with bath next to it, the stairs in-between a 2nd room which fronted the street, complete with a balcony filled with plants, a tv, couches and chairs. Great morning light for reading. The 2nd floor was similar to ours, which another daughter (mother of star pupil) her husband and children shared. Then the 4th floor was probably also similar which is where the 4th daugher lived. The caring and love that was shared between these family members in our mini-blick was very obvious. But what we learned was that the house next door, was owned by daughter #2, which had an exact layout of the ground floor, complete with parlor and kitchen layout. And of course up the street was another daughter ... these folks stayed very close to home. We were asked many times if our children missed us with us gone so long on this trip. The idea that our children lived hours away from us brought incomprehending looks of sadness even though the first comments about us had to do with our obvious, to them, happiness. (these comments were made to Loan on the first and subsequent nites)
Many of the grandchildren studied English in school and we became the natural people for them to practice with, only practice was not what it was. These were very verbal, very competent speakers of English. They spoke a very sophisticated English and although there were a couple of glitches here and there we were very impressed with their ability to explain, comprehend and have normal conversations with us. It occurs to me now that the Saigon family, particularly Bamboo, had the best English of any non-native English speakers we met in all the hotels, restaurants, museums & tours we went on in the 25 days we spent in Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Her language competency will assist in all endeavors that she may pursue. I know that she and her cousins will continue to improve and expand their abilities further.
