The first story is one I like to call How Randolph the Rat Met His End (he was most likely a mouse, but there is better alliteration if I call him a rat). We have been chasing him out of our rooms for the better part of the last few months. He left a trail of nibbled food wrappers and muddy prints everywhere he went. On this particular day, he had stationed himself under Alison's wardrobe, and her roommate My went to get the guards to see if we could rid ourselves of the beast once and for all. I was sitting in my room and was only alerted to their presence by the terrifying sound of a loud electrical discharge. My first thought: Somebody is getting tased. My second thought: I need to see what's going on. I ran out of my room and into the hallway in time to see the older guard proudly holding Randolph's lifeless body by the neck as the younger guard discharged a taser at random intervals. I was then told that they shook the wardrobe until Randolph run out and the older guard grabbed him with his bare hands and snapped his little neck. Who knows what the taser was for.
My next story is about a delicious dinner and a really great mom. Two of my mother's friends from the VA Hospital in Durham were in Hanoi for part of this past week working on a collaborative effort to share education and experience internationally. They were able to steal away for a night to get dinner with Maeve and me. We went to the outdoor grill place where we had been before to get the chicken and ribs that were so scrumptious. Graciously, they met us at the school and walked there with us as I don't know if this place actually has a name to which I could have directed them. It was so nice for Maeve and me to see someone from home and be able to discuss some of the information and experiences we've gathered in these past few month (I actually retained a lot of stuff!). Our two guests were lovely enough to bring me Moravian cookies from my mother. Moravian cookies, very thin ginger snaps, are my family's equivalent of Christmas cookies, so it really feels like home when I eat them. So delicious!
On Saturday, I went to the Silk Village with some of my classmates. We walked around appreciating the beautiful colors and soft fabrics. We bargained and disapproved of prices until we were able to get what we wanted. One of our favorites phrases is "Tôi là sinh viên. Không tiền." "I am a student. No Money." It works well and often people are willing to help us out. That day, I picked up a bunch of scarves, and I touched just about everything.
Yesterday, we went to the Hanoi Cinematheque where Dr. Bennett (our program professor) had arranged for us to watch two Vietnamese films and then speak with the filmmaker about his choices and career. We watched When the Tenth Moon Comes and Nostalgia for the Countryside by Dang Nhat Minh. The first was my favorite. It was set in a rural area of Vietnam during a time of war. A young wife learns that her husband has died on the battlefront but doesn't know how to process that or tell her family, so she goes on acting as if her husband is still alive. His depiction of loss and grief was portrayed in such a universal way. The wife's inability to let go of the hope that her husband will return is not unique to Vietnam. It was a wonderful film that I suggest you watch if you can find it. The Q & A with the filmmaker after watching the movies was a really neat experience. We got to ask about his process and thoughts about the films. It made me flash forward to when one of my good friends will undoubtedly be discussing his films with engaging college students. They may ask him about his inspirations and personal experiences, how he got his start and how he goes about bringing the stories to life. Yeah, Will's gonna be famous.
The movies were followed by a pizza dinner across the street. It was some good pizza.
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