"Please, Eat the Telephone"

    Hostess had an early class this morning so we were supposed to be at school by seven. It was very cold out but that didn't stop me from trying to sleep in the French quarter of the school. Right as I was dozing off, "Excuse me!!" had me jumping up to see a student standing over me. I thought he was going to tell me to move when he asked "Are you sleepy??" Well, let's see. I was lying down with my head on my purse as a pillow with my eyes closed in a secluded area. Yes was the answer. "Are you from America??" "Yes." "Do you study here??" No, I flew all the way to Vietnam just to pretend I was a hobo. "Yes." Then he just walked away. Probably the strangest encounter I've had this trip where there was talking involved. Then, since my host mother is worried I don't eat enough, I bought something else for breakfast. It was cold and vanilla flavored. Karen laughed at me when she saw what I was eating. 

    Instead of having a day off like we were supposed to (grumble grumble) we had to come in to make rice paste sculptures. The guy did not speak any English but what he created was some of the most amazing art work I have ever seen. First there was a dragon, then a phoenix and then a Vietnamese soldier. It's called 'to he' for anyone that wants to look it up. There are probably some pronunciation marks. He taught us how to make something resembling a rose and then a pig. The pig is much easier on the eyes than the rose is, except for the caterpillar I tried to put on the stem turned into an alien worm. The Vietnamese think it is an eel. Maybe it's time to give up on art, especially after the bunny mask. I got to take the dragon home, Alessa took the phoenix and Lilith took the soldier. Turns out we're going to Laos then Cambodia so we get to meet Lilith's family Saturday. Hooray. I am filled with so much joyful anticipation. Sally was around our group today because her and Niko had plans but he was very late. So much awkwardness. 

    I was treated to a facial today by Hostess. She knows the woman who does them very well so they chatted away in Vietnamese about her baby. Because of the early morning and the soft bed, I spent most of the time there sleeping. After we were done we had to wear face masks all the way home to protect our delicate skin. Hostess laughed at me because I wore it long after I could take it off. 

    I was left home with the mother and brother since Hostess had extra classes tonight. The mother told me I could use the laptop as much as I wanted since she doesn't speak very good English. Instead, I had her help me learn how to say the time in Vietnamese. I also tried to help with the cooking but she declined. Probably a smart idea looking at my skills in the kitchen. We talked a bit about our families and my picky eating habits (she thought I loved fish and mushrooms) but then it was dinner time and Hostess came home earlier than was expected so host family dinner night!! Eating with everyone is fun since the mom keeps trying to convince her kids to trick me into eating more food or count how many ladles of soup I put in my bowl. After dinner the water was turned off. Again. They are hoping it will be back by morning and I hope so too since washing dishes becomes such a chore. Plus, they are willing to wash my clothes here. Free laundry!! 

At dinner the mom keeps asking me to wish her a good meal in Vietnamese. This is usually left to the youngest person so I don't know why she wants me to do it, especially since she has to reteach it to me every time. Today  I started making up sounds which sounded like telephone in Vietnamese. So I asked my host mom to please eat the telephone. 

    Hostess tried to help me study for my Vietnamese test tomorrow. We looked over the worksheets that the teacher gave me. We did not learn 90% of what is on them. And it turns out that the teacher has been teaching us some weird pronunciations and old fashioned ways of saying things. Even not knowing what we had learned when Hostess looked over the sheets she knew there was no way we could answer the questions on our own. So not even studying will help me now. 

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