It’s happened too many times not to mention. I found the Vietnamese are much more friendlier here than in the other parts of Vietnam that I have visited. It’s a small town so most people aren’t used to foreigners walking their streets aimlessly. Anything out of the ordinary is bound to stir a reaction.
Yesterday, I stumbled upon a high school that was just letting its students out for the day. I snapped some pictures then I tried to go on my merry way. One brave soul came right up to me and said ‘hello’ (at this point, much pointing and many eyes were fixed in my direction).
I answered him with a cheery hello, and I tried to continue the conversation. Within a few seconds, I was in the middle of a tight scrum of students who were staring, laughing and saying ‘hello’. It was hilarious and I wish I had a picture of it. None of them could say anything other than ‘hello’. I politely said hello but I was at a loss as to what to do next. The situation was harmless but I was completely caught off guard.
After I managed to break away, I tried to walk down the street without drawing any more attention to myself. In Vietnam everyone rides a pushbike so all the students were pedalling by me and calling out ‘hello’. I must have said hello at least 50 times before I could count to ten.
I turned down a side street to escape the madness. The whole episode seemed so surreal. I had to get away and collect my thoughts. Not long after, I spotted another school in the distance that was ending for the day. This time it was an elementary school. I could see the students in advance so I made sure not to pass by the main gates. However these young children have hawk-like eyes and within moments some were running towards me screeching ‘hello’. Oh, the life of a celebrity.
I can’t describe how bizarre the incident was. These children were chasing after me just to say ‘hello’. One boy was lucky he wasn’t struck down by a motorcycle. They were so cheerful and curious. I was leading about five of them down the street like the pied piper. To add more to the sight, parents were idling their motorcycles just so their children could say hello. You had to love the sheer simplicity and peculiarity of it all. I’m used to people staring at me after living in Korea for so long but this was very bizarre.
That brings me to today. I decided to stay far from the maddening crowds and the public streets. Before leaving the town, I managed to find yet another school. Believe me when I say this, this is not intentional. I’m on holiday from children. The last thing I want to do is seek more out.
(I sometimes wonder whether this is a sign urging me to continue teaching.) Fortunately school was still in session for these students and they were behind bars. I mean they were enclosed in the schoolyard for recess. With a joyous hello, I extended my hand through the fence to shake as many little hands as I possibly could. Curious onlookers did nothing but stare. If I were in Canada, someone would have called the police on me for lurking around schools.
A single incident involving inquisitive children remains. I was walking down a street where cows were being lead to pasture. I got caught in the middle of a herd (that was interesting) and the boy leading the cattle asked me to take his picture. Somehow this drew a handful of girls on bikes to my side. And there they remained for about 1 km as I made my way back into town. I took their pictures and they asked me a few questions in broken English. Again it was really cute until one of them remembered the word for money so I started running away from them. All in all it was an amusing time.
