The native language in Vietnam is Vietnamese, a complicated language that twists my tongue. There are six tones, and one word can have six different meanings when it’s pronounced in various ways. I’m learning bit by bit, and each time I say something correctly, I’m encouraged to learn more.
The currency here is called Vietnamese dong, and unlike in America, where different Presidents are featured on each type of bill, famed revolutionary Ho Chi Minh is printed on every single bill in Vietnam. One U.S. dollar is about equal to 22,000 Vietnamese dong.
A 1.5 liter bottle of water generally costs around 8,000 VND, or about 35 cents in the U.S.! It’s very cheap to stay hydrated here.
I’m very lucky to have access to a lot of incredible dishes in Vietnam. The southern part of Vietnam, especially in the Mekong Delta, is famous for its cuisine. This week, my favorite meal was a big bowl of pho! The dish is a delicious meat-based broth, very fresh rice noodles, lots of veggies and two different kinds of beef. I like to add a healthy dose of hot sauce and a few scoops of red chili flakes. There’s a place a couple blocks away from my house that pho!
