Vietnamese is the main language here. People in my area speak with a southern accent. Some groups also speak other languages, like Khmer or Hmong.
The money here is called the Vietnamese dong. Prices can look like big numbers. For example, 10,000 dong is less than one U.S. dollar.
One bottle of water costs about 10,000 dong. That is less than 50 cents in U.S. money. It is easy to buy.
The best meal I ate was bún riêu cua. It is a noodle soup with crab meatballs and tomatoes. It tastes a little sweet, a little sour and very fresh.
I listened to a song called “Made in Vietnam”. My students used the song to practice for a dance. The song is about pride in the country.
The most fun activity was our teacher party after Tết. We picked lucky red envelopes called lì xì. We shared treats and wished each other a happy new year.
