As I walked along the sidewalk today I smiled at how things impossible to find in Canada become a common sight here. For example: on the sidewalk were two teenage girls with their bicycle. They were watching a man repair their tire tube which evidently had a hole in it. He had a fire burning in a coffee can size receptacle over which he was melting something which would be daubed onto the hole. At this same corner we often see larger repairs being done, right on the sidewalk.
Of course there are hundreds of things taking place as sidewalk business. Common are the vendors of various small items; small coffee stalls; meals being eaten as adults squat on child size stools with no table, etc. However occasionally we see a barber cutting hair; a manicurist working on nails; coffee being served; meals being eaten, etc.
Today I walked to the local market to buy a couple of pineapples. Jan has been sick with a cold (not too bad, just enough to slow her down). It was a good time to buy flowers for the love of my life. At the market, several stalls offer hundreds of flowers of all sizes. Being a romantic, I bought a dozen red roses! Yes, and you are wondering how much those roses cost here, aren't you? Given the strength of the Canadian dollar right now: less than $2.50.
One more Vietnam note: today in language class, I commented to our tutor that the words "thank you" and "please" are not used a lot. For example she has told me that when directing taxi drivers I should simply say "turn right" or "go straight". It is not expected that I would add "please". So I referred to this today and she smiled. She said "yes" we don't use those words often. But, she added, now school teachers are instructing young children that they should learn to say "thank you" and "please". I did not ask her if that is just to help them interact with foreigners, or if it is starting a small cultural shift.
What I do know is that we can never say "thank you" enough to our God who loves us enough that He sent His only unique Son to be our Saviour. Thank you, our Father in Heaven!
Of course there are hundreds of things taking place as sidewalk business. Common are the vendors of various small items; small coffee stalls; meals being eaten as adults squat on child size stools with no table, etc. However occasionally we see a barber cutting hair; a manicurist working on nails; coffee being served; meals being eaten, etc.
Today I walked to the local market to buy a couple of pineapples. Jan has been sick with a cold (not too bad, just enough to slow her down). It was a good time to buy flowers for the love of my life. At the market, several stalls offer hundreds of flowers of all sizes. Being a romantic, I bought a dozen red roses! Yes, and you are wondering how much those roses cost here, aren't you? Given the strength of the Canadian dollar right now: less than $2.50.
One more Vietnam note: today in language class, I commented to our tutor that the words "thank you" and "please" are not used a lot. For example she has told me that when directing taxi drivers I should simply say "turn right" or "go straight". It is not expected that I would add "please". So I referred to this today and she smiled. She said "yes" we don't use those words often. But, she added, now school teachers are instructing young children that they should learn to say "thank you" and "please". I did not ask her if that is just to help them interact with foreigners, or if it is starting a small cultural shift.
What I do know is that we can never say "thank you" enough to our God who loves us enough that He sent His only unique Son to be our Saviour. Thank you, our Father in Heaven!
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