With one month left in Hanoi, I’ve been reflecting on the things I will, and won’t, miss about this strange and wonderful city, and Vietnamese culture general. So here’s my ever-evolving list of things that will be hard to leave and things I’m ready to leave.
I’ll miss…
· The people (of course!). The friends I have made here will be for a lifetime I know it! And Vietnamese are always so happy to invite me places and share their lives with me. They’re the reason I WILL come back one day soon to Hanoi
· My job and co-workers. Although I'm not doing what I hoped to be doing during my time at SRD, I really do enjoy the communications work I do. I also am proud to work for such a reputable and professional organization like SRD. We work hard, but we also know how to have fun! SRD really is my Vietnamese family.
· The food. Not having the best street food in the world just outside my front door, for around $1/meal, is going to make me go through Vietnamese food withdrawal. And I’ll miss my office cook’s food too! Which reminds me, I’m gonna have to cook again (ugh... the joys of being “grown up”).
· The culture. I feel like I’m always picking up a new custom, exploring a new area of town, or learning new facts about Vietnamese history. Living in such a culturally rich place, there’s always ways to expand your knowledge! Especially in Hanoi.
· Always having something to do. Whether it’s a hanging cool coffee shop, biking with a friend to a pagoda, or going to a concert… Hanoi has no shortage of things for you to do and see! It’s one of the reasons I love big cities!
· The independence. Although I love sharing my life in Vietnam with friends back home and wish they could experience it with me, it feels pretty cool that I have a life all my own that is completely different than my loved ones. I also feel like living so far from home has truly made me stand on my own two feet and make decisions by myself, which I’m sure will make me more self-sufficient when I get back home.
· The craziness and busy-ness of the city. As chaotic as life can be in Hanoi sometimes, it gives the city a character. A pulse. A vibe. It makes you come alive and want to explore.
· The ease of transportation in Asia. I love how cheap and easy it is to travel by bus, train and even plane! It’s given me the chance to see so much of this incredible country, and continent!
I won’t miss
· The traffic and noise. After 7 months I’m still not a fan of horns 24/7 and getting cut off every few minutes while I bike home (although I have come to accept and deal with these long ago). Hanoi has even made me an angry driver at times. When I do get honked at, cut off, or nearly hit by someone talking on their cellphone, luckily I can let out my frustrations in English while continuing down the street and no one around me is phased. Having some rules on the road will be a nice change.
· Getting unwanted attention. The occasional strange man yelling “I love you” at me, or the questions about my age/martial status/income/home country don’t bother me really (because that’s just how life as a foreigner goes in Vietnam goes), but it will be nice to “blend in” again.
· Having to buy bottled water. Drinking from the tap is privilege I have missed.
· The language barrier. Many people in Hanoi speak at least a little English, and I understand quite a bit of Vietnamese by now, but understanding 100% of what I hear and see around me will be a pleasant surprise to come home to I think. Granted I will miss the challenge that this language barrier presented me. I hope I stay motivated to continue to practice and learn Vietnamese even once I won’t need it every day.
· The culture. I feel like I’m always picking up a new custom, exploring a new area of town, or learning new facts about Vietnamese history. Living in such a culturally rich place, there’s always ways to expand your knowledge! Especially in Hanoi.
· Always having something to do. Whether it’s a hanging cool coffee shop, biking with a friend to a pagoda, or going to a concert… Hanoi has no shortage of things for you to do and see! It’s one of the reasons I love big cities!
· The independence. Although I love sharing my life in Vietnam with friends back home and wish they could experience it with me, it feels pretty cool that I have a life all my own that is completely different than my loved ones. I also feel like living so far from home has truly made me stand on my own two feet and make decisions by myself, which I’m sure will make me more self-sufficient when I get back home.
· The craziness and busy-ness of the city. As chaotic as life can be in Hanoi sometimes, it gives the city a character. A pulse. A vibe. It makes you come alive and want to explore.
· The ease of transportation in Asia. I love how cheap and easy it is to travel by bus, train and even plane! It’s given me the chance to see so much of this incredible country, and continent!
I won’t miss
· The traffic and noise. After 7 months I’m still not a fan of horns 24/7 and getting cut off every few minutes while I bike home (although I have come to accept and deal with these long ago). Hanoi has even made me an angry driver at times. When I do get honked at, cut off, or nearly hit by someone talking on their cellphone, luckily I can let out my frustrations in English while continuing down the street and no one around me is phased. Having some rules on the road will be a nice change.
· Getting unwanted attention. The occasional strange man yelling “I love you” at me, or the questions about my age/martial status/income/home country don’t bother me really (because that’s just how life as a foreigner goes in Vietnam goes), but it will be nice to “blend in” again.
· Having to buy bottled water. Drinking from the tap is privilege I have missed.
· The language barrier. Many people in Hanoi speak at least a little English, and I understand quite a bit of Vietnamese by now, but understanding 100% of what I hear and see around me will be a pleasant surprise to come home to I think. Granted I will miss the challenge that this language barrier presented me. I hope I stay motivated to continue to practice and learn Vietnamese even once I won’t need it every day.
You can see how torn myself, and my fellow INDEVOURS as well probably, are feeling right now about leaving the places we have called home for 7 months now. But at the same time, I feel in many ways I'm ready to go home. Such is the life of a development worker I suppose... falling in love with a place you're working in and knowing you have to leave it one day.
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