Night at the Opera

I have been suffering a lot recently in Viet Nam. One particularly painful event was a recent night at the Ha Noi Opera House for a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra. The Opera House is a beloved landmark in Ha Noi. And also a relic of French colonialism. But as usual, the Vietnamese people seem to take what comes their way, make it their own if it didn't start out that like that and not get too stirred up about it. Today it is enjoyed by Vietnamese locals, foreign residents and tourists alike. It's located in the "Old Quarter" at the centre of the city, and I always bike past it on my way to the Action for the City office.

The plaza in front, free of all those pesky lanes, signs and rules that usually govern traffic, is always an exciting place to pass through.


Here is Hannah and me in the washroom, preparing for to head into the theatre. We are obviously very classy (taking photos in the public washroom mirror) and very Asian (notice the photo fingers). Or not.


We were also joined by our dear friend Lana, a one-year volunteer from England who I work with at Action for the City. Sadly she is leaving to "ve nuoc" (return to home country) very soon:( One of those unfortunately cut-short friendships peculiar to we globe-trotting, wealthy Westerners I talked about in my last post.

Yes, we had special matching bracelets for the night. They are wood lacquer art, a specialty in northern Viet Nam. I bought one. When Hannah saw it that evening, she decided she would like one too. So we went to the shop near the Opera House where I'd bought it. Then on the way out, decided we'd better get one for Lana too.


Finally, here is the orchestra. I thought they were wonderful, though I'm not much of a musical judge, and it was lovely to hear and see some classical music being created.

Lana and me on one of the Opera House's many balcony where we waved to our subjects (no nasty colonial overtones intended!) and then posed for the media core.

Hannah and I join Bac (Uncle) Ho's orchestra. As in Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of modern Viet Nam. You see him everywhere. Posing as we are with his likeness is probably not very PC... but in lots of his pictures, Bac Ho looks like he's laughing on the inside about something no one else knows (yes, like the Mona Lisa), and I bet he wouldn't mind having two "nguoi tay" (Westerners) join in the music.

It was all together a lovely evening and one of those times, which have been occurring more and more frequently, when I realize ways I really like living here and things I'm going to miss when I don't anymore. I just started looking through the mass of "re-entry" material MCC was graciously provided... and started feeling a little freaked out about how this SALT term is actually going to END. There were points over the past 10 months in which I really thought it never would. And I remember remarking to a friend half way though, You know, if I left right now, I'd don't think I'd miss anything. Well, fortunately (though maybe I did not think so then) I did not leave in January, and now... well, I'm starting to get kind of tearful when I think about going and worry that maybe I didn't enjoy being here enough for most of my term.

Your prayers and positive energies for me as I begin the process of leaving and returning -- for calm, comfort, reconciliation for internal and external conflicts, good goodbyes, realistic expectations for homecoming and working through all the logistics of returning to North American life -- would be much appreciated as I enter the re-entry period.

I'd just like to say a hearth felt thank you to all of you who email, write letters and skype with me regularly or irregularly. Every little bit counts, it really does. The love and support from friends and family at home that has remained steady from beginning to (almost) end of my term really has been and continues to be a most wonderful gift. I hope I can pass it back to you and to others in the future.