Communication

Traveling is not easy especially when I don’t know the Vietnamese language. We have tried so hard to learn at least some words in Vietnamese, but the pronunciation is not easy. Some people laugh at us others try to help but make us repeat. We use sign language most of the time in the hotel, restaurants and stores, but it is very difficult. For example, last night we waited one hour and a half in order to eat dinner because we thought we already had ordered the food, but apparently we didn’t. I was so hungry and tired. Finally, one lady offered to help who happened to be having dinner. She ordered some food for us and we ended eating after one hour an half.

This afternoon we went to a restaurant and the waitresses couldn't understand what we wanted to order. The problem was that we wanted to eat fish, but they couldn't understand us because fish and chicken are pronounced almost similar,at least to our ears. We laughed a lot because it was so difficult to communicate what we wanted to eat. Sometimes we have to point to other customers dishes in order to communicate what we would like to eat.

Yesterday morning we had such a terrible time getting on the bus to Chau Doc, we got into the bus and when the bus started to leave we found out that the bus was going to the wrong city. We got off the bus which had air conditioning and we were directed to a small mini-van that was going to Chao Doc. We sat for a few minutes and we started to sweat. We got off the bus while the driver waited for more passengers. Finally, we were like sardines there were about 18 people in the mini van. It was so hot and I started to sweat, and felt dizzy and got a headache. I wanted to get off the bus, but it was impossible because we were squeezed in the back. I was talking in English but the driver didn't understand what I was saying. Luckily the ride was only 40 miles. I felt really bad and I wanted to scream and cry. I wanted to go to Chau Doc. I felt much better when I saw an old lady smilling at me, I thought if she can do it I can do it too.

What a big headache we get when we are not able to understand. The Vietnamese Language is not even close to English. Now, I understand much better the inmigrant from Southeast Asia, it must be a nightmare when they come to the U. S and they are not able to communicate with the teacher or the rest of the population.