Everyone knows us!

When first arriving to Hue Professor Biggs and Co Hong Anh told us that everyone knows everything about each other and word spreads very quickly. In theory, I understood what they meant but not until I started to explore around the city did I feel their words. For example, we went to find clothes that didn't make us feel like we were constantly sitting in a sauana. While we walked up the steps into the clothes shop, a man sitting on his bike and smoking a cigarette next to the steps looked at us with an expression of "Who are you?" As we walked in I could feel his gaze following us into the store. We learned to brush these stares off beacuse frankly, we stand out like Godzilla in Japan. When we were looking through clothes, I heard the man ask outloud to the lady in the store nextdoor "Who are those people?" in Vietnamese. She responded back with a tone of, "How do you not know?!" She said,"Sinh vien o khach san Thanh Noi!" Which translates into, "The students staying at the Thanh Noi hotel." When I heard that, my eyes almost popped out of my head and my jaw practically dropped to the floor. I couldn't believe it. It was only our second day in Hue, and this shop was pretty far from the hotel, yet word spread so quickly about us. I turned to my friend who spoke Vietnamese too, and she had the same suprised look as me. The phrase "Sinh vien o khach san Than Noi!" seemed to have stuck because everyday we hear it, whether it's walking around or driving past the people sitting on the sidewalk selling stuff. And yes, we hear it even when we're driving because Vietnamese people are not quiet or discreet. Personally, I think the fact that everyone knows us and knows that we're foreigners worked to our advantage. The locals are very warming to us through their smiles if we drive by, or by asking us a million questions when we're walking by. What I find most helpful about being known by the locals is that I'm able to ask them how much certain items should cost so I don't get ripped off. It makes me smile to see how excited the locals get when we ask for help and how much excess unecessary information they give us to make sure we understand. This type of sincere and welcoming environment is something that could never be found back home in the states. I know for sure that I will be very sad when I leave Hue because I'll feel like I'm leaving all my aunts and uncles.