08 · 25

A cancellation & a gourmet breakfast

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Right now I'm thinking of moving house closer to 72 Vo Thi Sau, District 1, because of a gourmet sandwich shop next to the campus.

However, I'm eating there right now and might just shelve the idea for now.
The omelette would be nice except for the kilo of pepper mixed into the egg. The toast is nice (they make their own bread) but they could have buttered it. No salt provided, but at least they had a proper salt shaker when I asked for it. I had to use the Vietnamese word for it though. Thank goodness it's one I can remember.

Now, onto the coffee. This is Vietnam, the country responsible for the most delicious style to be found anywhere in the world. I ordered it in Vietnamese, but received boiling hot American-style with a skin beginning to form on top. I had to wait 30 minutes before I could start drinking it.

The ambience is supplied by Gypsy Kings-influenced instrumentals, excellent customer service complete with very winning smiles and a lovely, large, green and manicured park, complete with al fresco tiled murals, across the road.

I guess they're catering to the culture-challenged ex-pat teachers here.

The reason I'm here is because I rushed out of the house at 9:15 this morning, running late and with a 1 hour ride ahead of me, to get to my first Vietnamese lesson. A lesson that was subsequently cancelled after I broke all bike records to get here by 10.

An apology was offered, along with a suggestion that I join the Intermediate class at a campus 10 minutes away. She seemed surprised when I said I had zero Vietnamese knowledge. I must look like an experienced teacher, I guess. That's a positive at least.

Now I have some thumb-twiddling to do until my 1pm classes begin at VAS. I'd go get a haircut if I could guarantee it would take less than two hours.

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