Advice in Vietnam

Now, I should preface with how regimented the Vietnamese are. I think they have been doing many things the same way for a long time, so some things are just understood to be either GOOD for your health or BAD for your health. We do a lot of things here that are on the bad list, such as eating a non rice food for breakfast...

Many of the Vietnamese do the same thing, eat the same thing, say the same things, every day. I don't want to stereotype, but it seems to me that most people take a nap during the day. Most people seem to eat four meals a day, usually including a lot of rice. Most people seem to drink a lot of coffee and/or tea. Most people seem to not sleep many hours during the night. Aaaaand, most people are skinny. Where's the pattern?

I didn't finish my dinner the other night, and we were walkig home from school, when one of my students said, "Oh teacher, don't eat that very late or you will get fat." I've heard people say that before. Whatever. I keep walking and a friend wants us to stop and talk. I don't want to, so I say that we must go home and sleep.

"If you sleep too much, you will get very fat," said my friend. That's a new one. Ok. Dually noted. You have to be pretty careful here or the fat will sneak up on you somehow.

I get home and I get a call from Steph and Brittany. We discuss flights and at the end of the conversation, they tell me that Brittany just took a shower (about 10pm) and was told that it was not good for her health. When she asked Why? She was told, "I don't know... but be careful."