Daily Happenings...

Let's just talk about a few stories from this week... (in keeping with my crazy blogging streak!)

• Walking to school the other day, I was waved over frantically by one of my neighbors. He seemed very concerned about me. After trying with words I didn't know, he finally motioned with his hands. He was worried that someone on a motorbike would grab my earrings while they were driving by, and rip them out. So I obligingly took them out... And put them back in when I was out of sight.
• I don't have a lighter. I have been lighting my pumpkin spice candle on the gas stove, but I finally decided that I've had enough of that. I want to buy a lighter. I tried to buy one from a lady near our apartment and she refused. She got a terrible look on her face and asked me why I wanted it. I don't know the word for candle, so I tried to explain it. She looked horrified at my explanation and wouldn't sell me the lighter. Finally a student came over and translated the word and she gave it, slapping me on my behind.
• I've told you about our neighbors before. One of them has a perpetual cough. But that's beside the point. We also have a 19 year old male neighbor who only ventures beyond the threshold of our door when he is hammered. He thinks that it's easier for him to speak English that way. He came over this week and we tried to get him to walk a straight line. That was funny.
• Tonight my student asked me what I call a person who sells drugs. I gave her a curious glance and said, "A dealer." "I want to be a dealer," she said. Wait, what? "Oh, no, no," I said, "You want to be a pharmacist."
• Phượng's birthday was December 1st. She had to work all day, but Oanh and I decorated a vase and gave her some flowers. The next day we all went out to a buffet with some of her friends from work. It was fun, though Jenny (Phượng's daughter, not my roommate) was cranky and bit me in the arm.