I was originally supposed to arrive yesterday ( it is currently 3:45 pm Sunday, January 7th, 2018), but because of a frozen tarmac in Atlanta, I arrived in Seoul after my connecting flight to Hanoi had already left the airport. Delta was great and put me on one of the first flights out the next day (today) and got me a (really, really) nice room at the Grand Hyatt for the night. I actually did not mind having the night in Seoul, since it gave me a chance to stretch and get some real sleep. Plus the fact that it was Seoul helped a lot too since I lived there for 3 years before and speak the language. So after a (relatively) good night's sleep (I woke up a few times because of jet lag and stress about not wanting to oversleep) I talked with my mom a bit and caught the airport shuttle bus to the departures gate.
I thought I would be fine getting there about an hour and a half before my flight, but boy was I wrong! Not only was it super crowded, everyone in the whole country seemed to be using my airline, so the line to check bags was almost out the door after snaking around the lobby a few times. I barely made it to the service desk before the last call for my flight! And to top it all off, the line for security was almost just as long and I only had about 30 minutes to make it to my flight! I was just about to give up as a security woman pulled me aside and had me weigh my backpack and carry one roller after which she said both were too heavy and I had to consolidate down to one bag but after one look at my stressed face and glassy eyes, plus the fact that I showed her my ticket and told her that I was about to miss my flight again, she took pity on me and gave me a pass that let me skip the security line and have an expedited security check (usually only reserved for flight crew members and higherups). I made it 10 minutes before they closed the doors, but I got on the plane!
The flight itself was pretty normal. I was sitting in the window seat of an emergency door so had plenty of legroom and no neighbors for the first half of my flight (an older Korean couple moved up to my row because of the leg room). Other than reading and sleeping nothing much else happened. The couple next to me were trying to set up their son with the flight attendant who was sitting across from us during landing. It was actually quite funny since none of them knew I understand Korean.
After the flight landed was when I was wondering what I had gotten myself into and if I should just get back on the plane. When I accepted the job, my company went through the process of applying for my visa and got me a letter of sponsorship. I knew that I had to turn in the letter and somehow I got a visa once I arrived. Well after standing in line for about 30 minutes I get up to the immigration officer and he then tells me I need to get out of line and go to the back of the room to pick up my visa. Well, the line to turn in your letter/apply for the visa was just as long as the line to get past the immigration officer! So I stand in line and then am given another form to fill out. Once done, I have to wait around for another 20-30 minutes while they are making my visa and putting it in my passport. I had made a few friends (fellow female American travelers and one guy from Mexico) in immigration who were going through the same, stressful process as me. Kind of wish we had exchanged information before we parted...
Once freed from the prison that is immigration, I got down the stairs to baggage claim to, thankfully, see that my bags had been taken off the belt and placed near the wall since it had taken me so long to get to baggage claim. I felt so bad for the driver that my Airbnb sent to pick me up because, by the time I made it through immigration and customs and withdrew some cash from the ATM, it had been almost 3 hours!
To be honest I never really felt like things were final, that I was actually moving to Vietnam until today. The drive from the airport to my place was so visually overwhelming that it has finally hit me that I am here in Vietnam, that this is where I am going to call home. Everything is just so different than what I am used to. Just from one day, I already have a slight headache from my brain trying to read all the signs but not being able to (also partially because I might be slightly dehydrated since I have been drinking water like a fish all day). The noises from the cars and scooters were jarring at first because it seems that most people do not signal or really follow any traffic laws that are more common in the Western world, rather they just honk to let others know where they are and then go off doing whatever they want, which then, in turn, means you have vehicles coming from every which way and the constant sounds of honking everywhere you go, but you soon get used to it. Plus I learned today that there is a curfew (while still loosely enforced) that does help cut down on the noises at night.
I never really left my Airbnb today (I took a much-needed nap) other than to go out to dinner with my regional manager and her boyfriend, both of whom had taught in Korea (at the same company that I had) before moving to Hanoi about a year ago. I had been messaging my RM for a few weeks now and had wanted to meet up with her to ask her and her boyfriend questions about life in Vietnam and about the branches I will be overseeing. They had me meet them in one of the more touristy areas of Hanoi, at a place called the Lantern Louge. Inside was absolutely gorgeous! It was dark mood lighting and floor seating, but the whole 2nd floor (where the restaurant was) was covered in paper lanterns in every jewel shade imaginable!! Plus the dinner was really good! We had the local cheap beer with Bun Cha (rice noodles dipped into a broth that had herbs, veggies, and charred meat), Lemon Peper grilled chicken, some sort of pork dish that had a dipping sauce, and also Bo La Lot (ground seasoned beef wrapped in a slightly marinated leaf that has been lightly fried in oil). Everything was so good, but I did feel slightly embarrassed when they asked me if I knew any Vietnamese food and all I could respond with was pho. Just means that I am going to have to be more adventurous when it comes to eating here!!
Well since I still have to finish prepping for tomorrow's class, I better go. Will make sure to update again soon!!
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