From Barns to Burritos to Banh Pho

Did you know the word "ma" has six different meanings in Vietnamese depending on the tone you use? It can mean phantom, but, rice seedling, mother, tomb or horse. Does that mean "Mama" has thirty-six different possibilities? Depending on the tone my children choose, I could be a phantom rice seedling one day and a horse tomb the next.

It all happened over a period of three days. We were planning to head to Mexico for a year of teaching on the Sea of Cortez.  We had cleaned out the barn, serviced the car for the long drive and tuned up the bikes which we planned to bring along.  Then, suddenly, we traded burritos for banh pho, the Sea of Cortez for the South China Sea, and pesos for dong.  An opportunity to teach in Vietnam came up, and we jumped.

Now we are headed for Hoi An, a seaside destination in central Vietnam, with Unesco World Heritage status, beautiful beaches and a killer monsoon season that begins right about now.  Armed with umbrellas, bathing suits, a host of immunizations and a camera, we're ready to live out our next adventure.  Stay tuned for the story of the phantom rice seedling and her family on this Asian escapade.