I've been back in Australia now for almost a month. Wow! I still feel like I'm battling jetlag (never mind the measly 3 hour time difference between Ho Chi Minh City and Brisbane...). My final semester of uni's off to a rambling start and I have to admit--I sometimes have to ask myself if Vietnam really happened.
And then I remember my going away dinner hosted by my Country Director, Tucker. He and Ngan, ROP Vietnam Project Manager, craftily planned to have me eat and drink every "interesting" thing I hadn't eaten yet.
Here's a play-by-play:
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| shot of snake's blood vodka with a smile |
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| It actually didn't taste that bad--just a hint of iron. After the 5th shot, I couldn't really taste anything. Funny how that works... |
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| field mouse (?) |
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| snake's tail--for the honored guest's virility |
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| this was my first time eating snake... |
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| and the tail was quite boney... |
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| hmmm, yes, it kinda does taste like chicken... |
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| I thought I was doing ok until... |
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| I was told I had to drink the snake hearts (cold, not beating) |
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| so the little hearts were plopped into 2 shots of snake bile vodka... |
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| for Tucker and me to share! |
So, that pretty much sums up my experience in Vietnam--the internship, the people, the sights, and the food: hearty and heartfelt!
Mai mốt gặp lại! We'll meet again soon!
