Hai Phong is a sprawling, flat, port city in Northern Vietnam. Although it is the third largest city in Vietnam, it is not the kind of place a tourist would likely visit. This is a both a blessing and a curse – it allows the foreigners living here to have a truly authentic Vietnamese experience but it doesn’t cater to westerners/tourists, so there can be some cultural difficulties.

These cultural ‘difficulties’ or differences are why I wanted to travel and live abroad because they force you to critique your own culture and lifestyle. While there are some things that I will never get used to, like the lack of toilet paper and zero respect for personal space, there are other things that I believe are worth exploring. For example, the food culture is something we lack in North America…

Most people eat out daily because the food is good and cheap. Street stalls or vendors usually specialize in one or two main dishes so you can walk the streets searching to satisfy your particular craving and enjoy a meal or a drink for about $1 – breakfast, lunch or dinner! Why don’t we do this more in North America? It makes perfect economic sense by providing jobs; it reduces food waste – vendors sell until there is nothing left; it fosters much healthier eating because although the food is quick and accessible, it isn’t traditional fast-food, rather it’s a regional dish prepared with fresh ingredients that day.

Finally, when I’m sitting at a street vendor, on a miniature plastic stool, devouring something delicious and unpronounceable with a group of strangers, I feel a sense of community and belonging – something I don’t often feel in North America. The food culture in Vietnam makes you feel like you are never alone.

–K