Sigh

So I made it to Vietnam safe and soundly. I thought that I would request the vegetarian option when I made my flight arrangements because the veg meal always looked better than the non-veg one, but I don't think that I'm going to request the vegetarian option ever again. For some reason, the stewardesses would serve me half an hour before everyone else, and that made me feel kind of uncomfortable...you know, to be the only one eating around me. The food wasn't bad or anything, it was just weird. Other than that the flights weren't too bad. I did get to sit next to some nice people on both flights who gave me some tips on Hanoi.

But annyyywayyy, the school sent a driver to come pick me up at the airport. And for all of you who asked me, yes, he did hold a big sign that said "Jessica Greenbaum". He didn't speak any English, but I did manage to tell him that I am an American "Noi Mee-ee" and that I only understand a little Vietnamese "Moht eet tien viet'. We swerved in and out of lanes in between trucks and bicycles honking the whole way. I must have gripped the side of the car about ten times on our twenty minute ride from the airport. I was reminded of the drivers in India and how I just had to learn to trust them no matter how insane their driving seemed. He dropped me off at a small hotel in a really touristy part of Hanoi. Immediately, I dropped my things off in my room and jumped on one of the computers in the lobby to email my parents to tell them I was alive and well.
Afterwards, I returned to my room to shower and I realized that my ankles and feet have swollen up like balloons! Even right now they are quite swollen. Once I was all cleaned up I went for a walk to explore the areas. There are lots of tour guides, little snack stalls, bars, men offering motor bike rides, and souvenir shops that seem to go on for blocks. I stopped at a bar and had a beer to calm myself down a little. I have to be honest: I feel completely displaced and depressed. Granted, I also haven't slept for 2 days, I'm experiencing insane jet lag, and I have yet to get a hold of someone from the school to see what my next step is. So after my beer I bought a mini pineapple fruit from a lady selling them on the curb, I returned to my hotel room, and I had myself a good cry. I feel much better and now I am off to go get some much needed sleep!

Side note:
I was watching some television in my hotel room trying to relax when I came across the movie "Lost in Translation". When Bill Murray began to talk his lines were dubbed by a woman speaking Vietnamese. How ironic!