Every day this week I’ve gone to the cafe to work on my computer. The weather has been nice. I took the cat to the cafe today. I had been leaving her home because new cities are scary for cats, but now she is ready to ‘đi chơi’, I think. The staff at the coffee shop all do crochet. Whenever business is slow, they pick up their crochet hooks and yarn. One of the staff made this necklace for my…
I got off the train in the new city. The sun was very strong. The air smelled like a coastal city. The first meal I ate was banh canh. It was pretty good. It was different than the banh canh in Da nang. I have since found that this city has a lot of different foods. I went and bought a box and some sand at the pet supply store. My cat used them. What a relief. I was afraid…
I took the train from Hanoi to Phan Rang. I had been considering going by plane, but I ended up taking the train option. I’m glad I did. I was hesitant because I thought it would be exhausting. It wasn’t too exhausting. I was in a bed. I slept or watched Youtube the whole time. The whole ride lasted 27 hours and went most of the length of Vietnam. It feels like a long distance in a way that it…
I’m out of town now. I moved out. On the days leading up to it, I felt anxious. I couldn’t stop thinking, and I didn’t get much sleep. On the morning I moved out, I finished packing and cleaning. I took a photo of my full suitcase and my empty room. I said farewell to the people I met. Finally, I got on the bus to Hanoi. Q. What is your first thought when you wake up? Q. Have you…
I’m out of laundry soap, so I need to get some more. The Winmart doesn’t have the single packet soaps, so I need to go to the other store. I sold my bicycle already, so I’m walking. It’s dark, so I must be careful. I walked 1.5 km, so I’m tired. But now I’m home, so I’m glad. Q. things = [forgot my assignment, ate a whole pizza, witnessed a crime, challenged a gangster] // “I {thing}, so…” Q. walking…
Out with the old and in with the new. It’s time for a change. I got a haircut. I look different, and I feel different too. These old clothes hold memories. It is now time to make new memories. A new day is a chance to make a change. It’s time for a fresh start. Q. Would you ever dye your hair? Q. Agree or disagree: I express my personality through the clothes that I wear.
I went on a bike ride today. I started a little bit late in the day, in the early evening. I followed a road out of the city until I came to an area which is mostly farm land. I turned off of that road and onto a path that went down into a farm land. There were flowers, summer squash and leafy greens being grown. The sun was almost setting by this time, and it looked very large and…
When my cat is alone at home, she enjoys doing these things. She plays in her sand box and buries her potatoes. Then she takes a nap on my bed. She gets full of energy and runs around the room jumping on everything. Then she takes a nap again. She dreams her cat dreams. I had to go to Bac Ninh for a friend’s wedding. I filled up her food and water bowls. I’ll be back in 30 hours. Q….
I’m like that bug that hugs that tree. I hold on. The world moves along, but not me. The things I cling to now, these leaves fluttering in the wind. I am drawing flowers with a pen… and I’m stopped so still that I don’t think I’ll start again. Q. Do you feel ready for the future? Q. What are you holding onto?
These days things have been really good. I have time, and it’s been peaceful. I have a lot of time to spend by myself. In the morning I eat my favorite breakfast and go to the coffee shop. I take my cat pretty much everywhere except work. On my weekends, we spend all day together. Things have been pretty smooth and peaceful. times = [morning, noon, evening]“In the {time}, I __ by myself.” “Peaceful days are days that ______, ______…