OUTSIDER

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Originally uploaded by azkin

I am an outsider, it is for sure. And, as an outsider, I have to first learn to speak Vietnamese.

I've been thinking about this word 'outsider' since my friend mentioned it in email. I don't feel I am an outsider here, as long as walking around the street. I am an Asian, looks like almost the same to Vietnamese. European people cannot distinguish me to Vietnamese people, I think. In this sense, I am not an outsider. But, somehow I am a total outsider, when I try to communicate with locals here. Because my Vietnamese suck, and whenever I get on a taxi, or eat dinner, I have to use my poor Vietnamese. There are all kinds of miscommunication when I use Vietnamese.

Now that 2 months have passed here, I don't really feel like I like this country. It is not like Bangladesh where I used to be. Appart from culture and food, only one difference between BD and Vietnam is that whether I can speak the local language or not. I remember I began to like BD, because I began to talk to the local people in my town. So, I realized that I cannot say "I don't really like this country" before learning the local language.

I have some friends here. They are from JPN, Taiwan, Netherlands. As long as I speak Japanese and English, I am able to have a nice holiday with those ppl. But, this means I will be outside of Vietnam even I am in Vietnam. I don't want give myself utterly over to this country, but at least I have to be able to speak local language in some months later.

という、決意のブログ