Life is Sharing. Not just time or money or food, but everything. I
agree in principle, but I like to decide what it is I want to share ~
and how much, how often, and when. I have much to learn from the
Vietnamese. Here are a few examples of sharing.
Vietnamese style:
•
Three women need store-front space to sell stuff to support their
families. They are poor. The first woman sells pho early in the morning. A
few hours later she leaves when the next woman comes to sell water and
cigarettes. After a few hours, the last woman comes and sets up a
mini-cafe when the cigarette-seller leaves. They all get to use the
space, at a time when the products they are selling are most likely to
be bought.
• A shoe-seller is serving a customer but doesn’t have
the right size/style shoe for her. She knows the shoe store next door
has it. She “borrows” the correct shoe from next door and sells it to
the customer. She then lets her next-door vendor have a pair of shoes
(of equal value) in exchange.
• Many families share “apartments”
in the alley-ways of old tunnel houses in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Each
“apartment” is just a small room that serves as a living room and
sleeping quarters, which is often just a make-shift sleeping loft. In
the center skywell area, all the families share a common kitchen, which
is not even a kitchen ~ just a small sink or cement tub and a faucet,
and perhaps a few cooking utensils but not a real stove or fridge.
Dishes are washed while squatting on the floor, which may be stone or
cement or cracked tile. There is no counter or eating area in this
"kitchen". A single bathroom at the back of the building serves all the
families.
Imagine sharing one bathroom with more than a dozen
other people?! This is very common. Yet these alley-apartment dwellers
still manage to look presentable and reasonably happy. Many of them work
in shops and offices, and have to dress up and look good for work. It is
common for them to bring their toothbrush, cosmetics and toiletries to
work so they can use the facilities there to finish getting ready for
work. The poorest country folk probably are better off in some ways;
they at least have space and fresh air.
By Rebecca Woodland
Born in
California and raised in Canada, Rebecca Woodland settled in Hawaii in
1981. A graduate of the University of Victoria in Canada and Living
Light Culinary Arts Institute in California, she has also studied
intaglio print-making and creative writing in Greece, culinary arts in
Vietnam, and Spanish in Mexico. She revels in learning new things in new
places, considering the process more valuable than the outcome.
Author
of The Blonde Vegetarian, Rebecca's writing career came about by
accident following a bout with cancer. Frustrated by the lack of tasty,
easy, healthy, user-friendly recipes, she developed her own and wrote a
book. Rebecca also edited and co-authored Hawai'i Regional Cuisine ~
Celebrating Today's Chefs of Aloha, and has completed the text for two
other books. In addition to cookbooks, Rebecca writes inspirational,
often humorous stories based on her own experiences and travels.
A
former school-teacher, some of Rebecca's current responsibilities
include owner-manager of Hawaii Educational Resource Services, board
member and volunteer for several non-profits benefitting children and
women, and culinary instructor. She is passionate about writing,
photography, food, and travel. Rebecca Woodland has traveled the world
and her favorite place to return to is Viet Nam.
(http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/your-vietnam/98470/lessons-from-vietnam.html)
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