Bangor, Maine

Before moving to Bangor, many people had told me Maine was a beautiful state, but I didn't think much. After leaving Maine, I realize it's correct despite I haven't yet had a chance to travel all states in the US.

In comparison with Bangor, San Jose is such a busy and crowded city. Certainly, there're more Vietnamese and also other  races. I can easily find many Asian markets around the city. Mum can prepare the foods easily. I feel like home here as people understand what I need. Life in San Jose is pretty similar to Saigon. People here also have rarely smiled and said "hi" to each other even in the market. It often happens in big cities.

I left a city with more than 8 million people to move to the city, which I feel like countryside with just more than 30,000 people. Again, I moved to a bigger city.

I have stayed 5 months in Bangor and just been in San Jose a week. However, I don't know why the beauty of Maine is still in my mind. On the contrary, Bangor is much peaceful and quiet. I could hear the sound of dried leaves on my feet and birds singing every time I walked outside. I missed those Tuesdays, after having class, my brother and I walked/rode around to discover Bangor downtown and new foods. I didn't have enough time to try chop suey in Frank's Bakery Shop, pick one maple leaf to keep in the book, feel snow in the winter, discover all the parks, try all Chinese restaurants in Bangor or go further Bangor to see more places in Maine. I know that I'll keep those ideas in my pending lists to complete one day I come back Maine.

Don't pick the apples!!!

I've never seen an apple tree until I came to the US. There're some on the way to work. Honestly, I didn't know it was an apple tree until it produced some apples getting green and red. There're many many apples. Really I've never been able to see this scene in Saigon. I'm sure we have apple trees somewhere in the highland and the North of Vietnam, but not in the South. I think I tasted Vietnam apples one time. It was small and sour. Most apples in the South of Vietnam are grown in China, about 99.9%. The rest are grown in USA and New Zealand. I've never seen its tree in real life. That's why I feel excited.

I saw the apples when they were small and green. "Let's wait for them growing up a little. I want them"- I talked to myself. I watched them every day going to work and wondered when they became bigger and riper.

When I talk to my colleagues, every one just responded "really?". "How couldn't they realize? There're many apples." - I wondered.

Ah, I got the answer. It's because I ride my bicyle, they drive cars. Riding a bicyle gives me a chance to see and feel things around outside. I can feel the sun, wind, the apples also seem to be close to me. I can see the grass and beaver - I think. I saw some come out of the bushes and eat things. When they saw cars coming, they hid away. There's a small stream down the hill near Comfort Inn. I'm not sure if that animal can live in the bush, but they look like beaver.

Really riding my bicycle around is fun, but not always, especially when the weather is getting colder. I have one hoodie, one jacket, one scarf, two gloves, one beanie and a pair of leg warmers.

Okay, back to apple topic. Then the days I expected most came, I saw most of apples are red. They are very nice. Really I just want to take them off. I asked every one: Mrs. Jensen, my uncle, colleagues if I can take the apples as they look like wild trees and not belong to anybody. They are in the middle of Comfort Inn and Starbuck and I don't see the fence around, but "you never know" - every one said the same thing. I just see nobody takes them or I haven't, still those red apples day by day. To me, they are attractive indeed. It's like the apples whispering "eat me, eat me" every time I pass through that place. I was thinking I would take the apple out of the tree like Snow White took it from the witch's hand.

My phone camera doesn't work, but the apple tree at Comfort Inn looks like this. There a few ones, but the tree with red apple is always most outstanding.

I haven't taken any out of the tree yet. The apples are still there, red, juicy and delicious. Every day I ride to work, I see them and feel happy. One day, I realize apple trees there to decorate for the scene around and make people happy like me. Well, people may or may not know about their existence, but I have to admit that it must be boring without those apples. So why picking them out of the tree?

Then, I have decided that in lieu of thinking how to grab those apples secretly, I just leave them there on the tree. No matter how many times those apples said "eat me, eat me" to me, I will gently reply to them "thanks, but no thanks. I want you to be seen there."

Rain rain go away

It is not the first time I have seen rain in Bangor, but the first time I've rode under the rain by bicycle, of course. In Vietnam, I didn't care much about the weather. It's hot all the time of the year. There're two seasons though: dry season and rain season.

Dry season starts from Jan to Jun, then rain season after. That's in the South of Vietnam, where I was living. Honestly, I don't like rain, especially rain in Vietnam. When the rain comes, everything gets wet, but flood is the worst thing in many big cities of Vietnam, either Saigon or Hanoi, the capital. That's why most Vietnamese prioritize to choose motorbikes which have high exhausts or at least higher than water level in rain season or high tide day so that water will not come in. The engine will be not dead in a half way. It happened to me sometimes. Really it wasn't fun at all. See those pictures below and you will understand why I'm scared of rains in Vietnam.

The rain I was experienced in Bangor today was a bit different. It was raining when I left Walmart this afternoon. I always keep my poncho rain coat in the back pack to prepare for rainy days like today.

After hanging up Mrs. Jensen's call, I didn't want to keep waiting and decided to go out. It wasn't a heavy rain. I thought it was because the sky was grey and cloudy. That's why I chose yellow rain coat. " Yellow can be seen in any weather condition. "- I remember my English teacher in high school said.

It was not too bad as I used to be under worse rains in Vietnam. It was drizzly but windy. Really I was shivering. I had gloves, scarf around my neck, a hoodie and a rain coat covered outside, but still cold because of the wind not the rain. " Who wants to go out side in such this weather? "- I talked to myself. " and " I am sorry Mrs. Jensen that I made a mistake and forgot to come to class today. It would be a long ride from Orrington to Bangor, but in this weather ... I feel embarrassed. "

Some people wore outerwear, some didn't. Nobody wore s rain coat like me this afternoon. I was chill and just kept riding ahead. After a while, the rain was letting up, but still windy. I intended to turn on the light. I don't have high beam or low beam like cars. I got one light in the front and one under the back seat. "Be seen, be safe" - they said. But because my front light was too weak as it was still bright this afternoon, so I decided to turn flashing red light behind. Finally, I was home, safe and sound.

Like I said the rain this afternoon was not too bad. There would be some heavy rains in Bangor I bet, and I want to see someday too. But in this time of the year, it wasn't a good idea for me and my bicyle. Someday maybe someday.

Front yard full of blossoms

American houses are much different in Vietnam. There's often a yard in front of or behind the house, and people often do some gardening such as: planting some flowers or useful plants or at least mowing lawn. It is really nice, isn't it?

It is usual to see two houses next door to each other or even two houses have the same wall only in Vietnam, but here I don't see it or I haven't seen it yet. Oh, I know why.

Here people drive the cars same like people ride motorcyles in Vietnam. So they need spaces around the house for car parking. It is different from Vietnam that people often take their transportation into the house no matter how small the house is. If you leave them outside, they would be stolen. My mum lost her bicyle when our house was under construction a few years ago.

One more thing, the houses here are made by wood, while houses in Vietnam are made by cement. You can find wooden houses in Vietnam too, but people in wooden houses will usually save up money to re-build their houses in cement one day. I'm not sure about lives in the highland or other parts of Vietnam, but it's true in Saigon - the city where I have been living for years.

In Vietnam, people believe that the higher the ceiling is, the better the house is. On the contrary, American houses have low ceilings. We were all surprised on the 1st day we moved here, but we figured out soon it's because the weather is cold here. Vietnam is a tropical country, so people design the houses with high ceilings for cool weather and because I'm in Maine, this house design will help keep us warm.

Okay, back to the landscape topic. American houses' yards are more beautiful and brilliant with flowers and trees decoration around. Even the lawn are always being mowed. Envision you're in a garden with flowers, trees, hearing bird's singing, breathing fresh air and enjoying some lime juices. How fantastic!

Young people often lie on the grass to sunbathe like my neighbor does. For me, I grab clothes to hang on the edge outside. They need sunshine. I know what I am doing ruin the general scene. That's why I always try to hang them in the back yard. My neighbor said nothing. Hope she doesn't mind.

There's still many many different things between Vietnam and US life. I'll keep posted soon. Here are some pictures in front yard.

Tree and Fruit streets

Time flies. I have been in US for more than two months. Everything changed and everything is new to my family. There are many strange new things we have to learn or get used it, street name is among of them.

Every street has a name. It's true in everywhere, Vietnam or in the US, at least in the city. I feel interesting when seeing the streets around my area got many strange and funny names. It seemed all about nature, tree and fruit. Do they run out of ideas? For example, I am living in Maple Street, Birch Street is very near here. I can even see Pine Street, Fruit Street, Oak Street, Palm Street, Pearl Street, Olive Street, Forest Street, Lemon Street, and even York Street, I haven't seen Egg Street, but who knows?, and etc. People here must love nature and poultry very much.

First time, I thought they named the street I live as Maple Street because there're a lot of maple trees on this street, but no, it is not the reason. There're some maple trees, but not too many along the street. But they couldn't pick up randomly. There must be a reason behind - I think.

In Vietnam, the government often name the street as famous people - the people who died or had great contribution for the country's peace or community, poets, etc.

I don't see or I haven't seen the street with somebody's name on it in Bangor. I think yes, they must have. Maybe someday when I can drive and go farther than my area, I can see.

Uncle Sam wants you to speak English

"Uncle Sam wants you to speak English." I saw the word "Uncle Sam" quite a few times when I was in Vietnam and reading some foreign books, and now again in my English class.

Well, I don't know who is Uncle Sam. It must be someone respected, popular, or admired by everyone, a V.I.P. maybe. "Is he handsome; is he popular here; why didn't I see him on the money," I wondered? 

I asked my tutor, Mrs. Jensen last week, she smiled and explained to me that "Uncle Sam" means "US". When the country needs people to join the military, then the US wants you, in other words, Uncle Sam wants you. Ah, now I see. America really has a sense of humor.

Now one more question, why did they chose the name "Sam"? But not choose something else such as: Sally (too girly), or Sakura "too Japanese", or Sandeep (too Indian), or San Diego (it doesn't sound like somebody's name), etc. Okay, I think they tried many names before, and Uncle Sam was chosen. I am not sure about the reasoning, but one thing I'm sure that it's easy to remember for every one, especially me.

"Elephant" tapioca noodles - banh canh

There're many Vietnamese things I can't find in Bangor, while my parents prefer some Vietnamese noodles for dinner. If I can't find it here, I make it by myself anyway.

So yesterday, I decided to make some tapioca noodle, looks similar to Udon, but tastes different. Uncle Mike gave me a lift to Walmart, I took tapioca starch, which I hesitated before because it costs 3.18 usd - 567gr , much more expensive than the other ones. They don't have many kinds either. I wished they had had rice flour, sticky rice flour.

I didn't have the camera, but the procedure looks like below:

Making Tapioca noodle: 300 gr of tapioca flour starch, 200 gr potato starch (I found out in another recipe when everything had been finished), salt, hot water. 

Process:

Step 1: Pour tapioca flour into bowl, add more /2 teaspoon salt and mix well.

 

Step 2: Pour slowly hot water and use wood spoon to stir well. Next, use your hand to knead this mixture flour until it is soft, smooth and is not be stuck on your hands and around the basket.
 

  

 

Step 3: Press this mixture flour thinly.

  

 

Step 4: Use knife to cut mixture flour into long pieces. To create one of amazing Vietnamese Noodle Recipes like this one, before cutting, sprinkle a little tapioca flour on face of mixture flour and on knife.

  

 

Mine was like picture below

 

 

Everything was fine until Mum went home at 6:00 PM at reminded not to cut the flour too thin (but she forgot how big and how thin). Well, it looked like the picture above, but I don't think it works. Four ppl were waiting and starving while the flour is not enough, just about one small bowl only. Then I shared to four smaller bowl.

 

Chicken broth was ready, every one enjoyed and started talking. My parents and aunt were eager for Vietnamese noodles, which we never can find here, but ... the noodle is so BIG, and wasn't like what I expected at all. "You should have cut the flour thinner"- Mum said.

 

- but you told me "not too thin" Mum - I replied.

- Yes, but I didn't mean too big - Mum said.

- ...

- This is elephant tapioca noodles - Father said.

 

Every one was laughing, but we did have a great time together despite it took long time for them to chew the noodles. Ok, I'll try to make it another time.  Below is an ideal "banh canh":

Paper towel vs toilet paper/bath tissue vs napkins

This blog is recorded new life of mine in USA. This is the 4th week, we've been here. I'll try to update this "petit journal*" as often as I can.

* I remember this title is from Vietnam news in French on HTV.

The kitchen in US is much different from Vietnam. In Vietnam, mostly we use gas, while here people use electric, even the electric 110W vs 220W also. Each things in the kitchen have their own use. I was caught attention by many kind of papers such as: paper towel vs toilet paper/bath tissue vs napkins.

We have toilet paper/bath tissue & napkins in Vietnam, I wasn't sure about paper towel. I guess we can find somewhere. There's one thing I am so sure that most Vietnamese families like ours are using only one kind of "tissue"-toilet paper for diverse purposes. We call them all as one word "tissue". "Tissue" in my country is used for cleaning the dirt, absorbing water, weeping tears/mouth/face, toilet purpose, etc. So it's strange when seeing many kind of papers here. "Why do people here produce and need many kind of papers?" I asked. "I don't know either" she said.

Last time, uncle Mike gave my brother and I a lift to Walmart. When going through to paper shelve, I pointed to the toilet paper and asked uncle Mike above question.

- Why do people here produce and need many kind of papers? In Vietnam, we use only one kind of "tissue" for multi-purposes. Why not only using toilet paper to do all the things? It's much simpler. I insisted.

Uncle Mike was a bit confused at that time. I guess he was thinking an answer for me.

- Well, because this is used for behind. He looked at the toilet paper and pointed to his bottom. Really my uncle in law looks funny at that time. Perhaps, what a surprised question! and what a surprised answer too!
- Paper towel is more rough than toilet paper. We use it to clean the kitchen. He continued after a few seconds.
- Ohhh I see.

Few days later, aunt and uncle Mike came to have lunch. Aunt was told the story and showed me how to use each of papers. Here they are:

1/ Paper towel: used for cleaning kitchen.
2/ Toilet paper/bath tissue: used in the restrooms
3/ Napkins: used when having meal

Okay, make sure each of them has their own use and been used correctly.