Technology is modern, but people are still in 1970 — why Vietnam is easy to live in.
Woke up at 1 PM, preparing for TikTok
Today I woke up at 1 PM. I hadn't slept this much in a long time. It was because I had been working until around 4 AM. Well, sometimes times like this are important.
I drafted a video to post on TikTok. Tomorrow I'm going to Lang Son and meeting Toan, so I'll be busy. After that I'm going to Cao Bang, and my schedule is full. So I figured I probably won't have time then.
I ordered chicken rice delivery and ate it. It tasted just okay. Thai khao man gai is much tastier, I think.
First time on the Hanoi Metro
I walked to the metro. I rode the Hanoi Metro for the first time. It was a bit far from the guesthouse, but I wanted to walk. Walking gives you exercise, lets you see different scenery, and helps reset your mind.
First I bought a ticket to the station I wanted from the ticket machine. Today I wanted to have my glasses adjusted at Owndays, so I decided to go to the station near there. There really weren't many people on the Hanoi Metro. It was very empty, and I thought maybe because most people travel by motorbike they don’t really need to use the metro.
It was really convenient though. I filmed a lot of videos, took photos, and posted on Threads. Recently I've gradually been posting more on Threads, which makes me happy. I want to keep posting like this and meet lots of people.
I have very few Japanese friends, so meeting people with the same mindset and, if we get along, actually meeting up and becoming friends would be amazing. I think that's the best way to build meaningful connections, and it's something I want to focus on.
Two hours at Owndays and Muji
At Owndays I had my glasses adjusted. The staff didn't seem to speak much English, but they tried hard to talk to me and seemed a little embarrassed, which was cute.
Then I arrived at Muji and wrote in my diary and did various things there. I stayed for about two hours and wrote a lot of backlog diary entries. I still feel that writing by hand is enjoyable.
Same timing, same glasses
I met Nga at 8 PM and went to a Japanese restaurant. When I saw her, her glasses had changed. She'd switched from round frames to long, narrow ones. The funny thing is that we changed to new glasses at the same time.
The color is very similar too. Mine are clear with a slightly dark tint, and hers are exactly the same. Moments like that make you feel a bit of fate.
Japanese food at Susila, Vietnamese couples sitting side by side
I went to the Japanese restaurant Susila in downtown Hanoi. We ordered a set for two, totaling 800,000 dong (about 4,300 yen). It was a bit pricey, but when you're with someone you like you don't see it as expensive. Value isn't determined by money or price, but by who you're with.
Looking at other couples, everyone was sitting side by side, and I thought, that's so Vietnam. In Japan, couples sit facing each other in public places. I guess that creates a sense of tension.
Vietnam is really casual, and I like that. It feels to me as if technology is modern but people are stuck back in 1970.
Nga is strong-willed, so there aren't many dishes she likes, and she's particular about smells. I thought maybe it's her way of expressing her personality.
She doesn't really like salmon sashimi and said the salmon rice bowl was too salty. She said the steak was the only thing that was good. I thought everything tasted good, but it didn't suit Nga's palate. Maybe it's because she always eats local Vietnamese food.
A meal of uproarious laughter — the importance of being silly
The meal was really the best. We laughed a lot. We said silly things to each other in Vietnamese, messed around, and even burst out laughing while eating pasta.
I thought this kind of fun meal might not happen again in my life. At the same time, I realized men are always like children. A woman who understands and accepts that is wonderful, I thought.
Life is hard if you live too seriously. Sometimes being silly or foolish is really important — being a fool is what makes life fun, I think.
Even when the staff brought our food, we naturally held hands and sat close to each other. You could never do that in Japan, but it's common for couples in Vietnam.
No one thinks it's strange; it's normal. I like that these things are accepted — it makes life much easier.
"When you have someone you love, your ambition decreases."
I talked with Nga about whether she enjoyed the job she's doing. She said she's worked there for about three years but doesn't enjoy it at all. When I asked what she wants to do next, she said she didn't know.
Right now I'm studying React, investing, video editing, how to become an influencer, and French. I'm focusing on these things. I will build my own future.
But again, when you're in a situation with someone you love, it seems my ambition fades. Because there's a place where I feel safe, I might depend on it and think I don't have to improve.
This is my current opinion and of course this mindset might change in the future. But at the moment, when I find a partner I tend to live passively. Even though I know that's not good, I can't summon ambition. It's a worrying thing.
The day of our separation is approaching
Nga unusually asked, "Are you going to Cao Bang tomorrow?" sounding very worried. When I told her I would be away for five or six days and then return to Hanoi, she felt a little relieved. I felt how much she'd miss me. I was very happy.
After returning to the guesthouse we spent sweet time together. Since I won't be in Hanoi starting tomorrow, Nga hugged me many times, looking very sad. I wonder if that's her way of showing affection.
I felt that each time we met, the distance between us shortened. But the day of parting is getting closer and closer. Is it a prank by God? What is life, after all?
