Elizabeth took this picture of me in my "Danang Rain Gear" when we returned from the tailor!
Hello, all--
Hmmm, it's been an interesting week for clothes here. I may have mentioned a month or two ago that there is a large supermarket here called Metro. It resembles a "Sam's Club." It is a membership store for Vietnamese. Foreigners can get an entry card every time they shop there as long as they present their passport. There are two interesting rules at Metro. The first is that you have to be about 45 inches tall to get in. There is a security guard at the entrance with a measuring stick much like you see at an amusement park ride. The other rule is that an adult shopper can take no more than two children into the store. When we first arrived here, only Jillian was tall enough to enter Metro. Anna Mei was just a whisker short; Elizabeth is only about an inch shorter than Anna Mei, so she was close to being allowed inside, too. Before Tony left for the US, he and Anna Mei made a trip to Metro, with Anna Mei wearing the only pair of platform sandals in the house. She waltzed right in like she owned the place. This week, we decided to give it a try with Elizabeth. She was a little nervous about it, but the draw of "Metro" won out. She was allowed inside. For the first few minutes, she glanced anxiously over her shoulder, afraid that someone would look at her shoes and make her leave. I assured her that once you're in, you're in! She loved Metro. We are thankful for platform shoes!
Now that we have been here a few months, I am finding that our clothes wear out more quickly--stains that don't come out, extra wear and tear from our mototbiking, etc. For the girls, clothing is easy to find. For American adults, well...not so easy. Most people here are very small--thin, small bones, narrow shoulders...in a word, tiny. So, foreigners who live here most often have clothing made. Tailors are everywhere, as are fabric stores. And so, about 3 weeks ago, I bought some fabric and Linh took me to a tailor. The shop is situated on a corner, so that two sides are open to the street. There is a counter, and then two tables where four seamstresses stay bent over their sewing machines. The tailor presents the customer with half a dozen books to choose the style of clothing. Then comes the measuring. There is no room in the shop, so measurements are taken on the sidewalk. It is not for the shy or faint of heart.
Tonight, Linh took me to pick up the tops and one skirt that I had made. They are beautiful. Nothing fancy--just some new colors, and...stain free! They wanted me to try on the finished product. In one corner (and I do mean corner) a small curved pipe was suspended from the ceiling. A piece of fabric, not curtain fabric, I might add, was hung on the pipe. That was the changing room. I swallowed hard, tried on the clothes and prayed that a gust of wind would not give Danang a show.
On the way home, it began to rain...no fun on a motorbike. The light drizzle increased in volume and intensity. Linh stopped and I bought a rain poncho for about 40 cents. The plastic is thinner than a dollar store trash bag. But, from the knees up, I was reasonably dry. I did experience a first in Danang: I was actually cold. I was a little uneasy--I knew the heavy rain made it difficult for Linh to see, especially in the dark. Also, many streets do not drain well and water was standing in a lot of places, making her driving even more difficult. But, thanks be to God, we arrived home safely.
They tell me that in December, we will have "winter" for about three weeks. I am told that we will definitely need jackets. Of course, the tailor can make one. I will probably order it this week so that I can have it finished before the cool temperatures arrive.
May the Lord grant us all the grace and flexibility to adjust without grumbling, accept new ways without judging, and launch out in new experiences without fear.
Grace and peace!
