A week ago I was invited to go to a Vietnamese wedding. Without hesitation, I said yes! Unfortunately, I soon forgot about it, accepted a new class for today (Sunday) and so when my friend reminded me about it last night, I thought I would miss it. It started at 11:30, but that's also when my last class was to end. Yen, my Vietnamese friend, didn't want me to miss it, so she waited for me instead of going without me.
We rode on her motorbike to the reception hall. When we entered, Yen, wearing a very formal party dress and I wearing... a lot less formal clothing, were immediately met with eyes turning towards us. Well, not us, but me. Not because I was under dressed, but because I was... not Asian looking. I'm sure I was the only foreigner in the large hall. There were numerous large round tables covered in white table cloths with guests seated around them in chairs decorated with large bows. Yen began looking for someone and then... she realized it was the wrong wedding reception! So we turned around and walked out only to repeat the same eye staring thing upstairs at the correct wedding reception. Luckily, this wedding was a lot more livelier, so not so many eyes were staring at me as we made our way to a table where her co-workers were.
Well, unfortunately I hadn't actually been invited to a Vietnamese wedding; I'd been invited to the reception, but that was still okay for me. The reception we attended was similar, I suppose, to an American wedding (although I've never been to an American wedding, so I can only compare it to what I've seen in the movies). There were a couple of hundred people there, catered meal service, a hired band (though I must say that one or two of them had no ability to sing!) and lots of beer. Okay, the beer thing isn't American. In fact, if beer were served at an American wedding, the bride and groom would probably be considered rednecks.
Because we arrived so late, the room was in the middle of eating (as the Vietnamese like to do) and listening to the band. I have no idea what I ate, so I can only describe how it arrived. There was a large silver platter on every table being heated underneath with a portable stove. The platter of food included vegetables and pork. I've seen this same thing at times on the street when I've passed restaurants. After that, a large plate of small chicken drums, chicken slices and some kind of rice food was served. Everyone used their chopsticks to take what they wanted. After that, they brought us a large round pot of vegetable soup with a side plate of dried noodles and something looking like large spinach leaves. The silver pot of soup sat on top of the little alcohol stove and was heated to boiling. Then one of the guests added the noodles, then the "spinach" and then it was served. It was slightly spicy, but as with all Vietnamese soup, very good.
During this time, speakers blasted live music from the band on stage. It was Vietnamese music, but not rock. I don't really know how to describe it because Asian music is so different from western music. But it was slower, so maybe love songs or something. The band, made up of 5 guys, sang and then took a break. On one of their breaks, Yen pointed out that the person currently singing was actually singing karaoke - Which explained the really bad singing we were listening to. After a few karaoke songs, the band returned.
From the time I arrived until we left, beer was the main staple at the wedding. I think I was the only one at my table (of about 10 of us) who wasn't drinking beer. Every few minutes or so, somebody would lift their beer mug (there were no glasses or cups), give the Vietnamese celebratory cheer (1, 2, 3... cheers!) and everyone would hit mugs together. This happened at every table. The bride and groom even visited each table, giving the same cheer. At one point, Yen leaned over to me and said, "Vietnamese like beer." Disenchanted by this aspect, what could I say?
After finishing the soup course, I looked over at the other side of the room and saw that suddenly, almost everyone had disappeared. And this isn't an exaggeration. Bodies had disappeared quickly and employees were cleaning the tables. I looked at our side of the room and saw that the same thing was now happening too. Yen explained that when a wedding reception finishes, it finishes. Nobody takes their time leaving like at American weddings (well, from what I see in the movies). So suddenly, we were standing up to leave. But where was the cake?! What had happened to dessert? No, no, there's no dessert - no cake, I was told. The cake is small and only for the family. I was so disappointed. Near the entrance, photos were taken of the guests and couple and then Yen asked me if I wanted to go with her group to karaoke! Sure, I replied (she was my ride home anyway).
So off we went on the motorbikes, down a few kilometers, to a karaoke bar. The karaoke "bar" was quite different than what I have imagined. I was thinking that it was a large room where you seat yourself and listen to strangers sing in bad (or good) key. But it wasn't like that at all! In fact, the "bar" wasn't a bar, but just a business where people could rent private rooms to sing karaoke. We were led into a room the size of an American living room, where a large 3-sided couch sat along with a coffee table and opposite, a large flat-screen tv/monitor on the wall. The room also included a private bathroom. Drinks and food were ordered (brought to us by the employees) and then song numbers were punched into the karaoke machine remote control. There were 2 books of song lists (English song books were also available) and you could choose what you wanted. The volume control was up to us and as I thought it was quite loud (similar to the band's volume at the wedding), I was surprised when I touched the wall and found that it wasn't sound proof! Nor did the door to the hall fit perfectly. I wondered if the building had renters or if it was used only for business. So for about an hour and a half, we sang karaoke (yes, I did too, although not wanting to scare my new acquaintances, I only sang a few times), and they drank beer. Again, I was the only one drinking a soda. I thought about the fact that once they finished, they'd be on their motorbikes driving (drunk) home. Along with all the other karaoke customers throughout the city.
There were 2 things I found interesting about the karaoke songs the group chose. The first, is that every song they requested, was some Vietnamese love song or slow song - no Vietnamese rock. These weren't old people I was with, so I don't get it. Maybe Vietnamese rock doesn't exist. The second, is that every song they requested was Vietnamese - nothing in English. Usually, even if people can't speak English, they still like English music. Not here. Nothing. I was really surprised. After seeing the type of music they were singing, I didn't request anything in English because I didn't know if they'd be bored by it. So I ended up singing 1 or 2 songs in Vietnamese and one in English. And that was my first experience in a Vietnamese karaoke bar.
