Somehow, the storm had caused this fish to wash all the way from the river, up the sewer, where it was flushed out directly into my path. Hard to believe? I agree. At first, I thought it was a student prank to drop a poor fish here. However, as I was walking back to my room after my last class of the day, I looked down next to the fish that was still there to see he had made a friend! Now, there was a crab in my way, claws swinging around and all. I had never seen anything like it before.
This is all to say that the weather and ecosystems of Sóc Trăng can lead to many unexpected sights, including the full seafood buffet I found myself faced with on this random Tuesday. I hope to make friends with all of these creatures in the future!
A final nature thought that I have been processing this week is the fact that it is mid-October and nothing about the temperature or the color of the foliage has changed one bit here in Southern Vietnam. Before coming, I was warned that there are two seasons: dry and rainy (both hot). Honestly, I do not mind the weather here. Even with the rain, the sun is out for most of the day, making outside time easy to find. But having recently moved from Vermont, a place where fall is such a cultural season and the beauty of the state is at its peak, it is hard not to miss home in its absence. Getting closer to Halloween without seeing any red or orange on the trees or hearing just one too-early Christmas song has unexpectedly been one of the biggest factors contributing to my homesickness.
