School Photo

Sophie had her first school photo taken a few weeks ago. It was so cute that one of her teachers wanted a copy. We liked it a lot, too. But we knew her secret -- she was totally posing for it.

Story Telling

Sponge painting has been our go-to activity when we don't know what else to do. Sophie seems to enjoy it a lot. But each time, she does it a bit differently. Last week, she did story telling while sponge painting. Each sponge had a story of its own.

Turtle crossing 

Froggy swimming

Feliz Navida!

Sophie could not stop dancing when Vân played "Feliz Navida" on the stereo.  She danced for the whole song and sang while doing it.

Play

Play is a very interesting concept since it hinges on transgression. As an academic, I locate radical changes or revolution in the notion of play. To play is to subvert and reconfigure the power relationship between the center and its margin. But as a father, I see play differently. It is rather a chance for me to participate and bond with Sophie. Whatever revolution this might bring, I want to be a part of it.

What are these?

Daruma? Can I shake it?

Daruma (Bồ Đề Đạt Ma) dolls are tokens of good luck and/or perseverance. It comes without any eye. One makes a wish and fills in an eye. Once the wish comes true, the other eye is filled in.

Darumas are scary!

Batman was my obsession during college. But for the past few years, he had been packed away in a shoebox. Last week, I dug out Batman and a few other vinyl toys that I collected for Sophie to play. She didn't care for Batman. But she liked the Dunny. 

Batman is scary, too!

Playing with Dunny and Egghead

Sophie talks a lot when she plays, especially with her stuffed animals. She often acts out the scene where she's comforting a stuffed animal.

Playing with Woof Woof -- 1

Playing with Woof Woof -- 2

A year ago!

It has been a year already since we left Paris. Yet, it seems like yesterday. We still listen to the NRJ Hits from 2011 when we drive. And we still think fondly of Aix, Paris and our relatives there. We miss you guys a lot. Here are some pictures of Paris and of our relatives there that we never had the chance to post.

Let's start with the food. L'As Du Fallafel, in the Marais, was one of Vân's favorite places -- dating back to her year of studying abroad in Paris in 2001. I was skeptical at first when Vân took us here, but I am glad that she did. It was probably the best falafel sandwich that I have ever had. What got me hooked were the chili sauce and roasted eggplant.

The best falafel sandwich

Smile. We still have 30 minutes to kill!!!

In addition to eating out, Vân cooked a lot, almost everyday, because it was very convenient to walk a block or two to buy meat, produce and seafood. But what satisfied us most was Ca-ép-cê (KFC) -- this was how our friend Tuấn, the doctorant from Aix, pronounced KFC in Vietnamese. It was the best fried chicken in Paris. And it was only 4 metro stops from where we lived. I actually ran home from this KFC once in the rain with Sophie in one hand and the bucket of chicken in the other. And Vân was carrying the drinks. (Edit: Vân told me that I had it all wrong. Vân was carrying Sophie in the Ergo, and I was carrying the bucket of chicken and fries. The paper bags got wet in the rain, so I had to cradle them while running home).

Veal with risotto by Vân

Macarons -- cracked but still good

Tuấn and Sophie

What do you mean I have to share my frites?

I want to eat it!

We went out a lot. But we didn't always go out for food. We went out for sight seeing, too. And we did most of our sight seeing when Vân's sister Trân came to visit. We went to Père Lachaise cemetery to find graves of famous people. I wanted to find Marcel Proust's, but we got lost.

I'm cold!

Lost -- completely!

At the Bastille with Starbuck's in hand -- what revolution, daddy?

We also went to the Pompidou. But Sophie didn't seem to care for modern art. In fact, she seemed scared of it.

I'm scared.

I want to go home!

The most interesting site was the Champs-Élysées at night. There were lights and hundreds of shops along the boulevard. We went a few times to get the chocolate boules -- marshmallow balls covered in chocolate. Of course, we were caught in the rain again. But this time, I got sick the next day. 

Lights on Champs-Élysées

But the most memorable place was Cité des enfants (Children's museum). They did not allow children under the age of 2. We didn't pay much attention to this rule because we thought the age limit was just a guideline. After we purchased the tickets and waited in line for half an hour, they didn't let us in. They thought Sophie was too young. We argued and lied about Sophie's age, but our French didn't get us far. We then spoke in English, and that got the attention of the manager. She was nice enough to let us through. Of course, Sophie didn't care for the museum! So we left after half an hour.

Taxi?

What is this ugly outfit that you have me wear?

Paris was an exciting place. But it was also very frustrating. The subtle racism and denial of colonial violence and exploits made me angry and tired. And what got me through it all was Vân's relatives in Noisiel. They became my new family. They showed me how broad and inclusive the (Franco) Vietnamese identity could be and how dynamic communities were before the age of nation-state. Combined, Vân's relatives covered quite a few languages: Khmer, Vietnamese, Haka Chinese, Tahitian, Laos, English and French. If I land an academic job, this will be my third project: Becoming Ethnic in the French Empire or the Aftermath of Empire!

Dì Hoa, Mai, Lin and Dì Lan

Sébastien with Lin

Mỹ Uyên with Sophie

Mai and Lin

Hủ tiếu bò kho for our goodbye dinner

Dượng -- the man with the most interesting stories in Paris

After 3 months, our trip to France ended. We packed up and bid our private goodbye. Vân said goodbye to the butcheries, I the French national library, and Sophie the bakeries. We will visit soon!

I'm squishing it in, daddy!

I'm stuck. I don't think I can leave Paris now!