Since when did we become Rock Stars?

HANOI, VIETNAM – Melanie and I have noticed something funny happening since we moved to Vietnam. We’ll be out and about, minding our own business, exploring a historic site or wandering around at a festival. All of sudden a young person or two – sometimes not so young – will come up and ask to pose with us for a photo. It’s weird.

It’s been fairly common for Vietnamese, especially kids, to say “Hello” when they see us, hoping we will say it back to them (showing off their English skills, I guess), and we almost always comply.

And we’ve gotten used to our new Vietnamese friends wanting a photo with us. That seems normal. Friends do that.

But when total strangers want to pose with us, it just seems odd.

Do they think we’re Rock Stars?

Do they think we’re someone famous? Rock  Stars, maybe? Are they passing us off to their buddies as their “rich American friends”? Are they doing some crazy thing with these photos online?

Who knows?

When we were in Bangkok touring the Grand Palace, Melanie was sitting in the shade, taking a break from the heat of the day. Two young Asian women came over and one sat near her while the other positioned herself to snap a photo of her friend. As Mel started to move over, out of the picture, the woman next to her grabbed her arm and said “No.” She wanted Mel in the shot. Then the women switched places so they could each have a photo with Melanie. Crazy, right?

It’s not just the kids

Then a while back we were at a festival downtown when a couple of well-dressed Asian businessmen came up and asked to pose with us. Mel and I agreed, and the two took turns standing next to us, smiling for the camera.

A little later, three young adult Vietnamese came rushing up to us, saying “Hello; do you remember us? We see you at our restaurant.” We finally realized that they worked at the Korean restaurant near our apartment, and they remembered us from there.

I won’t stereotype and say that all Vietnamese look alike. That’s just not true. But I do believe Melanie and I, both with our silver hair and standing a head taller than much of the population, might be easy to recognize as someone you’ve seen before.

Anyway, the trio asked to take a photo with us. We, of course, said “Yes” and smiled into the camera as they stood with us and made Peace signs with their fingers.

The Peace Sign is another one of those common things we experience. They all love to flash that when they see that we are foreigners.

A few months ago we were at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. There were some tour groups there as well… a group of what looked to be Chinese tourists, another group of primary school-age children, and a huge group of teen students around 14-15, give or take a couple years.

A couple of teens asked for a photo

We were in one of the buildings, upstairs on a balcony, when a couple of the teens asked if they could have a photo with us. We thought it was cute, so we naturally agreed, and they crowded around. Hands raised in Peace signs once again, we smiled for the camera.

The funniest thing during our visit at the Temple was when we were about to leave the grounds. The large teen student group was also gathering to leave. The kids were joking around, lots of them taking photos of each other with their phones. Typical teen behavior.

While we stood there a couple of teen girls came over and asked to pose for photos with us. We happily complied one more time. How can you say no when they are so polite and sweet?

A few minutes later I was taking some final photos of some of the building embellishments and other details for our blog and my stock photo outlets, when a group of half a dozen students asked for a photo with me. Bemused once again, I nodded “yes” and they crowded around.

Then some more kids gathered around

As I smiled toward the camera, a couple more students joined the group. Then a few more, then several more, and I suddenly found myself in the center of a feeding frenzy as more and more of the larger group wanted to get into the picture and joined the scrum.

By the time the pictures were snapped there must have been 30 or more kids crowded around me, all grinning and laughing. I wondered if my smiling face was even visible in the final picture.

I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but in the midst of all the chaos I had a sudden thought… What if this is a ruse to pick my pockets? I had read about such things on various travel blogs and in the news.

I checked that my wallet was still there

I quickly dropped my hand to check my valuables (which I keep secured out of easy reach) and found them still on my person. No worries; these kids were just as sincere and polite as they had seemed.

So I’ve been thinking… Now that we’re Rock Stars, maybe we should take a lesson from the Van Halen band, who famously demand that their backstage dressing room at each concert gig includes a large bowl of M&M’s candies – with all the brown ones removed! 

Can’t say that I care much for M&M’s (brown or otherwise), but there must be something befitting our newfound “fame” that we could ask for as we travel.

Meanwhile, we’ll just smile and say “Cheese!” And don’t forget the Peace Sign.