From the chocolate man in Saigon

We Need Four-Day Workweeks

So that I can talk to more strangers and pet tigers

Hue, Vietnam | Photo by author

Apparently, July’s etymology is derived from Julius Caesar. So, here’s to conquering some of this month’s challenges.

My favorite animal at the zoo is the snakes, Lynn L. Alexander, because it’s hard to get a glimpse of them in the wild. I guess that could be said for many animals. However, I haven’t been to a zoo in years because it’s hard to tell which ones are for conservation and which ones are for show.

If I were stuck in the elevator with Mark Carney, the current Canadian Prime Minister, I would tell him to promote four-day, 32-hour workweeks and increase the minimum number of vacation days in Canada from 10 to 30. Though much of this will depend on the provincial and territorial governments. I’m just not a fan of someone exchanging their dreams for a salary, Peter Mammitzsch.

I had a toxic habit of overeating carbs, Suma Narayan. So, to help me control my cravings, I avoid eating breakfast. My wallet gets to celebrate it.

I have a weakness for sweetness, Do Capozucca, and one of the reasons I mentioned I skip breakfast above. It’s not as bad to eat sweets if I consume less of something else. And one of my favorites is Ferrero Rocher. Yikes.

For the past three months, I’ve had conversations with strangers in the local community every day here in Vietnam. They are quite friendly and curious. Many of them want to practice their English, so they’re always approaching me. I feel like I should just learn Vietnamese to make things easier the next time I return. Then there are also the travelers I meet on the road, Lynn L. Alexander.

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a tiger in person when I was a child, but I guess it doesn’t count. As I mentioned above, I try to avoid zoos due to some of the unethical practices, especially those petting zoos like Tiger Kingdom in Thailand, Anu. Maybe I’ll just go there as a photojournalist and report back.

[embed]I’m Jumping for Joy It’s July Why? I can still jump… not high… but lift two feet off the ground togethermedium.com