No bananas in the front yard

I already wrote about our office move. The old space was too small and got too expensive as well. So we moved to another office. It was all arranged very well. We received a detailed planning. On Friday we would pack our boxes. On Monday the removal firm would pick up the furniture and boxes and bring it to our new place. We could immediately go to the new office. Th planning mentioned a short “spiritual rite” to bless the new office.

When I arrived, the colleagues were already setting up a small table in front of the office. They arranged fruit, tea, flowers and incense on it. Our managers had the honour of having to do the rites. Our local colleagues gave hm instructions what to say. He didn’t have to say it in Vietnamese, but Dutch was not allowed. Apparently the gods do speak English here in Vietnam, as that was allowed. He had to mention the date and the place and request blessings, good luck and health for the office, the staff and the projects.

It is difficult to get a clear idea of religion in Vietnam. It is a combination of Buddhism, Confucianism and many other influences and what some might call “superstition”

When we were still in the other office, a colleague dropped her chopsticks during lunch while looking outside. “Now I understand why this last event gave us so much trouble. Look!” She pointed outside to something in the front yard. I followed her gaze, surprised to see she was pointing at the babana plant. “Who planted that banana there?” she demanded to know, “every one knows that banana plants in front of your house bring bad luck.”

I was dumbfounded. Feng Shui is a Chinese method for the creation of harmonious living environments, allowing energy to flow freely. It is about balance of air and light, yin and yang. There are also rules about which plants should be where. In the Vietnamese interpretation, banana plants should not be in front of the house.

The gardener was called in to dig it out.