Teaching
Teaching is my major responsibility. I have two weeks of training in how to teach. That is to say, not very much. I have no syllabus. All I have is my wits and the help of the other ETAs. So, its been slow going.
As with probably many jobs, some days are better than others. Some lessons go better than others. I continue to be surprised by how the exact same lesson plan can go in wildly different directions with different classes. To give an example, I had my English major classes make skits about Halloween. My English 10 class got super into it and I had about 25 volunteers. My English 11 class was super over it and I had 2. Same lesson plan, completely different responses. Or the reverse. I had a debate on minimum wage. English 11 was all about it. English 10 was like "oh cares."
I've definitely gained a new appreciation for teaching and teachers. This stuff is hard! Vietnam makes it slightly more challenging. For example, classes are moved and cancelled without warning. I'm super proactive about asking, which has resulted in me only missing a few classes. For example, I always teach starting at 2nd period, so I usually arrive mid-way through first period (about 7:30). One day, they moved 1st period to 5th period and moved everything up a period (for rain). I arrived at my 2nd period only to find that I had missed it. Or, I asked if the school was doing anything for Women's Day the next day. Turns out, school was cancelled! In addition, the "bell system" that signals class change is actually a woman with a drum, so sometimes she forgets, or does it at the wrong time. And I can usually count on two bits of technology not to work, so I always have a Plan B and C. (Imagine, I bring a computer and charger and speakers, just in case those in the classroom don't work, and bring a copy of any handout so I can make copies if students forget to bring theirs).
Overall, I like teaching. I like the act of engaging with a group of students and seeing them learn. I get energy from their energy. However, lesson planning is the bane of my existence- it is the omnipresent thing I have to do. If I had my lessons done already (say, if I taught a 2nd year), it would be much less stressful and much more fun! Lesson planning is getting easier and easier, but it continues to be a challenge.
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| Group work makes everyone speak! |
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| "What makes a man attractive?" "Like Daniel" Nice try, suck up :) |
I've been fortunate to do a bit more travelling since my last post. I'll recap my sojurns(very briefly) here because you've probably never heard of most of these places. I remember reading the blogs of other ETAs to Vitenam in past years- it was hard to get involved because the place names meant nothing to me.
10/17
The weekend after I last posted, I went to Ha Long Bay with the other ETAs. It was pretty amazing and very beautiful. Definitely recommend checking it out if you ever get a chance.
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| Karen, Josh, and I enjoying free drinks on the ship |
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| ETAs (and Mirabelle, Olivia's friend) kayaking around the bay |
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| Cool place |
The next weekend, Olivia and Mirabelle came to visit and we went to Sapa as well as Muong Khuong, a poor district in Lao Cai province with 11 English. (Every class has to promote applying to the Gifted High School to outlying secondary school once a semester.) Muong Khuong was somewhat unremarkable, but I loved the chance to talk to my students outside of class. I'm so impressed by their ability to flourish under somewhat soul-crushing conditions (11 hours of school 6 days a week).
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| Not a bad view, eh? |
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| No idea who she is but we visited an orange grove by an elementary school |
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| Goofing off |
This weekend, Chelsea came to visit and we went to Sapa. The next day, I was the "celebrity guest judge" at the Halloween Talent show. On Sunday, I went to Bac Ha (another rural, but well-visited by tourists, town) with 10 Maths. It was a blast.
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| View of Sapa. Honestly, it was way better in person |
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| I was the "celebrity judge" at the Halloween talent show |
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| Bac Ha with 10 Maths students. I get it. I'm a large person. |
Living
Daily life is still hard, as it usually is in a foreign country. Just doing normal tasks involves more planning and effort. For example, I have to ask someone to clear room in their schedule to take me to get a haircut (my Vietnamese is nowhere near good enough to say that!), or going into town to get groceries involves cycling uphill about 30 minutes.So, if I need toothpaste or something, I can pretty much count on an hour and a half roundtrip.
I live about 5 km outside of town, down the highway. So, if I want to go into town, I can either bicycle (25 minutes in and an exhausting 35 minutes out). However, it is too dangerous to bicycle down a poorly maintained highway in the dark, so I can either leave my bike in the city (at high school number 1, where Olivia and Pauline live) and take a motorcycle taxi back, or just leave the city by dark (around 5:30). Or, I can walk into town (about an hour) and take a motorcyle taxi back. This location just adds another factor in my decision to (or not to) work out or to go sit in a cafe by the river. I'm jealous of the ETAs who live in their city center.
Of course, the plus side is the students live in the school and usually organize a fun activity (12 Hour Challenge or water gun battle or Halloween talent contest) every couple weeks on their day off (Sunday). Of course, I always get invited to be the guest judge. :)
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| Got a new haircut with the help of 11 Physics student, Cong |
Overall
While I'm still doing the same stuff as I was in October, I'm definitely getting more adept at navigating Vietnam. I've learned to say "Oh Vietnam!" and just accept things I don't understand instead of getting frustrated by them. Life is getting easier. I'm excited for some of the trips I've got planned and I'm getting busier-I can no longer do everything I'm invited to do. I'm starting to get conflicting invitations! That might seem mundane, but feeling bad about being too busy is certainly way better than feeling guilty (like I'm a bad Fulbrighter) if I'm not busy enough!
Onwards. Always onwards.
Daniel
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