Last Saturday in Hanoi . . .

What a day.  After some fun karaoke last night, the alarm seemed quite brutal as it went off at 5:15 this morning.  My roommate Jenny and I stumbled out of bed to go to the hotel lobby to see off the teachers going to Laos and Cambodia.  It was a bit surreal and sad to say goodbye to these people we've spent the last month with.  We bonded quite a bit these past few weeks... and it will be fun to see everyone again at the Annual Thailand Conference (ATC) in a few months.

After waving as their two taxi-vans took off for the airport, Jenny and I got some more shut eye :)  Then we got back up at 9-ish and got ready to meet one of Jenny's former students for a movie (Jenny taught at a middle school in Hanoi last summer).  We were delighted to see DIVING on the Olympics while getting ready because usually the only events we see here are badmitton, tennis, and boxing.  No gymnastics or swimming :(  

There ended up being six of us- Jenny, Karen, myself, and three middle school aged Vietnamese girls.  Their english ability was very good.  First we drank some yummy bubble tea (cold, flavored tea with tapioca bubbles), and then we took a bus to the movie theater- which was REALLY nice (you even pick your seats- just like you can with some airlines- what a novel idea!).  The girls were CRAZY about movies and knew more about the latest movies and actors/actresses than any of us did- what a riot!  We paid about $4.00 each for our tickets (which feels quite expensive here), and watched The Mummy III.  I didn't have high expectations, but actually really enjoyed it!  We felt OK about the splurge since we won't be able to go to a movie once we move to DaLat.  

After the movie, we walked around a very expensive mall and then walked downtown Hanoi streets by Hoan Kiem Lake.  Our only purchases were a few DVD's.  On our way back, we learned that one of our friends (who will be teaching in another city in VN) had a rough experience.  As she was shopping this afternoon, her purse, which she'd just bought a few weeks ago here in Hanoi, was slit open with a razor blade and her wallet was stolen- including a good amount of money, her passport, and debit card.  As you can imagine, it definitely shook her up :(  Thankfully, she can get a new passport in a day at the U.S. embassy here in Hanoi, and was able to cancel her debit card already.

Tonight we are packing for our Vietnam Country Training.  We leave tomorrow morning and most likely won't have internet for the rest of the month.  Right now we are waiting for a pizza to be delivered for dinner- one last "American" splurge before we leave Hanoi for the beautiful mountains of DaLat.  Next time I post I will probably be there :)  HOORAY!!

first impressions...

We are in the middle of our practicum experience!  On Monday, I was able to observe two others "team teach," and yesterday and today I have team taught with two different classmates.  Each class has been 2.5 hours long- with a 10 minute break.  My class on Tuesday had nearly 40 students, while my class today had almost 30.  And, each class has started at 7:00 a.m.!  This means we have left the hotel at 6:30 by taxi to get to school on time.  So I have been getting up in the 5 o'clock hour!!  A shocker, I know.  This year might turn me into a morning person yet :)

I'm sure things will be different once I begin teaching at Dalat University, but I wanted to share some of my first impressions of a university classroom in Vietnam.  Here's what I've noticed:

• Classrooms consist of three rows of narrow benches connected to narrow tables (about 3-4 Vietnamese students fit on one bench, but 4 is tight), a desk and chair for the teacher in the front left of the room, and a chalkboard.  There is also a ceiling fan and wall fan right by the teacher's desk.  While these fans are a nice reprieve from the heat, they also cause papers on your desk to blow away.
  
• The chalkboard is so great because you can move it up and down.  So if you need to write on the bottom of the board- there is no need to bend over- you just move the whole board up!  I LOVE that ;)
  
• There is usually a class monitor for each classroom who, I believe, is a student selected by other students as a leader for the classroom.  The class monitor assists the teacher when needed.  For example, when you are running low on chalk, the class monitor somehow disappears and a minute later magically reappears with an abundance of chalk for you!  It's a great system.  
  
• Being on time for class isn't a major priority for some.  However, if you have already started class, a late student will stand at the doorway and wait until you make eye contact with them.  Then they will request, "Teacher, may I come in?"  And they will only enter the room after you have nodded your head and motioned for them to join the classroom.  When I was late to a University class, the last thing I wanted was for the professor to notice my tardiness!
  
• The students fill in the front rows of the classroom and leave the last rows empty.  What a novel idea!
  
• Students love to come up to the front and act and present.  However, you really have to ask them to speak loudly- sometimes it sounds like they are speaking in a whisper.  
• Just like most all language learners, their comprehension and reading/writing ability is much stronger than their speaking ability.
  
• It is more rare for students to raise their hand and answer a question without being called on.  They are used to being specifically called on.  Interestingly, when you ask a question and invite a specific student to answer, they will stand up to give their response.
  
• It's going to take me a while to learn students' names!!  Today I had a gal whose name is Ngoc.  To pronounce this, you start with the sound you hear at the end of the word "Sing"... and I'm not sure how to explain the rest... except that your mouth closes at the end- and at first I thought it sounded like it ended with a "P."  
  

I really enjoyed both classes I taught so far, and can't wait to meet the students I will be with for the year!  

Oh, and on another note, I wanted to share a photo of my nephew Sam- he has made a WONDERFUL first impression!  I love being Tia Suzy :)  How cute is he?!  

Hello from Hanoi . . .

Do I look like a teacher yet?  :)

HOORAY!!  We have just finished three weeks of classes (8:30-5:00 each day with a break for lunch).  It has been intense, but SUPER beneficial.  I am thankful for all of the amazing training on how to teach ESL in Asia.  Next week we start our practicums... teaching for about 12 hours at a University here in Hanoi.  We'll take turns teaching alone, team teaching, and observing others.  Then we get feedback from mentors after each 2.5 hr. class.  I'm excited to try to put into practice all that we've been learning!

The weekends have been nice breaks from classes.  Last weekend was especially fun, as 14 people from our group went to Ha Long Bay!  This bay features thousands of limestone isles in various shapes and sizes... and is in the running to be named one of the "New7Wonders" of the world :)  There's a little trivia for you.  And here's a summary of our adventure:

We took a bus for about 4 hrs. to get there, boarded a boat after turning in our passports, ate a lunch of fish and squid on the boat, visited an enormous cave where we were told all kinds of tails about the fairy mother and dragon father who lived there, went cruising around the islands on the boat some more, had a delicious dinner (of rice, roasted peanuts, french fries, shrimp, & cucumbers), hung out on the top deck in the cool of the evening with our group plus a random Frenchman who was the only other person on board, slept on the boat in a room with my 2 teammates who are also going to Dalat, enjoyed bread and jam for breakfast, went kyaking around the bay in the rain, attempted to rinse off in the drip coming out of the shower-head, and finally said goodbye to our tour guide (who said and did many interesting things over the weekend- such as telling us that girls are not 

as valuable as boys- so it would be ok if we accidentally left a girl behind... oh, dear).  Is that a run on sentence?!

Kayaking in the bay was definitely a highlight!  Melissa and I made a great team :)

Pictures really don't do justice to this gorgeous creation called Ha Long Bay!  What an awesome Creator we have.  Sadly, as we kayaked through the breath-taking bay, we came upon TONS of trash and nasty junk floating on the surface of the water- it made me gag :(  And it was such a vivid reminder of the reality that all people, who our Creator has made so beautifully in His image, are so polluted by sin and nastiness- which must make Him gag, too.  I'm so thankful that He loves us enough to forgive and restore... 

I expect that during this team-intensive year, as my identity is all stripped away in a new culture and setting, a lot of the pollution of my heart is going to rise to the surface.  Yuck.  I know it's good though, because when it's at the surface, my Creator can remove it and continue to restore me more and more into His created image of beauty.  I also want to see the created beauty in each relationship ahead- especially with students, fellow teachers, teammates, fruit vendors on the street, etc.  Instead of focusing on the pollution, may I be one who focuses on His originally intended beauty and walk with others towards true restoration.

never have I ever . . .

been so completely drenched... in my own sweat!!  Seriously, I am used to being overly dry all the time and going through lots of lotion in the 0% humidity of CO.  Here in Hanoi it feels like 100% humidity all the time.  Before coming, I was a bit nervous about that, but I really haven't minded it so much.  Look at the bright side- you never really need lotion, and you have a natural glow all the time :)  It seems normal after a while!  

Except... yesterday (Tuesday).  One of the gals here had heard about a "gym" next to this hotel.  A few of us were really missing our regular workout times and decided to give it a try after class.  So we got our workout gear on, brought some iAccessories, grabbed waterbottles, and took a bus to the street the hotel is on.  We were quite surprised at our discovery when we finally found the "gym."

Let's just say, there was no air conditioning (which takes on a WHOLE new meaning in SE Asia).  The windows were open, and there was no breeze. No one was in the room working out.  It looked like it had been abandoned years ago- all of the machines were really old (the treadmill was the type with rollers underneath- totally manual), and most of them were falling apart, paint chipping, etc.  We all just stared blankly at the sight in front of us, and then bursted out in laughter... There really aren't words adequate enough to describe this little room and handful of machines/free weights.  The hilarity of the whole scene was just too much.

We made the best of it and did some push-ups and sit-ups and whatnot.  And not to gross you out, but we were all dripping with sweat (which honestly was a new experience for this CO girl)!!  Every article of clothing was drenched, and I am not exaggerating when I say that.  It made us feel like we had SUCH an amazing work-out b/c we were sweating so much... and we really didn't do any cardio- so we decided to walk back.  It actually felt so nice and cool outside- although it was probably in the 90's.  

So... the morals of the story are:

-Watch those expectations!  The 80's treadmills might let you down.

-Laugh :) We had a blast.

-It's all a matter of perspective (90 degrees doesn't feel so hot anymore after working out in it).

Here's a picture of the 80's treadmill . . . and our adventuresome group (minus Bryant who took the photo).  We definitely made a memory.

is it just me...

or do other countries always have much more interesting tasting and looking food?  I have REALLY enjoyed the food here- and have only put something into my napkin two or three times that I wasn't able to swallow.  Not bad for having completed one week in Vietnam :)  Here is a picture of the typical bowl of Pho noodles from a place called Pho 24 which is basically the McDonalds of Vietnam ("Pho" is pronounced like the first part of the word 'fun' NOT 'phone'):

Mmmmm... DELICIOUS!  I ate the whole bowl... and am really excited about my improving chopstick skills (to be honest, I started off quite terribly and still have a ways to go- but I'm getting better).  I also tasted my first "Bun Cha" on Saturday and loved it.  It's basically a different type of white noodle that you mix into a soup flavored with grilled pork or other meat.  I think I'll go back to that restaurant in the alley.  As long as my back is facing the kitchen area . . . no worries- I haven't had any stomach issues yet :)

Here are my top ten random eating observations:

10-every place you go, from the upscale Pizza Hut to the hole in the alley, they have toothpicks on the table for you

9-drinks are all served at room temp. and ice must be requested

8-many places will serve 5-7 different dishes-the more expensive, meaty dishes are served first and then the lower cost dishes are served last as a filler (such as soup)

7-you don't give a tip here... when we tried to tip one lady, she was really confused and ran after us with the money

6-I have seen more Pepsi here than Coke- weird.

5-often the servers will stand behind you watching unobtrusively while you are eating- waiting to take away a finished dish or serve you in some way

4-dessert menus are non existent at some places, and if they do exist- they usually only consist of two to three options- usually at least one being fruit

3-splitting the bill is not normal- so we have one person pay and then we divvy up costs later

2-there never seems to be a long wait for your meal

1-you can get a decent meal for $1-3!

I am learning to appreciate new varieties of ice cream (such as the refreshing ice cream and sticky rice combo), and have even enjoyed some home made salsa!  I definitely wasn't expecting either of those, so I feel quite spoiled.  Hopefully I'll learn how to make some typical Vietnamese dishes during the year :)