Thursday, May 10, 2012

FAQs

Dear family and friends,

I apologise about the lack of communication lately. There are lots of mitigating factors but the biggest one is that I'm generally lazy and I also have a touch of ADD and I find it hard to sit at my computer and type the same email over and over again. It's not meant as an offense because I care about you and I'm glad you care enough about me to ask how I'm doing. I'm glad that I have so many of you asking that I can't even keep up with it. Unfortunately the route I'm going to take is so highly impersonal I'm sure lots of people will get mad. Then you'll get over it because that means you don't have to write me back either. :D See how that works out for everyone.

FAQs about my life in Vietnam:

How do you find teaching?
Like everything else in life it has its pros and cons.
Cons:
I teach 4-6 year olds (Jumpstarts) who occasionally sneeze directly into my mouth and as a result I'm sick every 1-2 months like clockwork. I also have a cough that hasn't disappeared in almost 7 months.
I teach teenagers (Juniors and Seniors) who are often sullen and rude, like teenagers in the rest of the world, and make class hell for me. They also often talk about violence and when they get started on that it takes an act of God to get them to stop. Especially since I hate yelling in the classroom. It solves nothing.
Pros:
I teach 4-6 year olds who are so adorable and so loving and I have to stop myself from smushing their tiny faces or kissing them, because I'm sure that's highly inappropriate.
I teach teenagers who are often a delight to teach because I can talk to them without sounding like an idiot, like when I talk to my jumpies, and we can make jokes, have a laugh and whenever I have something interesting to say they listen because I'm their favorite teacher. :D (I'm more popular than their Viet teachers.)

How's life in Vietnam?
In my little world, it's amazing. In actuality, it's nothing special. I do the same things I do back home but its all a little better because I'm able to afford nicer things here. When you get to treat yourself and not feel guilty about it it does a lot for the soul.
Pros: I get to travel more often, ride motorbikes, eat pho ga whenever I want (except for right now  since I'm on this stupid diet), go to the pool every week, educate young minds and mold them into what I want (muahahahaha), and live in a country where Michelle Bachmann doesn't live. What could be better than that?
Cons: There's no Krav Maga here. And no mommy hugs. :(

What's the food really like? 
Let's just say, if you're drooling over my photos can you imagine what it's like for me?

When are you coming back?
I might stay longer if you keep asking me that!

Okay, kidding. Sorta. My contract is up on October 11th and the lease on my fabulous apartment is up on November 11th. I plan to have everything shipped back home before the 11th and then travel for 6 weeks or so and be home in time for Christmas. I better have a grand reception waiting for me at the airport with the way you guys have been missing me. :)

Are you going to get a motorbike?
When I decide that I want to freak my mother out I'll get a motorbike. Until then I don't mind being a slave to xeom drivers.

If you've got any more questions please post them in the comments section because this is kinda fun. :D


3 comments:

  1. Would you recommend anyone visiting during the monsoon season? S

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  2. Would you recommend any visitors during the monsoon season :)

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  3. I would, but that's just me. I don't mind the rain and things are quieter and a bit cooler, especially right after a rainstorm. It's really quite nice actually.

    What did you think of your visit during the monsoon season? :D

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