Apples

After the break today, the class monitor asked me if she could have 5 minutes. I wasn't sure for what, but I said OK and sat down. She seemed nervous.

Going back to her desk, she pulled out a big bag of apples and walked to the front of the class. "Today is a very special day for me," she announced.

It was her birthday. "I am 20 years old. I have already seen many people die from diseases so I'm very happy I've reached this day and I want to share it with you. In English they say, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away,' so I want to give each of you an apple and wish you good health forever."

All Things Work Together For Good...

The end of the week turned out nothing like we thought at the beginning. Instead of typing this in Hanoi, I should be with the rest of the VTF team about 350 km south of here. They're visiting a group of long-term teachers to see what their lives are like and whether they might feel called to sticking around longer themselves.

Just after noon on Thursday, we arrived at the Hanoi train station, climbed aboard and settled into our seats. And I felt this sharp pain in my chest. And then again. Nancy was looking panicky. I wasn't sure what to do myself. But heart disease has been around my family so we decided that I needed to get off the train and see a doctor. Nancy would have to stay and accompany the VTF teachers.

Off I went to the doctor just to get an EKG which came back normal. It was one of those feel-stupid-if-you-do-go-to-the-doctor (because it was nothing) or feel-stupid-if-you-don't (and end up dying on a train cruising through the rice paddies of Thanh Hoa). But I was/am fine.

Turns out it was good that I stayed behind for another reason. The English club had a big event Saturday morning (which I found out about Thursday afternoon when I should have been on the train). Since I was in Hanoi, I was able to be there to represent our teachers.

Plus, I discovered that there was a major miscommunication about our junior reading classes. We weren't told that we're supposed to be teaching them reading and summary writing for their final exam five weeks from now. I spent part of the afternoon getting a skeletal lesson plan together for the VTF teachers so they don't have to start from scratch when they get back Sunday night.

So, as Shakespeare would say, "All's well that ends well." As King James would say, "All things work together for good..."

A Day at the Museum

Last Thursday I bumped into Chi in the hallway, one of Scott's old students from K34. She and a friend from K33 were planning an outing with the English Club on Saturday and she wanted to invite the foreign teachers so the students would have a chance to speak English.

"Have you been to the Ethnology Museum before?" she asked.

I've lost count of how many times I've been there, but it was a good chance to hang out with students. The trip was being organized by the upperclassmen for freshmen who'd never been there before. And, since I don't teach freshmen this term, it was a good chance to meet some of them.

Saturday was a nice, relatively cool day and we all met at the front of the school with our bikes. The only students who knew where it was were on motorbikes so I was appointed to lead the 28 students and 3 teachers to the museum. We only lost 1 teacher who, fortunately, was with 2 students who could ask directions.

"Where did they go?"

Little kids are often around. The museum has a small learning center for them.

The Monkey Bridge.

In real life, these bridges are used in the countryside to cross small creeks and canals. In real life, I'd end up wet.

The back part of the museum is nicely landscaped with a lot of life-sized traditional houses. It's a popular place for wedding photos.


It was a nice surprise to meet one of my teaching colleagues who was there with her daughter - who is the same age as my 21-month-old granddaughter. She's the most outgoing little toddler I've met in Vietnam. (If any of last year's teachers are reading this, you know who she got that from.)

The photos are courtesy of my teammate, Will.

Weekend Errands

There's no Walmart and I'm OK with that.

Saturday I wanted to pick up an AC adapter and a patch cable. The adapter's for Nancy so she doesn't have to keep recharging batteries to run her portable CD player. The cable's so I can transfer some cassette tapes to CD. I have a course coming up that relies heavily on tapes and it's a pain trying to find the right place on a cassette.

Nancy's been battling a flu the last few days, so also I needed to pick up some stuff for her and get some groceries. One stop at a super store and it's covered, right?

Well, like I said, there's no Walmart (or Wegmans, Price Chopper, Target...).

• First stop: A tiny shop around the corner from the school guesthouse to get some milk and juice for Nancy. Got milk; they're out of juice.
• Second stop: The local open market for a carrot, 2 red bell peppers and some fresh basil. I can make supper out of that and the green beans and pork we've got at home. On the way out of the market, I buy a couple of pomelos (think grapefruit only bigger, more seeds, and a little sweeter). That will give Nancy some Vitamin C.
• Third stop: After dropping the food at home, I hop on my bicycle and head for an electronic shop down near Hai Ba Trung Street. I could probably find an adapter and cable closer to home, but I know that if they don't have it they can tell me who does. The guy and girl who work there are really nice so that's been my shop since I've come to Hanoi.
• Fourth stop: The computer store near the VKO center for a $10 webcam. (My electronics shop doesn't carry them.) It's a little busy inside because they've got a dirt-cheap special on USB drives if you show them a student ID.
  
• Fifth stop: The bun bo nam bo shop for two bowls "to go." It's near home, so I don't have to balance it on my handlebars very long.

It all took only about 1/2 hour longer than it would have on a Saturday morning in New York.

Some parts of life aren't super-exciting. It's just life - probably like where you are. But at least you get to meet a lot of people along the way!