More Photos on Hanoi...

For the benefit of my friends back home who'd like to see more of Vietnam, I'm including more pictures...

It's not that the camera is good, nor is it because the place is scenic.. It's the photographer that's good. :) Enjoy the pictures!

More pictures on the lake...









Can you see the chicken on the roof?

The Day I Sang in Class

It is definitely against my principle to go in a class without a plan. Well, I almost didn't today as I honestly lacked inspiration last night as I placed limitations to what I could teach my students this morning - they were not good enough to play the games I tend to create; they wouldn't be able to understand; I shouldn't be teaching them too difficult words etc... And so, Idea after idea went down the drain.

I fell asleep on my bed last night while thinking what to do this morning, and when I woke up, I decided not to be too hard on myself and just work on improving their diction and pronunciation. It's not about impressing the other teachers what I am capable of, it's about placing the students' interest first. Still I wondered how their local teachers could teach them using the textbook they used. From what we saw, it was way above their level! Did they even understand?!

I decided on teaching them the song from one of my favourite singers, Christian Bautista. After all, it was quite inspirational and from what I hear from their teacher that they are not motivated, I was hoping that the song I chose did them good.

I started today's lessons working on the words they had learnt in the previous lesson. As I had guessed, most had forgotten how to pronounce the word. I remembered what I learnt at my Emergentics course - that the brain learns better with repetition, and so I made the students read out the words again and again and again until they got their pronunciation right. I then made them form sentences using the words I had chosen for them on the board. To my pleasant surprise, some of them were able to come up with complex sentences! Again, I made them read out loud the sentences they had formed and corrected their grammar and pronunciation at the same time.

I then went on to teach them "I will be what I believe" by Christian Bautista. Again, they learnt new words and how to pronounce them. I went through with them the lyrics, hoping that by the time I did, my 3-hour session with them would be up, but we had time and they wanted to know how the song sounded like. And so, with Christian Bautista singing softly through my ibook, I sang the song! And they loved the song too!

I had wanted to continue today's lessons in the afternoon but my class and the one next to mine requested for the afternoon off as they had a soccer match on. Our local teacher said it was OK for us to cancel classes so we did. It was good for me as I felt really tired - so much so that even the Director of the International Coorperation Office said so!

My students bought me and one of my team mates lunch at their students' canteen. I had Pho (pronounced Fer) while my team mate had a whole big plate of rice and almost 8 varieties of dishes! He was totally shocked when the students served us our lunch. I think they are really excited about our presence so much so that they are planning a dinner-shopping-cum-karaoke sesseion for us tomorrow evening. And they are going to bring me round on a scooter!

Having the afternoon off, I decided to head down to my favourite hotel so I can have my life line of WIFI. It would be more perfect if they people next to me didn't smoke...

We will be meeting out team mates from HUT this evening for dinner and to watch the water puppet show. I hope I can stay up til then. I'm feeling really tired and I'm hoping to get some rest before I start falling ill. I was told to keep warm or I'd get a sore throat soon... and I thought I felt one coming up already last night!

The Hilton Hotel is decked with teddy bears for X'mas this year, Huggy Bear insists that he is the best.. Oh well...



Had the Hilton Club Sandwich last night...



And before I leave, I want to say that I am not the only one tapping on the WIFI here. I see at least 8 other people around me (mostly Caucasians) with their laptops open and get this - they are even using the hotel's power points! I'm not that bad after all!

Meeting at the Ministry of Education and Training

The weather in Hanoi is beginning to stay to its supposed cold. It’s not freezing but comfortably nice – as if I were in an air-conditioned room. The skies are no longer blue though, and have stayed grey since yesterday. We are hoping it stays like this til we leave. Any colder and we’d be in trouble since we won’t have much warm clothes to wear.

The laundry service we tested out turned out to be reliable. For 6000 dong (about S$0.70) a piece, they had my t-shirts nicely laundered.

We started out today meeting the Director General of the Ministry of Education and Training. With the other group from HUT, we discussed issues about education in Vietnam, the problems they were facing and how Singapore could help out. It was an interesting meeting and really, it made me appreciate the education system we have in Singapore. It really isn’t easy trying to reform an education system that affects some 24 million students spread across the whole country. Unlike Singapore, they lack funds to build the proper infrastructure to improve the education system, and so it isn’t just a matter of implementing a policy of change. Nevertheless, I applaud their efforts in still trying to make that step.

The meeting ended around 10.30am and we headed back to the hotel. I spent some time preparing for my other lessons before my team mates called me to ask if I wanted to join them at the Hilton cos they wanted to tap on the WIFI.



I agreed so we headed to the Hilton so we could have WIFI and have lunch at the same time before we heading back to the university for our first afternoon teaching session with our students. All of us really wished we didn’t have to teach in the afternoon as somehow or other, the sleepiness began to set in.

Still, we dutifully headed back to the university as we wanted some materials printed for our lessons. We were told we could make use of the photocopying machine and computer there so we thought it’d be good to be there some 2 hours before our lessons started. When we reached the university, we were in for a surprise as it was really quiet. It seems they have a practice of taking a nap after lunch! And so, we plonked ourselves on the stairs and did some last minute work while waiting for them to wake up…



We eventually managed to use the room. That was when I really appreciated the noisy risograph machine back in school that spouts out one sheet of paper per second. Not only was paper not as readily available (they recycle the use of paper lots there), the machine was incredibly slow – one sheet came out every 10 seconds – and it kept breaking down.

Amongst ourselves we decided that we needed to find a photocopy shop outside and do the printing ourselves. We felt bad that we were using what little resources they had.

I did with my class a few activities today and what really took off were the parts of the lessons when I was teaching them how to pronounce words correctly. I also got them to plan a one-day tour for me and they had to present their tour itinerary. It was then did I realise that some students’ grasp of the language was really basic. Some of them found it difficult to express themselves and would rather remain quiet. It took some of the better student to tell me that some of them found it difficult to understand me.

I was obviously concerned as I sincerely hope that they will gain a lot out of these two weeks. The last I would want to do was to shortchange them. Suddenly, I realized that all the lessons I had planned the nights before could not be used if learning was to take place. So, it’s back to the drawing board, and wondering again, what I can teach them.

I wished I had loaded my ipod and ibook with more songs as my students really could sing. I also wished I had packed in those speakers I bought recently so I could amplify the sound in class. One of my students said he would bring speakers tomorrow for me to plug in my ipod. I sure hope that works!

My students have begun to get used to us. Some of them are bringing us out on Friday to shop at the weekend market – and they are going to bring us on their scooters! (God bless me!) Today, the brought one of my team mates back to the hotel on his scooter, much to his anxiety! Well, he came back safe and sound so I guess it’s not that bad??!

My team mates have gone out with their students to eat ice-cream. I decided to stay in to do my work and have some time alone so I can come out with ideas of how to teach my students tomorrow. It will be a greater challenge tomorrow since I have some 6 hours with them instead of 3! I hope inspiration strikes at the Hilton!

Photos of me taken by my students in class...





This photo is for my brother who wants to know if Huggy Bear is doing work at Hanoi... :)

Day Three - First Day with my Vietnamese students

Today's weather in Hanoi was fabulous! It was nice and chilly and finally, the warm clothes I brought along came in handy.

I was in a little bit of jitters this morning as I entered the classroom. I did prepare my lessons a little the night before and I wished I had more time to do more things, but I was tired. But I brought my "magic box" of coloured cards I had prepared the previous night. The students were a little apprehensive of me at first, but I gave my biggest smile and started my "show".



I played the game "Ask me" to get them used to talking and asking questions. After all, we were told to get them used to speaking as they have not had enough opportunity to speak with people who are fluent in the language. I guess I was so engrossed with teaching that I forgot to give them a break. The teacher had to ask me to take a break as she was worried I was overworking myself.

At the end of the day, I felt I could do better than what I did. The teacher said I looked every enthusiastic to teach them - and she was right. I guess I felt I had so much to teach them, it felt much more fulfilling than teaching back in Singapore.

We had the afternoon free as they didn't have any lessons running today in the afternoon. After feeding us with a nice lunch of soup, fried fish (which was just incredible as the flesh just melted in my mouth!), grilled chicken and bean sprouts, we headed back to the hotel. I changed out into more comfortable clothes and with my team mates, we headed back to Ma May, where we were the previous evening.

I don't know why but I think I had wanted time alone and just walk alone. But I had my team mates with me, and really without them, I don't think I'd be brave enough to cross all the roads by myself!

Shopping today was much better since the weather was much more pleasant. I just wished the motorbikes didn't have to sound their horns so often when I needed time alone. Still, I was glad I managed to find some nice shops that sold interesting items. But I didn't feel like buying today so I just walked on.



I think we walked for some 5 hours before we stumbled upon a shop that sold a nice ao dai. I had one specially tailored to fit me at USD30. It came with a simple embroidery so i think it was worth the price. I had Ah Leng's top made for her too, and for only USD22, I think it was a steal. I just hope it will turn out nice. The man at the shop was really nice and tall... I hope he doesn't disappoint me with his handiwork! He told me to come back on Sunday or Monday, and I'm really crossing my fingers!

We had to head back to the hotel cos there wasn't a toilet in sight and we needed to use one badly. I too wanted to get back to blog and prepare for my lessons tomorrow, so here I am now, at my favourite Hilton Hotel lobby tapping on the wireless. I'm having a nice chocolate cake and apple crumble with camomile tea while blogging. In the background, I have a wonderful string quartet playing classics. How great can this be?!

Here I am with a bear from the Hilton Hotel's Christmas tree made up of teddy bears from different countries!



And here is my favourite corner at the hotel...



Tomorrow, I'd be going to the Ministry of Education, followed by a full afternoon of school. I made up my mind to not shop any more cos the shops more or less all sold the same things, and really it wasn't worth getting. So, just in case I don't have pictures for the next few days, I'm putting them all here for your viewing... And yes, PinkHippo - thanks for your camera!!

Here I am with some chinese scholar in some park near the lake...



Flowers being sold at one of the markets...



Snake wine being sold.. There's a real snake inside!



I love these Tin Tin laquered plaques. They remind me of Miss Tan!



These lanterns are being sold everywhere! I know Ah Bao will like them - Drop me a note if you like me to get them. Ranges from USD3 to US25 - depending on the size.



Laquered plates I got for someone... (actually I haven't decided who to give it to yet!)



More road scenes from Hanoi





Ending off my day with cake at Hilton

Day Two - First day at HUBT

We started the day out early as we were to be picked up by the university driver at 7.30am. Breakfast at the hotel was hmmm… basic. I had a banana and some fried rice that was cold. What looked like orange juice turned out to be diluted mango juice! But that didn’t dampen my mood as I was looking forward to meeting the people at the university. I wondered where in the world the university was or if it even existed as we couldn't find it on the map.

The driver came to pick us up some 15 minutes late, but we reached the Hanoi University of Business & Technology (HUBT) in less than 10 minutes. The morning air was much cooler than the humid warm air we had the previous day and I wished it could stay that way for the rest of the day, considering I was in my black jacket suit!

The directors and lecturers at HUBT were highly hospitable. They asked lots of questions about Singapore and brought us on a little tour around their campus. The university, a private one, is 10 years old this year and is mostly attended by the richer kids of Vietnam, which poses a problem to the teachers as they seem less motivated to study. But I could see some students earnestly studying at the little library while others were surfing the internet. For a campus that served 10000 students, the facilities were more sparse than the computers our labs in schools in Singapore are equipped with. They appreciated the few flat screens they had donated by their collaborating university in Taiwan. I didn't dare say our secondary school kids are already using all of these back in Singapore.

They gave us a half day off so my team mates and I decided to head down the lake to do a little toursity stuff. The Ho Hoan Kiem Lake is apparently well-known and loved by locals and tourists and having been there, I can understand why. It's amazingly serene, even in the heat of the afternoon sun.



Crossing the road was a challenge and really, we nearly got hit by a pickup that was just trying to be funny. The motorbikes and cars were generally less fierce.



I got some laquered plates and got my Huggy Bear a free straw hat at one of shops near the lake.



I guess I would have enjoyed shopping more if not for the fact that it was scorching hot in the afternoon and I was drenched in sweat. We dropped by a quaint cafe place and I had a nice iced lemon tea. Tired, we decided to head back to the hotel before heading back to Ma May Road to meet the team from HUT (Hanoi University of Technology) for dinner at this restaurant called 69!



I had deep-fried Vietnamese spring rolls and jasmine tea with ginger, lemon and honey. Yummy.. And it cost me only 40000 dong (around $4.70).



We passed the Hilton Opera Hanoi Hotel just before we headed back to our hotel and hearing that it offered free WIFI at the lobby, I decided to try my luck. Lo and behold! I am so glad I found this place. I swore for the next 12 days that I'm here, this will be my daily routine - to plonk myself at the nice cushy sofas, enjoy the cool air con and new age music in the background and tap on the free WIFI! So, after dinner, one of my team mates and I decided to walk back to the Hilton and here we are - blogging!

Tomorrow, I start teaching a class of some 20 odd students in their first year at the uni. According to their English teacher, they have only a basic grasp of the language. I think it'd be a challenge to think of a lesson to suit their level, and considering they are studying to be business graduates, i had to think of something relevant for them. After this, I'm heading back to my hotel to prepare for tomorrow's lesson. I hope they'll enjoy it!

I miss home less now that I've got WIFI - I've msned my brother, emailed my friends and have begun to blog so my friends back home know what's happening... But nothing beats being able to talk to them!

Til I update this blog again - you guys at home - I miss you and see you soon! :)

First Night at Hanoi

26 November 2006

I left Singapore Changi Airport with mixed feelings. There was a sense of excitement as this would be the first time I’d be traveling alone. Well, I did have a group of course mates I’d be traveling with, but still, we were very much by ourselves.

The flight on board Vietnam Airlines was a fairly good one. The legroom was definitely better than what Jetstar offered when I went to Hong Kong last month. Food was quite yummy too. I had steamed fish, mushrooms and vegetables and rice. I was seated with Miriam and Deborah (yup, there’s two of us!). Deborah loved the bread rolls and asked for seconds so I guess they were good too!

I had an unusual sharp pain in the head just before the plane landed. I don’t know what caused it, but I hope it didn’t signal me falling sick. My stomach cramps didn’t help either, and really, I was just using my mental strength to wish all the pain away.

The plane landed later than scheduled and by the time it hit the tarmac, we were some half an hour behind. By the time we collected our luggage – boy did we have to wait long! – it was around 9.30pm, Vietnam time.

I had wanted to head straight to the hotel as I didn’t feel too well, but the guide asked if we could stop over some place for dinner since she and the driver hadn’t eaten dinner. We obliged politely. After all, with our zero knowledge of their local language, and their limited vocabulary of the English language, we weren’t in a position to negotiate much!

The pho – rice noodles with beef in soup – was yummy! I felt bad not being able to finish my food but my stomach was rebelling as I tried to feed it with food so late at night! Our guide from the university, Tu, was gracious and paid dinner for us. Now I felt doubly bad for not finishing the food.



I didn’t expect too much out of my hotel room since we were told it was a 2-star hotel. After Hong Kong, well, I guess I was prepared for the worst.

Surprisingly, the room was nice – and clean. It wasn’t fancy, but it was nice enough for me.



As I unpacked, it felt different as it was the first time I didn’t have anyone to talk to… I was glad I brought my favourite teddy bear along. It made me not miss home too much.



I slowly unpacked and was glad they provided hangers so I could hang out my shirts and jackets. I didn’t have much in my luggage… How did it ever get to be 25kg! I was determined to give away as many of the books I brought as possible so I’d have room for some of the things I intended to buy!

Tomorrow will be our first day at the Hanoi University of Business and Technology. We still don’t know what we have to do, but I’m hoping everything will turn out OK.

It’s only Day zero and I’m missing home – my mum and bro, my friends, my WIFI. 13 more days to go!