6am alarm and I bounce into the shower (although i'm waking about 5am each morning) and dress like a damned lawyer for the first time in my life (and didn’t scrub up to bad if I must say) but that tie around the neck will take some getting used to (thank you Queens Rd for my going away present, I will wear the one you gave me next week Zahra). Into a cab for the 40 minute trip to the school, $6 is a bit excessive and would’ve been cheaper on a bike but I needed to have a few cigarettes on the way for the first day. I got there early enough to have a coffee and cigarette across the road and psych myself up, ok D day!
Tessie, the lady who owns this tiny little school in the boondocks invites me in and shows me 2 class rooms for a “tour” and introduces me to Brandon, oh no, a damn American, A disgruntled American at that! However he turns out to be ex military intelligence and not one of the fat, ignorant, loud ones. He’s been here for 3 years because he dislikes his countrys goverment and what they've done/are doing, I thought Vietnam was a wierd place to come for that reason. Could it be I found “The Quiet American”? He has also been screwed over by the Vietnamese English teaching industry and throws me so much advice I could barely keep up, without a University degree or any teaching experience it looks like it may be even harder than I thought to get a contract. Also I am informed that I am used mainly as a marketing tool for the school to the parents hence the clothes, I am the only one wearing a tie today, dammit!
So to start I will be observing
Tessie and I chatted for a while about things and she laughingly said it was ok, she would not put me with that age group again. She says I can leave and sets me up with another observation class Monday evening then she will give me some classes to teach next weekend………..awesome, it’s midday and I am worn out, I thought it would be all day everyday but she’s just going to ease me into it (actually I just think she didn't think I was very good). Relief sweeps over me as I step outside and flag down a bike and take that damn tie off, I get back to the hotel on the bike for $3, I think I might do it that way from now on plus it’s a great way to wake me up for class. So a lazy afternoon after some lunch, watching movies on cable and trying to sort out this blog (my web pages are entirely in Vietnamese). Damn, with tonight and tomorrow free……………..Marianne flew out this morning, what a Jip!
I spent the afternoon/evening sitting at the GO2 club, my favourite bar ever which is a little embarassing, so clichéd. It’s on a busy corner with outside seats designed for happy go lucky western travellers with classic western rock, new and old, a mix of western and asian food available 24/7, pool table and a club upstairs, hot young waitress’ and a mix of every nationality on the planet. Consequently the prices are a little dearer, about $2.50 and beer in stead of $1.50……he he……I can live with that. It’s just a nice place to sit and hear some Greenday or Matchbox 20 amongst some Aussie/English/American/German/French etc accents and there’s always someone to chat with. It is the sister bar of the previously mentioned Alley Booz which is up on the next corner overlooking the park.
I spent the afternoon/evening sitting at the GO2 club, my favourite bar ever which is a little embarassing, so clichéd. It’s on a busy corner with outside seats designed for happy go lucky western travellers with classic western rock, new and old, a mix of western and asian food available 24/7, pool table and a club upstairs, hot young waitress’ and a mix of every nationality on the planet. Consequently the prices are a little dearer, about $2.50 and beer in stead of $1.50……he he……I can live with that. It’s just a nice place to sit and hear some Greenday or Matchbox 20 amongst some Aussie/English/American/German/French etc accents and there’s always someone to chat with. It is the sister bar of the previously mentioned Alley Booz which is up on the next corner overlooking the park.
