I have one class today and I’ve had them before, ten eight year olds that I had to separate and move through the class last week and again today. They are ok when they pay attention but if I let the talkers sit together there is anarchy. I explode the beginning of the lesson with a game of “six” a great attention grabber for kids. I tell them to write down six numbers/fruits/animals and I write down six, if they write down one that I have written down they get a point, it’s basically bingo with words.
Yesterday I explained the game to the first class and asked them to write down six numbers, I sat down to give them a couple of minutes as they wrote furiously, I stood up to check their progress and noticed every single one of them was writing – s i x n u m b e r s – that’s when I changed it to fruit and finally got them to understand.
Today’s class went well and most of them seemed to learn something. During the break Han, one of the Vietnamese teachers who says more than just a polite “hello” to me (there are two or three male teachers who try to pretend I’m not there) bought me an ice cream and sat down for a chat. She’s a charming girl and has asked if I would like to go to her house for dinner sometime, just a polite gesture, and we talk about her hometown in the Mekong and working at VATC, a guarded conversation on my part.
On the ride home just as we get to District One there is a huge lighting bolt not far away and we make it back to the hotel before it rains. In the time I have been here including the last two visits I have seen maybe one bike collision per week, yesterday I saw three. Thay is at reception and I tell her she looks lovely today (she always does), she blushes, Mun is standing near by watching and I tickle him and tell him he does too and we tussle up the stairs. Thay calls out to me and we stop to look back down the stairs, she looks around the corner to say “Simon you should only tell me, I get jealous” with a fun smile, I tell her “it is always you Thay”
I decide to give Anne’s café another shot, damn them and that great cream penne. Tonight I almost made it to the first corner without being asked if I wanted a ride but I did almost get to the second corner without being asked if I wanted weed. It’s a quiet night on the block, the penne is great then back to my room for movies.
