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An alien language, some grammar lessons and the joys of work permits
On Monday morning I was pleased to see that the one student I was meant to be teaching today was actually two because it’s always more fun with two as you can build more chemistry/ a better relationship, do more interesting tasks and play better games. Also,...
An expat weekend, a linguistics argument and a trip to the water park!
Well… I went for drinks last night and one drink quickly turned into many because one of my colleagues is definitely an alcoholic and was ordering beers for everyone every five minutes! The civilised conversation soon progressed to a huge argument over the American...
A crazy coincidence, a stupid phone and a trip to the hospital
That evening I went for dinner to one of those weird restaurants where the plates go round the rotary system and you pick what you want and boil it in a pot. I put chicken in but then didn’t eat it because I had a suspicion I was going to die. I stuck to prawns,...
Abandoned at the side of the street, easy teacher’s life and a friend from home
I was late today because my xe om driver ran out of petrol on the main road, so abandoned me on the side of the street, pushed his bike across the highway into the oncoming traffic, filled up is tank and rode back to collect me! I started teaching at 8.40am but...
Frustrating bureaucracy, a new house and a crazy langauge!
I am really enjoying the time off to relax!! With such a small amount of hours the small children aren’t too bad either… I also found out I am teaching one to one on Monday for two or three hours which is going to be insanely boring and I have no idea what they level...
A weekend of partying, a world class DJ and dancing with the locals
I taught my last private class with my boss’ daughter (thank God, it had been painful!!) and luckily it was only an hour so not too bad. She even began initiating play, repeating some of the things I said and singing the lyrics to songs, that she didn’t already know!...
Make-up mayhem, a failed teaching experience and an awesome banquet!
When I arrived the teacher was putting inches of make up on all the female kids (they are BIG on make up and costumes here) and I was just watching her thinking that I hadn’t worn make up until I was 17 and even then I’d never worn as much as these kids were wearing...
A realisation, a new belief and the joy of travelling
I have been meaning to research Humanism for a while now, since my friend Sophie told me she is a Humanist. I found that the basic principles of Humanism are that 1) there is no God 2) We have one life and so we need to live it 3) When you die there’s no after life,...
Make-up mayhem, a failed lesson and a delicious banquet!
When I arrived the teacher was putting inches of make up on all the female kids (they are BIG on make up and costumes here) and I was just watching her thinking that I hadn't worn make up until I was 17 and even then I'd never worn as much as these kids were wearing...
Crazy hot weather, spit-roasted dogs and failing to learn Vietnamese!
Its SO hot. Not hot, boiling hot. You know the feeling when you get in a hot bath and you suddenly realise it’s uncomfortably hot and that you might be going to pass out, so you turn on the cold tap? It’s like that. Without the cold tap. We...
A Vietnamese night out, being ripped off and crazy driving!
Today was an epic day. I went to the local pool, which I thought would just be a pool but it had a children’s play area, bar, deck chairs and palm trees round the outside and was very nice and spacious. The water was a great temperature (though cold when you first got...
Classroom management, miscommunication and speaking tests!
I have worked out that if I stand right at the front of the class, right by the desks, then the children shut up quicker, as though they think I can see them better from here! Most of my classes were OK today, bar one, when I was devastated to see when I looked...
A Trip to the Perfume Pagoda
My aunt and uncle just so happened to have booked a holiday to Vietnam before I decided to teach English here. They had spent the past two weeks travelling up the East Coast from Ho Chi Minh and today they had a rest day in Hanoi, and so we were going on a trip to the...
Class confusion, near death experiences and an inappropriate text
So my Teaching Life begins: If I walk into a classroom one more time with delighted shouts of "Mr. Georgie!!!!" I will not be impressed....! It would appear that Vietnamese students do not understand the concept of “Mr” vs “Mrs.”. Most of my classes were ok today...
6 Great Teaching Games for 5- to 7-Year-Olds
Students aged five to seven are a joy to teach. They are naturally inquisitive and more often than not, full of joy. However, it is safe to say that their irrepressible energy provides teachers with some unique challenges. Here are Teacher’s Friend – Vietnam’s...
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