I write this post from my classroom, as I look out upon the torrential rain. I have not known rainfall like that here in Vietnam. The other day we were stitched into the bookstore by sheets of water--pooling in the streets as quickly as the clouds rolled into a seemingly sunny sky. I sat on the steps of the bookstore and had silent conversations with elderly women who were momentarily resting their yokes and taking refuge under the awning.

We have just completed the third day of school, with hecticness and flexibility as our bedfellows.
Everymorning, I teach English to my seven grade 9 students. Then, I teach English to my 14 grade 8 students. In the afternoons, I teach drama to grades 7-9 (grade level varies depending on the day). My students make me laugh, and I them. My grade 7's were in hysterics over my impression of a vengeful hampster. I was chuckling at one child's insistance that he be called Kimchi (any variety of a traditional Korean pickled dish), because of his love for spicy food. Many of my other students have also chosen interesting names for themselves: Sony_CIS and Ace are amoung my favourites. I have a wide spectrum of skills and abilities in each class, from those students who LOVE Shakespeare to those who do not know the word "letter." Should be an interesting challenge.

I am falling in love with the students, both the cheeky and the tremendously compliant.

The owners took all staff (both Canadian and Vietnamese) out for dinner this past Saturday. We went to a Brazilian restaurant, where a variety of meats were shaved off of swords to our plates (much like the Kenyan restaurant I went to some years ago). Brazilian dancers pulled us up for demonstration dancing-- essentially, I was shaking my booty in front of my bosses and all the people I work with. We then went to the dance floor and danced as a staff collective into the wee hours of the evening. A wonderful night to relieve stress, reflect on all we had accomplished, and bond as a staff.

Our apartment is in shambles, as we have had little time there since moving in. Days spent at schools. Evenings running errands and planning. We are still working on getting internet, so I apologize for my spotty communication.

Much much love from Vietnam!