Finally a new post.

Finally a new post.

Hi guys last night, I cleaned my room. Sat down and called my parents briefly and felt I had yet another moment to catch my breath. Just like the last time I had this rare opportunity I thought… I must tell people how things are going with me.

The answer is mixed to be honest. As I’ve just implied I’ve been really busy since I last updated. Or at least that’s how it feels. I guess a better way of putting it is that I’ve just been tired. Somehow when you feel tired you just can’t seem to tidy your room, email people, read books, and learn a language… It’s just much harder to be motivated.

Last night I finished at twenty past seven in the evening for the first time since I’ve worked at I.L.A. (I used to work 3 nights a week until ten o’clock.). This is going to be the new norm for the time being and I’m so happy I’m going to be teaching less. I feel that a new era is coming here for me. The first month was spent staying afloat my second I’ve just worked way too much and now I’m so set on making me third all about getting regular Vietnamese teaching and teaching less fortunate children…

I’ve been in touch with various organizations trying to make this happen. I’ve heard back from one that wants to me to teach the staff of one organization. I just need to stay focused. That means having to turn down opportunities to meet people and have fun. Which is tough, but what can you expect… it really only the most minor inconvenience if it means you have more energy and concentration to help someone who sleeps in a dorm with lots of other kids and sees his parents rarely if at all. I’ve really got to put my money where my mouth is, I’m starting to get sick of the sound of me talking about this side of my teaching. I just need to make it happen. Keep emailing and visiting orphanages and other organizations functioning in this city. There are plenty of them.

I’ve settled in with my family well. I can’t wait to get snapping on my camera and uploading some pictures of them. They are just so cool when they hand out with each other. There’s something so fascination about being in the middle o a culture where family and community are intertwined and central to people’s lives. It reminds me lots of the big shared house which I lived in just prior to coming out here. They way that they lie on each other, play fight with each other, massage each other etc… It’s really special spending time in their lounge. It just seems with the Vietnamese that there’s a strong reserved current to their personality… probably forged by a history of oppression, both moderate and violent and a sense of control that seems to be highly respected here. This all basically translates into a lot of really hard work for someone like me who wants to penetrate and learn about the culture here. It’s obvious that the spectrum of Vietnamese humanity is reserved for the home and the family. The home is a place where they can express themselves in a trusting and safe environment. Even though I’m there in the home, there are still so many barriers.

The main barrier being the language. I really must start to really get on with learning it. The payoff is immediate. I’ve been bargaining in Vietnamese and saving so much money.

My teaching at work had been going well. I love all my classes, Its just a matter of getting the balance of doing them justice and being a good teacher and still having time to live your life outside of school. I don’t want it to be my life; I’d prefer to keep it to a minimum to be honest.

Well, I’m going to leave it there. I’m going to make a photo diary for my next post soon… I’ll post again soon.