Hangzhou

With schools in my region benefitting from a two week regular production break for summer, I suddenly found myself with far more time on my hands, teaching a mere 9 hours of summer course classes, spread over 3 days of the week.  Having exhausted the majority of summer activities Shanghers has to offer, it was time to take advantage of the time off and venture further afield.  Six of us booked a weekend away to Hangzhou.  Famous for the stunning lake and beautiful scenery, we boarded the bullet and headed to Zhejiang Province.

We opted for the healthy choice and hired bicycles (at a rate of £2 for the day) to cycle around West Lake, stopping off at local sightseeing spots along the way.  The usual pagodas, temples and gardens were on the hit list.  The heat & humidity left us with rosy glows as we pedalled against the occasional inclines and joked about our resemblance to The Goonies... 10 years on!  We were also very popular with the locals and found ourselves the main focus of many of their photographs, even posing for some with those who were polite enough to ask us directly.

The Goonies!

Even losing some of our group provided us with the opportunity for further fun, ripping down the pedestrianised causeway, dodging strolling families, in order to meet our mates at the other side.

Our last day provided a slower pace, watching an elderly Chinese gentleman performing on the promenade, seeing the beautiful Musical Fountain – even if the accompanying choice of music, ‘I vow to thee my country’, seemed a little strange.  We rounded off our day with a boat trip across the lake, again attracting the attention of local tourists shouting greetings to us in their best broken English – very welcoming indeed.

A trip back on the Bullet train ended our few days away.  Hanghzhou provided a refreshingly slower pace than Shangers and is definitely somewhere I’d return to in the future.

A xx

Anji antics!

It’s been a few months since our last official regional team building event.  The social scene in the city is such that you quickly become acquainted with kids & teens teachers from various EF schools across the 3 regions, as well as teachers from other companies; but it’s always nice to meet new faces, and nicer still when it’s all expenses paid!

Our pre-summer school skive saw teachers and local staff from the 4 schools in our region escaping to Anji for a couple of days, taking in the fresh air, and scenery made famous by the film ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’.  The early start and 3 hour journey passed quickly thanks to good company and a stop off for lunch.  Upon our arrival, we were taken on a 2 hour walk up to Dragon waterfall.  It was quite a steep climb, which we tackled at a fairly brisk pace, aided by the help of paths and metal staircases.  Despite being an overcast day, the heat and humidity were evident.  Some of the staff opted to stay nearer the entrance on lower ground, usually puffing on cigarettes or posing for pictures.  Other Chinese tourists could be seen walking in the most inappropriate outfits, which wouldn't have looked out of place in the bars and clubs of Shanghai – slaves to fashion though they carried on regardless.

Clambering back on the bus, I’d been comfortably settled on my seat for a good while before noticing the rubber snake next to my thigh that my friends had sneakily hidden under a jacket.  Unfortunately, it didn’t have the petrifying effect they had hoped, not on me at least.  Skilfully flinging it through the air towards some of the more effeminate Chinese staff, however, was met with shrieks and panic!  Mission accomplished!

Next stop was a spot of water rafting.  I’m not a big fan of watersports – wearing glasses or contact lenses during such activities is problematic and as such I opted out, choosing to sit on the sidelines with the other warm, dry, land lovers, taking photos of my soggy colleagues as they navigated the water course and attempted to soak each other by any means necessary!  After everyone had completed the course, changed into something a little drier and got the feeling back in their limbs, we headed to a local restaurant for dinner.  As in Vietnam, meal times here are social affairs, none more so than during team building events.  Sitting with 10 others and sharing dishes has a sociable quality that is lacking in many western countries.  

A short time spent at our hotel gave us time to freshen up before heading to a nightclub.  When we arrived, there was no one else there, and as it was a Tuesday night that’s pretty much how it remained all evening.  All available space on tables was taken up by the free beer provided for our group – but at 2.5% the only foreign teachers who were intoxicated were those who had been drinking (heavily) throughout the course of the day on harder stuff.  Dice games, dancing on a springy dance floor and mingling were the order of the night.  A group of us ventured in the saloon-style bar next door, only to be greeted by the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Go West’ and lots of surprised, gesturing, tiddly Chinese clubbers.  Needless to say, we didn’t stay long.  Silly o’clock fried rice and dumplings finished off a fine day.

The following day saw the spritely members of our group take a trip to a bamboo forest.  Famous for being featured in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ we spent a couple of hours walking up the tracks, amongst the bamboo towards a viewing platform with spectacular views over the area.  On our ascent we passed a group of elderly Chinese tourists taking part in something resembling Tai chi.  A colleague translated the instructor’s directions, which apparently required participants to mirror the shape and form of the surrounding bamboo.  I’m not sure how relaxing they found the experience with over 100 tourists passing by, but we tried not to intrude too much.

Craving a bit of excitement amongst the bamboo groves, we opted to take the fast route back down to the exit - by roller coaster. We were each in single carriages and were responsible for controlling our own speed with the aid of a hand brake. Three teachers from my school had gone down in front of me and I was keen to use the brake as little as possible.  I figured nothing too bad would happen as a result: worst case scenario – the carriage flies off the rails taking me with it and I end up in the bamboo.  There was netting along the sides of the track in some places, but not in others.  So, I came bombing down at a rate of knots, managing to smile at three of our group who had strategically positioned themselves along the route to take photos of us.  It was then that I spotted the local man, shouting and waving erratically at me.  I shrugged it off, I was having fun, no need to touch the brakes quite yet – then I saw the traffic jam I was quickly approaching!  Two Chinese girls had gone down before our group and had obviously chosen to use their brakes from the off.  Time to test my brakes me thinks! Luckily they were very efficient and I slammed on, stopping just short of my friend in the carriage in front! Great fun!

After meeting up with those who had chosen not to join our morning stroll, we made our way to lunch and then on to the obligatory souvenir shops, where all kinds of bamboo related products can be found.  A sleepy headed journey home found us back in Shangers in the early evening, much fun was had by all and it can only have a positive effect on the already jovial atmosphere between staff at our school.

Roll on the next one.

A xx

Belly busters bare all

Summer is in full swing here in sunny Shangers, the heat and humidity reminiscent of sweltering Saigon.  With this wonderful weather we do all we can to stay cool: walking in shady outdoor areas, utilising the air conditioning units in our classrooms to maintain a nice learning/working environment, and generally wear as few clothes as is legally possible.  For most a t-shirt, shorts and sandals ensemble is sufficient: feeling the breeze between your knees and maintaining a coolish exterior.  For others this simply will not do, and pot-bellied middle aged men everywhere resort to baring their bellies to all and sundry as a way to cool down.

 

It was the same in ‘Nam: men of a certain age, usually wearing white vests, walked the streets, balancing the rolled up section of their tops on their protruding paunches.  Not a six pack in sight!  Why is this always the case?  Why don’t young, toned, athletic male specimens walk around the city with their abs out for all to see?  Where’s the justice in the world?!  Here endeth my whinge.

A xx

Homeward bound

As my time in Vietnam comes to a close, I’m packing up my suitcase and heading home to catch up with family and friends before Christmas.  The past twelve months have been a great learning curve and I feel I now know far more about the TEFL industry, Vietnam and myself: having grown in more ways than I could ever have imagined before setting off on this journey.

A hot and humid, but amazingly diverse year with immense highs and lows, great food, awful chocolate, frustrating and amusing situations – in equal amounts, wonderful travel destinations and vast quantities of quirky moments: some of which I hope you have enjoyed sharing with me.

All in all it’s been a great way to temporarily satisfy my travel bug (which constantly works away in my brain space adding more ‘must see’ destinations to its list).  I’ve travelled to all the major destinations in ‘Nam as well as seeing some of Cambodia: as I’ve already said, somewhere I’d never envisaged visiting.

I wish I could thank all the people who have contributed to making the past year so unique, in ways they could never understand: from warm hearted strangers on the street to colleagues and close friends.  All of whom have contributed to restoring my faith in people.  The management at my school have been fantastic, the professional development opportunities far exceeded my expectations, and thanks for making me feel like The Queen of the Jumpies!

The smiles and laughs my students have given me were worth all the hours of planning and preparation (not to mention perspiration!) – I just hope they continue to learn from the foundation I have given them.  I am sad to leave, but keen to see old friends again and excited about the new ones I will make in the future.

What next year holds no one knows, but I can guarantee I will be back with yet more travel tales to raise a smile, and a few eyebrows.  Be sure to check in from time to time for more updates.  For now, it’s goodbye swimwear and sunglasses, hello socks and central heating!  What am I most worried about?  Reverse culture shock?  My extremities turning blue due to the UK winter and my poor circulation?  No – it’s suppressing the urge to walk between endless streams of traffic and having to learn my green cross code again! TBC…

Much love and thanks for reading.

TTFN!

A xx

There are certain things you just come to accept…

1. I will never look attractive wearing a bike helmet.

2. I will never look attractive wearing my purple and pink plastic poncho.

3. I will never look less attractive than when wearing the bike helmet and

    plastic poncho ensemble.

4. I will never truly feel clean or attractive in a tropical country.

5. You will be heckled by every xe-om driver and his dog during dry weather when you

    want to walk, but there's just never anyone around when you need a ride in the rain.

6. One student in every class will always have a personal hygiene issue.

7. No matter how much you practice pronunciation of consonant clusters prior to an

    observation, your 5 year old students will still pronounce 'clock' as 'cock'.

And that's just how it is... but I'm fine with it! 

A xx

Sweltering in a swamp!

Vietnamese school holidays can mean only one thing – summer school strikes again!  This time last year I was newly qualified and teaching at a summer school in Shropshire, UK as a residential teacher and activity leader: twelve months on, it’s summer school again, this time on top of my regular teaching schedule here in the city.  It’s an intense course, consisting of five three-hour classes each week over two months, which leaves little time for the students to forget what they have learnt during the previous lesson, but can also leave weaker members frustrated and dumbfounded at the pace of teaching!  My students are a good bunch of vivacious teens who are far more willing and capable than my regular class of the same ability.

We’re now nearing the end of the course and it’s been a busy couple of months (which accounts for the lack of blog posts lately).  As well as their lessons, students participate in movie days and a 'summer getaway': a day at a ‘craft village’ in Cu Chi (home of the famous tunnels).  This trip was by no means compulsory for teachers, but I figured it would be good fun, a chance to spend some time with members of staff I don’t see that often and could only be good for class morale.  The 6.30am start was a slight deterrent, but the offer of free breakfast, lunch and company branded summer school t-shirt and cap swung it for me! *cough*

Tootling down the road towards head office on the day of the trip, I was met by hundreds of students and a cacophony of Vietnamese voices: in situations such as this your iPod is your best friend!  So, all present and correct - donning our company clothing, we were on our way.  All students and teaching assistants appeared to have ID badges – I guessed my face and complexion alone were enough to indicate I was in the ‘right’ place.  The two hour bus journey was relatively painless and I made a new friend, in the form of Khang, a 12 year old beginner who had only been studying at the school for three days.  I only wish his enthusiasm to learn and interact with native English speakers was infectious.

Upon our arrival, we stepped off the coaches only to be hit by the horrendous heat and humidity.  It’s hot in the city most days, but this was something else.  Crossing swamps on flimsy foot bridges and arriving in a large opening, we found the pottery classes had been cancelled and we were now spending all of our time outside, with little shade or seating.  The students (accompanied by their teacher and teaching assistant) were to complete the challenges, obstacle courses and traditional Vietnamese games all in the baking heat.  Needless to say, this was not what I had signed up for – as a Guider I’m all for team building and problem solving; just not in such a harsh, unforgiving climate with more than 200 pupils ranging from ages 6 to 16.

After a few hours of trying Vietnamese style Girlguiding activities, which included separating different coloured pulses and seeds into containers, throwing a ball through a high hoop (Quidditch style) and hitting a drum whilst blindfolded; we retreated to the relatively ‘cool’ canopied eating area for a basic meal of soup, boiled rice, nondescript unidentifiable meat, soggy veggies, iced green tea and ice cream – pretty standard as far as catered lunches go here.  Feeling distinctly wobbly I slept for the majority of the bus ride home and drank my body weight in water.

The heat stroke I suffered meant I was unable to teach my class of teenagers that same evening: all that only to be credited with an extra 60 minutes in my ‘bank of hours’: not the best day.  The kids, however, seemed to love it – which is the main thing after all.  One more week of summer school to go, then I’ll have my mornings back and can spend them catching up on some much needed time in the land of nod.

 

A xx

Poncho power!

Yes, the inevitable has happened – rainy season is upon us: short, torrential downpours during afternoons or evenings, varying in frequency.  It’s quite refreshing at times and can take the edge off the heat: on the flip side it can also be a pain in the posterior. Saigon seemingly transforms in to something of a running sewer over these months.  This time of year also adds to the joy of teaching young learners, as they come in to school smelling of wet dog.  You know the scent.  Each child brings with them their own unique variety of little wet dog smell – which all combine, with the help of the air conditioning, leading to a gut wrenching stench upon entering class – not good.

Scenes on the roads here are astonishing enough at the best of times, but a sudden downpour causes literally every scooter on the road to pull over, drivers and passengers alike hopping off to don their plastic ponchos: this season’s fashion must have.  Some poncho-less passengers even resort to crouching underneath the back of their driver’s rainwear and spend the journey viewing little more than their chauffer’s butt crack!  Those who prefer to view the back of their driver’s crash helmet (as is the norm) opt for a double head-hole poncho. Practical, until one or both of you want to get off the scooter!  Having shared a poncho with a friend whilst leaving a music festival in the UK a few years ago, I can vouch for the fact that this is less than ideal, especially if the two of you vary in height!  It still makes me laugh to think of the confusion and distress we caused to drunken/high passersby at 5am who must have thought they were hallucinating – seeing a two headed, four legged woman walking towards them!  Anyway, I digress…

Ponchos do not only cover people, hell no – they are also used to keep bikes dry - whilst riding: draped over the front of the scooter to prevent the driver from getting wet hands, this method also serves to illuminate the streets with a cacophony of colours. Some ponchos avoid this and have specifically designed clear plastic sections where the front headlight should be, most however do not, so you see all sorts of strangely coloured lights moving along at night.  I have yet to see a person on foot wearing one of these strategically placed clear plastic parts, but fear I may give them a double take as it would no doubt inappropriately draw attention to their crotchal region: Vietnam’s answer to the rainy season flasher’s mac!

A double head-hole poncho covering hands, headlight and mirrors

I sometimes think a dry suit would have been a better purchase than jelly shoes & my beautiful purple and pink plastic poncho (pictured below).  Don’t think I need a snorkel quite yet though – most vertically challenged locals don’t seem to suffer from sludge on the lungs!  It’s still a damn sight better than the climate in the UK though so I can’t complain too much!

A xx

Keeping your cool

Today is a warm 32°C, full sun and no cloud cover.  I like many other westerners in the city find wearing as little as possible the easiest option in such clammy climates.  A vest top and short shorts is usually the order of the day, when I’m not teaching.  To be honest, it’s a wonder I haven’t become a naturist since moving to ‘Nam.  In stark contrast, however, the Vietnamese women choose to cover up to protect themselves from the sun. After all, paler skin is very desirable here, the paler the better in the eyes of many Asian people. 

I’m used to seeing women wearing traditional áo dài (the elegant tight-fitting silk tunics worn over pantaloons) and many others wear thin, long sleeved cotton gloves to protect their arms from the sun whilst riding their bikes.  So, imagine my surprised when I exited school one lunch time, working my way through the maze of proud parents on bikes waiting patiently for their little darlings, only to be distracted by – well, a walking wardrobe.  This lady was wearing the following: closed toed court shoes, socks, full length jeans, a long sleeved tracksuit top, woollen gloves, a scarf, face mask and sunglasses; a large brimmed sunhat under her helmet finished off the outfit.  There wasn’t a peep of visible flesh and she reminded me of the scene when ET is dressed up in the movie of the same name.  A little extreme in my opinion, but each to their own.  I contemplated suggesting – “try some sun cream love; it might prevent the heat exhaustion”!

A xx

You know you’re an expat in Vietnam when…

1. Anything less than 25°C is considered cold.
2. Letting traffic dodge you is perfectly normal.
3. Riding on the back of a xe-om is no longer a white-knuckle ride.
4. 'Cảm ơn' is a more natural response than 'thank you'.
5. You're content with your pale complexion - after all, it's prestigious here.
6. Using chopsticks is quicker and more convenient than cutlery.
7. You now love fish sauce, having previously detested the stuff.
8. Paying more than £3 for a meal in a restaurant is expensive.
9. Paying more than £6 a night for an en-suite room in a guesthouse is expensive.
10. You place bets with your friends about how many rats, ‘roaches and urinating men you will see on your walk home of an evening.

A xx