Teaching!

Well, I have been teaching now for about three weeks. I love my students! I am teaching year one reading and year 4 English for Science.

I go out to lunch with my year four students four at a time on Fridays for lunch. It has been a great time to bond with my students. Some of my students took me shopping this past Friday to look for a Lao traditional skirt! It was great to spend a little extra time with them. They are a very friendly class. I cant wait to get to know them further!

My year one students are a whole other story. It is so funny the difference between the two. These students have not previously had any foreign teachers, and I dont think they are quite sure what to think! In class, I am sure they are wondering what I am saying, or doing for that matter! They just stare at me without reaction. I cant wait to see what they will become once they get to know me and arent so afraid.

I like teaching university, but I do miss my third graders! China is so different, but both are good! Cant wait to get to know my students, colleagues, and friends I have made in the city better!

Vientiane Nights

It is so hot in Vientiane. I mean like Florida in the summer hot. I dont say this to complain, I say this to make a point: the fun comes out at night. I cant tell you how many times I have been outside during the daytime and thought, " gee, there really isnt a whole lot going on." Sometimes at night though, we (us new teachers) will be walking home from a meeting or out running and see things we would have never imagined!





The first night I stayed in Vientiane, it was just about 11 when I heard some children playing outside, "funny" I thought, "shouldnt they be inside asleep?" This was the pattern, whether it was hide and seek, or firecrackers, they were outside playing till late in the night. Oh, but that is nothing. Let me share with you some of my favorite evening moments in the city.





Lets see should I mention the time when we were about to run and before we could get our legs going we looked across the street and saw the breakdancing children? Ooh or what about the time when we ran into a festival at That Luang? I could elaborate on the time when there was a black out, which coincidentally was on the same night as the festival. You always have to be on the lookout for dogs, who bark and chase. But dont worry, all you have to do is pretend to throw a rock at them.



Also, night time is a great time to get out and exercise. Lao people are always looking to not be in the hot sun! One monument, Pa Tu Xay, has many people out for a late stroll in the park! It is a great place to watch people!