Monday, July 16, 2007
Four Months and Counting
What can I say about my experience in Viet Nam after four months? Exasperating? Yes!
As my friend and co teacher John said, "Nothing's easy here." Between the language barrier and the lower standard of living, things we take for granted at home become a challenge that sometimes makes me feel like pulling my hair out. You can't expect anything to work like it does back home.
I put a Harry Potter DVD in the TV for my kids yesterday as a last day in class treat. It took a half hour and three of us to get it to work, me, the security guard and the administrative assistant, Mrs. Ting. Finally Mrs. Ting swapped out DVD players and got it working. The sound was fine, the picture was perfect. The only trouble was that the subtitles were for a totally different movie, some epic about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
I tried to get rid of the subtitles, but the menu instructions were in Vietnamese. So when the subtitles started to get a little too salty and the soldiers were talking like, well, soldiers, I had to cut short the movie. The class, which was teenagers got a big kick out of it, but I could be in big trouble. So what, I thought would be a cakewalk class turned into a frustrating, ninety minute ulcer starter.
What can I say about my experiences these past four months? Uplifting? Yes!
I go to Peace village every week and I'm greeted like a favorite aunt. The kids always surprise me. I've been working with an eight year old boy, Khanh, who has severe cerebral palsy. He always gives me a big hug. We play basketball with my Packers Nerf ball and I help him build with Lego's. It turns out that he's very good at math. He can add, subtract and multiply and even use a computer. He answered every problem I gave him correctly and legibly.
When I come home at night, sometimes uplifted, sometimes bemused and bedraggled, I often turn on Vietnam's TV 4. They show a lot of traditional Vietnamese opera. Listening to the poignant singing and hauntingly beautiful instruments makes me know I'm supposed to be here, despite the hardships and struggles. For there's something in the music that heals my soul.
Call it purpose.
As my friend and co teacher John said, "Nothing's easy here." Between the language barrier and the lower standard of living, things we take for granted at home become a challenge that sometimes makes me feel like pulling my hair out. You can't expect anything to work like it does back home.
I put a Harry Potter DVD in the TV for my kids yesterday as a last day in class treat. It took a half hour and three of us to get it to work, me, the security guard and the administrative assistant, Mrs. Ting. Finally Mrs. Ting swapped out DVD players and got it working. The sound was fine, the picture was perfect. The only trouble was that the subtitles were for a totally different movie, some epic about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
I tried to get rid of the subtitles, but the menu instructions were in Vietnamese. So when the subtitles started to get a little too salty and the soldiers were talking like, well, soldiers, I had to cut short the movie. The class, which was teenagers got a big kick out of it, but I could be in big trouble. So what, I thought would be a cakewalk class turned into a frustrating, ninety minute ulcer starter.
What can I say about my experiences these past four months? Uplifting? Yes!
I go to Peace village every week and I'm greeted like a favorite aunt. The kids always surprise me. I've been working with an eight year old boy, Khanh, who has severe cerebral palsy. He always gives me a big hug. We play basketball with my Packers Nerf ball and I help him build with Lego's. It turns out that he's very good at math. He can add, subtract and multiply and even use a computer. He answered every problem I gave him correctly and legibly.
When I come home at night, sometimes uplifted, sometimes bemused and bedraggled, I often turn on Vietnam's TV 4. They show a lot of traditional Vietnamese opera. Listening to the poignant singing and hauntingly beautiful instruments makes me know I'm supposed to be here, despite the hardships and struggles. For there's something in the music that heals my soul.
Call it purpose.
Labels: education, music, Viet Nam, Viet Nam and the West
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Reading your blog makes me feel the same way. It takes me away from here to an exotic unknown place where I can experience new and exciting things with the biggest missing partg of my life. I love you!!
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