Jeeeeez, it's been a challenging month here in Vietnam. I'm acutely aware at my failure as a blogger, having not updated since the beginning of December, and I'm really sorry to anyone who's been following my posts :(
I could make a myriad of excuses right now, but the main problem I've had is computer related. My laptop is over 5 years old now, and it's on it's last legs. It has now stopped allowing me to upload photos to the internet. And so I've been unable to post all the great pictures of food I've taken. This saddens me, as I had planned out a most excellent food oriented post that totally would've blown your minds with it's awesomeness and glorious accompanying photos.
Alas! It was not to be.
Instead, I offer you this:
What was Christmas like in Ho Chi Minh City?
- I spent Christmas Eve at the school, and Skyped my parents who had sent me a parcel of gifts, which I opened on camera. I had a little cry after talking with them, but then had an early night, and almost forgot it was Christmas.
In the evening of Christmas Day, I went to a buffet meal organised by one of the other interns. As a vegetarian, the options weren't incredible, but I had a lot of macaroni cheese and beer, and it was good to spend Christmas with friends.
The Christmas decorations in Sai Gon were really something. They go all out! Some of them were much more stylish and pretty than ones I see back home. Others were garishly kitsch - like the santas dangling from the side of Diamond Plaza.
What did I do for New Years Eve?
- On NYE, me and some friends managed to get ourselves a great room at the last minute in the Bui Vien (backpackers) area in District 1. We started the night watching the music channel, and I creeped them out with my in-depth knowledge of k-pop. We then went to a few bars, and ended up having a rather odd, anti-climatic midnight on the street outside Crazy Buffalo nightclub. After buying an obscene amount of food from the Circle K Mart and street stalls, we were back in the hotel room watching a documentary on David Guetta by 1:30am. I ended the night Skyping a friend who'd gone to Singapore for the New Year and comparing our nights.
What's happening now that I'm at the end of my internship?
- I'm staying on for another semester, and it's being classed as a second internship through TTV. This will last until August, and I will be teaching along with two new interns from TTV.
I actually just submitted my application for university this September, which was a kinda crazy, last minute decision. Lyn from TTV wrote a reference with me, and with a little help and advice from my parents and my aunt who is a Connexions advisor back home, I wrote a fantastic personal statement.
For a long time, my dream has been to live in either Japan or Korea, but without a degree I've been unable to apply for a work visa. Enlisting on a degree course to do Japanese and Korean Studies will not only captivate my interests, but also take me one step closer to achieving my dream of being a foreign language teacher there.
Yes, by the time I graduate I will be 28 years old. But it's better late than never, huh?
Until next time, Peace Out!
Showing posts with label answers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label answers. Show all posts
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Monday, 29 October 2012
Some answers to some questions, and some pictures of some things...
Hellooooo girls and boys! Greetings from Ho Chi Minh City on this lovely Monday evening.I am currently feasting on Pocky and strawberry juice, whilst I watch k-pop music videos on Youtube. Oh, it's a hard life!
Anyway, enough about me and my dull evening down-time. And onto the main point of this blog post: questions you guys have been asking me.
On the i-to-i Chalkboard Forum, I told people they were more than welcome to inbox me any questions they have about Vietnam and to my surprise, people actually took me up on that offer. I've had quite a few messages from people, and a lot of them seem to ask similar things. So I decided to do this blog post, and see if I can answer some of them.
Today, I got a message from Annabelle (hi there!) with a few questions in, and so I'll use hers as an example =)
"1. Insurance? What did you do? and what would you recommend?"
As far as insurance goes, I got mine with FOGG, through i-to-i. I shopped around a bit before hand, but couldn't find any other policies that specifically covered you for travel and work at a reasonable price. It's also simple to sort out, with a quick phonecall to i-to-i.
"2. What would you recommend I prioritize in my 'requests' when applying? - Location/Number of people at placement/ Age of kids?"
When I applied for the internship, I didn't specify a location, or the number of people at my placement. I would rather not have been alone, and was told by TTV that I would be placed with at least one other person. My preferences for age were (in order from what I wanted most, to least): Primary, Kindergarten, High School, University. I ended up with High School, but I'm not disappointed. In fact, I'm ecstatic to be working with older kids. I think I actually like it better than teaching younger children.
The main thing to remember is: even if you put down specific preferences, it's not guaranteed that you'll get them. So head into it with an open mind. You may be surprised.
"3. What happens money-wise? Do I need to get organised with a cashcard...?"
I came to Vietnam with my debit card from the UK, and about US$300. Because things are so cheap, I barely spent any money! I bought my card for emergencies. When you withdraw cash from an ATM here, they usually charge you. And of course, your bank may charge you for using your card abroad as well, so keep that in mind.
As for paying for things here: everywhere deals in cash. It's very rare for people to use a card to pay for anything, and some places won't have the facilities to use a card. I get my wages paid to me in cash. I will be opening a Vietnamese bank account at some point, but only because I intend to stay here. I don't think it's a necessity if you are only staying 5-6 months.
"4. Is there anything I should be asking for for christmas - a wish list type thing!?"
Girls: stock up on makeup, like foundation and powder, because it will be hard to find stuff pale enough here (especially if you're stupidly white like me). I'd also recommend bringing tampons, as they can be hard to find.
If your family want to help you by buying you things for Vietnam for Christmas, ask them for practical stuff like: a mosquito net, smart clothes for teaching, maybe a travel hairdryer or iron.
"5. Are there any cultural taboos I should know about?"
The biggest things I can think of are as follows:
- When beckoning for someone to come towards you, do not do so with your palm facing upwards, as this is essentially telling that person you want to sleep with them. Instead, turn your palm downwards, and make a sweeping gesture towards yourself.
- Women don't smoke here, and it's seen as very rude for them to do so.
- Touching a child's head (when you don't know them) is seen as rude.
- Always take your shoes off when entering someone's house.
- Public displays of affection, or PDAs are kinda a no-no. Although you do see young, Vietnamese couples sneaking a few kisses in parks after dark.
"6. Are there any books I should read? Experiences I should try and get before arriving?""
Before I came here, I read:
- The Rough Guide to Vietnam: much better than the Lonely Planet's guide. Very informative and interesting. This is a must buy.
- The Quiet American by Graham Greene: "Into the intrigue and violence of Indochina (Vietnam) comes Pyle, a young idealistic American sent to promote democracy through a mysterious 'Third Force'. As his naive optimism starts to cause bloodshed, his friend Fowler, a cynical foreign correspondent, finds it hard to stand aside and watch. But even as he intervenes he wonders why: for the sake of politics, or for love?"
- The Lover by Marguerite Duras: "Two outcasts--an adolescent French girl and her Chinese lover--struggle to be together during the waning days of the colonial period in Indochina (Vietnam)."
I also watched these films:
- Indochine
- Apocalypse Now
- The Deer Hunter
As for experiences: Practice with chopsticks. See if you can find a Vietnamese restaurant near you, and try some of the food. Find out more about the American war. Get some knowledge of K-pop (your students will love you for it - focus on Big Bang and Super Junior).
I hope these answers have helped people. Let me know if you find them useful or not.
And to send you on your way, here are some pictures of my students at karaoke on Saturday night:
I know you're not meant to have favourite students, but on the right is Đạt, who is in my 12th grade class, and he is ADORABLE!
Anyway, enough about me and my dull evening down-time. And onto the main point of this blog post: questions you guys have been asking me.
On the i-to-i Chalkboard Forum, I told people they were more than welcome to inbox me any questions they have about Vietnam and to my surprise, people actually took me up on that offer. I've had quite a few messages from people, and a lot of them seem to ask similar things. So I decided to do this blog post, and see if I can answer some of them.
Today, I got a message from Annabelle (hi there!) with a few questions in, and so I'll use hers as an example =)
"1. Insurance? What did you do? and what would you recommend?"
As far as insurance goes, I got mine with FOGG, through i-to-i. I shopped around a bit before hand, but couldn't find any other policies that specifically covered you for travel and work at a reasonable price. It's also simple to sort out, with a quick phonecall to i-to-i.
"2. What would you recommend I prioritize in my 'requests' when applying? - Location/Number of people at placement/ Age of kids?"
When I applied for the internship, I didn't specify a location, or the number of people at my placement. I would rather not have been alone, and was told by TTV that I would be placed with at least one other person. My preferences for age were (in order from what I wanted most, to least): Primary, Kindergarten, High School, University. I ended up with High School, but I'm not disappointed. In fact, I'm ecstatic to be working with older kids. I think I actually like it better than teaching younger children.
The main thing to remember is: even if you put down specific preferences, it's not guaranteed that you'll get them. So head into it with an open mind. You may be surprised.
"3. What happens money-wise? Do I need to get organised with a cashcard...?"
I came to Vietnam with my debit card from the UK, and about US$300. Because things are so cheap, I barely spent any money! I bought my card for emergencies. When you withdraw cash from an ATM here, they usually charge you. And of course, your bank may charge you for using your card abroad as well, so keep that in mind.
As for paying for things here: everywhere deals in cash. It's very rare for people to use a card to pay for anything, and some places won't have the facilities to use a card. I get my wages paid to me in cash. I will be opening a Vietnamese bank account at some point, but only because I intend to stay here. I don't think it's a necessity if you are only staying 5-6 months.
"4. Is there anything I should be asking for for christmas - a wish list type thing!?"
Girls: stock up on makeup, like foundation and powder, because it will be hard to find stuff pale enough here (especially if you're stupidly white like me). I'd also recommend bringing tampons, as they can be hard to find.
If your family want to help you by buying you things for Vietnam for Christmas, ask them for practical stuff like: a mosquito net, smart clothes for teaching, maybe a travel hairdryer or iron.
"5. Are there any cultural taboos I should know about?"
The biggest things I can think of are as follows:
- When beckoning for someone to come towards you, do not do so with your palm facing upwards, as this is essentially telling that person you want to sleep with them. Instead, turn your palm downwards, and make a sweeping gesture towards yourself.
- Women don't smoke here, and it's seen as very rude for them to do so.
- Touching a child's head (when you don't know them) is seen as rude.
- Always take your shoes off when entering someone's house.
- Public displays of affection, or PDAs are kinda a no-no. Although you do see young, Vietnamese couples sneaking a few kisses in parks after dark.
"6. Are there any books I should read? Experiences I should try and get before arriving?""
Before I came here, I read:
- The Rough Guide to Vietnam: much better than the Lonely Planet's guide. Very informative and interesting. This is a must buy.
- The Quiet American by Graham Greene: "Into the intrigue and violence of Indochina (Vietnam) comes Pyle, a young idealistic American sent to promote democracy through a mysterious 'Third Force'. As his naive optimism starts to cause bloodshed, his friend Fowler, a cynical foreign correspondent, finds it hard to stand aside and watch. But even as he intervenes he wonders why: for the sake of politics, or for love?"
- The Lover by Marguerite Duras: "Two outcasts--an adolescent French girl and her Chinese lover--struggle to be together during the waning days of the colonial period in Indochina (Vietnam)."
I also watched these films:
- Indochine
- Apocalypse Now
- The Deer Hunter
As for experiences: Practice with chopsticks. See if you can find a Vietnamese restaurant near you, and try some of the food. Find out more about the American war. Get some knowledge of K-pop (your students will love you for it - focus on Big Bang and Super Junior).
I hope these answers have helped people. Let me know if you find them useful or not.
And to send you on your way, here are some pictures of my students at karaoke on Saturday night:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)