I have decided to head back to the States. My wandering has led me to a special person that I cannot live without...I tried. God has given me peace about this decision.
I am ready. But as I leave I now see how much I enjoy this place. But life is a continual adventure no matter where you end up, there are always things to learn and things to explore.
I'm ending well by taking a month to leave.
Not much more to say right now, just excited about God's peace with this decision.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
Thriving in Saigon!
After the first three weeks of working three jobs I crashed and burned. My body rejected the added stress, I got sick with a fever and had all my energy sapped from me. On my first day of the two week Christmas break, I thought about quitting everything and moving back to surprise everyone at home in the States. So I did it. Well, most of it anyway. I changed my plane ticket so that I would be back on Christmas day. I told all of my employers that I was leaving. I put my moto on Craigslist. I told my landlord I was leaving. It might sound strange but one of the hardest things for me to do was to tell my fellow teachers that I had to quit the play in which I now had the part of the Prince. This was on a late Thursday night/Friday morning and I was leaving on the coming Monday.
I went out to eat with the teachers from the play that Friday night, the dinner was planned from before, but it now turned into a going away dinner. The reality of leaving was really settling in and as you do I started to look at everything as if I was saying good-bye to it all. This made me start to doubt my rash decision. I texted the HR lady from VAS that night and asked her if I could change my mind and stay -- she was delighted to hear the news. I went home that night and changed my flight back to the end of May. $1000 later I have a story to tell. That's about it!
Things didn't get easier, but I didn't regret my decision to stay. VAS has been my greatest challenge towering over my stretching semester of teaching 9th grade English in Hugoton, KS. When I was hired at VAS, I was told that I would have the classes that require additional patience. I thought how bad can it be? ...Way worse than I thought. It was bad. Then it got worse. Then I felt worse. Then I wanted to quit. Then it got worse. Then I felt worse. Then I was thinking it was insane for me not to quit. And then... seriously, it got even worse. I was at my wits end with these students. I couldn't believe my eyes! Kids laying on the floor shaking like they were being electrocuted, kids throwing stuff, hitting each other, doggy piles everywhere, dancing, screaming, yelling, turning over desks and storming out of the room, and then there was me, the teacher, standing in front of the wreckage with my book in my hand -- smiling, crying, laughing, peeing my pants, and steam coming out of my ears.
But then, what is this... a week long camp for the students out in the mountainous jungle? Yes! I'm in! If I can only hold out until then! I can't wait! Fast forward...It was exactly what those students needed too -- open spaces for them to run, roll down hills, swim, feed crocodiles, sing, and dance around a blazing bon-fire. What a blast that was! Plus the staff got to bond throughout the process. I wish I could tell you more about our staff meetings that lasted all through the night, but our truth or dare game stays in Madagui, and other topics during the mens night should never be talked about again. That week was the best week I had since I arrived in SE Asia.
It was so great that I started to contemplate staying at VAS until May. Even though at the time I thought that it was crazy to even think about that actually happening.
It wasn't easy going back to work after the great fun of camp. I got to the point of writing my letter of resignation during one of my project classes. But I didn't ever send it. I talked to my head teacher and supervisors and was offered some different perspectives from them. One guy told me to stop trying so hard to make an impact on the students and take a few steps closer to just doing it for the money. "The ying and the yang kind of thing", he said. I didn't like to hear that. The head supervisor told me that the students know that they don't need to learn because their rich parents will take care of them after they graduate and that the school is a business it is primarily about earning income. All of this made me feel very meaningless as a teacher. But, my friends and fellow teachers reminded me that it is worth it if one student is inspired. So with the combination of that one student that could be inspired and the pay check I trudged on. And low and behold, I am seeing fruit. It reminds me of my Lithuanian friend who hardly ever showed any sign of affection or friendship in the first year of my interaction with him. But I made it my goal to continue to be oddly kind to him. I was convinced that I was the only one in his life that would continue to be friendly to him after his rude behavior and condescending mannerisms. At one point I asked him to come and live with my family for the summer and my family offered him a job, he accepted! Long story short, we are now friends on Facebook and we would actually consider one another as real friends in real life! I say all of that to say that persistence through pain can bring about fruit and thank the LORD that I am seeing it!!! Some of my most disruptive students have become my favorites. (Remember the one that lays on the floor acting like he is being electrocuted? That's the one! I regularly give him 5 minutes at the end of class to lay on the floor and act like he is being electrocuted. I write it on the board, "Now is the time to lay on the floor and act like you are being electrocuted." But I don't know if he enjoys it as much now that he knows that I have given him permission to do so.)
To all my teachers out there: I am getting what I deserve!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=596766334739
I went out to eat with the teachers from the play that Friday night, the dinner was planned from before, but it now turned into a going away dinner. The reality of leaving was really settling in and as you do I started to look at everything as if I was saying good-bye to it all. This made me start to doubt my rash decision. I texted the HR lady from VAS that night and asked her if I could change my mind and stay -- she was delighted to hear the news. I went home that night and changed my flight back to the end of May. $1000 later I have a story to tell. That's about it!
Things didn't get easier, but I didn't regret my decision to stay. VAS has been my greatest challenge towering over my stretching semester of teaching 9th grade English in Hugoton, KS. When I was hired at VAS, I was told that I would have the classes that require additional patience. I thought how bad can it be? ...Way worse than I thought. It was bad. Then it got worse. Then I felt worse. Then I wanted to quit. Then it got worse. Then I felt worse. Then I was thinking it was insane for me not to quit. And then... seriously, it got even worse. I was at my wits end with these students. I couldn't believe my eyes! Kids laying on the floor shaking like they were being electrocuted, kids throwing stuff, hitting each other, doggy piles everywhere, dancing, screaming, yelling, turning over desks and storming out of the room, and then there was me, the teacher, standing in front of the wreckage with my book in my hand -- smiling, crying, laughing, peeing my pants, and steam coming out of my ears.
But then, what is this... a week long camp for the students out in the mountainous jungle? Yes! I'm in! If I can only hold out until then! I can't wait! Fast forward...It was exactly what those students needed too -- open spaces for them to run, roll down hills, swim, feed crocodiles, sing, and dance around a blazing bon-fire. What a blast that was! Plus the staff got to bond throughout the process. I wish I could tell you more about our staff meetings that lasted all through the night, but our truth or dare game stays in Madagui, and other topics during the mens night should never be talked about again. That week was the best week I had since I arrived in SE Asia.
It was so great that I started to contemplate staying at VAS until May. Even though at the time I thought that it was crazy to even think about that actually happening.
It wasn't easy going back to work after the great fun of camp. I got to the point of writing my letter of resignation during one of my project classes. But I didn't ever send it. I talked to my head teacher and supervisors and was offered some different perspectives from them. One guy told me to stop trying so hard to make an impact on the students and take a few steps closer to just doing it for the money. "The ying and the yang kind of thing", he said. I didn't like to hear that. The head supervisor told me that the students know that they don't need to learn because their rich parents will take care of them after they graduate and that the school is a business it is primarily about earning income. All of this made me feel very meaningless as a teacher. But, my friends and fellow teachers reminded me that it is worth it if one student is inspired. So with the combination of that one student that could be inspired and the pay check I trudged on. And low and behold, I am seeing fruit. It reminds me of my Lithuanian friend who hardly ever showed any sign of affection or friendship in the first year of my interaction with him. But I made it my goal to continue to be oddly kind to him. I was convinced that I was the only one in his life that would continue to be friendly to him after his rude behavior and condescending mannerisms. At one point I asked him to come and live with my family for the summer and my family offered him a job, he accepted! Long story short, we are now friends on Facebook and we would actually consider one another as real friends in real life! I say all of that to say that persistence through pain can bring about fruit and thank the LORD that I am seeing it!!! Some of my most disruptive students have become my favorites. (Remember the one that lays on the floor acting like he is being electrocuted? That's the one! I regularly give him 5 minutes at the end of class to lay on the floor and act like he is being electrocuted. I write it on the board, "Now is the time to lay on the floor and act like you are being electrocuted." But I don't know if he enjoys it as much now that he knows that I have given him permission to do so.)
To all my teachers out there: I am getting what I deserve!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=596766334739
Sunday, December 9, 2012
A lot Since Da Lat
Hello from Vietnam! This is Brian, remember me? It's been a while I know. I have been busy!
I wrote the "Day One" blog on the day that LeAnn left to go back to the US. I just didn't know what to write. I needed to process and to get a grip of how this was going to effect everything over here.
So I found a job. Well actually two...no wait, three jobs. I started working two days after LeAnn left. (If you are wondering we are still together, we just decided to stretch out our love for the fun of it...enough of my gushy love story...) I work at a language center called Vietnam USA Society English Centers (VUS) on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesday nights. It's a popular school here where any TESOL certificate holder can easily find employment. It's an after-school school. Last week I started my second job at a school called Vietnam Australian International School (VAS). It's a regular Monday-Friday school. So right now I am working non-stop...ugh. But I am enjoying it for the time being and don't worry I'm going to adjust my schedule so that I don't keel over. Which reminds me!! There is a nap room for teachers at VAS! HA! The head teacher asked me if I take naps and I didn't want sound lazy so I said, "Well...sometimes, when I'm really tired." Then she said, "Well we take naps here." Ha! So on my first day I found the men's nap room after lunch and kicked off my shoes and grabbed a mat. I laid there laughing to myself as I listened to the loud unrestricted snores from around the room. They were seriously conked out snoring -- so awesome that that is a priority to them!
I started writing about what it is like teaching in Vietnam and then I got bored and erased my sentence and checked facebook. The only thing I'll say is that teaching here is really not very different from teaching in the US. My teenage Mexican students were just like the teenage Vietnamese students, some are great students and some should not be forced to be in school -- prison, or a deserted island, but not school. I'm learning more and more about how to engage these students, they are my biggest challenge but they will be the ones that impact me and shape me the most, I can only hope that it is the same for them. My little kid classes are fun, it's fun being a clown. I mentioned that I had a third job, my third job is a one-on-one tutoring session. That has been a lot of fun. We have a lot of the same interests. We meet once a week for 2.5 hours and work on his pronunciation by reading plays working on his public speaking skills (thanks to K-State!), and just talking about things that we are passionate about. He just recently took me around the city and showed me some local food hot-spots, great fun!
So I started to settle in here. I had to find a hot air oven for baked potatoes, a high powered blender for fruit drinks, and a moto. I rented a moto for a few weeks ($50 a month) then ended up buying a Honda Win 100cc from an Australian guy for $225. I didn't even know how to drive it when I bought it (it just felt right). It is a manual with a clutch. But I learned rather quickly. Getting it worked on is soooo easy and cheap! There are hundreds of shops and guys on the sidewalks with bowls of tools that can take your whole engine apart and put it back together. They even know what is wrong with it without you even having to explain it to them (not like I could anyway). If the shop is busy they will just shake their hand (equivalent to the American 'so-so' or 'kind-of' shake of your hand) which means 'no' here and then they point down the street. Then you drive down the street and point at your bike and they shake their hand 'no' and point down the street, until you find someone who can help you. (I think I was trying to get them to work during their nap time that day, I got a lot of hand shaking).
On the theatre front, I am meeting with a coffee shop owner who puts on Shakespeare plays in his small coffee shop. He said that he wants someone to put together a theatre group to perform plays there. He said that he just recently had a group come in and do a play there and they had a great turn out.
I also have an opportunity to co-direct a play for our teacher's party at VAS on January 4th. One of the teachers wrote a comedic musical. I think I am going to be in a short dance scene. I just responded to an email that was marked "Emergency"...they needed four men to do a wedding dance scene.
I wrote the "Day One" blog on the day that LeAnn left to go back to the US. I just didn't know what to write. I needed to process and to get a grip of how this was going to effect everything over here.
So I found a job. Well actually two...no wait, three jobs. I started working two days after LeAnn left. (If you are wondering we are still together, we just decided to stretch out our love for the fun of it...enough of my gushy love story...) I work at a language center called Vietnam USA Society English Centers (VUS) on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesday nights. It's a popular school here where any TESOL certificate holder can easily find employment. It's an after-school school. Last week I started my second job at a school called Vietnam Australian International School (VAS). It's a regular Monday-Friday school. So right now I am working non-stop...ugh. But I am enjoying it for the time being and don't worry I'm going to adjust my schedule so that I don't keel over. Which reminds me!! There is a nap room for teachers at VAS! HA! The head teacher asked me if I take naps and I didn't want sound lazy so I said, "Well...sometimes, when I'm really tired." Then she said, "Well we take naps here." Ha! So on my first day I found the men's nap room after lunch and kicked off my shoes and grabbed a mat. I laid there laughing to myself as I listened to the loud unrestricted snores from around the room. They were seriously conked out snoring -- so awesome that that is a priority to them!
I started writing about what it is like teaching in Vietnam and then I got bored and erased my sentence and checked facebook. The only thing I'll say is that teaching here is really not very different from teaching in the US. My teenage Mexican students were just like the teenage Vietnamese students, some are great students and some should not be forced to be in school -- prison, or a deserted island, but not school. I'm learning more and more about how to engage these students, they are my biggest challenge but they will be the ones that impact me and shape me the most, I can only hope that it is the same for them. My little kid classes are fun, it's fun being a clown. I mentioned that I had a third job, my third job is a one-on-one tutoring session. That has been a lot of fun. We have a lot of the same interests. We meet once a week for 2.5 hours and work on his pronunciation by reading plays working on his public speaking skills (thanks to K-State!), and just talking about things that we are passionate about. He just recently took me around the city and showed me some local food hot-spots, great fun!
Will it blend...oh yeah!
The Beast!
Two dollar wiring job.
On the theatre front, I am meeting with a coffee shop owner who puts on Shakespeare plays in his small coffee shop. He said that he wants someone to put together a theatre group to perform plays there. He said that he just recently had a group come in and do a play there and they had a great turn out.
I also have an opportunity to co-direct a play for our teacher's party at VAS on January 4th. One of the teachers wrote a comedic musical. I think I am going to be in a short dance scene. I just responded to an email that was marked "Emergency"...they needed four men to do a wedding dance scene.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Beautiful Da Lat...Rented a Moto!!!!
Today was really nice.
The owner of the hotel is making it easy for me to enjoy myself. 6 bucks a day to rent a 110cc moto. Oh yeah! It was like driving through Chadron State Park or any other beautiful place. It was just interesting to see tropical trees mixed with pine trees. The views on the way to the manicured park we visited brought tears to my eyes. It was so nice to see natural beauty. The buzz that nature gives you is a completely different buzz than what the fast loud city gives you.
Oh yeah I have to add these...
Oh yeah! This was my first trip by myself.
The owner of the hotel is making it easy for me to enjoy myself. 6 bucks a day to rent a 110cc moto. Oh yeah! It was like driving through Chadron State Park or any other beautiful place. It was just interesting to see tropical trees mixed with pine trees. The views on the way to the manicured park we visited brought tears to my eyes. It was so nice to see natural beauty. The buzz that nature gives you is a completely different buzz than what the fast loud city gives you.
LeAnn felt like she was in a fairy tale. She warned me that a witch might be setting a trap for me while I was approaching an inviting swing.
Oh yeah I have to add these...
Oh yeah! This was my first trip by myself.
Oh and I must say, today was the first day my dream came true of riding a moto through the mountains with a beautiful girl on the back. Agent 99 and I were cruising the countryside! Ha! Sorry no pics...
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Da Lat Week of Contemplation
LeAnn and I went to Da Lat this week. She wanted to get out of the city and spend
some time thinking about her life. It
was about a 7 hour bus ride here. We
took the lounge bus, it was nice to be able to lay down and nap as we rode
through the countryside. I noticed some
seats in the back were open so I jumped up on the upper deck...
It was a like a king sized bed up there. It was nice until the driver slammed on the breaks and I rolled forward into the other bed in front of me. Ha!
and sprawled out.
It was a like a king sized bed up there. It was nice until the driver slammed on the breaks and I rolled forward into the other bed in front of me. Ha!
It was a beautiful ride here. The wide open spaces and the mountainous
views were mesmerizing.
Da Lat is suppose to be a romantic place where most
Vietnamese go on their honeymoon. We
haven’t went out and adventured yet. I
brought by backpacking equipment and I am itching to get by a lake and have a
campfire.
My room is nice. I
have a relaxing view of a tree-covered hill with temples and dragon statues scattered
throughout the trees. It’s calming. I can
see why a guy stayed here for two years writing a book, says the hotel
manager.
LeAnn and I are here seeking refuge from the buzzing city
and doing some soul searching and praying for an encounter with the living
God. LeAnn is ready to head home. She wanted to take one last trip to see
another part of Vietnam and then…well…leave.
I’m not ready to go back.
I was offered two part time jobs back in Ho Chi Minh City. Tutoring a medical student (teaching English)
and teaching English to Vietnamese math teachers so they can teach math in
English. I accepted both jobs.
I’m walking into the unknown. I’ll update you on how this week of
contemplation turns out.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Passed the TESOL training!
Graduation! Oh yeah! We are finally finished! These last two weeks were very busy. I just finished writing pages of recaps and journals for the class so I don't feel like going into all the boring details, but I passed my Vietnamese test and completed all the student teaching tasks that they required of us. I am now ready to start applying for jobs. I'm not all that excited to start that grueling process, but maybe it won't last long.
I will be staying in the hotel that I have been in since we got here in Vietnam. It's a nice place with great service for about 16 dollars a day. I've created a couchsurfing account just in case; I also have my tent if all else fails, I saw some really interesting places in the urban utopia of District 7 (no joke, this place looks like it was designed in SecondLife or something). They say that it is cheap to live there as well because it is a little ways from downtown. You can get a really nice brand new 2 room apartment for $400 a month in a district that is closer to downtown. I'm not sure what you can get in one that is further out.
We ate at the Indian restaurant for our graduation dinner, oh yeah! LeAnn and I had to stake it out the other night to see if it was going to be any good. It was. It's so much more appetizing to me than noodles in a bowl of dishwater -- sorry thats what pho has started to look like now, especially when you always see people eating it on the sidewalks and then see the ladies washing the dishes in the street.
I don't feel like partying for my graduation. I feel like sleeping. Phew! What a month!
Sad to see our California friends head home for a few months. It was nice to have them here.
I will be staying in the hotel that I have been in since we got here in Vietnam. It's a nice place with great service for about 16 dollars a day. I've created a couchsurfing account just in case; I also have my tent if all else fails, I saw some really interesting places in the urban utopia of District 7 (no joke, this place looks like it was designed in SecondLife or something). They say that it is cheap to live there as well because it is a little ways from downtown. You can get a really nice brand new 2 room apartment for $400 a month in a district that is closer to downtown. I'm not sure what you can get in one that is further out.
We ate at the Indian restaurant for our graduation dinner, oh yeah! LeAnn and I had to stake it out the other night to see if it was going to be any good. It was. It's so much more appetizing to me than noodles in a bowl of dishwater -- sorry thats what pho has started to look like now, especially when you always see people eating it on the sidewalks and then see the ladies washing the dishes in the street.
I don't feel like partying for my graduation. I feel like sleeping. Phew! What a month!
Sad to see our California friends head home for a few months. It was nice to have them here.
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