Well last Wednesday was teachers day in Vietnam where students show their appreciation for what their teachers are trying to give them and contribute to their education.

To quote one of the websites;
This holiday allows students to express their respect to their teacher. Students begin preparing a week in advance, and many classes usually prepare literature and art to welcome Teachers' Day, while other students prepare foods and flowers for the parties held at their schools. Students usually visit their teachers at their homes to offer flowers and small gifts, or organize trips with their teachers and classmates. Former students also pay respect to their former teachers on this day. The holiday has its origins in a meeting between educators in communist bloc nations in Warsaw in 1957. It was first celebrated in 1958 as the Day of the International Manifest of Educators; in 1982 the day was renamed Vietnamese Educators' Day.

Celebrations started the day before with a group of students giving a performance in the uni canteen - singing and dancing - some in English, some in Vietnamese.

Teachers day itself was a low key affair when classes start at 0730 but when we had a break at 0930 my students set out of the classroom quickly so I figured they had something planned. Got back to class and the students presented me with a beautiful cake and a few hand made gifts. We ate and drank (soft drink!!) and played some games so the rest of the lesson went out the window.

Got back to the staff-room and of course teachers showed what they had received...... One teacher was presented with some beautiful fabrics and a picture of a traditional au dai which her students are going to take her to the tailors to get made, another was given a lovely dress which somehow fitted perfectly, one of the guys got given a shirt which also fitted perfectly. There was also an assortment of bouquets of flowers, ties for the men, purses for many women and many bags/baskets of sweets.

EIU also gave each teacher a card of appreciation and one million dong!!!! This money is quite timely given the costs involved in getting the basic necessities for living in the prescribed apartments!

Only one week of teaching left and it will be end of quarter exams......these 10 week quarters seem to fly by!!! I have a busy week coming up as we are teaching Monday - Thursday then conducting the Speaking exams on Friday and then the Listening, Reading and Writing exams on Saturday. The following week we will be frantically marking all the exams, working out who has passed and can move up to the next level......and then the coordinators and management have to sort out the scheduling for the start of the new quarter.

Basically there is no break between the quarters and at this time of year the schedule is bordering on the ridiculous. We return and teach for one week - we then have 2 weeks off for Christmas - we then return and teach for another 1-2 weeks and then have another 2-3 weeks off for Tet (Vietnamese New Year). We then return to complete the quarter which ends up at about 6-7 weeks before we go through the exam fiasco all over again!!!!!

On the plus side is that we get lots of holidays so in our spare time are organizing travel plans. Because we are working next Saturday they have given us he following Friday as a day in lieu.......YEAH.....a long weekend. Thinking of heading to Mui Ne, a beachside town for some much needed R&R. Have found our accommodation - just have to work out transport to and from this isolated place I live in. Am looking forward to seeing some new scenery!!!!

Then it is time to plan the Christmas and New year break.....wanting to do something nice as I also have a birthday to celebrate during that time!!!!

Bye for now. xxx