First Day Planning

I've been thinking about the first day of school.  It has been occupying my mind almost as much as my worries about learning Vietnamese.  So far, I have 10 minutes planned.  I know I will have more once we go to our orientation.  I can accurately say there will be a lot of things the school wants us to cover.  Never the less, I can't wait to read this book to my class.

Thanks to my first mentor teacher Emily for this great first day idea!  I love this book and I think it will start a great dialogue for the students.  I'm not sure how many of them are new to the school but sharing my nervousness might break the ice.  Hopefully they don't go home and tell their parents that I know nothing and am terrified of teaching.  They wouldn't be too far off the mark though....

The school we're teaching at has big tests each year to see if students are progressing enough for the next year. I thought this book by the same author would be fabulous to help them get over their test anxiety.  Testing will be a huge part of the rest of their lives.

Next, I have my last day of school read aloud.  I will most certainly be the teacher who struggles not to cry.  I dislike saying goodbye.  I haven't successfully said goodbye without crying......ever.  My track record is not stellar.  Perhaps I will get more used to it as people come and go from our lives.  Jeff is spectacular at saying goodbye.  It might come with living and working in a foreign country.  I might toughen up or I may stay the same ball of emotional mush.  We shall see.

One illustration I love in Last Day Blues is when a student draws himself on a camel in Egypt as his summer vacation trip.  I suspect my students will have equally as awesome summer vacation plans.  I can't wait to hear where they go and what they might do.  Can I be jealous of 2nd graders?  Is that allowed?
-Janet

Helpful books to read before moving to a country you have never been to

I love to research.  Love it.  Especially when it is about a new place to visit/move to.  My most resent obsession has been...you guessed it...Vietnam.  I have read  Expert Expat three times through.  It is an incredible resource for moving to any country.  The only thing I would give as a criticism for this book would be that it focuses too much on the trailing spouse.  There are not a lot of anecdotes about both people working abroad.  Although, I now know what to do when I'm unemployed in a foreign country-volunteer!

I have also read many travel books about Vietnam.  I haven't found any that I would recommend. They are all great for people spending two weeks in Vietnam but don't offer much insight into the culture except to dress modestly and don't touch kids on their heads.  Which totally changes how I was going to behave.  I had to put away all of my inappropriate outfits!  *sigh*    Here is a list of some of the travel guides I have read for Vietnam:
Lonely Planet Vietnam
The Rough Guide to Vietnam
Lonely Planet Vietnam, Cambodia, & Laos
Lonely Planet Hanoi
Fielding's Vietnam


I personally find Fielding's Vietnam to be one of the most informative even though the edition I have is a bit older.  I think the author covers the culture better and has more relevant content.  Relevant content as defined by me, meaning it will help me during the next two years I live in Vietnam.

I have read more travel guides but the majority are very repetitive.  I get it, I should see some pagodas and an embalmed Ho Chi Minh.  Don't get me wrong, I do want to see that stuff but I wanted more on food/markets/shopping stuff.  Also, how not to look like a complete idiot while living in Vietnam.

The best fiction book I have read about the Vietnam war has been The Lotus Eaters.  I loved this book and thought it was an amazing way for me to learn about the war.  I read it twice back to back.

The best blog I have found about living in Vietnam is:
http://www.thecitythatneversleepsin.com/
I think this blog has been the single most informative blog I have read so far.  Many people try to tart up their daily life for this blogs.  This blogger says it like it is and I appreciate it so much.

As for language learning....well that hasn't been going so well.  I checked out every Vietnamese language CD at our local library.  The selection was limited to the Pimsleur approach and I'm not sure that is how I learn the language the best.  I cannot keep any of the words or sentences in my head.  I repeat and repeat.  Nothing stays in my brain for more than 5 minutes.  I can already tell that language is going to be a problem for me.  Ahh well, hopefully I'll find a kind soul who speaks Vietnamese to help me. I can only hope!

Stylin', Profilin', Organizin'?

As we prepare for leaving the country, there are a lot of things that need to be done. A lot!  First of all, we need to figure out what to do with all of our stuff!  Why on earth do we have so many things? Figuring out what you really need and want to keep is important.  I am more of a minimalist while Jeffrey wants to keep everything.  In order to get ourselves in order, we agreed we weren't keeping any large pieces of furniture.  Hello Craigslist!  On the other smaller things we have learned to compromise.  If you haven't used it in the last year, why do you have it?  Saving that platter for the next time you have a dinner party?  Sell it!  I have divided our stuff into piles strategically located in different parts of the house.
The first pile is garage sale items:

In no particular rhyme or reason.  These are the things we know for sure we are selling in our garage sale.

The second pile:
This pile has what I am packing for sure.  I keep adding to my pile when I think of things to pack.  I have it divided up into work outfits, toiletries, and other like sarongs and a stuffed pink frog.  Stuffed pink frogs are really hard to get in Vietnam. (just kidding)
Not pictured is a pile of clothes I haven't made up my mind about.  If I can't think of at least three different uses for clothes or shoes, they go into this pile.  If I have any extra room, I will add them to my suitcases.

The third pile:
Jeffrey's clothes!

Being a guy is so easy.  There is a pile of work shirts, ties, undershirts, and the all important Star Wars DVDs.  His pile will grow but I haven't added to it lately.

As the summer moves on, our piles will grow and change.  I bet there are a few items in my packing pile that may go away.  Not the pink frog though.  I'm going to use that in my classroom as the "sharing frog".  I also have my carry on with a few items that I know I will need in the first week in the classroom.  Since we are only taking two suitcases and a carry on each, we have to be very wise in our packing decisions.  This is just round one of my quest for organization!
-Janet