time changes

Today was a nice restful day. I had only one lesson, at 12:15 so I slept in til 8:30 (!!) and then pottered around. I’m growing to really like our room, when I first saw it I felt like crying. It has to (quite large) twin beds with red flowery blankets. All the furniture is dark brown and shiny and there is a wardrobe, a dresser (with stool), a bedside table, a tv cabinet and a small glass topped table. It has a high ceiling and large windows, the curtains of which take a large tug to convince to close. The floor is tiled. On the column aobe my bed I have stuck some pictures from home including a picture of my bedroom which Hannah K (My roommate) thinks is weird. Then there is the kitchen. Part of the main room it came with two vases, a tea set for midgets, a water jug, three sleazy poters of Vietnamese women and 3 condoms in a packet. I really don’t want to know what our room was being used for. There is also a tiny round card table and two chairs. Oh and it was covered in dust but we have cleaned it. The bathroom has a shower head but no cubilce so everything gets wet, including the toilet paper unless you move it. There is also and electrical plug dangerously exposed and only enough hot water for one three minute shower every few hours.

This afternoon (after teaching) I was sitting at the precarious card table reading The Intelligent Tourist (I can but try, right?), listening to Missy Higgins and drinking a cup of tea when there was a sound like a sqwarking bird. At home from time to time a bird makes its way into the conservatory and has to be let out. I jumped up onlt to discover that it was our doorbell. Upon opening the door I discovered three middle aged Vietnamese men, one of who looked to be the hotel owener (I know it is a horrible thing to say but it is hard to tell people apart here). Slightly concerned I made a suitably concerned face at him and he gestured towards the phone. So they came in and started fiddling around with varius cords. Since they were there I pointed out that the tv was also tres dodgy (it’s amazing what you don’t need wors to convey) and he said it would be fixed tomorrow, I think. (Which would be funfun because the other girls’ tv works and it had ABC Asia Pacific.

Anyway. Teaching went quite well today. I had the CO3s. last time I had them they were with the CO1s. Today they were much better. I taught them the word survey (hooray!) and then got the to do one either about football or food. Because I know so much about soocer. So they asked each other the questions I wrote on the board and then reported back to the class. There were about 19 boys and 1 girl. Boys are the same the world over I think. Despite the fact some of them are 20+ it really is like high school. I’m sure they were saying dirty words in Vietnamese today. But it’s ok, I just laugh along. I think they like me but taht’s probably because I let them read english football magazines when they finished early. Ahhh the joys of bribery and corruption. Several of hthem are actually quite cute and the naughtiets one said hi to me today when I was collecting my bike and I almost blushed. Oh dear.

I rode into town (quite an achievement in the crezy traffic) and called my dad. Must remember never to buy phonecard from post office. Very expensive. Nice to talk to him though and i was proud that I didn’t feel homesick. Big night tonight, Gappers in from outskirts of Hanoi and water puppets at 8. Next week off because of exams so we’re probably going away to a place called Ninh Binh (at least partly because it’s a cool name and it’s near Tam coc ) for 5 daysish.

I am happy today.

 

I wrote this weeks a go and then got angry because it didn’t post… that would be because I pressed “save” not “publish”. I am an idiot.

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