Today Vietnamese class was cancelled because it is Việt Nam's Teacher Day. Classes for all students are cancelled and teachers get lots of presents. Directly translated, people say that today they have a "rest" instead of what we would call a day off.
Yesterday for class, Calah and I took our teacher out for coffee. We also had a little mini-photo shoot with her. Here is our group photo:
I realized that I haven't written about learning Vietnamese in a while. Well, if you've been wondering, I LOVE Vietnamese. I still say it's the most challenging academic learning I've done, maybe ever. But it's fun! Class is my favorite time of the week. In part because our teacher is so wonderful. We spend most of the class just chatting. I love that I'm encouraged to interrupt the book learning with whatever commentary comes to mind, as long as it's in Vietnamese! Cô Giang is incredibly patient and remarkably she understands a lot of what Calah and I attempt to say, despite the fact that I have no doubt we say things wrong the majority of the time. We have a chance to tell stories, chat about random things, ask about Vietnamese culture, ask about her life, and anything else that comes to mind! It's great!
What's funny is that I'm still horrible at Vietnamese. At least half the time I forget about the tones and ask questions through with my voice rather than with words, a big no-no in this language. I feel accomplished when I know words in my head for things or remember something close to the word even when I don't know the accurate tone, which normally means no one can even guess what I'm trying to say. Last weekend my family had a party and twice in one day I was told, "You really should just speak English, no one can understand when you try to speak Vietnamese". There goes any confidence I was beginning to build!
But then there are those moments. A brief time where I say something and the person responds normally; no look of confusion, no questioning stare, no interrupting because they got bored while I attempted to tell a story, just a normal response. Or maybe they ask a question and I can answer. Whatever the case, it is so rewarding! Recently my host mom has been understanding me a lot more often, not so much other members of the family, but at least there is one! I may not be able to express much to people here, either for lack of ability or lack of understanding at how things are expressed, but I can hope that at least my attempts at Vietnamese show that I'm trying and that I care. And that I'm enjoying Viet Nam!
What's funny is that I'm still horrible at Vietnamese. At least half the time I forget about the tones and ask questions through with my voice rather than with words, a big no-no in this language. I feel accomplished when I know words in my head for things or remember something close to the word even when I don't know the accurate tone, which normally means no one can even guess what I'm trying to say. Last weekend my family had a party and twice in one day I was told, "You really should just speak English, no one can understand when you try to speak Vietnamese". There goes any confidence I was beginning to build!
But then there are those moments. A brief time where I say something and the person responds normally; no look of confusion, no questioning stare, no interrupting because they got bored while I attempted to tell a story, just a normal response. Or maybe they ask a question and I can answer. Whatever the case, it is so rewarding! Recently my host mom has been understanding me a lot more often, not so much other members of the family, but at least there is one! I may not be able to express much to people here, either for lack of ability or lack of understanding at how things are expressed, but I can hope that at least my attempts at Vietnamese show that I'm trying and that I care. And that I'm enjoying Viet Nam!
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