I have not posted on this blog in a while so I might as well give an update just so everyone knows I am still alive and doing well. I also have new posts on my other site for those who are interested.
We have moved a to new and much nicer hotel primarily because of the horrible treatment we were receiving at the old one. The hotel is a long term hotel that cost $10 more a month but is totally worth it because we get free laundry, internet, tea and a staff that knows how to treat westerners. It is also in a much quieter and has a kitchen so George’s wife can cook for us and our food bill is lower.
Unfortunately because of Tet my substitute job at the UN school ended. While I have been officially hired at a new school, classes are now being filled and organized, so I have not had any work. However on Thursday, as I was scanning the classifieds for a second job to make some money while I wait to be assigned a new class, I came upon a very simple ad for a class that would in no way conflict with my schedule at the new school even if I am assigned a class soon.
I called the contact person, an American, and found out the class in question was for a Vietnamese friend of hers and she gave me the woman’s contact info. I called her and said that I was interested and she said the class started that same day and asked if I could make it. I didn’t see why that was a problem so I said OK. We set a place to meet and then went to the school. I assumed this was an English center like most of the jobs are… I was very wrong. The lady was Vietnamese and showed up on a very nice motorbike and was dressed very professionally, this was my first sign that I may have stumbled onto something good. We then drove to a very nice office building and went upstairs to a classroom.
Apparently there are two classes and are being conducted by a very large construction company for it’s higher end employees (mainly civil engineers, architects and businesspeople), and they have their own classroom inside their building. One day a week they learn from a Vietnamese instructor who also works at an international University here in Hanoi, and one day from me.
At first I was very nervous because in addition to this being a “corporate” class, which means more is expected out of you, the classes I had the hardest time with at UNESCO were those with Adult learners (I will be teaching kids and teenagers at the new school). I also did not have a book to work with, only a very limited syllabus. However the class went fine and the people in charge loved me. They also loved the fact that I wore my suit and did indeed look very professional. The class the next day scared me even more because it was a beginner class, which I have an even harder time with when the students are adults, but again I handled it fine.
I told George about how it went and mentioned the fact that there was a security guard, who was a martial arts expert and claimed he could beat up 9 people at one time, assigned to the class and he said this meant I had some VERY important people in the class “The security guard was not there for you” he said. I also mentioned that they were willing to pay me in USD as opposed to Vietnam Dong and he said this meant they had a lot of money and were an international company. As I was leaving the first day, the woman who hired me complemented me on my driving skills and mention she was originally gong to send a car for me… only very rich people have cars here, so this business is doing VERY well.
The best part is that I started this job literally five hours after I applied. Try doing that in America today! So yes I am doing quite well.
