Update Saigon: CELTA Sunset

I’m in the last stretch of my CELTA course, and all signs indicate I’ll be a certified ESL teacher within the week (and consequently, a more diligent blogger). In the meantime, here’s what’s happening in Saigon:
1. The Economist recently reported that Ho Chi Minh City’s stock market bubble has burst. What will this mean [...]

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The Dune Warriors

Continued from Nam, the Would-be Dune Guide…
Our moment had come. The dune kids were scattered and Sarah had a clear path to Flower Pants. While she slipped away, I waded into the crowd of waiting boys who had been trying hyena-like to lure me away from the table throughout breakfast. It was my fault for [...]

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Nam, the Would-be Dune Guide

We were wondering how much weight the tire swing would hold when a skinny boy rappelled down the worn rope from the bridge overhead. He’d barely touched the water before he started slinging questions at us.
Where were we from? America. Where were we staying? Nhat Quang Bungalows. How long had we been in Vietnam? A [...]

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Schwa Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to Us

Ever wonder why the English language is such a font of pop music, or why Europop and Cantopop has always sounded a bit, well, off? (Sorry 2008 Eurovision contestants).
One could argue that since rock ‘n’ roll has its roots in America and England, its progenitors simply have a leg up on the competition. But while [...]

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Hanoi Takes on Traffic Congestion

Viet Nam News recently reported on Hanoi’s experimentation with traffic congestion problems. With more cars than ever on the road, Vietnam’s streets, accustomed to more fluid motorbike traffic, are in a state of shock. Hanoi’s answer? Designate lanes for car and motorbike use.
Cars that trespass across lanes will pay a VND 400,000 ($25) fine, while [...]

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Update Saigon: All Systems Down

It’s been about a week without posts. Currently, I’m feuding with our Internet connection at the new apartment, and the Internet connection is winning. Moreover, I’m one week into my (quite intensive) four-week CELTA course, heading steadfast towards English Language-teaching credentials. Blogging don’t pay the bills. Now that I’ve got my first two lessons under [...]

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Fire Drill, Saigon Style

We were enjoying the fire drill just fine until the maintenance men started screaming at us. Students and teachers alike had ambled down the stairway at a leisurely pace, but once we reached the ground floor of the ILA building, the blue-shirted Vietnamese jabbed their fingers violently towards the main entrance as a steady column [...]

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