Annie & Tabby (19 & 18) have led the way for a new Language Gap experience in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam. They have written a fantastic guest article to give a real flavour of their time in the city.:
"Our five weeks of volunteering in a Ho Chi Minh kindergarten have been a fun and rewarding experience. Staying in a city with such a unique culture and tragic past has also opened our eyes to the Vietnamese way of life.
Every morning at 9 we start teaching in the small 4 year old group, and we are greeted by their excited shouts of “good morning teacher Annie and teacher Tabby!” We introduce each class to the new words on flash cards, play some games, and finish by dancing energetically.
Each week we start a new topic to teach the children, aged 3-5. These have included topics such as transport, vegetables and weather. We have gotten to know each class well, and have loved teaching and caring for all of their little characters.
Our coordinators have been so helpful, and lovely in the classroom, but also outside, by introducing us to the best local foods and places to go. Each day at the kindergarten we are given a new local meal, which is delicious and different to anything we’ve ever tasted.
The accommodation is situated in a hospitality college, in district 4. Upon arrival we were welcomed warmly and prepared well for the weeks ahead. This included culture classes, language classes and a tour of the local area. Every Monday the volunteers join the coordinators for a traditional meal out - family dinner. The night is concluded with karaoke, and maybe a trip to the local rooftop bar. One of our highlights has been the dinner which is provided by Mrs Nuhn’s - a family run restaurant across the street. All the food is delicious, our usual being an omelet with fried vegetables and kumquat juice.
Overall we have loved this experience, and would highly recommend this volunteering programme. The lively city, delicious food and the vibrant and friendly culture has been the best possible introduction to volunteering we could have asked for." Cảm ơn thông tin của bạn, Annie và Tabby!
