I am a... teacher?

Hey All!  Sorry for the delayed response, but my last couple of days consisted of a 29 hour overnight train ride, many Vietnamese kids, and shovels.  No, I am not in Charlie Sheen's basement, but rather in Quang Tri!  Three days ago my group boarded a 29 hour overnight train (in a sleeper car, #trainswag) and went north along the coast to Quang Tri, a small province in central Vietnam.  The 17th paralell runs through this province, so there is a lot of history, especially war history, to learn about.  Once arriving, we got the run down of the projects we would be working on for the next 7 weeks.  In the mornings (and by morning I mean 4:45 am) we split into two groups, one group building a playground for a preschool and another group (my group!) building a fence around an elementary school to keep cattle and such out and, more importantly, the children in.  Our projects have gone very well but it is definitely hard work.  But also fun an interesting!  Yesterday while digging we dug up a grenade!  Yes, yes, this sounds like the makings of a very sad Sarah McLachlin video, but it was actual very cool and nobody lost any limbs.  Mom, I'll be careful! 

After bulding from 6am-11am, we have a nice Siesta until 2pm at which our group of 13 American and 12 Vietnamese college students is holding a summer english school for over 200 Vietnamese students from 6th to 12th grade! Our classes are so legit that the government has sent locally stationed soldiers to sit in on our classes to learn as well!  While i though the hours of digging, hauling, and mixing would tire me out, it is in fact teaching that takes the pep out of my step.  Teaching is HARD!!!! To all of my past teachers out there (even though I am pretty sure my mom and my dog are the only ones who read my blog), I am grateful and I totally respect the profession.  My class of 20 10th grade students can be a hand full and hard to entertain, but I think they are great, smart, exciting, and are going to make for a great summer of teaching.  More in the future on teaching.  And thanks Bianca for the teaching tips!  they are definitely working.

On a different note I have a pretty good story that you all might find interesting/ though provoking.  Remember when I said that for the most part the Vietnamese have gotten over the war?  Well the other day I found the example that breaks the rule.  I was shopping in a bizarre like market in Quang Tri when a group of drunken middle aged (maybe slightly older men) called me over for a drink.  They offered me a beer and we talked (with the help of my translating Vietnamese roommate Phuc, he rocks) and had a great time.  Many central Vietnamese have never seen Americans or spoken to them, so it was no surprise that they called us over.  Not to build myself up, but we are kind of celebrities here.  Seriously.  The conversation was going great and we were laughing when out of the blue he says in Vietnamese "do you think my legs are real?"  He went on to show me his prosthetic lower half.  This man had no legs. None.  I complimented him on his prosthetics, but his face was stone cold.  He says calmly, "These are the Consequences of War".  This immediately changed the air in the conversation and Phuc motioned for us to leave.  I didn't feel quite so much like a celebrity anymore.  Quite an intense moment that I won't forget anytime soon.

Thats about it.  I am at an internet cafe and paying by the minute so I have to cut this one short and without pictures, so sorry to the illiterates out there. 
Still haven't found Charlie,
NB