My New Assignment: A Public School in Vietnam

There's no mistake. My throat is shot. I can hardly talk. I run through my shirts like crazy because of how much I sweat in them while working. My nose is constantly clogged because of the dusty air. I'm borderline sick because I keep going back and forth between hot and cold environments. And I'm loving every minute.

I like to imagine the 12-year old versions of my aunts and uncles doing "exercises" during recess in their uniforms in this courtyard.

It's hard for me to recall the last time my work made me feel so fulfilled. Maybe it's because I'm finally helping people that I feel actually need my help. Or maybe it's because my kids are sharp, funny, and enthusiastic. Or maybe it's just something about the atmosphere. Whatever it is, I'm glad I took the risk of teaching >50 student classes in a completely new environment. Despite its intimidating appearance, the experience has proven to be incredibly rewarding. I can honestly say I look forward to going back to work.

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Chinese Chess - Cờ Tướng - 象棋

The latest interest I've taken in my quest to learn more about my Vietnamese heritage is the game of Chinese chess. It is a bit ironic to look for Vietnamese culture in a game that has the word "Chinese" in its name, but I found that it is only so for the sake of translation. I have taken to this game for a number of reasons. 1. The game has cool historical references that have survived even today. Let's start with the board itself. Unlike a chess board, which is played on the squares, Chinese chess is played on the intersections of lines. What is most recognizably different from normal chess boards, however, is the large gap in the middle of the board as well as the lines that form an "x" on opposites sides of the board. The square that contains the "x" is known as the "fortress," or 宮(gōng ) in Chinese. The center divider is the river where s ome Chinese words are visible. The words on the left say, 楚河 (chǔ hé ) , mean...

...for Christmas

Take it away, Mr. Crosby!

It's official!

"Within the first nine months of 2015, zero cases of corruption were found in this city!" "...but we're not saying that corruption doesn't exist, just that none of our inspectors caught anyone." Are you kidding me? Thank you for the freaking clarification, Ms. Nga.

Nhớ Nguồn

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