School and walking tour

Today was the long day for teaching, plus afterschool actvities. My classes went good even with one seventh grade making and shooting spit wads the whole period and two cancelled classes. At lunch, a former teacher at the school, who I had kept in contact with, met me across from the school at the coffee shop where we had a nice visit and got caught up.
In the evening, we ate at our favorite pumpkin soup restaurant and


then hurried back to the hotel to wait for some students to take us on a walking tour of this old quarter area. They arrived a little late, so we passed the time talking to other guests from France who were checking out. Finally, the students arrived. With 20 students we divided into three groups, and off we went in various directions. I had about 8 boys and one girl. My group took me to an old church, a bookstore, the Opera house, and a street coffee shop. The eleventh grade student leader was very good about trying to speak to me in English and directiing the group. He even made sure we used the crosswalks and sidewalks, not that make any difference here in Vietnam. We saw the police giving someone a ticket for either speeding or no helmet, and another person from the school riding his motorbike illegally because he is not legally old enough to drive(you have to be 18 yrs. old). Towards the end of the walking tour, we sat in these little Barbie-like chairs for coffee and ice ream, which is fine for the VNese but not great for me or Westerners. They told me to be careful because it might collapse but it held nicely. And then I had to get up!! Ha!! One student insisted on paying for everyone. They said he was rich! After we got back to the hotel, students waited for their parents to pick them up. I went to my room and slept soundly for until 5 AM, my best sleep so far.






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