Take one kitten and call me in the morning. Oh, this is where I work.

When we first arrived in Hanoi, I took any job that was offered just to get my foot in the door and to get some real time experience. After a couple of months I began to be a bit more choosy and now, three months later, I am comfortably employed at two schools. Here are a few pictures of the schools and some of my students.

English Hanoi is a small and delightful school. So small that other than Patrick ( the owner) there is one additional teacher besides me. Patrick co-owns the school with his wife, Lan Ahn; a warm and welcoming couple. He is Canadian and she is Vietnamese and they're expecting their first child ( a boy) in February. Peter and I have become friends with them and it is easily my favorite place to work.

I teach two beginner English classes; ages 18 - 25. Even though most of my students have studied English for 8-10 years, they still require a fair amount of grammar, help with syntax, and of course pronunciation. I have a workbook that I use as a guide and I also bring in supplementary material. The internet is a good resource as well as a few bookstores in the area.

The school is accessed through a very narrow (one motorbike barely fits) alley from the main street.

The outside of the building is painted a bright-easy-to-spot red.

My classroom.

Another view.

Patrick and Lan Ahn.

Some of my students.

The second school is UNESCO. No, not that UNESCO. When I first answered the ad for a teacher, I too was under the impression that it was that UNESCO. I quickly realized that this school is merely using the name because it sounds prestigious. Very Vietnamese.

At this school I teach two TOEFL ( Test of English as a Foreign Language) classes. TOEFL is a standardized test used by most universities and some governments to score English proficiency. My students are 18-40. The younger ones are studying to take TOEFL in March 2010. Those who pass the test will then go to study in Oklahoma and return to Vietnam to work at the largest petrol company here - PetrolVietnam. PV has awarded these kids a full scholarship; in return, the kids will work at PV for a minimum of 10 years.

The front of the school.

Two of the admin staff. Ms. Wa (seated) and Ms. Hang.

One of my TOEFL classes.

After one of the students contracted H1N1, many of the remaining students began wearing masks.

I find most Vietnamese students to be eager-to- learn, very interested in how they can improve their English skills and committed to their studies. I am humbled each time I walk into my classrooms and these sweet students watch my every move and hang on to everything I say. At the end of a class I am exhausted. Still, they are a delight to teach.

Luong is my trusty motorbike driver. Here he is right outside my front gate to pick me up at 8am sharp. I enjoy true door-to-door service. Since my evening classes do not end until 9pm, I do not have to be concerned about walking down dark alleys after dark. ( T, no need to worry :))

The kitten? One of my students during a speaking assignment on local foods informed me that while he no longer eats dog or cat, he does believe in the medicinal properties of a black kitten. Apparently when he was about 6-years-old he suffered from respiratory ailments. After repeated visits to the doctor, his grandmother made him black kitten soup. Within 2 days he was healed and has not had any problems since. He emphasized it has to be a kitten and it needs to be black.

O.