By Olivia Vieira Since Natalia and I arrived in Vietnam, we’ve been curating a list of lessons we’ve learned – both as TAB students and human beings figuring out life in a foreign country. While the full list will drop when we wrap up our TAB journey (stay tuned!), I wanted to give you a sneak peek into some of the main themes we’ve discovered so far. This has been a phenomenal journey, and we’ve got lots to share. We’ve narrowed it down to ten categories. Buckle up, it’s been a ride! 1. Travel Preparedness and Logistics You can plan…
By Olivia Vieira One of the best ways I’ve found to connect with my students is by weaving their favourite characters into our lessons. Instead of asking them generic questions like “What does she do on Mondays?”, I switch things up with characters they know and love. So, rather than a faceless “he/she/you,” we’re talking about Doraemon, Pikachu, Kuromi, and their beloved Capybara. I throw in pictures to make the lessons more engaging, and suddenly it’s not just review—it’s a game! And when learning feels like a game, students are not only enjoying themselves, but they’re also reflecting on what…
Xin chào! Now that I’ve been in Vietnam for six weeks, I feel like I’ve been getting the hang of how to navigate daily life as a foreigner. I may not know everything, but here are a few things I’ve learned along the way: Language: While there’s a larger English presence in Vietnam than I initially thought, navigating the language barrier still takes some creativity. Simple and direct language, hand gestures, and google translate have especially been lifesavers. However, Learning a few basic Vietnamese phrases is definitely useful to have in your back pocket. Even just knowing how to say…
By Olivia Vieira This week I started teaching at a primary school in Da Nang, Vietnam. My students are in grades 4 and 5, and from Tuesday to Thursday morning, I teach six different classes—four grade 4s and two grade 5s. Going into this teaching experience, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from myself, the students, or the teachers. I anticipated some challenges, considering I have only ever taught upper-year high school students, and here I was with nine-, ten-, and eleven-year-olds. I assumed the students would be well-behaved, prim, and proper, like little model citizens, and that the…
Wow, how has it been a month already?! Our time in Vietnam has been flying by– especially now that online classes and volunteering at the school are in full swing. All of us have been placed at the same primary school, each paired with our own partner teacher. I’m teaching grades 1, 3, and 5, and the experience so far has been challenging but rewarding! From the moment we arrived, the school community has been so welcoming. We were greeted with signs, smiles, tea, and even plants– a lovely gift which has helped make our Airbnb feel more like home.…