Sabrina Nacinovic
October 11, 2023
The first month flew by surprisingly quick. It is amazing how quickly you can adapt to living in a new country and establish your own routine. I have found my go to grocery stores, my go to grocery items and my go to restaurants/ street food stalls. I typically get around by walking as Da Nang is a very walkable city, although it is MUCH larger than I had originally thought. Another mode of transportation I frequent is Grab Bikes. I recommend getting a sim card once you get here, you will probably get better deals outside of the airport, however if budget is not an issue, then you could get one there for convenience. Once you are set with a sim card you are able to call Grab bikes to take you around, you can even order food delivery off of the app (similar to door dash/ uber eats). I found riding Grab bikes was a great way to see around the city and be in traffic with the locals. The roads are super busy and crossing the street has become an art form. The bikes can dodge you but the cars not so much, one big rule when crossing the roads is NEVER HESITATE, once you commit to walking across you need to continue going. Also, Da Nang has many public bus routes that can get you around the city. They are not as accurate as transit systems back in Canada and do take some getting used to and finding the correct stops and times however they are super cheap to use and also allow you to see the city while sitting back and waiting to get to your destination.
The first month teaching has flown by. The students are so intrigued with asking questions about my life at home. I am mind blown at how many students can remember my name, they often run up and greet me saying “Hello teacher Sabrina”. I often am waving and saying “Hi” for a few minutes as many students pass by. I am with two different mentor teachers and alternate weeks, so I am able to teach many different classes and the students always remember facts about me, it is really heartwarming. The students’ English abilities differ; however most are able to hold a general greeting conversation with you and I was quite surprised at how good their English writing abilities are. The teachers at the school have also been so amazing at including me in the schools festivities. The Mid Autumn festival recently passed and the school held a celebration that they involved me in. I had a costume as Miss. Autumn as I handed out gifts, sang and danced. They also provided food and drinks afterwards, and were so mindful of my dietary restriction. I have really enjoyed learning so much about the many celebrations that take place here.
I have also started co-teaching an English University class with one of the other TAB students at the Da Nang University, Science and Education Campus. The students within that class have very limited English-speaking skills but are so eager to learn. We have started off by teaching them greetings, general conversation, directions and planning on teaching time and bargaining (for the markets).
The weekends have been for exploring other parts of Vietnam or touristy experiences. There is always plenty to do and see, my advice would be to plan your trips strategically. By the end of the first month online classes are in full swing and it has become a bit overwhelming at times preparing for teaching classes and having time for your own homework. The biggest obstacle was working on group projects and navigating multiple time zones with my classmates. My advice to future students would be to get ahead on all homework when you can. There as so many coffee shops and restaurants all over the city with quiet places to work. This year we have been lucky with the nicer weather lasting longer, however the full swing of rainy season is fast approaching. The rain hasn’t typically lasted all day, there are usually breaks within the day where it lets up but I would recommend bringing or buying rain coats and rain ponchos.
Can’t wait to see what the weeks to come bring!
Sabrina