So my first bit of teaching wasn't too bad today! I think they learnt something, and they certainly completed the work I wanted them to. This evening I also had to observe another teacher so I sat in on a lesson by a Canadian guy. It finished at 19.15 so the day was pretty draining - I got there about 8.30 this morning to prepare stuff then each morning we have sessions with the trainers covering a bunch of topics. This runs from 9.30 to 12.30, then we get an hour for lunch. In the afternoon we have our lass for two hours. We alternated teaching each day so that one day we just observe the other teachers then the next we teach for part of the lesson. Afterwards we have a feedback session and then usually we're then free to get on with planning or whatever we need to do. Thats enough for a day as it is but when you then have to sit and observe a class for an hour and a half it just about kills you!

On the plus side, I was observing with the aussie who has been in Hanoi for 6 years and she lives up near me so we walked back and I picked her brains about the area. This country seems quite random sometimes. For example I had to buy a folder to put my notes in. You'd think this would be quite straightforward but no, you have to go find a random stationers as despite stocking electrical equipment, toys, clothes, all sorts of other crap supermarkets don't sell stationery. I looked everywhere for a folder before finally being pointed in the direction of a stationers. Another thing that has taken some getting used to is the lack of global chains. McDonalds and Starbucks don't seem to have got their claws into this country yet. The only chain sa far as I can see is KFC. Also in places like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur there are shopping centres with stores like boots, topshop, gap, marks and sparks, just places you know are going to stock Western sizes. Most of Asia seems to have caught on to this Western influence but not Vietnam. Michelle (the aussie) said that there are no stores like that in Vietman. Unlike Bangkok etc there are no shopping centres with Western brands and so every year she would fly somewhere else to buy loads of things she needed! I am slowly getting used to being in a city where nothing is the same as back home and the brands I am used to seeing just don't exist. I have however noted the location of the store which stocks McVites biscuits and cadbury chocolate!