So, I have met all my new classes now and the students seem very nice. As WPP is not a mandatory class, I hope that students will be coming because they want to be there and see value in the learning related to workplace preparation. I only see students for 2 hours a week and so that is not much time to cover all the areas in our curriculum ... and I wonder about the relationships I will develop with students when I see them so little and when they are (rightfully) focused on their degree program and future careers.
This question popped into my mind yesterday when I saw two groups of students from my first and third Level 6 classes. I was so happy to see them and hear about their degree programs. And I was struck by how close they had remained, even though they had all gone off to various degree programs ... commerce, design, professional communications, IT, accounting and BIS. I loved seeing them all sitting around and hanging out ... I know they often go out for coffee, play basketball, tour around, eat lunch together and so on. That bonding and those close-knit relationships are things I really love about ESL and hope that that sort of mutual support and care can be carried over to WPP as well.
There is so much to learn about career development and workplace expectations in the Vietnamese context. I have started to learn a little bit about that and while I am grateful that I know the content of the WPP material really well, I am glad I have a bit of a gentle introduction to WPP as I begin to meet people at RMIT and both local and multinational employers and try to make sense of their standards and expectations of RMIT grads. I attended a networking event this past week, at a fancy restaurant called Shri, which I enjoyed a lot. I look forward to going to more such events and meeting people, especially employers, in the community. And of course, what would a networking event be without food? In this case, there were delicious canapés, which I accompanied with watermelon juice. I thought about the mango margaritas, but felt perhaps my tenure at RMIT was a bit too tenuous to go there just yet.
On to more food ... before I went home for holidays, my Vietnamese teacher, Thúy took me to a couple of places for noodles for my birthday. One was very reminiscent of some of the noodle places I used to go to in China, where the noodles were made in front of our eyes. These pics were taken at that location ... it was a lovely evening and the food was really delicious. I need to look for the card so I can find the address and go back one of these days. The young man in these pics, Loc, did agree to have his photo taken, but I think it wasn’t his preference. Owell. It really is for educational purposes ...
This question popped into my mind yesterday when I saw two groups of students from my first and third Level 6 classes. I was so happy to see them and hear about their degree programs. And I was struck by how close they had remained, even though they had all gone off to various degree programs ... commerce, design, professional communications, IT, accounting and BIS. I loved seeing them all sitting around and hanging out ... I know they often go out for coffee, play basketball, tour around, eat lunch together and so on. That bonding and those close-knit relationships are things I really love about ESL and hope that that sort of mutual support and care can be carried over to WPP as well.
There is so much to learn about career development and workplace expectations in the Vietnamese context. I have started to learn a little bit about that and while I am grateful that I know the content of the WPP material really well, I am glad I have a bit of a gentle introduction to WPP as I begin to meet people at RMIT and both local and multinational employers and try to make sense of their standards and expectations of RMIT grads. I attended a networking event this past week, at a fancy restaurant called Shri, which I enjoyed a lot. I look forward to going to more such events and meeting people, especially employers, in the community. And of course, what would a networking event be without food? In this case, there were delicious canapés, which I accompanied with watermelon juice. I thought about the mango margaritas, but felt perhaps my tenure at RMIT was a bit too tenuous to go there just yet.
On to more food ... before I went home for holidays, my Vietnamese teacher, Thúy took me to a couple of places for noodles for my birthday. One was very reminiscent of some of the noodle places I used to go to in China, where the noodles were made in front of our eyes. These pics were taken at that location ... it was a lovely evening and the food was really delicious. I need to look for the card so I can find the address and go back one of these days. The young man in these pics, Loc, did agree to have his photo taken, but I think it wasn’t his preference. Owell. It really is for educational purposes ...
First there was measuring (by weight) the flour, eggs, oil, and water to make the dough.
Then came a whole lot of mixing ... all by hand. Can you imagine how strong his hands and forearms must be?
After this part, the dough was allowed to rest for a few minutes, while Loc prepared the kneading and cutting surface.
The dough was divided into parts and rolled out into sections. Each section was then worked. Loc pulled and twisted and tossed the ropes of dough into the air. Each successive pass and combination of 'moves' meant the strands of noodles got thinner and thinner. It was really an interesting sight. I wonder if Marco Polo saw people making noodles in this manner 700 years ago.
The dough was divided into parts and rolled out into sections. Each section was then worked. Loc pulled and twisted and tossed the ropes of dough into the air. Each successive pass and combination of 'moves' meant the strands of noodles got thinner and thinner. It was really an interesting sight. I wonder if Marco Polo saw people making noodles in this manner 700 years ago.
When Loc had gotten the noodles to the desired thinness, he would toss them behind him to the broth area, where the noodles would be immersed into broth to be cooked and then to be combined with meat, seafood, or vegetables and served. Really delicious.
Hope all is well with you all and that summer is going well. School is out for some of you and I hope that means some great days by a lake, listening to loons, and having an occasional paddle for exercise. Others are traveling ... if so, I hope your trips are full of fun and light on stress. If your summer is focused on work, know that I am with you! Our time will come soon enough ... says the one who just returned from 6 weeks away ... 
So, considering our experience at la brasserie, last night’s meal at Cham Charm was quite wonderful. We went there to bid Barbara a fond adieu, as she is heading off to Australia for a month’s holidays. Cham Charm is a high-end restaurant in Phu My Hung ... not too near my part of PMH ... around a 7-minute taxi drive. It is probably the nicest restaurant I have been to in Vietnam, along with its sister restaurant, the Ming Dynasty.
The decor is Champa, similar to what you would find in some parts of Central Vietnam (My Son) or Angkor but the cuisine is very eclectic ... Japanese, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and some Western ... with a major focus on seafood, particularly oysters. Yumyumyum. 
And the desserts ... omigoodness, they were great.
We had a lovely time, enjoyed the physical surroundings immensely, and were enchanted by some of the beautiful customers. The little girls are not all sisters, although they were wearing matching ao dais. Their parents told us the kids were 3,3, 2 and 6 (from left to right). 
And, as it was buffet and/or cooked in front of you, we did not have to wait for anything. 
Well, we did have to wait a couple of minutes for slab ice cream, as there was a bit of a line from time to time. Very lovely evening! 
Today as I was pulling out a particularly pernicious and persistent patch of binderweed (which you all by now know is the bane of my gardening existence) the words from 59th Street Bridge Song came tripping into my head ... life I love you, all is groovy. Haha, it seemd ironic, as I was trying to KILL as much binderweed as DEAD as I possibly could at the time. 
Errol and I had a lovely visit with old friends Betty and Stephen in Goderich last weekend. Errol and I used to work at Homestead Group Home years and years ago when we lived in our little log cabin in the woods by the lake. Long ago and far away. So it was very nice to reconnect with them. Errol and Steve had gone down to West Virginia together last fall to visit our friend, Patrick, but I hadn’t seen Betty and Stephen for two years. They have a large property that is part therapeutic treatment centre and part hobby farm ... and if I think my garden is a lot of work, well I need look no further than Homestead to know what work really is! And it was great to see the kennels, the stable, the chickens, the art and play therapy facilities, and the biggest attraction of all ... pregnant ewes and baby lambs. 
Before heading off to Goderich, I had just finished reading ‘The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd’ by Mary Rose O'Reilley. She discusses at some length the challenges of raising sheep, especially keeping some of the babies alive. It is an interesting book and her descriptions of being at the Buddhist centre in Plum Village in France were quite interesting ... especially those relating to Western/Vietnamese interaction/communication.
So food for thought as I begin to prepare physically and psychologically for Vietnam. I hope all my stuff will fit into my suitcase and that it is not too late to get a decent seat on the plane(s). While the weather here is beautiful (today) I understand it is incredibly hot and there are frequent power outages in Ho Chi Minh City(although perhaps not in D7 so far). A new job awaits and I do hope I have made a wise decision there. And I hope I am not leaving too much of a mess for Errol and Cait to clean up. Worryworting to the end ... it is what I do, no? I hope this finds youall very well and ready for a wonderful summer ... seems strange to have my holiday over already :-(. But best wishes for great hiking, canoeing, theatre-going, vacationing, travelling, working, playing, parenting, relationship-building, journeying, adventuring ... living! Life I love you, all is groovy ... even if I do have deeds to do and promises to keep. 