Final days of semester 1

These days we are busy with exams: preparing test papers, delivering and marking them. Just some days to go our first semester of the school year will finish and we teachers have almost three full weeks to refresh before welcoming semester 2. However, as one of the group leaders in our department I have to start preparing for teaching materials little by little from now. I find it lucky to have something to do during the non-teaching period. Otherwise, it must be boring when you do not have anything to do. :-)

Hanoi is becoming colder and colder with drizzle. Winter weather. We go to bed earlier and get up later. It takes longer for my son to get out of his blanket in the morning. But he is never late for school. And me, although leaving home later but these days no traffic jams on the way to school (Hanoians travel late in the winter morning), I still get to work on time.

Next week my son starts doing tests at school. He is reviewing lessons. I set goals for him and encourage him to do well. He has 12 tests of which 11 subjects I hope him to get at least mark 8. Literature is a bit difficult for a boy so I told him to try to get 7. The bonus is a 7-day trip to Thailand at Tet. Truly, if he does not achieve the goal he still gets the trip. :-) He feels excited about the trip. But I think he can make it. Very well possible. He studies hard and he has a good memory and he is a good boy, often listens to his teachers in class. Of course we do not know what the future brings to us. Let's hope for the best. :-)