Lucky Thursday

End -of -term examinations finished yesterday evening. No more working as chairwoman of the exam council (staying in a camera room and watching the exam rooms on the two big screens) for this school year. Which also means that I have so many free days before the entrance to university examinations from 2 to 10 July.

I spend time studying Teacher Training course (at least 2 hours a day) and try to finish it before the deadline 30 August. Hope that I can get a certificate from Dyned company as they promise to grant if we finish the course by the deadline and with high score. Besides I have to do some work as a vice preparing teaching materials.

Although I try to make myself busy, sometimes I feel so bored staying home the whole day. My son is away on holiday with his father's family. But it seems that I am very good at staying inside. Today, when I opened the door to go out shopping at 4.45 pm or so I realized that I did not leave home from the time I woke up in the morning until that time. So funny. I decided to shop in Fivimart with my "new" membership card. I got some discount and a 20k dong voucher. Lucky me :-). I bought some foods to store in the fridge in case it storms. The weather forecast says Storm number 2 (of this year) will strike the North and it will rain heavily in Hanoi. It is always essential to have something to eat in rainy days. Back home, I did housework and prepared a light dinner.

My home friends are music, reading, watching films. More than once I find a song in a film so nice and decide to download it and find the lyrics from the Internet (the whole world is under your fingers). And today this is the song I downloaded "Smoke without fire" from the film "An education". Enjoy it with me.;-)

Thursday is coming to end in Hanoi tonight. Time for wine and upload this post.

Meetings

This year we have had so many meetings. Almost each week we attend at least one: meeting among vices and dean or meeting with university representatives. Recently, our department decided to use new English programme called Dyned and we had so many obstacles mainly because some teachers were afraid of change in their teaching method. But after so much explanation in so many meetings we had official decision from the principal allowing us to continue it. Honestly it benefits students most. A new way of learning English more effectively and efficiently.

As a vice, I have to contribute to schedule the learning time and suggest extra materials. Really hard work for us. Luckily we have 8 vices so hard work is shared.

Although there are many meetings. I can say that in each one we try to achieve the goals and keep focused.

Meeting family

Since my father passed away my family members have meet not very frequently. We all very busy with our "own business". My older sisters become grannies and they often take care of grandchildren or their own families meet at weekends. I live far from my mum. It often takes me 45 minutes by motorbike. And besides I am quite busy during the week. At weekends I want to refresh myself. But summer comes and I have free time to visit mum.

Whenever I go to mum's place I am welcomed warmly. Sisters- in -law often cook nice food for me or my favorite dishes (very simple). Although I am almost 40 years old, they still spoil me. :-) And my mum worries about me most. She does not speak out but I know that... She just comforts me by saying women who were born in the year of tiger often have a harder life other women. She goes to pagodas and temples and pray for me. I am her youngest daughter.

A good thing from my visit is that I guide my brother and sister how to help children to study at home. I just introduced two websites (one for English and one for math) for my 8 year-old niece. she can do exercises online. If I lived near them I would do better for my nieces and nephews. I have a plan for the next visit: ask my brother to help my son to make a kite. My brother was very good at it when he was a teenager. But my son and his cousins don't know anything about traditional toys and games.

(The photo was taken by Bob. I am standing among my brother's plants and flowers. I look happy but I am not ... for the time being)

Busy and tiring time

In the past few days I was extremely busy: attending a two-day training program and translating a 20-page document to a tight deadline. Tired. Honestly, I am not used to work full day and travelling much within a day. Bob is home on summer vacation, so I had to come back to make sure he was fine, home alone. No time during the day to work on translation, therefore I stayed up late to translate in order to meet the deadline (this evening) and luckily I made it. I spent the whole day today working at home, even talking little to my son. :-)

From tomorrow to the end of June, I presume four meetings at school and I will spend the rest of the time .... learning teaching methodology. What a life of a teacher!

Old streets in Hanoi

This is Bob's first painting after a long time no art class. I registered him into the class for eldest pupils (aged 13-15) and he told me me that he did not meet any old classmates in his new class. As usual, I asked him about the theme of the painting as soon as he walked out of the class. And the first class's theme was pupils' choice. Bob chose an old quarter in Hanoi.

I am a bit strict but I must admit that I admire my son's imagination. The world in his eyes is so colourful and peaceful. I feel excited whenever I find something interesting in his paintings. Sometimes, I pretend not to understand some details and ask him about them. He is willing to explain to mum. In the photo I post here, I like the detail of a street vendor selling bread in the basket at the back of the bicycle. So funny when I recognised that.

It took him about 4 hours to finish the painting (1.5 hrs in class + 2.5 hrs at home). When he used crayons I used to give him a hand. He decided where to use what colour and I did as he said. Now with paint, I can not. I will buy frames and will hang some new "masterpieces" on the wall to decorate the flat, making it more and more beautiful. If I have chances to welcome you to our flat, I will show you some of my son's paintings.

A lonely walk

I haven't walked around HK lake for a long time. This morning I did. After dropping Bob in his art class I decided to walked near the lake, only a short walk... So many memories came back to me that I couldn't walk one round around it. I was afraid I would not keep myself from crying

The lake was beautiful in the early morning in summer weather. Clear sky, green trees and typical summer flowers blossoming. Some people were sitting on benches chatting, some were going jogging and me doing an emotional walk.

I know I will have to get used to the fact that walking alone recalling happy moments in the past and wonder if somebody somewhere on Sunday goes for a walk near a lake and thinks about Hanoi.