Da Nang

Okay, so, It was bad enough that I had waited five days to post last time, but this time, with nearly 16 days under my belt, excuses are limitless and irregardable. All I have to offer besides a feeble promise to update more and a somewhat healthy update presently is my apology to those that have been waiting for a sign of life from this traveler.

This sunday marks the close of our first, out of four, week in Da Nang. And it has been a busy one, with even more busy-ness waiting to attach itself to us in this next week. Busy with what, your information starved eyes so feverishly wonder. Well, mostly with teaching. In aide to Fisher's Superkids, we've paired off to visit five local schools, in two classrooms per week, to teach intorductory lessons in the English Language.

Many of you will doubtlessly understand my enthusiasm for the subject and its instruction, so listen well to what follows- it isn't easy. Not at all! For one, the children that we try to instruct for three-fourths of an hour each week day have never tried to speak English before. And many of them have never seen a foreigner! It's odd to think that they'll always remember me when they think of the first time they saw an American. Needless to say there are some barriers to overcome before we can even think of correcting their grammar. Which is difficult for me, as my calling, or my interpretation of it, has more to do with teaching older children who presumably can already speak English. That's what makes this experience so important though.

Here I'm doing something that I'm not used to, in a place that I'm a stranger in. Even so, it's been quite the experience. Teaching this week has been a lesson in trial and error, with a healthy dose of persistence. When some idea doesn't work, we have to try another one. And repeat. Next week, which loams ever so close, we'll also be playing with kids at a local orphanage for a couple hours MWF, and working at Superkids during the leftover days. So there's not a dull moment here in Da Nang (except for today. I've been in my room for hours. Lazy sundays exist here as well).

Hopefully I'll be better at this in Da Nang. Lord knows you all deserve it. Check out the pictures coming up next! And comment with any questions that you have on them.

With love,

Chris