Traffic in Vietnam is insane on a good day, so you could imagine how it is on a day with pouring rain and no traffic signals. Surprisingly enough, i made it to school in one piece, regardless of the 4 intersections i had to navigate with no traffic lights. The traffic might have been a little better than usual, as everyone slowed down a bit due to the lack of electricity.
Luckily my University has their own generators, so i was able to turn on the lights in my classroom. By the time i got home, our power was back on, as were the precious ceiling fans! I am currently at an internet cafe, and its pouring rain, again. That's the rainy season for you!!
A good result of the rain and cold weather is that about half of my class did not show up this morning. I usually teach about 55 students at once, so it was a nice change to only have 30 or so. Teaching here is so unlike any classroom environment i ever experienced in the US, or France for that matter. Trying to get my students to answer a question, or raise their hand to volunteer, or to think independently is like pulling teeth. Today, after trying in vain to get more volunteers for a game i was trying to play, i taught my class the expression, "like pulling teeth." They thought that was hilarious! Usually i bring candy to class, my students respond well to bribes in exchange for participation.
The bright side, a few days ago i found a public pool right next to my school! It has about 6 lanes, 25m long, and it costs just 75 cents for a day pass! I didn't go today on account of the monsoon, but tomorrow for sure.
