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Teaching English in Vietnam



Darren spent a morning teaching English to Vietnamese kids when he was in Central Vietnam!


“It’s alarming what you’ll agree to after a few beers in a bar. I was on the last day of a Vietnam trip and I was in the seaside town of Nha Trang. I’d seen so much of Vietnam over the past week or so that I was planning a relaxed evening of good food and plenty of beer – not difficult in Vietnam! I’d dined well, with scrummy spring rolls for starters and local seafood for a main course, and was now looking for a few beers to finish off the evening.


I’d been recommended a local bar called the Crazy Kim Bar, named after the larger than life owner, Kim. The beer was cold and cheap (as it always tends to be in Vietnam!) but the Crazy Kim Bar was slightly different to the other bars in Nha Trang. During the day, Kim ran classes for local street kids, where visitors could spend a few hours teaching English to them – no experience needed. I signed up on the spot!


Early next day and I was back in the bar, this time at the classrooms at the back. Kim met me, plus two other volunteers, to explain what to expect. My class was a slightly older group, and as most had been attending the classes for a little while, they’d passed the basics. I had around 20 kids in my group for the two hour class – they each had a text book (paid for from the sale of t-shirts and other items in the bar each evening) and we were on Chapter 17. They seemed more interested in their new teacher, though – where was I from, how old was I, did I like Vietnam, which football club did I support, and who was going to win Vietnamese Pop Idol?


Clearly, supporting Crystal Palace didn’t go down too well (note to self – when asked about football in the Far East next time opt for Liverpool or Manchester United and you can’t go too far wrong), and although I’d caught a bit of Vietnamese Pop Idol in a bar in Dalat earlier in the week, I could barely remember what they’d been singing, let alone who was who!


My class and I spent a most enjoyable morning chatting about any subject they wanted to chat about – I did try every so often to stick to the textbook, but either my teaching skills are a little lacking or it was a particularly boring chapter.


The class asked about me and I asked about them – I’d like to think they learnt a little English and a little about me, and I certainly learnt a lot about Vietnam and about the group – all in all, a most memorable – and different – experience. If you find yourself in Nha Trang, look out for the Crazy Kim Bar!”



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