Being a teacher is a lot of hard work. I spent many hours of the day teaching, planning lessons and grading assignments. I think that my students have helped me the most with integrating into the community. During the second week of class, I invited an entire class to come and eat dessert with me. I thought only a few would show up. However, the entire class of 22 students showed up. We ate bowls of delicious jello and ended our time together with a walk in the park.
Some students have invited me to their homes and to festivals. My third-year student Chinh, her young neighbor and I went to the Mid-Autumn Festival. This event takes place in September each year in Vietnam. During this time, you can see many people dressed in traditional clothing. This festival focuses on celebrating the moon, friends, family and good harvests. I was honored to attend the community celebration with my student. I even met her family that night.
As of January 2019, I have been in Vietnam for five full months. I now call my apartment "home," and I feel less alone and nervous than I did when I first arrived. I think that I will feel even more like a member of Lang Son's community over the next couple of months.
