Ms. Hien is a wonderful teacher. She is kind and generous with her time and always goes the extra mile to support her students. I had the good fortune of co-teaching a Speaking & Listening course with Ms. Hien this semester. Ms. Hien taught me a lot about teaching in Vietnam and served as a helpful guide whenever I had questions. Earlier this week, I interviewed Ms. Hien to learn more about what led her to become an English teacher.
Le Do Thanh Hien was born in Dong Thap province, located in the Mekong Delta. Ms. Hien informed me that her hometown is "famous for rice and basa fish (a type of catfish)." After her plan of studying in Ho Chi Minh City didn't work out, Ms. Hien moved to Can Tho to study English at the regional university. Ms. Hien explained that "teaching English was not my wish or desire coming into university." However, "tuition is free for all students studying English Education and I was motivated to help my family save money." After graduating from Can Tho University, Ms. Hien worked as an interpreter at a company that manufactures hearing aids. She only lasted six months at the company, citing a poor work environment as the main reason for quitting her job. This experience led Ms. Hien to reconsider teaching as a suitable career.
Despite her initial doubts about teaching, Ms.
