I don’t really like kids. Well, I guess that’s not totally true, because I teach them every day and you have to like them at least a bit if you’re going to teach them. What I mean is I wouldn’t like to have any kids of my own…just yet (or any time soon in the foreseeable future). They’re more energy-sapping then playing a full-length football match or a night stomping to Fuzigish or Dieselboy. They need constant attention and they demand it. All I hear every day is: “Teacher, teacher! Smackdown!”, or “Teacher, where you from?!” Everything about children is “need to know, need to be, and NOW”. It haunts my dreams…
But these kiddies in Vietnam are damn cute, though. Some of them are so small you can’t believe they’re not breastfeeding anymore and their parents have actually sent them to school. I have this little kid in one of my classes who looks like a lollipop – he has this tiny body with an oversized head and his mom gave him this huge backpack to carry so it looks like he’s actually stuck to his bag and not actually carrying it, but he’s really cute. Another thing is that most of these children have such a self-confident air about them. They strut their stuff without a care and when they see you coming down the road they jump at the opportunity to practice their limited English (“Hello, how are you? I’m fine” and then run away before you can reply).
Probably the most important of all – despite all the cuteness and naughtiness – they’re really smart and hardworking. I think sometimes their parents push them too hard, because, at a ridiculously young age – 6 or 7 – these kids have normal school, then in the evenings they have English classes and then do homework when they come home. They also have extra classes on the weekends and most of them go to English speaking club in the holidays.
But these kids are cool. I like them and I hope they like me. I think they like Christoff more because he always comes back from class covered in marker pen stains and when his students see him they shout “Teacher Chris! Teacher Chris!”. I’m gonna miss the John Cena/Rey Mysterio t-shirt clad buggers when I’m back in SA one day.
But these kiddies in Vietnam are damn cute, though. Some of them are so small you can’t believe they’re not breastfeeding anymore and their parents have actually sent them to school. I have this little kid in one of my classes who looks like a lollipop – he has this tiny body with an oversized head and his mom gave him this huge backpack to carry so it looks like he’s actually stuck to his bag and not actually carrying it, but he’s really cute. Another thing is that most of these children have such a self-confident air about them. They strut their stuff without a care and when they see you coming down the road they jump at the opportunity to practice their limited English (“Hello, how are you? I’m fine” and then run away before you can reply).
Probably the most important of all – despite all the cuteness and naughtiness – they’re really smart and hardworking. I think sometimes their parents push them too hard, because, at a ridiculously young age – 6 or 7 – these kids have normal school, then in the evenings they have English classes and then do homework when they come home. They also have extra classes on the weekends and most of them go to English speaking club in the holidays.
But these kids are cool. I like them and I hope they like me. I think they like Christoff more because he always comes back from class covered in marker pen stains and when his students see him they shout “Teacher Chris! Teacher Chris!”. I’m gonna miss the John Cena/Rey Mysterio t-shirt clad buggers when I’m back in SA one day.
4 comments:
Was julle by 'n kinderparty?
Hehe, cute kids dude. Hope none of them are yours.
Don't think so ;)
ag ek mis nou ook die kindertjies. het hulle al vir jou kaartjies gemaak? die beste is as kersfees of mens se bday kom en hulle daag op met die vreemdste arbste malste kaartjies met vlermuise op of whatever. ek het baie vreemde goeters gekry met xmas verlede jaar...
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