It’s strange to think about celebrating Halloween in Vietnam, we don’t even celebrate it in South Africa, but hark! Behold! The Vietnam US Society decided an English Speaking Club for Halloween would be just what is needed to free all those language constraints and have the wee ones practicing their English in a “natural” environment.
Dutifully, being the good and student-conscientious teacher I am, I trotted around town on Saturday trying to find a costume, only managing to scrounge up a wizard’s hat and a glow-in-the-dark skeleton. The thing was, however, that I wasn’t working at the English Club, but only wanted to go take photos so it wasn’t actually such a big deal for me – there were two other foreign teachers who were the MCs on Saturday.
The Halloween itself was mind-numbingly boring. The activities sucked and were aimed at 5 year olds, not the 13-16 year olds that made up the brunt of the litter. Also, half way through, some Vietnamese guy (with no costume, mind you) decided it was his turn to run the show. He jumped on stage, grabbed a mike and started leading the kids in his own private, karaoke version of “The ghost says BOO!” – mind you all in Vietnamese.
This thunder-stealer carried on for a while, all the other MCs looking quizzically at each other, “like WTF?" and all the kids staring blankly ahead of them (this was probably the most Halloween-like part of the whole show – the kids’ zombie expressions). I reckoned this was all rather funny, but still went to the organizer and asked him to politely ask Mr Thunder-Stealer to A) Get off the stage and go home, kiss his darling wife good night and go tuck himself into bed or B) If he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the rest of us, at least start doing the English Speaking Club in English. But all Mr Organiser did was sigh and say: “Oh, I’m too tired”. “Rad,” said I and went home and felt sorry for everyone still left there.
Dutifully, being the good and student-conscientious teacher I am, I trotted around town on Saturday trying to find a costume, only managing to scrounge up a wizard’s hat and a glow-in-the-dark skeleton. The thing was, however, that I wasn’t working at the English Club, but only wanted to go take photos so it wasn’t actually such a big deal for me – there were two other foreign teachers who were the MCs on Saturday.
The Halloween itself was mind-numbingly boring. The activities sucked and were aimed at 5 year olds, not the 13-16 year olds that made up the brunt of the litter. Also, half way through, some Vietnamese guy (with no costume, mind you) decided it was his turn to run the show. He jumped on stage, grabbed a mike and started leading the kids in his own private, karaoke version of “The ghost says BOO!” – mind you all in Vietnamese.
This thunder-stealer carried on for a while, all the other MCs looking quizzically at each other, “like WTF?" and all the kids staring blankly ahead of them (this was probably the most Halloween-like part of the whole show – the kids’ zombie expressions). I reckoned this was all rather funny, but still went to the organizer and asked him to politely ask Mr Thunder-Stealer to A) Get off the stage and go home, kiss his darling wife good night and go tuck himself into bed or B) If he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the rest of us, at least start doing the English Speaking Club in English. But all Mr Organiser did was sigh and say: “Oh, I’m too tired”. “Rad,” said I and went home and felt sorry for everyone still left there.
2 comments:
Haha, sounds like a strange halloweeny experience bru. Btw. you look damn scary in your wizards hat and "cut open sack" cape looking thing. Halloween was pretty big here too, all the clubs were pumping with young good looking girls in skimpy halloween/fetish outfits. It is strange to see it taken so seriously, At home it is just like: "Yeah, halloween, nice one..." It was also the day that daylight savings time kicked in so the night was an hour longer than it should have been, extra sleep after a long night out, killer.
Haha, ja I can imagine - it must have been more like Christmas come early for you than Halloween - sounds good though. I know, back home it's all like: Yeah whatever...Halloween, bleh.
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