miss saigon!

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Saigon is fantastic!!! it's so beautiful and so crazy!! i've never had so much coffee and sun...we went to beach yesterday and got so sunburnt!! we felt so sorry for ourselves that we ended up getting our hair washed and massaged!! Jazz is still suffering from the panda effect and my leg is so painful and has that horrible dull ache!! 😊 but it doesn't detract from this awesome city!

i experienced the saigon nightlife on thursday night; the teachers at ILA are so fun to hang out with. they are teaching me lots in preparation for cambodia. i was allowed to watch an adults class yesterday and after my crazzy pilgrims experience, it was interesting to see the lesson slowed down. i also found out how small the world really is; one of jazz's friends used to be at school with tim (my housemate from second year!) I move halfway across the earth and still find friends and connections!

Sat in Jazz's office after being in a jumpstart lesson (ages 4-8!!!) we played head, shoulders, knees and toes and learn about colours. there are some really crazy kids that she has to teach at 7.45 on a saturday morning!! most of them were adorable but they reminded me of some of the wonderful kids my mum used to have at her nursery.
right now we are talking abut the ta's that jazz has in her lesson and the problem if classroom dynamics aren't right. kids are very quick and pick up on the most subtle of things. i'm really looking forward to teaching, i dont know if it'll be my career move but it will be a great experience to do it more longterm! i'm picking up tips all along the way!!! but jazz is such a natural, can think of things on the spot and think of interesting games to keep them entertained. hehe just had my schedule for when i get to the school on wednesday!! it's packed which is great; not only is shopping and resting scheduled in, but also a trip to see dolphins!!

i'm booked on to a trip tomorrow to see the cu chi tunnels outside saigon and then tuesday i'm travelling down the mekong and up into phnom penh. i'm loving the 'xe om' driving, which literally means 'saigon kiss' haha however most of them i would not like to be kissing!!!! i've fallen into two puddles and soaked my feet in smelly black gunk...i blame the slippy path rather than my inability to stand!! also had the infamous beir hui which has to be brewed and drunk in a very short amount of time!! omg it tastes like wee!! it's really horrible and shouldn't even be called beer. Apparently, because it doesn't have enough time to ferment, they have to top up the alcohol afterwards!!!!!!!!

we are now off to cholon which is the chinatown area. jazz has to teach again at 13.00 so i'll wander around and see some pagodas!! i've brought my book aswell so i'll probably have even more coffee and sit in the sun (but keep my leg covered!!) it's getting really hot and stuffy as the month progresses, but i did get to have my first hot shower today after 2weeks of cold, i can't get used to it though as the gueshouse in phnom penh only has cold showers...3months of hell 😊 !!

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