Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Lessons: English and Biology

Monday afternoon when we arrived at Tinh Khe Primary School, we were met by Ms. Luu who was obviously sick. "Today you are the teachers and I am the student." she announced. Yipes! We'd prepared to assist and here we were at the front of the class on our own. Well, the three of us managed to do in 35 minutes what Ms. Luu could do all by herself. I guess we got at least a passing grade in her notebook because she told us to do the next class also. Then she did the final two sessions, coughing all the time. A lot of students have been coughing also during the time we've been here - a bad virus going around.
Yesterday afternoon Ms. Luu had us teach all four sessions. I awakened early and sketched out an outline for us to follow - who would do what when. Ms. Luu only had to give the homework assignment at end and then she gave that to us too and said, "After opening of the fourth session, I will leave to go to the doctor." The students were polite and cooperative even after she left. We were so grateful that we were there to pitch in for her in a pinch. She really was sick enough she should be at home...but she's the only English teacher in the school.
Biology Lesson:
This morning we walked the beach as usual to the My Khe restaurant. On our way back we stopped to watch about twenty people pulling in a huge fishing net that had been set up about 50 yards off shore. Four or five men wearing life jackets swam out to the outside of the net while men and women on shore pulled the net slowly in. They not only pulled with their hands but attached a line around the net and hooked it to a belt on their waist so they could lean and put their backs into the pulling... Finally the net was ashore and we gathered around to see what they had caught: a small pile of various kinds of fish interspersed with squid. Suddenly, one of the squid released a powerful squirt of ink - hitting me on hand, blouse, and slacks. SO...does anyone know how to remove squid ink from clothing? I was able to blot the ink while still wet off my hand and when we got home I tried cold water and then rubbed soap on the spots. Waiting to see if that will work.

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