22nd of September, 2024.
Hitchhiking in Vietnam: Van Tho / Van Ninh
Kiman teaches English in a school nearby her house, and she gives private English classes for many students after school. She tells me she can have up to 80 or even 100 students sometimes. I am extremely surprised as this is a very remote and rural area of Vietnam. But she tells me that students from all the villages around come and join from time to time.
While we are chatting still outside her home, and I already explain everything to her, the students are getting all excited about me and keep giggling and shouting some shy “hellos”. So Kiman invites me to come over and say hi to them.
It is a very nice experience as I introduce myself and tell them about my travels and journey. I then try to teach them a little bit, by making all of them, one by one, say some sentences in English. They are nervous and shy but also super excited. The same for Kiman! Before the class is finished, I show them some of my juggling and they go nuts! I am so happy that, finally, I could find some use for my juggling skills.
As they are leaving, another students, for the next class and from another level, start to arrive already. Kiman firstly gives them some exercises from the book, so we can have some time to talk. I then can really explain everything to her, and while I am half way through, she already asks me if I can be a volunteer for her. I feel very tempted, as it seems it would be really nice to teach her students and to stay here with her and her mum in her lovely house. But as I explain to her, I have already committed myself to come to another project in a few days, so I cannot really stay. But I tell her that, if it’s OK for her and I can stay with her tonight, I can help her with the students of today’s and tomorrow’s classes, so at least they get to meet me. I can go to the beach in the morning, as she go to teach in the school, and then be part of some of her classes in the afternoon. She agrees and we are all happy!
The students are simply adorable! They are so happy, so excited and surprised with my presence, that I feel overwhelmed! In total, I am part of three different classes this afternoon, and in all of them, the students are superb! It breaks my heart that I was to find this opportunity only after I already had a place to volunteer. I would love to stay here!
After some very successful classes, one of the students asks me to sign his copybook, which triggers all the other students to do the same. All of a sudden, I feel like a celebrity, surrounded by dozens of children, signing their books as autographs. Laugh. It is a very touching moment, really adorable, as I feel like that really means something to them.
After the last class, one of the girls comes to me and gives me a lovely small notebook, and a pen! I am so touched by her gesture. She seems like a lovely girl and I ask her to sign up the notebook for me. Her name is Bui Le Nigor Tram.
Kiman’s mum is very sweet and she makes a delicious dinner for us, including what was to become the best omelet I would have in Vietnam. I then explain everything about Workaway to Kiman, and how she could have volunteers coming over quite often to help her. I also offer to help her with creating a profile and leaving her a feedback to help to accelerate the process of volunteers wanting to join her.
We get ready to go and meet some of her friends. What was quite exciting at first, turns into a nightmare soon. We come to this fancy resort, even though quite abandoned, right by the sea, and there are two groups of people only. Both groups are friends of Kiman. The first group we join it has a few ladies and some men, and they are all real-state buyers. We drink a few beers, eat a little bit, and it’s fun. After some time, Kiman asks me to come and talk with her friends from the other group, all men, and all police officers. I had this feeling that I shouldn’t, or that something bad would come out of it, and I was damn right.
They are all super drunk, and one of them, the oldest man, tells Kiman that I cannot stay with her tonight and I must go to a hotel. When I ask Kiman why is that, she says they are worried about her. The reasons actually keep changing, so I simply think it’s just bullshit! One of the young men at the table has a hotel and Kiman says that we can both come and stay there for free, as I tell her I don’t trust that guy. And I really don’t.
I get really disappointed with this situation, and I even cry a little bit. And I don’t even try to put on a poker face, I let it very clear to everyone that the night is finished for me, and that I am truly sad and disappointed.
Kiman keeps on trying to cheer me up saying that everything will be OK. Even her friends keep telling her that this is all bullshit but I can’t help but feeling miserable. When we get to her house, she says that we must just stay there, as nobody will come and check and there’s no problem. Apparently, her friends said the same thing. At first I think it’s better if I just camp somewhere outside, because I don’t want to put her in trouble, but later on, as she insists that everything will be alright, I decide to stay.
10 Years Around the World 