15th and 16th Mar

15th Mar

I didn’t have any plans today. In the morning, I spent time watching TV with host mother and father. They already retired their job and always at home.

After the quake, some of my friends in Japan and Newcastle sent message for me through Facebook. But the use of Facebook is restricted in this country. After the breakfast, I tried to open this web page but failed. According to my Japanese friend in here, Vietnam nation wants to prevent the people from absorbing a foreign philosophy. I’m not sure if this scheme is working, but it’s just inconvenient for me.

In the evening, I met some old students of the previous school in Hanoi. I’m glad that they still remember Japanese. They are my first students. Four years ago, I didn’t have any experiences. Moreover, I’m younger than the students. But they still call me ‘teacher’ and treat me with some respect.

16th Mar 

Today’s Plan … P.M. print out the questionnaire

9:00 @ Hang Da Market

This morning I met Mrs. Nimura and her friend who have worked at the school in Da Nang city for two years. We met at Hang Da market. This market was a local market which was famous for ceramic. It was always crowded, a little bit messy and bustling market before. But now it was rebuilt just like a modern department store. The people who were running a shop here before are now selling items in tents outside. It is shame that traditional-looking places are vanishing.

Mrs. Nimura’s friend was sent to Vietnam as a volunteer of Japan International Cooperation Agency. She gave me a lot of information about education for children with disabilities in Vietnam.

12:00@ Mrs. Nimura’s house

Mrs. Nimura served lunch for us. After eating lunch, we are glued to the news of nuclear accident in Japan for a while.

15:00@Photocopy shop

In the afternoon, I went to the photocopy shop to print out questionnaires. Although I printed out more than 500 pages, it costs only two pounds.