A typical day

I wake up at 6am. Sometimes I find it difficult to wake up, and let my alarm snooze for 10 minutes. After breakfast we (me and Majbrith) go down to the main road. Our private taxi driver waits for us at 7am. It takes 10-20 mins to drive to the Kindergarten, depending on the traffic.

I start my shift at 7.30am. I usually hang the children’s wet towels on the hanger. Each towel has the name of the child, so they don’t get mixed up, when they wipe their face or hands on them.

Afterwards I play with the children or talk to the teachers. They often ask about my family here in Vietnam, where they live, and how many relatives I’ve got here and in Denmark – and when I’m going to visit my village.

At 7.50 there’s morning exercise. It’s the same music and same routine every morning. I think it’s a good way to start your day with being a part of the social interaction, plus the children find it fun with using the pom pom during the exercise. The only downside I have to the exercise, it that the routine is designed by women, and the routines are quite girlie. I feel a bit sorry for the boys, when they have to shake their hips like the other girls….

7.30 am The children arrives to the Kindergarten

7.50 am Morning exercise (same music and same routine every single day)

8.05 am The children drinks soy bean milk

8.15 am Activities

8.30 am Teachings (the children are divided into two groups. The first group gets lessons, and the other group is in the playground. Approximately after 20 minutes, they switch groups).

10.30 am Lunch

11.15 am Nap time

2.00 pm The children wake up

2.30 pm Snack time (Mainly noodle soup - just a smaller portion than their lunch).

3.00 pm Drawing, piano or English lessons

4.00 pm Activities or playtime

4.30 – 5.00 pm Most of the children have been collected by their parents or grandparents. The parents usually spend a little time, talking to the teachers regarding their child/grandchild - what the children have been taught during the day etc.. The teachers also write notes on each pupils contact book, so the parents can be updated on their child’s development.

When they play, they have 4 options, were “learning by doing” is the main motive for each game:

· Grocery store – they get the understanding of the value of money, and speaking manners.

Drawings – they get the opportunity to express them selves via the drawings they’re making, plus they’re expanding their creativity.

Teacher and pupils – learning how to read, to become a good pupil. The children get the chance to become a teacher, so they can put them selves into the teacher’s role, and reflect on their own behaviour towards the teacher during the actual lessons.

Lego – most of them are very creative with building objects with the lego, in addition, they also strengthen their social skills.

One of the main goals of the Kindergarten, is to prepare the children to school, and to develop the children’s emotional and social skills.

When I'm off from work

We finish work at 4.45pm and typically return home at 5.30pm because of the rush hours. We have a house cleaner that comes twice a week, were she also cooks for all of us in the house. Those days we eat at home, otwerwise we eat on the street kitchens or at the restaurants.

I spend time on walking on the streets of Hanoi. I always manage to find a new street, with lots of interessting things. We go to the local store, or the local cafés and just hang out. Most of the times during the evening, we sit on the top floor and relax, talk about our day at work and our traveling plans while we're here in Vietnam.

During the weekends when it's boiling hot outside, we go to our local pool at Thang Loi Hotel. It's located away from the noisy traffic, and you can dip your body in the pool, when it's too unbearable in the heat! It's so peaceful there, that I sometimes get the feeling that I'm outside of Hanoi. I suppose I need that kind of peace and quiet, when I get so much impressions of being here in Hanoi, during working hours and in my spare time. The pool is a great way to chill, relax where theres no need for reflecting on what's going on around one self.