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Technology is a Tool, Not a Learning Outcome

October 26

10/26/2022

Fun stuff

We took a 2nd trip to Ba Na Hills this week. This time we didn't go on a tour, just got a ride from someone and bought tickets on the way. The fog was thick on the tram ride up and frankly I was scared. We got some pictures on the bridge but the fog was rolling in and out quite a bit. So we went on up to the French Village and Amusement Park. We went on a weekday and there were fewer people so less waiting than before on the weekend. We did some rides and stuff, then more rides, then the buffet, and more walking around. Last time we ate a different buffet of Asian foods. This time we ate at Arapang. It had a salad bar, soup bar, hot foods, cold foods, you name it! We tried the Indian dishes- delicious, the interesting choices- really good, and the good old fried chicken and smoked chicken…because Ga is my jam! Finally in the afternoon the fog burned off and we got some great pictures of the fall decor. We headed down to Golden Bridge and found the view much clearer, so more pictures. Then back down the cable car, this time in the clear. It was a great day and a lot of steps!

We of course walked to the beach a few days this week. Sunday afternoon we hung out as night fell and it was beautiful. The colors were amazing and I was so happy to sit and enjoy the calming sounds of the waves. There were more people than we normally see, due to the weekend. It was interesting to “people watch”. That was one of Granny Cricket's favorite activities. I remember going to the Greenville Mall with her just so she could watch people and we would make up stories about them. We stopped by and got a nighttime snack of lemon velvet cake. So good. We almost took an apartment in that building, and I am glad we didn't because that coffee shop calls me too often.

We also went to Mega Mart. Think Sam's or Costco. I finally found rice...but the bags are jsut a little bit too much for us to handle.

I am headed to Hanoi Friday and will hopefully meet more teachers, then to Singapore for EduTech Asia. I am excited to learn more…if you know me you know I love a good conference! I keep checking things on the agenda I want to go too and there is not enough time in the day! While in Hanoi we will also be touring sites and getting to know the city and its history. We are planning a Halong Bay cruise, deciding on a day trip or overnight, so many options. Some of it I am leaving up to Konstantin because it becomes overwhelming after a bit.

I cut Konstantin’s hair this week and am about to go line up the back. I do this at home too, so this isn’t new but it is always an adventure. We also found a delcious spot to eat...again. Dirty Fingers is a BBQ smokehouse and it is so good. He got steak and I got 4 sliders to try different meats. The pulled pork and brisket were good, but the pastrami and roast beef were PHENOMENAL. I even ordered an extra pastrami to bring home. I made eggs and pastrami for breakfast and pastrami sandwich for lunch. YUM.

My cousins Ki and Bryson have been keeping up the next generation family sports business. Ki is playing soccer in South Carolina and my parents have been going to cheer him on and play with his brother and sister. Bryson is playing football in Texas and his mom posts videos to Facebook to keep us updated. Their brother and sisters (Isaiah, Hadassah, and Adalyn) keep everyone on the sidelines entertained, too. Each year at Christmas the kids get a book and something to play with based on the book from us and my parents. This year they are getting Vietnam themed gifts this year, books about this area and stuff from here. I don’t think I am ruining a surprise…I am sure they have figured it out already…and then some are babies and they won’t be reading this anyway. My Duncan kids are growing up and that makes it a bit harder to shop for them…but they are readers and creatives so that helps.Rose is quite the designer and seamstress, Sky is a great cook, James is into fantasy, and Ysa is a sparkling unicorn kinda kid. Not sure what that will mean for their gifts but it makes it fun to find! I can not wait to see my Princess and buddies at Christmas this year! So many new babies! I get to meet Everest (who was born in the car last Christmas), Eleanor, Khalani, and I am not sure that Ember and Haven would remember since it has been a while since we have played together. I know Scientist Tula, Princess Katie, and Princess Willow remember but Jackson was little before so he probably doesn’t. I just got to see Winston and wish him a happy birthday. I video called mama and diddy and he was with them! I never know what he will look like when I see him, but I am always glad when he comes to town. It makes my Aunt Jackie and my mom very happy to see him. My sweet Macie is going as Elsa for Halloween. Her mom Emileigh sent pictures this morning and she is so cute! Last year she was not a fan of Santa so not sure how that will go this year. Last year she would just look away and say NO. Her fighting to get away is one of my cousin Sandy’s favorite pictures, mine too. At some point I have to get to the Ohio branch and meet all those beautiful babies, Sophia, Ellen Po, Niko, and Caroline. Aunt Ellen would be so proud of me and all of those great grands!

Work
I am creating my PD in SAMR for the school. I worked on lesson plans for STEM classes I am going to teach later this week also. It's fun to try and figure out what I can teach and explain. I'm going to use some sketchnoting, a little bit of tech, and hopefully a lot of fun. I have to alter my language to meet the needs of the students. I have lots of videos and images to share with them too, hopefully we can understand each other. I am doing natural and man made with 2nd grade, Drag and Parachutes with 4th grade, and Water Cycle in 5th grade. I always overplan, but that is how I work best. Here are my plans and slideshows, feel free to use and share!

The Fulbright Alumni Bus Tour came to visit me today, I was pretty excited to share what I'm working on and encourage more people to get involved. We did a sit down interview. We gave them a tour of the school and showed off my favorite room, the STEM room. The teachers showed off many of the projects and I got to share how I observed classes in Vietnamese, but knew everything going on because it is just like my class at home. I told them how important connections are for me and how I try to make those connections with students and teachers. I told them how my first grade teacher Ms Tutt (now Mrs O’Shields) dressed up as a scarecrow for Halloween and when we were out for PE she removed the hay from her shirt because it was itchy. I still remember that and we are friends on Facebook and she keeps up with me and what I am doing. I told them I had a wonderful music teacher in Mrs Hughes who continues to encourage me, and of course Coach SUmmey who kept telling mama to let me go. Coach, I don’t think she appreciates all the encouragement but I do! I told them about my DuncanChapel kids who I bought socks for and how we took off our shoes that day and walked around in the socks. I told them how I listened and gave advice to Lorin about grad school and how I am so proud of all of my kids throughout the years, like Esther who came back at the beginning of this school year and I got to learn all about her new life in DC. And of course I mentioned our Global Maker Day event and how I came to join them through connecting with Jaime Donally. Connections are what make our lives more meaningful and I am forever grateful for all of my education and life connections. They said I did well with the interviews and they never had to prompt and ask questions, I assured them my Advancement team at Hillel has me do these kinds of interviews so I am used to it! Thanks Ilana, Greg, Avi, and Valerie for all the practice! I also talked about how Monica and Craig encouraged me to apply and believed in me when I wasn’t so sure about this. And how Monica and I were on the phone when I got the email telling me I was accepted and how we both kinda freaked out about it and then Monica said call your mom! You can follow the bus on their Instagram alumbus_crew_2022 or on Facebook you can follow the US Embassy in Hanoi to see the interviews.

I am firming up how to share my observations and learning, but still working through that. I want to create a place where teachers can share ideas and resources that can continue after my time here is complete. I'm wrapping my head around how that would look and work. If you have suggestions I would love to brainstorm with you!

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October 19 It has been a month already!

10/19/2022

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And the rains came

So it is the rainy season in Central Vietnam. Much like our home in South Florida when the rains come they bring lots and lots of water in a sometimes short amount of time. This leads to flooding. And we saw this first hand this past weekend. All day rain and rain and rain and by night our street had water standing as high and overflowing the sidewalks. I'm sure the tides added to it for our neighborhood as well. The weather kept us inside for a few days this week.

We walked to the beach Sunday and saw lots of debris, some uprooted trees, and a few sinkhole areas. Overall not too bad in An Thuong but other areas were hit worse. We saw pictures in the various Facebook groups we are in that showed higher floods that covered roadways and entered houses. Several of the motorbikes were underwater and lined up to be serviced. One underpass we have traveled on many occasions was covered almost to the top of the bridge. We read there was at least one death here in DaNang. Hue and HoiAn also had flooding, the two areas we visited over the last few weeks. What is truly amazing is seeing how quickly they are able to clean up and get people back to work and fun. We watched some heavy machinery on the beach moving tree limbs and other things that had washed up off the beaches.

There are more rains predicted for this week, so we went to the grocery store to grab some food in case it is too much to go out. We went to LotteMart. It is 5 levels with restaurants, movie theater, arcade, pharmacy, clothing/home store, and groceries. They have escalators that you push your cart onto and ride up with it. It's a little freaky that ride. It is a treat to visit the store with all of the traditional Vietnamese foods alongside Korean, American, Chinese, and more.

Our neighborhood is truly an eclectic mix of people and places. We found Athena Souvlaki this week and met the owner. She is Vietnamese and lives above the restaurant. She said before covid she looked around and saw lots of hamburger places and pizza and other food, but didn't see any Greek. So she hired a chef/teacher from Greece who came over and taught her recipes and cooking techniques. During covid they closed and went to Dubai, but they are now back and opened back up just this weekend. We had delicious lemon chicken soup, hummus, feta, and more. It was a delight!

We also visited Shamrock Sports Bar and had shepherd's pie. My nephew Dillon loves shepherd's pie. His daughter Macie spent the week with my sister, her Granny. They sent me loads of pictures and a video from my sweet great niece telling me all about her visit to Papa's work where she saw trains and then went to the park and played with grandma and grandpa, my parents. She is such a delight and loves my parents almost as much as they love her. I bought her a traditional Vietnamese outfit the other day and I hope it fits.
We also had a meatball banh mi this week. We have tried several Vietnamese dishes, but I haven't found anything yet that makes me crave that dish. Except the bread from the banh mi now that was a delicious fluffy treat.
And to round out our international food tour, we tried Korean BBQ for the first time. We had delicious steak and all that stuff that comes with it. I tried a little, but not all of it. Konstantin of course loved most of it.

We do a lot of walking around the neighborhood to see what is where. We finally found an area of restaurants I have seen on the Facebook groups yesterday. Another pizza place, couple of Mexican themed restaurants, and the Happy Heart. I was so excited to try their chicken club sandwich. I am a big fan of sandwiches and you don't find a lot of sliced meats around Vietnam. I was thrilled with the bread. It was so delicious! And the cinnamon roll was outstanding. I want to go back and try so many other items on the menu!
If it sounds like all we do is eat…well welcome to the Roper family favorite pastime. My Granny Cricket (mom's mom) would ask “Where we going for lunch?” while eating breakfast. Konstantin says in Pickens we are either eating or talking and planning our next meal.

Work work work work work (humming Rihanna)

It's not all play, just like 90%. As I am working and writing about the SAMR model framework (learn more) for technology integration I am learning more and challenging my own thinking. I have never been a full on diehard gotta use tech all the time. I always advocate for thoughtful and purposeful technology use. Some of my personal challenges with SAMR are the ladder visuals people use. It always makes it sound and looks like you should be striving for the top. Thankfully I found some pushback on that concept that matches what I perceive. Instead the research I am looking at now places it on a horizontal continuum, thus not ranking them as better and worse. I know most of you have no clue what I'm talking about but no worries, I will post my paper here for you to learn more soon! If you want to provide feedback on my paper, I would love it. Email me nancypenchev@gmail.com and I will share it with you!
I met with my advisor here at Skyline and shared my feedback on what I have been observing in their classes and how it applies to my SAMR research. She was excited to learn about the levels of SAMR and now I am planning a PD for teachers on SAMR and will be teaching a STEM model lesson next week. I am excited to share ideas and build more connections with teachers here.

I have reached out to schools around the country of Vietnam to see if I can come visit. I've made connections with teachers through social media who are eager to help as well. I am still envisioning my final product of what I will do with this learning. I had a solid idea but the more time I spend here, the more I wonder if that is the way to go. But I have time to figure it out so it's all good.

I am meeting with my Fulbright advisor Dr Miller who is at Appalachian State next week to share where I am in my journey and see what he has to say about my direction. He always helps me take a deep breath and refocus. I did several ISTE proposals before the due date, including one about SAMR and one about grants, awards, and opportunities like Fulbright that teachers can take advantage of to learn and grow. I think it is vitally important for teachers to get out in the world and see what others are doing and share their successes and missteps as well. The smartest person in the room, is the room…so you gotta put yourself in the right rooms!

Global Maker Day

I was so excited to be a part of Global Maker Day again this year. It is the first time I haven't presented with students from Scheck Hillel, but I loved everything I got to learn about and I am bring back ideas! This year we were hosted live at Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, SC! I was so jealous because that is right near my parent's house and I went to college in Greenville and started my teaching career there. however when 2:55pm came around and the organizing team on site ate crickets...nah I was glad to be sitting in Vietnam at 1:55am! I ran the Padlet and jumped in to chat as needed during the day long learning event. You can head over to our website and see the videos and challenges and be inspired to get started making! And look out Ki and Tula and my other cousin kiddos this summer we are headed to Roper Mountain to check out their amazing new dinosaur exhibit and more!

Adventures to come

We are still in the planning stages of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, and Pleiku. I have reached out to teachers and schools and had a few respond. Looking forward to more destinations and learning! The IREX/Fulbright staff have approved my request to attend EduTech Asia in Singapore in November. I am excited to check it out and learn from amazing presenters around Asia (learn more). I am searching flights and hotels as I am getting all of this blog together.

My Aunt is Pretty Amazing

I told you about my cool cousin Dixie hiking Mt Kilimanjaro a couple weeks back and today let me tell you about my Aunt Jackie. She is 79, 80 in January and plays senior Olympic softball around the country. She was in Florida in May for a tournament that I happily got to watch her play in and just won a tournament in Myrtle Beach this weekend. My mom is the youngest of 5 kids. Deda and Ellen came along first then the second round of kids Jackie, and then 18 months later Jerry & Jean the twins came along. Don;t get Jackie and mama started on their poor me stories about only being the baby for a little bit until the twins came and the poor brown haired twin who didn't look like her brother. It’s a whole family thing we love listening to, along with the lightning strike and 12 second doughnut.

Not as many pictures this week due to the rain and us not traveling over the weekend...but still some cutie pies!

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Week 3...It is going too fast!

10/12/2022

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Surviving and Thriving

Ever had one of those moments that you feel like is a defining moment in your life, where you can survive it or find a way to thrive through it? That was my Thursday. I take Grab to work, Vietnam’s version of Uber. My phone couldn’t find a connection once I got downstairs to meet the driver, luckily I had arranged my ride from the apartment. Somehow the driver was taking me opposite of where I was supposed to be going. I couldn’t use my translator or the app to tell him. I finally was able to get him to give me his phone and I put my school in the maps and he was able to get me there right on time as we were going to a different campus that day. Stressed is just a small word compared to how I felt. I was in this foreign environment not able to clearly communicate and in that moment I felt myself shutting down. But I couldn’t give up, so I powered through and ended up fine. I am able to calmly solve a problem and make everything work out. Whew!

Work

I have spent this week visiting different campuses for Skyline. It has been very interesting to see the differences. As in most city areas, land is a premium so the schools build up. I remember in my freshman year at Anderson University I had a roommate from Japan, and she was amazed that the buildings were only 2 stories and the campus was so wide. Now I see why. The schools here are 5 to 6 stories and all the kids move up and down the steps, including the babies! I also got to visit the campus called the school in the forest. My guide at the school, Teacher Brady, said they take it even further to say the school in the forest and forest in the school.
This campus is in a rural area that has trees surrounding it and throughout it. The students actually team up to plant trees, giving them a personal investment in the school. While the student numbers are low currently, because of the newness of the school location, they have built for the numbers they want, not the numbers they currently have. They have a kindergarten building for the youngest students, a primary building, a secondary building, and a building that houses the arts, library, and lunchroom. I loved their ambitious building plan to create space that would work for the future. They have a garden area that students tend to. They then eat from the garden and take the peelings and leftover food to use as compost.

My visit to the Hill Campus coincided with a middle school field trip to that campus. The students did an experiential visit to the forest and learned to cook using a fire. I tried a sweet potato roasted over a fire. A little sandy but delicious. In the afternoon they did science experiments, bending chicken bones with fire and acid. They built cars and tried to have them move with baking soda and vinegar as “gas”. It was smelly but fun. They also used measuring tape and stopwatches to measure how fast and far wind up cars would move. The students were very excited and a little exhausted on the way back to our home campus.

I was able to meet with the STEM chair for the Skyline schools at the Hill campus. I got to see their program and how they are integrating STEM in the schools. It was very similar to what we do at Scheck Hillel. They use Lego robotics, Scratch, Makey Makey and many other programs. They lead their students in discovering, making, and competing in STEM contests. I shared our programs, tools, and how we approach STEM learning. We talked about Science and STEM integration for my class and how our middle school has STEM as an elective and in high school it is a competitive class you have to apply for and they do competitions. I explained my personal philosophy with facilitating learning, supporting kids as they work and discover, and finding student passions. This is just another example of how even though we are separated by many miles, we have similar ideas and programs.

Speaking of similarities, I emailed our Scheck Hillel ECE teachers to tell them of how I was watching a group of toddlers, around 2 year olds. The teachers were trying to get them lined up and as soon as they got two kids in line they would go to get more, while the first two wandered off. It was very reminiscent of the herding cat videos.

I was also able to observe some STEM classes this week. They are taught in Vietnamese so while I didn't understand the words being used I understood everything being taught and practiced in class. I saw 5th graders making hinges, 4th graders making marionettes, 6th graders building catapults, and 8th graders building model homes. The design process is the same in any language…build, try, adjust, try again, repeat. The students happily showed me their projects and were very proud of what they had managed to build. I was very impressed. The school uses a STEM curriculum from Arizona State University. They have so many great opportunities for productive struggle and learning from what doesn’t work. I watched a couple of Science/English lessons this week that also incorporated STEM and MAKER concepts. The kids were making percussion instruments to go along with their Sound lessons. I saw this in action through different grades and different schools and it was such a joy to see kids exploring and having fun while learning! Speaking of MAKER, Global Maker Day is October 18 and you can learn with students from all over the globe! This is my favorite day of the year, as it is student directed and led. Kids showcase their maker projects and encourage others to just MAKE! You can learn more and sign up by visiting https://www.globalmakerday.com/.

Exploring

We took a couple of afternoon trips to the beach this week. As we walked we saw beautiful sites, and also some sad things. We saw a few dead fish along the shore right alongside trash. A true beauty and the beast situation. My 5th graders are doing projects about water soon, so I will be sharing these pictures with them as a problem with water they could focus on in their work. We stayed about a minute too long and got soaked as the heavens opened up. It is the rainy season after all. Another day we took off to our beach two blocks away from our apartment. I wrote and researched for an hour and then decided I deserved a treat! So off to the beach for a Dragon drink (orange juice, pineapple juice, and coconut milk) and so Chicken and Cheese balls. So good!

Weekends are our time to explore more of Vietnam beyond DaNang. We visited MySon on our way to Hoi An (learn more). It has ancient ruins and amazing brickwork. We got to watch a cultural show with music and dancing that was very interesting. The atmosphere is very calming…until the mosquitoes come. It is quite a walk into the woods as well but we'll be worth the trip. I.did appreciate the electric vehicle transport to the walk area. I appreciate the transport as well as the use of sustainable transport to help save this beautiful environment. I know my tree hugger cousin Laura would appreciate this part too! I took pictures of the structures in MySon and sent them to show my Uncle Richard. He was a brick mason before retirement and I know he appreciates good brickwork that lasts for so many years.

Hoi An is a truly magical spot (learn more). We went to experience the full moon lunar lantern festival. I was able to purchase a lantern for 5,000 dong and set it floating in the river. The best part was mom and diddy were with us! I was able to connect to local wifi long enough to video call them and take them on a walk down the riverside. We took selfies, they laughed at Konstantin becoming a fruit seller, and saw the lantern being set into the water. This journey was to honor my dad and being able to have them with us along the way is so important for me. Thanks Whatsapp! If you are traveling to this area, you have to download Whatsapp. It allows you to communicate back home and most of the country here uses it to text and call as well.

We stayed at the Hoi An Ancient House Spa and Resort. It is a long and windy journey through the hotel to your room. You pass a beautiful pool and gardens on the way. They have an excellent restaurant and a fun pool table in the bar! It is a great location, close enough to Old Town and the explorations, but far enough away that you can enjoy the serenity of being in the midst of frogs croaking. I would highly recommend this hotel if you are visiting Hoi An.

I brought several dresses with me that are just a bit too long. I knew from our research that Hoi An is famous for its tailors so I figured I could get them hemmed there. We found a wonderful tailor to do my adjustments and I even had a custom dress made for me! Mimi is an excellent designer and her team is so fast! I stopped in one evening and the next day at lunch it was ready to try on! I loved the design and the fabric, which was so hard to choose from because I wanted them all! Michaela, also known as the perfect one, is my baby cousin who is getting married. Mimi assured us she can do wedding dresses too, so Michaela here ya go!

Hoi An has many twists and turns throughout the village with hidden alleyways. It was fun to pop down one alley and end up in a completely new area…or find a connection to an area we had already explored. We found the Vietnam version of Dipping Dots…another Michaela reference here. When the Greenville Braves were our team, and Michaela was 3, Erin sold Dipping Dots at the stadium and she would put a rainbow flavor back on nights she knew Michaela was coming to games. That connection has lasted way past the team’s leaving. Erin still send Michaela Christmas ornaments and birthday cards…over 20 years now. Thank you Erin for loving our girl!

We enjoyed street food, pizza, and pineapple drinks. I have been drinking more pineapple juice these days in Vietnam. It is so good and refreshing in the heat of the day here. Konstantin found a spa, there were 100s, and was able to get a good deal on a foot massage and deep tissue body massage. He comes out in pain, but says it is a good pain. I am such a sucker for street vendors. We bought so many souvenirs and some treats for ourselves too. And wouldn't you know it…Konstantin found one of a handful of Bulgarians in Vietnam!

We managed to find a cool hangout spot called Chic Chillax on the outskirts of Hoi An. It had a nice crowd for a Sunday morning/brunch time. They had a cow just hanging out and a pond with ducks. I sent Michaela a video, man she is in this episode a lot. Michaela is a rancher these days and I sent her a video recommending she open a little coffee spot in her cow fields…and I sent a video to her mom Sandy who has Farm 159 in Dacusville, SC. The Farm has become my parents favorite spot to relax and fish. Sandy and Mike have this lovely spot they rent out for family reunions, weddings, and other events, as well as a tiny house you can rent on AirBnB. Every time I get to visit they have added more to the location and it is wonderful. I suggested they build a walkway like at Chic Chillax and some over the pond hammocks. Not sure how they could do it, but it would be cool!

Hoi An has a long history and many different cultures represented in its history. They have strong links to Japan, France, and China. One of the cultural sites you can visit and take beautiful pictures of is the Japanese Covered Bridge. It is super popular, so expect a crowd, but the architecture is beautiful. Other things to do in Hoi An include taking a ride on a boat down the river, going to the hugely popular night market, and the coconut basket boats (learn more). We didn’t get to go on a coconut boat this time, rainy season storms kept us from getting everything done we wanted, but it is only 35 min or so from our apartment here in DaNang so we can definitely go back another day. We took a night trip to Cua Dai Beach for some beautiful sunset photos while in Hoi An. Night in Hoi An is a beautiful time, from the Old Town to the beach it is just charming!

And sometimes you just need a taste of home…and I found an Adobo Mexican restaurant! It is a bit like Chipotle and SOOO good! We met the owner who just opened the place after deciding the one thing he missed from home was Chipotle. He is from Michigan and was backpacking through pre Covid and decided to stay. It is a couple blocks over from us. He had a good laugh at my happy dance at the first bite. So good!!!

This weekend I told Konstantin I need a break from the run, run, run of exploring. We are going to do some beach time here in DaNang and see what else we can discover about our own town! Maybe back to the Dragon Bridge show, a few markets around, and some rest. My blood sugar has improved so much here. Ya know it is weird how eating better and doing more exercise can have that effect…but I also have had lows. That is definitely new. So this weekend we are going to still walk around, see things, and play…but also take some time to reset mentally and physically.

Alright friends and family and complete internet strangers…thanks for reading. As always please ask questions, give suggestions, and let me know what you think! You can comment here or email me nancypenchev@gmail.com.

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Blog Post 2

10/5/2022

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Venturing to Vietnam October 5, 2022
Welcome and thanks for reading about my adventures in Vietnam. I am incredibly blessed to be able to participate in this Fulbright DA program and I will be eternally grateful for being chosen. As a reminder I update this blog each Wednesday. Please forgive any typos I am often writing on my phone, iPad, and laptop … sometimes all at once. I go back and edit and read many,many times but mistakes happen.

Work

So my goal in visiting Vietnam is to learn how schools are using technology in the classroom. My research before arriving talked about the number of EdTech companies located in Vietnam and the ways technology had been effectively implemented in the classroom. So far in my observations and discussions I discovered that, much like American schools, Covid provided a challenge for teachers and schools. Deciding how to start, what tools to use, and how to provide support was a challenge…the discussions were very reminiscent of our time struggling through the same problems.

I have been able to observe classrooms from Kindergarten through High School at my host school, Skyline Global Campus. They have multiple schools and I am visiting each of them this week. It has been such a joy to see kids excited about learning. I have learned along with students in Math, Science, English, and more. Hearing “Hello Teacher Nancy” will never get old. Tuesday I met a 1st grader named Kayla and got to show her pictures of my cousin KK and her baby Eleanor. They oohed and ahhed over baby Eleanor, just like my students back at Hillel did when she was born. Not gonna lie, one math class had me struggling to remember the Pythagorean Theorem from my Pickens High School days and I was not doing well, but the students were amazing. I saw an amazing English lesson where kids were using graphic novels to learn vocabulary and practice their English skills. It is from the Cambridge curriculum. I was impressed with the historical concepts taught in this context and it made me wish we had some graphic novels for our Social Studies curriculum. Today I sat in class for math, Language, and English focusing on the steps of research. It was ironic to listen to then discuss the steps of research as I am observing them for my own research.

I was excited to see teachers and admin using Canva! In Science the teacher shared a Canva template for their lesson and student groups filled in their learning and presented it to the class. They use it for creating signs, posters, and more. We also talked about Nearpod and how it helped them during Covid and since returning as well. When you make a good product it translates to use all over the globe! I have happily used these products as well and can not stop singing their praises. I am a Nearpod Pioneer and if you would like to try it out for free I have a 6 month Gold code! Email me nancypenchev@gmail.com.

I ate traditional foods with the teachers and tried some local fruits. I told the team here about my Princess Nancy Tea Parties back home with my cousins Willow, Katie, and Ember and how I brought Dragon Fruit and Rambutan for them to try. Our next Princess tea party will be so much bigger with all the new kids in the Roper family! Maybe I can find some Vietnamese fruits back in South Carolina!

I learned that because of the tropical nature of Vietnam they have many amazing fruits that don’t grow in America, and different species of fruits we don’t have as well. Here there are many different kinds of mango from sweet to sour! I am not normally a brave eater, but I did try several things and loved it! (learn more) I ate the biggest grape I have ever seen and it was delicious. They shared a spicy salt they dip apples and other fruit in. It was so good! And I even found Clifford the Big Red Dog in the library and immediately sent the picture to my cousin Cliff back in South Carolina.

I was able to visit a Makerspace/STEM room at the Beach campus this week and saw some amazing projects. There were parking garages, buildings, bridges, and even shoes! I loved checking out the students in dance class and PE, too. The design of each school is a bit different. As a teacher in South Florida where rainnstorms come out of nowhere I loved the indoor playspace for kinder and covered playground. I'm impressed with Skyline's commitment to water safety. Each of their schools have a pool for swimming lessons as part of the school day.

Fun

Part of the Fulbright program in the exploration of the area and cultural exchange through travel. We are fully taking this to heart as we explore Vietnam and the beautiful country. We ventured over to the Lady Buddha statue this week. (learn more) This is the tallest statue in Vietnam and I heard that since it was built Da Nang has not been directly hit by a serious typhoon. There are beautiful trees, a gorgeous view, and very peaceful places to reflect. And there are monkeys. I saw one grab a pouch of food out of a trashcan and start to eat with a fork and another grabbed a coffee cup from a recycling bin and tried to drink it. I kept a watch out because nope, not for me. And perhaps the most surprising part this week was finding Dr Pepper in my corner market. Now Michaela and Sandy can come visit!

This weekend we went on a trip to Hue City. We took a local transportation van for the 2 ish hour ride at about $9 each person. Thanks Facebook for helping us find this gem. We got to see lots of the city and countryside on the journey. We even saw water buffalo, which made me so excited. My dad was in Vietnam during the war. This was my main reason for wanting to come here. Back about 10 years ago we had planned to come together with mom to see Pleiku and experience Vietnam in a positive way. I didn’t have enough money then to make it happen and now he has Alzheimer’s and is not comfortable traveling. But he has been with me every step. We talk and video call almost daily. I walked them around the neighborhood last night as we came back from groceries. I was worried he may obsess over this trip and worry about me, causing his illness to progress, but he has done well so far. Before we left mom said they were watching tv and out of nowhere he said, “You know she is going to see water buffalo over there”. The fact I finally saw them and could send him a picture made me so excited. Alzheimers is a strange and heartless disease that destroys your heart along with their mind. My sister fights by having family dinner each week where her sons, daughter in laws, and granddaughter get together to eat with my parents. My dad is so funny to watch with my niece Macie. He loves that girl and will get his 70 year old body on the floor and crawl all over with her. “GaPa play wif me” and off they go. We are building memories so when he can no longer remember, we can remember for all of us. Wow that took a bit of a heavy turn…back to the fun!

We toured the Citadel, a museum, and several tombs. Hue is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (learn more) I get excited about the strangest things here, one of which was a mahjong table belonging to the mother of the King (I think). I immediately thought of my former colleague Rose Joh and how she was excited to retire so she could play more. As I travel through Vietnam I find myself making these connections to home, like the Citadel here reminded me of the Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine. I walked 8.36 miles on Saturday and just under 3 on Sunday.

We took the brand new double decker bus tour around the city at night to see the bustling markets and communities. The Big Red Bus just started in Hue in September. While it is a staple in bigger cities around the US, it is still a novelty here and we were the only people on the day trip and one of two families for the night trip. They had a great audio tour that explained different locations around the city as we passed. The tour was available in several languages, which is helpful for this tourist spot. They have dragon boats that take you along the Perfume River down the center of Hue. This is the traditional hop on hop off method of getting around the city. But I tend to get motion sick on boats so this time we opted for the bus. Next time I will try to find dramamine to take so I can do the boat.

We stayed at the Thanh Lich Royal Boutique Hotel for around $35. It came with a free breakfast which we totally took advantage of. Well Konstantin did anyway. Fish balls, fried rice, all kinds of delicacies. I focused more on the egg fried rice and pastries. It was in a great location with many restaurants nearby where I got to try an amazing fried chicken dish. Konstantin was surprised I already knew Ga was Vietnamese for Chicken, but let’s be honest it was the first word I learned. I needed to know my favorite food. We also ate at another local spot, Morning Glory Hue, across from the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. The sticky rice and beef was a bit spicy but very good. Konstantin enjoyed this tomb as he got to become an emperor himself. I made friends with the snack shop lady who was at first concerned that he may have left me until I explained he takes a lot of pictures. She was impressed with his picture in the emperor costume and said he was very handsome. I got the best book here too about Vietnamese folktales and legends. It is in English and Vietnamese and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about why ducks stand on one foot at night among other stories. We also visited the very step-heavy tomb of Khai Dinh and the serene lakeside tomb of Minh Mang. I even found a Harry Potter store that I knew my cousin Ally would love.

The Best Part

We have met wonderful people along the way, from hotel employees to drivers to tour guides who have been gracious in our struggle to communicate and have been so kind to ensure we had the best experiences. Our waiter at the local Butcher shop was a great help in discovering more about the foods and spices in this country. The tour guide in Hue who was helping another tourist but stopped to speak with us as well and find out about our travels. Our driver in Hue who was very concerned about us not having babies and who video called his kids to show us his babies. Our amazing apartment staff here at HB Plus in Da Nang who have gone out of their way to make sure everything is working and we are happy here. Our amazing realtor who showed us so many options for places to live and was so patient and kind. I highly recommend Trieu Pham if you need help finding a place in the area. The teachers and my advisor at Skyline School here in Vietnam have been wonderful and welcoming. I know it must be hard having some strange person visiting your class and you do not know what they are doing and thinking, but they have been wonderfully accepting and kind.

What’s Next

This weekend we plan to visit the next town over Hoi An. We will be checking out the lantern festival and the town. I am visiting more schools and observing more classrooms. I am meeting with their STEM director and giving them feedback on what I have seen. And after that? Well … Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Pleiku, and more explorations. More classroom observations and planning some time to show teachers some of what we do in classrooms.

I just found out about an EdTech conference in November in Singapore. I am hoping to check it out and make more connections across Asia!

Any suggestions? Have you been to Vietnam or wanted to come and have a suggestion for a place to visit, a food to try, or connections within the country? I would love to hear about it! You can email me nancypenchev@gmail.com or leave a comment on the blog. Feel free to share my blog with anyone you feel would benefit or who could help me make more connections in the country. I am looking for more schools to visit and teachers to connect with, all help is appreciated!

My Cousin is Cooler Than Your Cousin

My cousin Dixie climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last week at age 66. The tallest mountain in Africa at 19,341 feet above sea level and the highest free standing mountain in the world. In 2020, at age 60, she did the 52 mile hike of rim to rim to rim at the Grand Canyon…28 hours of nonstop hiking. She completed the hike to raise money for a cause near and dear to our family. She and her son Winston run a charity called Wheels to Africa that helps get bikes for people in Tanzania and other places. The bikes help kids and adults get to school, work, and get needed medical care. I am always amazed and proud of their work. You can find out more and get involved at https://wheels-to-africa.org/.Dixie is trying to find a time to visit me in Vietnam in October/November and I hope she makes it over!

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Nancy Penchev
2022-2023 Fulbright DA- Vietnam participant

The author of this publication/website/blog/etc. is a participant of the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program (Fulbright DA), a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. The views and information presented are the participant's own and do not represent the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Program, or IREX.

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