Smiling

I apologise for the lack of photos on the blog so far, I will add a few more later of the flat. Weve adjusted so quickly to being here that we havent been taking as many!
I taught my first lessons yesterday- the first was quite difficult as it was 3 naughty boys and it was their final lesson- and the first time they met me. The second was 3-5 year olds who were so adorable. They were a lot of fun. We played games and danced and did animal moves. They were really delightful. The only trouble is that the lessons are 1.5 hours long, which is okay for the 7+ group but so long for the little ones, especially as a lot of them are already at regular school all day first. But it was a good introduction.
While I was teaching yesterday Hugo went wandering around the area where i work. Its amazing how you dont have to go far outside of the tourist area of Hanoi to really get a more local feel. Most people dont see that- they only see what is presented to them. Hugo sat and had tea with a security guard who offered the hot drink in exchange for a short english lesson. And said he hasnt been so stared at for a long time. There is a technique when going around these areas, as we suddenly become a novelty outside the tourist hub. A brief nod and/or a smile quickly dispels suspicion and opens you up a bit closer to their world. Some days i feel tired of smiling at hundreds of people while walking down the street. I usually smile wherever i am, but I suppose in the West (or especially anywhere we are familiar with) we get used to our surroundings and dont stand out, so giving a smile is measured. Here, we stand out from a mile away, and they dont smile at each other. I dont think they are used to tourists smilng at them either. So it makes a difference. A genuine difference.

Were still fighting colds a bit, me especialy. Im at the coughing stage and feel a bit like those adverts with the man who has a small monster on his chest who goes everwhere with him!
We hope everyone at home is well, send us an email if you can!