{"id":1419,"date":"2017-09-01T07:35:22","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T07:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/?p=1419"},"modified":"2019-04-22T21:14:56","modified_gmt":"2019-04-22T21:14:56","slug":"eta-spotlight-jwyanza-hobson-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/eta-spotlight-jwyanza-hobson-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"ETA Spotlight: Jwyanza Hobson, Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"
Every month, Fulbridge interviews an ETA from around the world to get a glimpse of what life is like in different placements. This month, Zo\u00eb Gioja, 2014-15 ETA in South Korea\u00a0and Fulbridge’s Founder, talked with Jwyanza Hobson, current ETA in\u00a0Vietnam.\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n

Q: Why did you choose your host country?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>This is actually my second time living in Vietnam. \u00a0I was here first in 2015 for a study abroad program doing a research project about contemporary artists in Hue. It was particularly about the ways in which they transform the memory of war through their work. \u00a0I studied under the guidance of University of California Riverside Professor David Biggs. \u00a0I had a few reasons for choosing Vietnam then. \u00a0Firstly, as the son of a Vietnam vet, I have always had an interest and fascination with the war and that period of history in general. \u00a0I realized that if I wanted to get a more balanced view of what had transpired during what is called in Vietnam \u201cThe American War\u201d, I should study it from the Vietnamese perspective. \u00a0As a practicing Buddhist, I also had always wanted to spend time living in a country where Buddhism was one of the primary religions. \u00a0I really fell in love with Vietnam, its culture and people and couldn\u2019t wait to find a way back again. \u00a0As soon as I returned home from my study abroad program, I applied to be a Fulbright ETA.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0Where are you located and what school\/university do you teach at?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>I have been living in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam in M\u1ef9 Tho City. \u00a0M\u1ef9 Tho City is in Tien Giang Province and I teach at a public university there called Tien Giang University (or \u0110\u1ea1i h\u1ecdc Ti\u1ec1n Giang in Vietnamese).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Q:\u00a0Since every country ETA program has different requirements, what all does your grant entail?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>My grant requires that I teach for a full academic year at a school in Vietnam. \u00a0In my particular case, I have been entrusted with four to five speaking and listening classes per semester, of which there are two per academic year. \u00a0I am responsible for teaching, testing and grading my students. \u00a0Along with the English classes for which I am in charge, I also host a few English Clubs, which are informal gatherings where we practice English-speaking through exercises, playing games, and having informal conversations on various topics. \u00a0My students include English majors and non-English majors from TGU, the faculty of the science departments at TGU, and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the province of Tien Giang.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0What does a normal weekday look like for you?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>I wake up at 5:30 just about every morning to the sounds of roosters crowing and public announcements emanating from a loudspeaker located somewhere in the center of the city. \u00a0I travel from my guest house on the main campus of Tien Giang University to their new facility about 10km away. \u00a0After my morning classes I have a break for a few hours. I have gotten used to taking this time to rest. \u00a0A midday siesta is a part of the everyday life in Vietnam and I\u2019ve come to appreciate having this time to recharge.<\/p>\n

I typically have my English Clubs during the afternoon. \u00a0During these sessions I come up with fun games and exercises to help build my students\u2019 proficiency, but most of all their confidence in speaking English. \u00a0I teach English majors, science majors, the faculty of the science department, and the staff of Tien Giang\u2019s Department of Foreign affairs. \u00a0I have to cater each of the lessons to the needs of each group, so the planning can keep me a bit busy in my off-time. \u00a0The club\u2019s are usually fun, which is the point. \u00a0I use the clubs to show that language-learning can be enjoyable and not merely a chore or obligation!<\/p>\n

Q: If you have, how have you gotten more involved with the university outside of the classroom? How have you gotten involved with the community?<\/strong>
\n A: <\/strong>I have gotten involved with the local music community in My Tho. \u00a0It started when I befriended the local guitar legend and was soon invited to perform with his band on stage every Friday at a local coffee shop. \u00a0Mr Do Hai is one of the most phenomenal musicians I\u2019ve had the opportunity to play with and his knowledge of both Vietnamese and Western music never ceases to astound me. \u00a0He\u2019s got a huge repertoire of classic rock songs that he plays with his band already. \u00a0When I perform with the group, we play songs from more obscure Western groups. \u00a0I have introduced the local music loving community to artists such as Prince, Iggy and the Stooges, the Misfits, and Sade through these performances. \u00a0It\u2019s sonic cultural exchange! \u00a0I brought my electric guitar to Vietnam and have also performed with students at school events, learning Vietnamese songs on guitar and backing my students up while they sing! Sometimes I perform for young English learners at the English center that they attend. \u00a0I\u2019ve also gotten involved with a local charity, bringing large supplies of food and donations to impoverished people in rural areas of the delta, some elderly and some afflicted with physical disabilities as a result of the American War.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Q: What has your experience been like using or learning the language in the host country? Any challenges? Funny moments?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong>\u00a0I would love to be able to say that I\u2019ve become fluent during my time here, but learning Vietnamese is challenging. \u00a0(You would think that a musician would pick up a tonal language easily.) \u00a0I spent a few months trying to speak to people in Vietnamese and being met with blank stares. \u00a0After repeating myself a few times they usually eventually get it, repeating back to me what I thought I had just said over and over again, but apparently didn\u2019t. \u00a0That said, my Vietnamese has actually been getting a lot better in the past two months!<\/p>\n

Q: What have been some challenges?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong> After the elections in November I went through a gamut of emotions, from overwhelming sadness, to utter outrage sometimes in the matter of a single day. \u00a0This went on for a few days. \u00a0On one of the days following the election when I had been feeling particularly despondent, I found myself wandering around in a local Buddhist temple. \u00a0A monk approached me while I was there (which is unusual) and we had a lengthy conversation during which he gave me some excellent advice about how to proceed with managing my emotions during this tumultuous time.<\/p>\n

Another challenge in my particular situation is that of being perpetually stared at my locals! \u00a0It was really off-putting at first, and I would sometimes feel either really objectified or even rejected, depending on how I would read the stares I was being given. \u00a0I would try to ignore it, but it didn\u2019t do any good as it would seem to happen so often. \u00a0As I thought about it more and more I started to realize that I was probably the only black person that most of the people in my province had ever seen that wasn\u2019t on a movie or television screen. \u00a0I then started to feel responsible for being a representative not only for Americans, but for black people in general in these situations. \u00a0Thoughts like, \u201cThis person might not ever meet another black person in their lives so you had better REPRESENT\u201d persisted! \u00a0In the end, I learned that a polite wave and a friendly smile usually break the spell of a long stare, as people are often not aware that they\u2019re staring to begin with! \u00a0I learned to stop projecting my own negative ideas as to why someone might be staring. \u00a0People probably stare at me most at the gym and I just tell myself that they have never seen the way that sweat glistens off of a well-toned black body before!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Q: What have been some highlights?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong>\u00a0Watching my students\u2019 improvement in English proficiency and seeing them become more and more confident has been a big highlight. \u00a0When I hear from my students\u2019 other English professors that some of my students who have previously been very shy about speaking English have now been volunteering in their other classes I am delighted. \u00a0My university even offered me a position in their staff if I want to stay in Vietnam when the program ends!<\/p>\n

I have also enjoyed opportunities to travel quite a bit in my off time. \u00a0I have been able to not only explore the southern region of Vietnam, I have also been able to visit Thailand and Cambodia. \u00a0I\u2019ve rediscovered my love of photography and have been able to take some really breathtaking photos, especially of temples, wats, and pagodas, traditional places of Buddhist worship. \u00a0During my travels I have been able to speak with other lay-Buddhists and monks who have all shared wisdom from their paths towards enlightenment. These travels during time off have been as enriching as the Fulbright program itself.<\/p>\n

Q: What was your best lesson plan?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong> I delivered my most memorable and best lesson plan on Halloween. \u00a0I prepared by wearing all black (which isn\u2019t completely out of character for me anyway). \u00a0As the classroom filled up I was hidden behind a desk with a scary skull mask on. \u00a0As the students got comfortable I started playing some scary music that I had prepared. \u00a0When the atmosphere was nice and creepy I jumped out and frightened them. \u00a0Then I pulled out my electric guitar and played the song Black Sabbath by the band of the same name with the lyrics to the song scrolling on a screen behind me and the accompanying music playing on the classroom\u2019s loudspeakers. \u00a0Some of my students were entertainingly horrified. \u00a0(I almost felt bad, but it was Halloween so\u2026) \u00a0After the song ended, I pulled the mask off, much to the relief of some of my students. \u00a0I then proceeded to tell them a scary story, providing definitions of what I thought would be new vocabulary to them. \u00a0After putting them into small groups I assigned each group to memorize a part of the story well enough to share it in their own words. \u00a0After the memorization was done, new groups were formed comprised of individuals that could tell each part of the story. \u00a0The groups then recanted the story, each member telling his or her own part. \u00a0Afterwards there was a discussion about Halloween and superstition in general where I found out that most of my students believed in ghosts!\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Q: What will you miss the most?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong> It\u2019s kind of hard to say ahead of time, but I\u2019m sure that I\u2019ll miss the connections that I\u2019ve made in Vietnam. \u00a0The human ability to forge bonds beyond borders of culture and language never ceases to amaze me. \u00a0I have connections like no others with my friends and loved ones in Vietnam. \u00a0I\u2019ll also miss being able to jump on a motorbike and go on spontaneous adventures in the Mekong Delta. \u00a0Some of those moments were the most free that I\u2019ve felt in my entire life.<\/p>\n

Also, the COFFEE!<\/p>\n

Q: Why should prospective grantees apply to your host country?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>Vietnam is a beautiful country with a proud and rich history. \u00a0The food here is amazing, and for the most part people are kind and willing to engage. \u00a0(The kindness of strangers in Vietnam is something that I\u2019ve been able to count on. \u00a0Without it, I\u2019d have faced hardship on more than one occasion.) \u00a0There\u2019s natural beauty as well as amazing remnants from ancient cultures, if you know where to look. \u00a0The day to day life is full of simple pleasures.<\/p>\n

Vietnam feels like it\u2019s on the verge of a serious growth spurt. \u00a0Saigon for example seems to have changed between the time that I came here last and this time. \u00a0The Vietnamese culture seems to me to be one that perpetually seeks to learn from its history for the sake of progress. \u00a0There have been many times in Vietnam where I felt like I could clearly see the merging of the country\u2019s past, present, and future expressed in a single moment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Q: Anything else you\u2019d like to share about your experience as an ETA?\u00a0<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong> There was one time I was late for an appointment in Saigon and called for a motorbike taxi. \u00a0It was an important appointment so I was a bit stressed out about it. \u00a0The motorbike taxi arrived late, which compounded my frustration. \u00a0To make matters worse, one he started to drive us, he was doing so at a snail\u2019s pace. \u00a0I asked him to speed up a little, which he did, but not by much. \u00a0When I saw a motorbike with three passengers pass us on the highway (a man driving with a woman on the back nursing a baby) I decided to say something. \u00a0I facetiously asked, \u201cWould it be better if I drove?\u201d \u00a0He says, \u201cOK!\u201d and immediately got off the bike. \u00a0He didn\u2019t even pull over! \u00a0He just got off of the bike and proceeded to climb on the back of it. \u00a0This was an opportunity to great to pass up, so I drove us at a quicker pace to my appointment with the driver giving me instructions from the back on how to get there! \u00a0\u201cBen trai!\u201d (Left!) \u00a0\u201cBen phai!\u201d (Right!) \u00a0Other people on motorbikes in traffic couldn\u2019t help but notice that we were a strange pair of people riding through traffic, an obvious foreigner with a moto driver in tow. \u00a0We would laughed with them at the stop lights. \u00a0I eventually arrived at my appointment with a few minutes to spare. \u00a0After paying the moto driver I told him, \u201cYou\u2019re a little bit crazy, you know that right?\u201d to which he replied with a big toothless grin, \u201cYeah! \u00a0Yeah!\u201d \u00a0Vietnam is random like that!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every month, Fulbridge interviews an ETA from around the world to get a glimpse of what life is like in different placements. This month, Zo\u00eb Gioja, 2014-15 ETA in South Korea\u00a0and Fulbridge’s Founder, talked with Jwyanza Hobson, current ETA in\u00a0Vietnam.\u00a0 Q: Why did you choose your host country? A:\u00a0This is… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[190,194],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/DSC_0245.jpg?fit=2992%2C2000&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1419"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2007,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419\/revisions\/2007"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}