My exciting summer vacation
Saturday, 12. July 2008, 07:31:52
Although I said that my real summer vacation only began when I passed my IELTS, I have got started with a full-of-activity summer since 1st July.
Yesterday, I came to KOTO to meet volunteers from Macquarie University (Australia) for a meeting about Monday evening activity which I have been organizing with KOTO trainees. In fact, the main purpose of this meeting was to discuss about the upcoming Life Skills lessons of Mrs. Phuong on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; I joined them by chance and luckily, we also came up with some ideas for the next 2 Monday nights activity.
To tell something about volunteers from Australia, they are active and proficient in team work. I can prove this point by making comparison between Vietnamese and Australian students in meetings or discussions. Vietnamese students tend to argue rather than discuss. They seem not to respect other opinions much because when someone raises an idea (maybe a little bit stupid actually), they immediately make bad comments on it. Moreover, either wants to listen to others, so the meeting becomes very noisy with a pocket of different opinions without constructive ones. Then, after many times of meeting, they come to nothing. It is sometimes said that Vietnamese students are good at working independently and want to showcase their ability in groups; hence, how can they cooperate with one another?
Australian students (Macquarie ones I am working with), on the other hand, are far more different. When a person speaks, everyone listens and gives constructive comments. None criticizes nor makes fun of the others. Their language is polite, too. If they feel something not reasonable in an idea, they say: “Ok, that’s such a good idea! But I think we can make some changes to improve it by…” Each person joins the discussion enthusiastically. Then, the leader collects all the ideas and makes decision. No argument and refusal, just agreement and construction.
In my view, the Education system is to blame for bad team work skill of Vietnamese students. They are not learnt how to work in groups at school. In developed countries, pupils are usually worked in teams since being small. I do think that Vietnam should focus more on this skill as it is becoming necessary because of the integration amongst countries. In other words, the globalization requires each person the ability to work not only alone but with other people as well.
I am going to return home on July 19th. I should care for my parents, too. Two weeks for voluntary work are enough for me because I am trying to devote myself and my time to disadvantaged children at KOTO now. What I am learning during this summer vacation are Giving and Receiving Love, Self-confidence and Responsibility.
On August, we have to enlist in the military course lasting one month of our university. Students are supposed to live in a remote area and have a life of former soldiers. I am eager to join anyway because I have friends and a chance to train myself.
Good luck to you! Have a nice summer vacation!
Yesterday, I came to KOTO to meet volunteers from Macquarie University (Australia) for a meeting about Monday evening activity which I have been organizing with KOTO trainees. In fact, the main purpose of this meeting was to discuss about the upcoming Life Skills lessons of Mrs. Phuong on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; I joined them by chance and luckily, we also came up with some ideas for the next 2 Monday nights activity.
To tell something about volunteers from Australia, they are active and proficient in team work. I can prove this point by making comparison between Vietnamese and Australian students in meetings or discussions. Vietnamese students tend to argue rather than discuss. They seem not to respect other opinions much because when someone raises an idea (maybe a little bit stupid actually), they immediately make bad comments on it. Moreover, either wants to listen to others, so the meeting becomes very noisy with a pocket of different opinions without constructive ones. Then, after many times of meeting, they come to nothing. It is sometimes said that Vietnamese students are good at working independently and want to showcase their ability in groups; hence, how can they cooperate with one another?
Australian students (Macquarie ones I am working with), on the other hand, are far more different. When a person speaks, everyone listens and gives constructive comments. None criticizes nor makes fun of the others. Their language is polite, too. If they feel something not reasonable in an idea, they say: “Ok, that’s such a good idea! But I think we can make some changes to improve it by…” Each person joins the discussion enthusiastically. Then, the leader collects all the ideas and makes decision. No argument and refusal, just agreement and construction.
In my view, the Education system is to blame for bad team work skill of Vietnamese students. They are not learnt how to work in groups at school. In developed countries, pupils are usually worked in teams since being small. I do think that Vietnam should focus more on this skill as it is becoming necessary because of the integration amongst countries. In other words, the globalization requires each person the ability to work not only alone but with other people as well.
I am going to return home on July 19th. I should care for my parents, too. Two weeks for voluntary work are enough for me because I am trying to devote myself and my time to disadvantaged children at KOTO now. What I am learning during this summer vacation are Giving and Receiving Love, Self-confidence and Responsibility.
On August, we have to enlist in the military course lasting one month of our university. Students are supposed to live in a remote area and have a life of former soldiers. I am eager to join anyway because I have friends and a chance to train myself.
Good luck to you! Have a nice summer vacation!
WIDGETIZE