Viet is somewhat of an expert on identifying the butterflies of Tam Dao and is an excellent guide and host. He is from a small coastal village east of Hanoi on the Red River Delta. He grew up very poor, working on his family’s rice farm. Now, Viet is 26 years old and has been a teacher for five years. For the last two years he has taught in the city of Hanoi and for three years before that he taught in his home village of Dong Xuyen. He tells me he prefers to teach in his home village. It is his dream to return to his village and teach the children of Dong Xuyen as a career teacher. He feels deeply appreciated there, and why shouldn’t he?
First, there’s a shortage of good teachers in small villages throughout Vietnam. Most teachers prefer to teach in the cities. A good teacher is highly valued in these very poor villages where people can not afford to pay money to send their children to school elsewhere or hire tutors.
Second, the students are very respectful and polite. For example, there is a custom where younger people show older people respect by passing something, such as the salt at the dinner table, with two hands. When the older person takes the object they do it with only one hand to show that they accept the younger person’s gesture of respect. Also, when his students pass him in the street they fold there arms in front of their chest, bow, and greet him with a "good morning," "good afternoon," or a "good evening." Furthermore, the entire village pays respect to teachers on National Teachers’ Day by holding a festival which lasts the entire day. Viet says that the streets are filled with children running back and forth to the teachers’ houses to visit them and give them gifts.
And last, Viet is a great guy! He is very sociable and friendly. His students love him. He has received several emails, instant messages, and calls on his cell phone from his students since we’ve been here in Tam Dao. He is an inspired teacher, and his students trust his sincerity. They know he cares about them and wants them to succeed.
Viet wants to be a career teacher. He says there is nothing else he would rather do. Right now he is a "contract teacher." He signs a contract each year with no guarantee for employment next year. He is not paid during the summer and receives an equivalent of $30 per month. In order to remain a teacher and be able to support himself and a family he needs to become a "state officer teacher." An "officer teacher" is a teacher who works for the government. This is a highly respected position in Vietnamese society. Presently, at $300 dollars per year he can not afford to pay the $2,000 fee to state officials necessary to obtain a certificate to work for the government as an officer teacher. At his current salary he can’t even afford to save up for this fee. He says he has little hope of realizing his dream of being a teacher.
I can’t help but feel for Viet and his students. Viet is obviously an inspired and gifted teacher. It seems unfair that he can’t do what he was born to do. When he told me his story I kept asking myself what I could do to help him. There must be a way to help. I just know it. Do you have any ideas?
