Dalat is an anamoly of Vietnam. While the rest of the south is blazing hot, Dalat remains cool and collected. Really, it's a breath of fresh air...perhaps because of the alpine-rainforest fusion; on the other hand it could be the Vietnamese "highlanders" laid-back demeanor. A handful of other trademarks could define Dalat...the hub of higher education in Vietnam; the quintessential hangout for domestic poets, philosophers, and artists; it's also renowned for its zen meditation school, which roots have spread to pagodas all over the country. With such an ecclectic blend of people, nature, and culture...it would be hard for most not to feel at ease in Dalat.
The best way to describe my experience in Dalat is serendipitous...(As is always the case, although I usually remain unaware) I happened to be in the right place at the right time...The people, job, my family and girlfriend all seemed to manifest themselves to contribute to an overwhelming sense of well-being and good fortune each day I spent in Dalat.
My experience at the Dalat Foreign Language School was that of personal transformation. Each day I planned and prepared lessons for my classes, and each day LIFE EXPERIENCE would take over the class as the true teacher (for both my students as well as myself)...for example, a lesson planned listening and filling blanks to Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World" could turn into a class discussion about life, love, and the beauty of nature. The best sessions presented their own voice...planned with structure...yet, allowing some room for improvisation which let the students breathe life of thier own into the process...it felt so satisfying to sit back and watch the drama unfold.
If you visit Dalat, please stop and say "Xin chao" to my family and friends at the Phuong Thanh guesthouse. You won't find luxurious accomodation or four star services here...instead, you'll be treated with the friendly company of an interesting Vietnamese family...and if you're really lucky, Dung will cook you some of the best Vietnamese food you'll eat during your stay in Vietnam. Ong Tu will likely be playing solitaire or singing along to something from his CD collection...and Baa Tu will probably sit relaxed in her Ab-Chair...it's here I keep my fondest memories of Dalat...spending my afternoon talking, reading, eating lunch, and sipping a coffee or tea with my Vietnamese family.
I wait patiently for my next homecoming...
