My students are my saviors

I love Nong Da University students. Why? Because they are so sweet. And so eager to learn. And so willing to do silly things. And so dorky, but in the coolest and most love-able way ever.

For example, there was today. It was a dreary rainy day, and many of them looked really tired, until they looked up at me when I walked in. They started cheering and clapping when I walked in today. I had worn an absurd amount of clothes to class including a brightly colored stripped skirt on top of jeans that they claimed was pretty. The theme of the class was pretty obvious--clothes. I had gotten the idea from Beth and Ben who had used a fashion show in previous classes. I had my students say the names of everything as I took them off. (Don't worry I still had a t-shirt, sweater, and jeans by the end. Most of the stripping was accessories and jackets.) They were clearly tired still, some of them were nodding off after the initial show. But even their nodding off was more respectful than the nodding off in America. It consisted of a subtle closing of the eyes followed by a quick opening and determined stare in my direction and a wild writing down of the name of some article of clothing I was listing.

The fashion show, however, was what made my life. At first when I explained that pairs would have to do a fashion show, with one person as the announcer and the other as the model, the girls giggled and the guys grumbled. But as soon as the fashion show started, the cheers and clapping overflowed. The modeling and announcing was amazing. Male students, no matter their level of cool or awkwardness, were seen strutting down the classroom aisles convincingly tousling their hair, throwing off scarfs, pulling off sunglasses to flash a dashing glance at the audience and throwing jackets over one shoulder. Ordinary young women flaunted them selves as movie stars, with the confidence to match. The imagination and acting ran wild. It was great to see.

American students are sometimes too cool to have such fun. A group of American students, besides perhaps an acting class, would never be able to pull off such a stunning performance as my students presented.

Our classes seem to be one of the few creative outlets these Graduate Agricultural students have. And they live it up.

I'm gonna follow their example, live it up too while I can, and enjoy these wonderfully enthusiastic students.