Visiting Vietnam - Saigon - October 2013

In the summer of 2013, my boss informed me that he didn't need me to teach in the fall and that he needed someone from the ELC to go to Brazil in September and represent ODU at a student recruitment fair.  Obviously, I was ecstatic to have that opportunity, as I hadn't been out of the country in 12 years - and that was to Canada, which doesn't really count. I had been on several other international trips as a teenager, but never as a solo traveler.  

While waiting additional word about the trip, I began getting my documents in order. As it turned out, my passport was about to expire within two months, and I couldn't get it renewed in time to get a visa to travel to Brazil in September. Fortunately, my boss told me he still needed someone to go to Vietnam in October and asked me if I was interested. 

Of COURSE I was interested!! For some reason, I had never thought about traveling to Vietnam or even Asia before, but I was immediately so excited to have the opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia for a week. I knew almost nothing about Vietnam and not a word of Vietnamese, but I was ready to pack my bags and go explore what I knew would be an amazing place.

So, I renewed my passport, applied for my tourist visa, got the recommended vaccinations, booked my hotels and flights, packing my bags, researching things to do and places to go in the two cities I would be visiting: Ho Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon) and Hanoi.

I departed Norfolk, VA, USA on Thursday, October 3rd and arrived in Saigon on Saturday, October 5th at around 12pm local time. Of course, I could write all about my nearly 30 hour journey to the other side of the world, but I'll skip right to the good stuff.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)                    

There is no better feeling than arriving in a foreign country and being greeted by a friendly and familiar face. I had never met Duyen before landing in Vietnam, but she and I embraced like old friends when we met outside the airport where she had been waiting to for me with a colorful hand-drawn sign bearing my name. Not only that, but she had a SIM card for the prepaid cell phone that her sister (a student of mine) had given me back in Norfolk.  Not even five minutes in Southeast Asia and I was experiencing the gracious hospitality of the people. I won't lie, it was pretty awesome to have that personal connection through my sweet student as well.

Duyen only spoke a few words of English, but one of her family members was with her and spoke a bit of English, which was definitely reassuring. He promptly loaded my bags into his car and he asked me where I was staying, which was the Saigon Sheraton, and we merged into the organized chaos of the traffic.

So, there I was in Vietnam! I sat there in Duyen's cousin's(?) car wishing I could spin my head around 360 degrees on its axis in order to take it all in properly. 

After stopping at the hotel to check in and leave my luggage, Duyen and I headed back out into the rainy Saigon streets and caught a cab to the Reunification Palace to do the "tourist thing". Duyen and I could barely speak with each other, but we had no trouble communicating at all. We hit it off right away, and we had a great time! We both cried when we said farewell 36 hours later.

My time in Saigon went by in a flash. Because I was also expected to work while in city, I really only had [less than] a day to see and do things. After seeing the Reunification Palace on Saturday afternoon, Duyen and I walked around downtown Saigon a bit, visiting the famous Ben Thanh Market and catching a fantastic performance of the AO Show at the Saigon Opera House.  We also bought our tickets for a boat ride on the Saigon River for the following evening. 

Sunday was a work day for me, so I spent it at the recruitment fair being held at the hotel. It was really exciting talking to prospective students about studying at ODU, but it was a little slow, so I was excited to get back out and see things that evening. After my work commitments were over with, I had a little time to explore on my own, and then later in the evening, Duyen picked me up from the hotel and we went on that boat ride. After that, we had a really great dinner and then went to the mall for dessert.

Alas, my time there just was not enough, and I am sparing 95% of the details because I really could go on forever about the brief but amazing time I did have in Saigon. I'd rather let the pictures speak for themselves. In future blog posts, I will definitely elaborate... 

On Monday, I flew north to Hanoi where I spent several more days. More to come...   

   

  

Can you use "nevertheless" and "despite" in the same sentence?

In short, yes.

You can use the words "nevertheless" and "despite" in the same sentence.

Here is an example:

• Sometimes I sit for hours and I can't write a word. Nevertheless, despite my frustration and long hours of work, I tend to have a positive attitude toward writing in English.
• Source - Writing Clearly: An Editing Guide, 2nd Ed. by Lane and Lange, Unit 1, Exercise 4, pg 24)

In this sentence, both nevertheless and despite are both performing adverbial functions, one as a connective adverb (transition word), and one as an adverbial prepositional phrase.

Contrary outcome with connective adverbs

Nevertheless is a cause-effect linking adverb (transition word) used when there is an unexpected outcome, and it is usually located in the second clause or at the beginning of a sentence containing a contrary outcome for an opinion, belief, or action.  Its function is to show that the information in the second sentence contrasts the information in the first sentence.

In other words, in our example...

• Action (first sentence) = sometimes I sit for hours and I can't write a word
• Contrary outcome (second sentence) = I tend to have a positive attitude toward writing in English 
• (Note: This is the independent clause from the second sentence; in other words, it is the primary outcome.)

The second sentence can be broken into two parts. The word despite is part of a prepositional phrase "despite my frustration and long hours of work" that is performing an adverbial function by contributing contrasting information and describing the manner of the action in the main clause "I have a positive attitude toward writing in English."

• Manner (prepositional phrase) = despite my frustration and long hours of work
• Action (second clause) = I tend to have a positive attitude toward writing in English

The question is, is it redundant to have nevertheless and despite in the same sentence?

In this case, no. 

Yes, these two words are both adverbs signaling a somehow contrary outcome. However, they are functioning in very different ways, as they are modifying two different pieces of information.  Nevertheless is indicating a contrast between the first sentence and the second sentence and functioning as a transition word connecting two ideas at the discourse level.  Despite is indicating a contrast between two pieces of information in the second sentence and functioning as an adverbial prepositional phrase at the sentence level.

Please feel free to leave comments or questions about this explanation below.

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For additional explanations and exercises, please check out the following resources.

• Connector Review
• Connectors of Addition and Contrast (Practice Exercises)
• Despite or In Spite Of
• Quiz: Although, Though, Despite, and However

Planning a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Research Project for Graduate Level ESL Writing

Last week, I started teaching a graduate level ESL writing course. It's a very small class composed of three students, two of whom are studying Economics and the other who is studying Early Childhood Development.  Since the class is so small, and we will only be meeting for four more weeks, I wanted to make sure to spend some time discussing how I could structure the class in a way that would benefit them the most and help them to reach their goals in writing.

On the first day of class, Wednesday, I asked the students to write a traditional five-paragraph essay about the three most important writing strategies or skills required for graduate students in general and/or for students pursuing their chosen academic majors. I also assigned an in-class writing activity, which was to respond to a Maya Angelou quote. Finally, after we briefly reviewed the first two themes from the first unit of the text - writing strategies and audience, we discussed the questions from a task from the textbook (Academic Writing for Graduate Students, 3rd Ed. by Swales & Feak; Unit 1, Task Two, p. 3). For homework, I asked them to complete Task Four (pg. 6), which required them to write about a term in their academic field for two different audiences.

On Friday, we started with a review of verb tenses using Exercises for Practice from Writing Clearly: An Editing Guide, 2nd Ed. by Lang and Lange (Unit One: Verb Tenses, Part III, pg. 22, Exercises 1 and 3). Through the completion of these exercises, we determined that the first thing we should focus on in grammar should be the perfect tenses. For homework, I assigned Exercise 5, which is a verb tense editing activity. I also assigned Writing Topic C from Part IV. I plan on marking this assignment for grammar error tracking purposes.

Next, I returned their responses, which I had marked with error correction symbols. We discussed the difference global and local errors, and we completed an error correction tracking worksheet, which will allow the students to track the relative abundance of different types of errors that they make so that they may focus their grammar studies on the points that they find most challenging. I will ask the students to complete one of these worksheets each time I mark a paper that they have written so that they are able to track their progress and continue to identify grammar points that they need to review and practice.

Then, we discussed their ideas from the five-paragraph essays they had written:

From this discussion, we decided that it would be helpful to practice two things each time we met for class - grammar and discussing/analyzing visual and numerical data in writing. We also began discussing potential writing assignments that they felt would benefit them the most.  We decided that we should definitely practice writing critiques and a literature review. We also decided that synthesis writing for research would be very important for both all of them. 

In the midst of our discussion, I began thinking about how a fun and engaging way to accomplish these goals through a meaningful and relevant writing assignment would be to have the students complete a collaborative writing assignment on a topic that would synthesize concepts and issues from their respective academic fields - economics and early childhood development.  I proposed the idea to the students in class, and they seemed excited about it. I think this will be a great opportunity for them to be exposed to multidisciplinary collaborative research, which is an important skill for really any academic or professional in any field.

I now at the point where I'm in the process of developing the guidelines for this assignment, so I've started by collecting some useful resources on collaborative research writing:

• Adams, Richard. "Using GoogleDocs to Write Collaborative Research Papers." Bitesize Bio. N.p., 29 Aug. 2011. Web. 31 May 2014. http://bitesizebio.com/13648/using-googledocs-to-write-collaborative-research-papers/
• I'd like to use GoogleDocs as the platform for coordinating the students' collaborative work. This is the best option since all students have a university email address that is hosted by gmail, so they will already have access to Google Drive.

• Barton, Matt, and Karl Klint. "A Student's Guide to Collaborative Writing Technologies." Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing 2 (2011): n. pag. Colorado State. Web. 31 May 2014. http://wac.colostate.edu/books/writingspaces2/barton-and-klint--a-students-guide.pdf
• I will have the students read, summarize, and critically respond to this article as an assignment. This assignment will not only meet a number of the course learning objectives and student goals, but it will also prepare the students for the collaborative writing project by introducing them to a number of Google applications that can be used as tools for the project.

• Bashore, Joy. "The Collaborative Research Paper." The Collaborative Research Paper. Virginia Community College System, 1999. Web. 31 May 2014. http://www.vccaedu.org/inquiry/inquiry-spring99/i41bashore.html'
• This article is a bit outdated, but it has a few good ideas for assignment guidelines that can be adapted for the Web 2.0 student generation to take advantage of new learning technologies. Tasks for the assignment will include choosing the topic; gathering resources; paraphrasing, summarizing, responding to, and synthesizing relevant information; drafting, revising, and editing their work; and conducting self and peer evaluations. 
• "Collaborative Learning/Learning with Peers." Institute for Writing and Rhetoric. Dartmouth, 4 Apr. 2014. Web. 31 May 2014. http://writing-speech.dartmouth.edu/teaching/first-year-writing-pedagogies-methods-design/collaborative-learninglearning-peers
• This article starts with considerations for encouraging active learning in the classroom, and then offers a number of recommendations for how to design and evaluate activities and assignments for effective collaborative learning.

• "Collaborative Research and Writing." CAIS 21st Century. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2014. https://cais21stcentury.wikispaces.com/Collaborative+Research+and+Writing
• These sample guidelines provide some general steps for assigning a collaborative research paper.

• "Collaborative Writing Assignments." The Writing Program. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 3 Sept. 2008. Web. 31 May 2014. http://www.umass.edu/writingprogram/jy/collaborative%20assignments.html 
• This article provides some good advice for teachers assigning a collaborative writing project, to include elements of a good collaborative writing assignment, staging of tasks, style of collaborative work, assigning the groups, and monitoring student progress.

• Cooper, Tuesday. "Collaboration or Plagiarism? Explaining Collaborative-Based Assignments Clearly." Essays on Teaching Excellence: Toward the Best in the Academy 19.1 (2007): n. pag. Podnetwork.org. The Professional & Organizational Development Network in Higher Education. Web. 31 May 2014. http://podnetwork.org/content/uploads/V19-N1-Cooper.pdf
• This article offers excellent advice on considerations for assigning collaborative writing projects such as making clear expectations, defining team vs. individual accountability, being clear with students about the purpose of the assignment, following-up with assignment tasks with written feedback, giving students detailed guidelines, focusing on the process of writing a research paper, and information literacy.

• "Group Essays." (n.d.): n. pag. Writing Studio. The Thompson Writing Program Duke University. Web. 31 May 2014. http://twp.duke.edu/uploads/media_items/ws-group-essays-handout.original.pdf
• I will have the students read, summarize, and critically respond to this article as an assignment. This article assignment will help students understand some of the challenges associated with collaborative writing projects and will offer some tips and strategies for overcoming those challenges.

• "Group Writing." The Writing Center Group Writing Comments. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d. Web. 31 May 2014. http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/group-writing/
• This handout will be part of the assignment guidelines. "This handout will offer an overview of the collaborative process, strategies for writing successfully together, and tips for avoiding common pitfalls. It will also include links to some other handouts that may be especially helpful as your group moves through the writing process."

• "Not a Research Paper: Alternative Assignments to Teach Research Practices." Not a Research Paper: Alternative Assignments to Teach Research Practices. Western New England University, n.d. Web. 31 May 2014. http://www1.wne.edu/library/index.cfm?selection=doc.7793
• This page provides a list of links that lead to resources for "assignments that provide meaningful research practice."

• "The Collaborative Research Model: Student Learning Teams in Undergraduate Research." Strategies: Sequencing Deliverables. University of Oregon, n.d. Web. 31 May 2014.http://tep.uoregon.edu/showcase/crmodel/strategies/sequencing_deliverables.html
• This article describes how to "sequence deliverables" as a method of assessment for a collaborative research project. I like the ideas presented in the table because the suggested assignments will not only walk students through the research process, but they provide opportunities for the students to reflect on their experience and progress while completing individual elements of the project.

• Wertheimer, John. "College Board." AP Central. College Board, n.d. Web. 31 May 2014. http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/courses/teachers_corner/22495.html
• This article offers some unique suggestions on how to plan, implement, and assess a collaborative research project. One idea that stands out for me from the description is having outside readers come in to read a draft of the students' paper. I think this could be an interesting opportunity for each student to get feedback from someone different on the paper and then come back to the group to discuss the feedback and discuss how to incorporate any potential revisions.

Southeastern Summer Solo Road Trip 2014 - The Planning Phase - Day 1

A few weeks ago, my boss informed me that my contract would be changing to a 10-month contract, meaning that I'd have about two months off of [paid] vacation each summer. In realizing that I haven't had two full months off from work or school since high school - in other words, about 14 years - I, needless to say, immediately began thinking of ways to get out and do some exploring and adventuring in this seemingly vast expanse of free time laying ahead of me.

First, I thought about visiting Cuba, but I think I'd rather save that for when my husband is able to travel with me - maybe we could go for the holidays again this year.

Well, today I had an epiphany.  Actually, I think this epiphany might have stemmed from some things I learned in this book I just finished reading: I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher. For instance, in Chapter 6 "I Want Too Many Things; I'm All Over the Map," I sort of identified myself as someone who is what she refers to as a "scanner."

In this chapter there is a short exercise that walks you through a thought process to help yourself realize that you can do all the things you want to do - but sequentially, and in their own time. I've always wanted to take a summer and travel around the U.S., but I've never done it. Well, now is my chance! And really, I need this! Lately I've been practically overcome by feelings of restlessness and wanderlust. My plans to travel abroad didn't pan out, but I really feel like at this very moment I am in serious need of some time to explore new places and, at the very least, temporarily feed my free-spirited nature.

So, here's what I'm thinking:

I definitely still need to tweak this plan a bit, but this will be my approximate route.  I'd like to head southwest and check out Asheville.  I've heard it is a really cool little town, and that I'd love it.  Then, I'd like to head over to Nashville and try to hear some live music and check out some must-see attractions there.  After that, I'll make a possible detour to Cadiz, KY to meet an old friend before heading down to Memphis, where I'm hoping to take in some music, food, and drinks.  I'd also like to see if I can go fishing on the Mississippi River either in Memphis or on my way south to Jackson, MS.  Honestly, I have no idea what to see in that city, but I'm sure I will discover something!

The part of the trip I'm most excited about is New Orleans - I have ALWAYS wanted to visit there! I want to eat seafood and busk on the street - even if it's just for 5 minutes. I just want to be able to say that I busked on the streets of New Orleans before I died - and if I can make enough dollars to buy myself a beer, even better!

After, Louisiana, I'd head back east through Biloxi and Mobile before heading north toward Atlanta.  Then, I'll make my way toward the coast and hit Savannah before passing through Charleston, which will be my last stop before heading home.

I figure it this way - that's 7 cities. If I take 15 days for the trip, I'll be able to spend about a day and a half or so in each city. It will be about 40 total hours of driving (that's about 5 hours over the estimate according to Google Maps, adjusting for traffic and detours).

I want to go camp, fishing, hiking, and biking; I want to get lost in used bookstores, drink coffee in locally owned cafes, eat fresh fruit and vegetables from farm markets, buy some local art, and listen to live music while drinking seasonal microbrews; and I want to learn, meditate, and just generally recharge my batteries.  [Hipster alert. Ha!]

But seriously, I want and need to do all of those things.  I'm really excited about this idea, and I'm hoping I can make it happen.