Tales of a Toad Prince

Hey guys!

So, the latest interesting news from Coconut Land is that last week we had a huge workshop/conference for the students! Some teachers gave presentations, but it was mostly a chance for students to showcase some cultural performances and plays. And I got to perform in one of the plays!

The student workshop was mandatory for all students, which meant we had about 180 students. Along with some other random viewers, it was easily over 200 people in the lecture hall. 

The audience

I was also able to invite Lindsay, fresh off hosting her Tiền Giang Conference, to attend the workshop. Everyone was very excited to see her!

Lindsay signs the guestbook of Bến Tre College

The opening dance

Di and An acting as MCs

The first part of the workshop was three presentations. Lindsay presented on jazz chants, I presented on culture shock, and Mrs. Chau Anh presented on asking questions in English. 

Lindsay's presentation

My presentation

Then it was time for the students to present their cultural shows. Each class of students had to perform a cultural celebration from a different countries. The first year classes did two different Thai dances, one second year class performed a Cambodian water dance, the other second year class presented a Japanese coming of age ceremony and the third years performed a dance for the Hindu festival of Diwali.

The first years

Presenting a Thai lantern dance

The first years gave us flower wreaths! bonus points :) 

The other first year class, presenting a Thai water festival dance

One second year class presenting the Cambodian coconut festival

The coconut dance

The other second year class did a presentation of the Japanese coming of age ceremony

Finally, the third years performed a traditional dance from the festival Diwali

Then it was time for the students to perform their plays. There were three plays---a morality play about a money-growing tree, a rendition of Romeo and Juliet that featured Gangnam Style and Romeo and Juliet living happily ever after in Vietnam, and a play about a handsome prince cursed into an ugly toad. 

Yours truly played the handsome prince, so that was clearly the best play! (Although the Romeo and Juliet play was pretty fantastic as well)

The introduction. Seven sisters live in a house in the forest

Introducing the toad prince. A handsome prince cursed to be an ugly toad until he is kissed by a girl who truly loves him. 

The toad prince tries to seek shelter in the house of the seven sisters. They are all horrified and tell him to leave.

Except for Blue, who talks with him and is friendly with him

But the other sisters do not trust the toad!

"An ugly man can't be a good man!" - actual line

The toad is forced to leave the house 

The toad prince must say goodbye to Blue. As he is leaving, Blue kisses him and...

Boom. Prince.

The prince proposes to Blue, and they dance in happiness

Curtain

So it was a very fun time, and my students' play ended up coming in first place! They wrote and directed the whole thing, so all I had to do was occasionally correct the script and act. I had a lot of fun, and the students definitely got a kick out of seeing their teacher hop around on stage. It was great seeing Lindsay as well, and the workshop was a great success. 

That was all for last week, I am currently in Đồng Tháp for Tyler's conference. Will be sure to update you on that soon!

Peace,

Jefferson

P.S.

Guess what one of my students found wandering on campus?

TOO CUTE!!!