Christine (far left) with some of her students at the SEA Games Village in Laos
As her students used terms like “flag bearer” and “mascots” to describe the opening ceremony of the 2009 SEA Games to her, English teacher Christine Chong swelled with pride. After all, it marked the great strides her students had made. “[Initially], my driver (who is also my student) would look frazzled, start scratching his head and mumbling to himself non-stop in Lao whenever he had problems understanding me,” Christine shared. So one can imagine her joy when – just months later – her students were able to express themselves so well. Her driver was even able to read and understand every word in her thank-you card to him.
These were some of the many “surprising and touching” moments during Christine’s stint to help the International Relations department of the Lao National Sports Committee, government officials and personnel prepare for the 2009 SEA Games – the first time it was held in Laos.
With over 16 years of teaching experience and a prior four-month teaching post in Thailand in 2004, teaching in Laos was still a novel and challenging task, she told Singapore. “It was different in Laos because I was teaching adults for the first time.” she explained.
“It’s all about teaching the language in context so that they’ll remember what’s been taught.” This included teaching vocabulary related to Lao food, culture, tourist sites and office equipment. Lessons were also tailored to different communication needs, such as for the masters of ceremony, receptionists and housekeeping staff at the SEA Games Village.
“I had to make sure that I chose the appropriate vocabulary for the specific groups,” Christine elaborated. With no formal classrooms, lessons were held in offices after working hours, aided by a whiteboard which bore witness to amusing games of charades and Pictionary. “Someone was trying to explain the ingredients of a dish to me and one of them was ‘snail sauce’,” recalled Christine, “I drew a snail on the board and everyone started laughing. They had meant oyster sauce!”
“I felt a sense of personal pride and satisfaction that I was able to contribute in a small way to this historic event.”
Even as pronunciation and new words posed challenges, her students found creative ways to overcome them. “One student memorised [the names of] two dishes that she liked – fried morning glory and chicken soup – in English, so whenever I asked her any question about food (what’s her favourite food, what she had for lunch or what she’s going to eat for dinner), I always got the same answer from her!” Christine said.
But soon, her students were relating dishes and English terms to her with ease. “I felt a sense of personal pride and satisfaction that I was able to contribute in a small way to this historic event,” Christine said. “I actually felt a lump in my throat when the Laos national anthem was played at the SEA Games Village during the Official Flag Ceremony on 8 December.”
Christine brought home other fond memories too. When she wasn’t teaching, she explored the city on foot – “the best way to do it” – and ate local food at every opportunity. She even participated in the first Lao-Singapore Friends Charity Run. “I was fortunate to be able to witness how the city evolved as they prepared for the Games,” she said. “Life in Laos has taught me to be contented with what one has in life and the need to take time to stop and just live in the moment.”
