Greetings, I hope this finds you well. I am past due in posting this journal from one of GIBTK's English teachers. Before I do let me remind those who have not yet heard.
It is a busy time for us as our annual Gala is fast approaching. This year's theme is Unfinished Masterpiece. I hope you can be there. Some exciting news as well as great auction items. You can register safely online on our website www.gibtk.org , or if you can donate a little it can be done there also J.
Hope to see you there!
Here is Lai's journal;
FAMILY
I remembered precisely my feeling on the day when I went to the interview. I'm really impressed by the friendliness of the interviewers and the warm atmosphere. It convinced me more that working at Giving It Back to Kids is my goal. Fortunately, it's my luck and honor to be a member of the 'Giving It Back to Kids'family.
Frankly speaking, Giving It Back to Kids is my second family now. At the time of the interview, the interviewers (currently my leader and the SE Asia director) said that working here means you are our family member and Giving It Back to Kids is a big family. At that time, many questions came to me and I wonder: How does it work? How can we be a family, because it never happened in many education fields I had worked in before.
But Giving It Back to Kids is truly a family to me. No one can believe that a president in the US and his staff can spend many hours in a van coming and visiting a new staff member just for asking about my health. I can see nowhere that a leader gives many sweet emails just for caring about my health. I can see nowhere that I can join many volunteer activities and have been integrated with deprived people, which was a little thing that I hoped to do when I was a small child.
I can see nowhere that I definitely not only work in a friendly environment with my passion and my joy, but can learn as much as possible to enhance my mental health and leadership skills as well. I can see nowhere that I can live by my warm heart, truthfully and honestly as much as I can. I have learned and matured a lot since I'm a part of Giving It Back to Kids.
If someone asks me if I like my job, I give a quick answer: "Being a teacher is a job that I need to live. I'm fulfilled with my job and I love my career. How can I forgot the first day when I followed my sweet leader to go teach children in all the small homes. The kids are so awesome. They welcomed me with a warm hug and a simple heartedness. How special they are! At that time, I had a chance to have lunch with the children."
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| Lai helping at GIBTK Tet store |
It is my honor, that I am considered a member of the little homes from then on. They make me not only their teacher, but also their close friend whom they can confide with after school. I am glad to listen to their sorrow, their joys and happier when hearing what they learn from school. I cry with tears when they come to me and give me their best result at school. I love the way they give wishes for me. I love the way they ask awkward questions and I love to play with all the kids, too. Observing, caring, teaching, playing with these sweet children is my happiness.
It is most enjoyable to make them laugh sweetly. It was awesome to be able to give kids hugs, lollipops, and just my company that makes them smile. It is the best feeling in the world. They make my life!
Thus, that encourages me more in passing my love of English on to them. I promised myself that I would try my best to help them have a steady knowledge in order to integrate with the community and have a better life as well. With the confidence in the knowledge they have, I hope that it will ease their lack of love from their background.
It's been a year working in this big family, I can fully both feel the love, care and the nurturing from each other. And the most important thing is that I can thoroughly understand I am part of the mission to transform lives through "education, medical care, nutrition and love."
Pham Thi Lai
