Ho Chi Not Hoochi

I spent the day at an area middle school giving a photography slide show presentation on Vietnam to 8th grade world geography students.

Even though I used to be a full-time middle school teacher myself, I forget how gruelling it can be to stand in front of five different twitchy, 30-people crowds and do your deal over and over and over again.

It's hard work being a teacher and even though I mastered the art of voice projection during my own years in the classroom, my vocal chords have forgotten all about being worked for hours on end!

The funniest moment of the day came while I was talking about the fact that Vietnam's biggest city has two names: Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City.

One smart aleck boy on the fringes of the darkened room smiled as only an 8th grade boy can do and said, "Hoochi."

But he didn't whisper softly enough. I heard him (teacher ears come in handy).

"Not Hoochi!" I said loud and proud to a chorus of laughter. "Ho. Chi."

That's one group of kids that won't forget the name of Vietnam's biggest city.

Photo: An alter to Ho Chi Minh himself at the Cu-Chi Tunnels.