I returned to Hanoi this March to teach book arts workshops at the Hanoi Fine Arts University and at FTP Arena, a private digital technology school. My goal with these 6 half day workshops at each program was to teach the basic skills needed for book fabrication, have the students become familiar with a dozen structures and introduce them to digital resources in book arts.
It was not the trip I
had hoped for.
Two days into the trip I developed the ‘Hanoi cough’, which then progressed to bronchitis and finally to a nasty pneumonia.
We delayed our return home twice while I spent hours in bed or visiting Hanoi Family Medical Clinic. With 9 visits including a delightful overnight the HFMC became my home away from home.
I was able to teach at
both locations half of the workshops.
One of the professors at the Hanoi Fine Arts University participated in the 2008 workshops. In the fall of 2013 he taught the first books class at the university. Imagine my surprise on the seeing these student books.
I was interviewed by Vietnam Military TV that includes some delight odd editing < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G-a10i_oKE> and the English language station VTV4. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g9JQHYEBKk>
The success of the this trip is due to David Thomas and Indochina Arts Partnership, a very generous faculty at both schools, a kind hotel staff and my wife Jacqueline Hayden who survived countless nights of my barking like a seal.
Now I am looking a 4
weeks of recovery –damn.