Last Thursday I met another CIES student by the name of Sungsub Song. I really enjoyed speaking with him. His English was very impressive. He told me that he was from a small town in Korea. He started asking me about my background, and I told him that I am Puerto Rican. Apparently, he did not know where Puerto Rico is, so I had to show him using Google Earth. I even showed him my town via the software! He also pointed to the place where he came from in Korea.
The conversation started getting more exciting when we talked about languages, accents, and dialects. I told him that, although most Spanish speaking people understand each other in daily conversation, we share certain words that mean totally different things. For example, I shared with him a story about something that had happened to me while I was knocking on a door in a Mexican neighborhood (I am a Jehovah's Witness). As you all know, we usually preach with a partner when we go door to door. My partner happened to be Mexican. As I approach the door, I am thinking "I got this". I knock. My partner looks at me in horror. I am dumbfounded. I had no idea what I had done wrong. You are probably thinking, "Man, just spit it out". I will...
In Puerto Rico, we have a certain way of knocking that indicates to the resident that we are friendly. Apparently, the same knocking pattern means something totally different in Mexico. Instead of saying "I come in peace", I was saying something cruel about their mother. Hence the horrified look (this happened to be a neighborhood with a very bad reputation). Thank God nobody was there (maybe they were hiding because of the message I inadvertently sent them).
So, after sharing this somewhat embarrassing story, I asked Sungsub if people experienced the same issues in Korea, or if the language is more standardized. He told me it did vary, but the biggest difference is between the people of the North and the people of the South. However, they can still understand each other.
Next time we talk, I hope we can exchange more stories and information about our different cultures. It feels so good to share experiences that seem exclusive to our culture, but in reality, are so universal.
'Till the next time!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sebastian- Tutoring - Week 4
Hello again, everybody!
I wanted to re-enter the blog world by stating, even if no one reads this blog, that I have missed our classes and conversations. I will always remember each one of you wherever I go in the world and will share the wonderful experiences that we had during our brief, but strong knit class.
Now, back to business as usual.
Last week I had another tutoring session with my wife, this time talking about adjectives. She learned new words, like "gleaming" and "drab" (I had learned that word recently myself, which shows how much more English I need to learn). We also read from a list of adjectives, and I asked her to include the word in a sentence, which sometimes proved to be humorous (the word "handsome" brought up some interesting responses, including Will Smith, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, amongst others). It was an interesting session. My name came up as well... eventually.
Anyway, I am glad to be tutoring again. It has been a while since I have formally sat down (or stood up, as a matter of fact) with the purpose of tutoring. I will try my best to keep blogging each week and perhaps throw in a picture or two.
I wanted to re-enter the blog world by stating, even if no one reads this blog, that I have missed our classes and conversations. I will always remember each one of you wherever I go in the world and will share the wonderful experiences that we had during our brief, but strong knit class.
Now, back to business as usual.
Last week I had another tutoring session with my wife, this time talking about adjectives. She learned new words, like "gleaming" and "drab" (I had learned that word recently myself, which shows how much more English I need to learn). We also read from a list of adjectives, and I asked her to include the word in a sentence, which sometimes proved to be humorous (the word "handsome" brought up some interesting responses, including Will Smith, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, amongst others). It was an interesting session. My name came up as well... eventually.
Anyway, I am glad to be tutoring again. It has been a while since I have formally sat down (or stood up, as a matter of fact) with the purpose of tutoring. I will try my best to keep blogging each week and perhaps throw in a picture or two.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Updates on English Classes in Costa Rica
Hello All,
I'm happy to say that after a month I have a roster of 50+ students signed up for my classes. I have 3 beginner and 1 intermediate class. This week we are still signing students up, but come Monday my classes will be in full swing! We weren't given much to work with as far as materials and curriculum go, but I am using all of your great lesson plans and great info from Ramin as a base to create activities and lessons. I met all my students when they came to sign up and they are from all different walks of life. There are middle-aged men and women who work in the airport, taxi drivers ranging in age from 20s-60s, and I even got some young guys who work in a Disco! They were really high-energy so that class should be very interesting.
Life in Liberia is gorgeous, to wake up everyday with mountains in the background is amazing! I hope life in the states is treating you all well! I'm gonna post a picture of me ziplining and things.
Pura Vida
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Conversation partner meeting # ? - I lost count by Rita Schwab
Its become so natural to meet with Eric weekly that I don't consider this meeting anymore as credits for a cetificate, rather as a meeting with a friend or son.
I have enjoyed seeing Eric mature in getting acquainted with this country, its social environment, the English language and I have to say that he has progressed so much. I am really proud of him.
I will really miss him as I am leaving north within one week. But I am sure that we will stay in touch via phone and/or internet.
At our last gathering I brought Eric the CD by Bela Fleck ' Throw Down your Heart' as it was recorded in Africa. Bela Fleck recorded in Uganda, Mali, Tanzania and Gambia, with Mali a bordering country to Burkina Faso, Eric's resident country. He recognized one recording artist on the CD, namely Ah Ndiya, and said that she was very famous all over Africa.
Eric did not know what a banjo was. We explored and found out that the origin of the banjo is assumed to be the akonting, a hand-made 'primitive' African banjo.
Eric enjoyed the music very much and I am making him a copy.
I have enjoyed seeing Eric mature in getting acquainted with this country, its social environment, the English language and I have to say that he has progressed so much. I am really proud of him.
I will really miss him as I am leaving north within one week. But I am sure that we will stay in touch via phone and/or internet.
At our last gathering I brought Eric the CD by Bela Fleck ' Throw Down your Heart' as it was recorded in Africa. Bela Fleck recorded in Uganda, Mali, Tanzania and Gambia, with Mali a bordering country to Burkina Faso, Eric's resident country. He recognized one recording artist on the CD, namely Ah Ndiya, and said that she was very famous all over Africa.
Eric did not know what a banjo was. We explored and found out that the origin of the banjo is assumed to be the akonting, a hand-made 'primitive' African banjo.
Eric enjoyed the music very much and I am making him a copy.
Tutoring 12 with Eric Passouc by Rita Schwab
Last Friday Eric and I met again. I had asked him if I could give him a tutoring session so that I can complete my requirements. He has been my conversation partner. Of course Eric agreed and
was excited about the subject matter: Florida State Parks.
When I inquired where he has traveled in Florida, he mentioned Gainesville, Tampa and Jacksonville, but nothing further south from that.
I showed him a Florida map and we discussed the travel distances and I had him look up several distances on mapquest. He had not been aware of the size of this state.
Then we looked at a map of all the state park of which there are many.
Next I presented a slide show of my experiences in 3 different state parks. I realized right away that my slide show was way too long. Eric enjoyed my artistic photography.
The I presented the book 'Florida State Parks' by Michael Strutin. I asked him to choose 2 state parks, one close by and another in south Florida and compare the facilities of both parks, the size, the recreation possibilities and how to access the park, namely finding driving directions.
Eric chose Wakulla Springs as it is the closest state park to Tallahassee, which he also had visited before. He found out about the history of the park, its discovery and its large springs. We noted vocabulary of recreation activities, habitat, history and wild life.
On my recommendation Eric chose Bahia Honda as the State Park in the Keys, as he was least familiar with that area of Florida. He was impressed by the difference in climate, the beaches, the difference in coastal lines of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and the abundance of recreation available. We made a comparison chart of the 2 parks.
Eric thought that the idea of educating foreign students on the abundance of Florida's wilderness areas and the recreation possibilities as well as the distances for traveling to these places would be very helpful. I think I created an urge to explore for Eric and I am sure he will want to visit some of these places.
Focus was on vocabulary, pronunciation and comprehension.
We met for 1 1/2 hours.
I found this prep tutoring session before my final presentation very helpful. But now I can see that tutoring one person is quite a different approach than what is needed in the classroom. I believe that the tutoring session went very well, but the class presentation was not as successful and I would make many changes.
Thank you.
was excited about the subject matter: Florida State Parks.
When I inquired where he has traveled in Florida, he mentioned Gainesville, Tampa and Jacksonville, but nothing further south from that.
I showed him a Florida map and we discussed the travel distances and I had him look up several distances on mapquest. He had not been aware of the size of this state.
Then we looked at a map of all the state park of which there are many.
Next I presented a slide show of my experiences in 3 different state parks. I realized right away that my slide show was way too long. Eric enjoyed my artistic photography.
The I presented the book 'Florida State Parks' by Michael Strutin. I asked him to choose 2 state parks, one close by and another in south Florida and compare the facilities of both parks, the size, the recreation possibilities and how to access the park, namely finding driving directions.
Eric chose Wakulla Springs as it is the closest state park to Tallahassee, which he also had visited before. He found out about the history of the park, its discovery and its large springs. We noted vocabulary of recreation activities, habitat, history and wild life.
On my recommendation Eric chose Bahia Honda as the State Park in the Keys, as he was least familiar with that area of Florida. He was impressed by the difference in climate, the beaches, the difference in coastal lines of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and the abundance of recreation available. We made a comparison chart of the 2 parks.
Eric thought that the idea of educating foreign students on the abundance of Florida's wilderness areas and the recreation possibilities as well as the distances for traveling to these places would be very helpful. I think I created an urge to explore for Eric and I am sure he will want to visit some of these places.
Focus was on vocabulary, pronunciation and comprehension.
We met for 1 1/2 hours.
I found this prep tutoring session before my final presentation very helpful. But now I can see that tutoring one person is quite a different approach than what is needed in the classroom. I believe that the tutoring session went very well, but the class presentation was not as successful and I would make many changes.
Thank you.
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