As I was out-of-town last week, I was curious to see who would show up to English Club today. Alaiddin was not there, sadly, and he never responded to my reminder email. A sweet, middle-aged woman named Luz did show up there. She is from Columbia, and much like Alaiddin, is here in Tallahassee because of her husband, who is studied for his PhD in Engineering. She is taking English classes at TCC, and lived in Miami for 10 years, but her English is still weak (she didn't really need to use it in Miami). As we were talking, Onur, from CIES showed up, and made it a group-conversation (instead of the one-on-one I thought it was going to be).
Luz's biggest weakness is the pocket dictionary she carries in her purse. It's basically the size of a smart phone, and the temptation to pull it out and look up the English translation is extremely strong. We discussed the merits of not using it, but she did eventually give in and pulled it out once. We also talked about helpful ways to practice English outside of class--talking to yourself in front of a mirror, etc. She said that while her husband and son speak very good English, they don't speak it with her, and so her practice opportunities are fewer. I encouraged her to speak even the little English she knows around her husband and son, maybe they could even provide feedback and encourage her.
Luz was extremely grateful for the practice, and left to go to a neighbor's birthday party--it was a surprise party, so being there on time was essential. Onur and I stayed to attend the International Coffee Hour. I definitely hope to see her again.
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