The Only language I know

I mentioned a few weeks back that I agreed to teach 15 students English. By teach I mean chat with them and help them better the English they know, not teach them everything from the beginning- I don't think I could do that.

At this point I have had two classes and I'm so glad I did this! I've yet to have all 15 students show up to class, but that's good, because then the ones that do show up get the ability to talk more this way. Most of them come from Mainland China, and are here just to better their conversational English. In order to do this I've been working with them, telling them common idioms (like cool it and get a move on, and I'm beat) so they can better understand conversations, and just having them talk by answering questions like "if you could have any superpower what would it be and why?" They all like to talk and it is so fun and interesting to hear their answers.

The first question I asked them was why they wanted to learn English, and their answers shocked me! They told me that English was a connector. It allows them to be able to talk to people from nearly any country. One boy even told me about a time when he met a boy from Korea or somewhere and they were able to communicate only because they both spoke English! I had no idea that English meant so much to people around the world (and than goodness because it is the only language I speak).

Another great part about teaching this class is that I am making friends I didn't expect to make. After class last week a girl contacted me and asked to grab coffee so she could practice and get some tips on how to be a student ambassador for an American journalist coming to speak. This week, on our way to coffee, another student saw us and joined. In the end the three of us sat at Pacific coffee for over an hour just talking and having a good laugh! At the end, we agreed to meet up before class next week and try lunch at a delicious noodle place right next to campus:)

This class is giving me so much more than I thought. I expected to feel good for helping people, but I'm making friends and gaining insight that I never would have if I hadn't have taken this opportunity.