Hello 2014

I guess it's time for a little update (insert sheepish grin here). I know I've been quiet, but I do want to keep up with the blog. Things just aren't as blogable in the U.S. I mean, life is good, it just doesn't have that OMGIgottablogaboutthisRIGHTnow ring to it, like when a student told me about his cat's diarrhea.

But today being a snow day in Boston and all, I figured I'd be mildly productive and write a brief something.

The fall semester of 2013 was full of little successes. I started an intense one-year master's program in teaching English to speakers of other languages and finished the first semester with good grades, fantastic new friends, and a lot of new information about education philosophy, literacy research, and teaching methods. I moved into a beautiful, quaint apartment with a girl I didn't know at all and we had a super smooth transition into living together and becoming friends. And I started observing high school ESL classes at a local high school under the mentorship of a really engaging teacher. Over winter break, I got to visit my parents and brother, sleep a lot, and spend hours laughing with my cousins.

I really have a lot to be thankful for.

As the spring semester starts up, I'm starting to think about the year ahead. This semester I will be student teaching at the same school I was at last semester, and while I think it is a great experience, I don't know if I want to teach in a similar school after graduation. My classmates and I have started talking about the possibilities for next year, and everyone seems to be planning to stay in Boston. But I'll admit, I'm a little unsettled by that idea. There is a huge chunk of my heart that wants to return to Asia.

My grad program ends this summer and I need to start thinking now about what I'll do in the fall. I want to go where the Father asks me to go and stay where He wants me to stay. I just think it'd be cool if he started sending emails or text messages :)

So I'm going to leave you in suspense, mainly because the rest of the story isn't written yet.

In the mean time, here are some of my favorite ESL quotes from last semester:

On Current Events...

Teacher: Do you know what Congress is?

Student: Old white men.

Teacher: You are about 95% correct.

On Similes and Metaphors...

Student: English is like...a woman...because I don't understand it!

On Making Team Names...

Student: We are the SUPERHEROES! And they are the SUPERMARKETS!

Team 2: Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!