Berlitz Day 4

UGH POLITICS UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH TAXES BARF UGH ECONOMY UGHHHHHHHHH.

New Etsy items! Check 'em out! -->

Today was a long day, but it was pretty good. I went to tutor Ronald, and for some reason my laptop wouldn't get on the internet at the office, so I just asked him opinion questions out of the TOEFL book and let him talk. He did really really well and didn't make very many grammar mistakes! Most of his errors now are with word order, which is so so so so so sososooooo awesome, and I feel great about how he's progressing despite his limited vocabulary.

He asked me some questions about specific stuff that was confusing him, and we had a good talk about a few points of English like when to use "that" vs. "it." Then I asked some questions about a few things in Spanish that were giving me issues, and we had a nice knowledge-exchange. Hooray!

Thennn I got to go to Berlitz and observe the 2nd half of an upper-level English class. Today they were working on how to write business emails. It was very interesting, and I thought the instructor was great.

I took a break in the cafeteria (which has any kind of coffee or tea you can imagine from this amazing machine!) to do my module and prepare my 10-minute demo lesson on present perfect, then headed to training.

We did our demos and had one-on-one feedback with the instructor, and I feel like I did pretty well. She hinted that they need someone to do a total immersion class (4-8 hours a day!) in 2 weeks, and I might be considered for that. HOORAY.

During the rest of the training, we got into some of the more intricate workings of English and how hard they are to teach. I loved it because I love grammar and learning about how to explain it. Tomorrow we have a 30-minute demo to do! I'm nervous!

In other news, Emily AND my sister will be in Austin this weekend. I'm excited! I haven't seen seester since August I don't think.

YAYYYYYYYY

Berlitz Training Day 1

was very long. I have training 4:30-9:00 pm every day this week.

One other lady and I were "invited" to training, or at least we were the only two who were invited and decided to come. Haha. We learned/reviewed a bunch of things from the online module we were supposed to do for homework: Berlitz's history, other teaching methods, etc. etc.

The big thing about Berlitz is that the lessons are taught ONLY in the target language with no translation. We learned a bunch of reasons why this is good and some ways to make students understand what you are saying, even if they don't know a single word of the target language. Our instructor taught us a mock French lesson for 30 minutes, and it was really cool to remember how fast you can learn in an immersion situation. It reminded me of being in Spain for the first time. Haha.

Je suis Vanessa. I don't know any French, and by the end of the lesson I could introduce myself and other people, say I am well, thank you, and this is France. France is a country. France is not a city. Paris is a city. Paris is not a country. Hurrah!

Then we did some practice lessons in English and Spanish, which helped us get a better idea of how to teach with the Berlitz Method. It's not so easy! I got the hang of the "tools" we were supposed to be using today, and the instructor told me my pronunciation and pacing was the best. Yay!

The other lady in training with me is nice. She's from Mexico City and likes to tell stories that don't really have much to do with what we're supposed to be learning. Oh well.

More tomorrow!

ESL Update

Since this was supposed to be my ESL blog, maybe I should update about something ESL-related.

Sooo I got a job teaching at Berlitz here in Austin, which in case you don't know is a big ol' language school in pretty much every major city of the world. Including, you guessed it, Buenos Aires. Hooray! I see a transfer in my future.

Training starts next Monday, and the job is very very part-time, but I'm excited nonetheless. In the meantime, I'm back tutoring, etc. for the Aztex/Orlando City since someone finally realized that they fired the only person who can speak to the Colombian.

So Ronald and I have been studying for the TOEFL about 4 days a week along with running errands as he doesn't have a car - he is a really hard worker and is improving a lot. It feels good to actually be able to see/hear/read his progress and to know that I helped him accomplish that. I'm not sure when he'll actually be ready for the TOEFL, but considering he got here in April, he's doing very well.

Some highlights: Listening to him sing every word to "Bottoms Up" when it comes on the radio is really great. Also, today he asked me what "tryna" means. Like, wrote it out and everything. This kind of makes me sad for the speakers of the English language now that I think about it, but it made me laugh. It must be so hard to learn English. Jeez.

The other day we ate at Casa Colombia, my favorite favorite restaurant in Austin, and he walked in like he owned the place. He also somehow managed to dance while eating. Fantastic.

Anyway, that is fun.

I've been selling some jewelry and things on my Etsy site, which is periplogifts.etsy.com in case you missed it. Buy some jewelry because I am poor!

I was also accepted to the teaching certification program I applied to, and that starts in January. Yay! Moving forward with teaching is making me feel good because I know it's what I'm supposed to be doing with my life.

Boyfriend finally got things straightened out with his school, and he got his tools today after he, his dad, and I spent a lot of time on a three-way call to the immigration office. Turns out his school is crazy and he had already given them everything they needed, but they didn't realize it. Anyway, he has his auto tools and is on the job hunt. Hopefully we will both find something else soon.

In other news...I LOVE THE WEATHER! Thank you, Texas! My plants are still alive. Emmanuel bought me a Nochebuena the other day, and it is beautiful. It looks great on the balcony. Yay!

Cer ti fied.

So this past weekend, I drove home from ACL at 3:30 in the morning to complete my final weekend of training and receive a certificate of completion from the Oxford Seminars TESOL/TESL/TEFL program. "What does this mean?" you ask.

I ask myself the same question.

But you know, there was a reason (or multiple reasons) why I chose this particular certification.

I thought about just doing it online for half the price, but then I'd be...doing it online. And how credible is that, really? I also considered another Houston course, which was less expensive but was more hours of credit. Hm. Then I looked at where it was being held, and it ended up that it was in a hotel somewhere. That just seems slightly sketchy to me. The only one remaining was the Oxford course - only 60 hours, but it was also held at a reputable university and offered free job placement assistance upon completion.

Just in case anyone looking to get into the TESOL business runs across this, I'll tell you how the class ended up being. First of all, my classmates (9 others) were all very smart and genuinely nice. Our teacher was also very intelligent and had a lot of experience teaching abroad. I felt comfortable in the setting and with all the people.

The class ended up being, as the Oxford Seminars title suggests, more of a seminar than an actual instruction course. We spent our time discussing how to behave abroad, what to expect as far a job offers, the kinds of things to stay away from, etc. We talked briefly about learning styles and how to teach (book info), but it was mostly common sense or, as my teacher put it, "something we were going to learn anyway." Many times, our conversations devolved into rather morbid topics about the state of the world, but I usually felt we were discussing things worth discussing. We had to give two practice lessons, one alone (10 minutes) and one with a partner (30 minutes), and we were evaluated by the teacher and our peers. We also got a crash course on English grammar.

Basically, I learned that we'll probably have to teach from a book, which will outline the lessons for us. I also learned that unless you're a complete dumbass or are not ready to move your life to another country, you'll probably be okay and learn everything you need to know as you go.

In the end, I'm really glad I chose to go through Oxford Seminars. It might not be as many hours as some courses, but it was actually pretty fun and did a lot to prepare me mentally. I had a great teacher who told it like it is and gave us a ton of helpful information and resources. I had great classmates who were kind and supportive of everyone. I really do feel like I'm ready to begin looking for my future job. I sent an email to the teacher placement service to tell them I'm ready to start; my top three countries of choice are: Argentina, Peru, and Mexico.

Wish me luck! :)

Adventures in the Kitchen: Salsa Verde

Vee's Salsa Verde

So I followed a recipe I found online, but the end product was less than satisfactory. I started adding stuff that I felt it needed, like I always do. What resulted was one of the best things I've ever made IN THE HISTORY OF MY LIFE. I was so impressed with myself. Haha. Anyway. This stuff is the shit. And it goes on everything! Tacos, chicken, fries, crackers, scrambled eggs, baked potatoes...the list goes on. Please make it, and enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 Qt water
9 Whole Tomatillos (large, tomato-sized)
10 medium cloves garlic, whole
3 chiles serranos (vary according to preference for spice)
3 Tbsp + 1/2 cup white onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, with a bit of stem
3 Tbsp heavy cream
3 Tbsp chicken bouillon /caldo de pollo powder
juice from 1/2 a lime

Directions:

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add tomatillos, 4 garlic cloves, chiles and 3 tbsp onion. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes and remove from heat. Drain and let cool. Meanwhile, puree remaining garlic cloves in a molcajete or food processor, adding salt to taste. Add cilantro, 1/2 cup uncooked onion, and blend. Add tomatillo mixture , cream, bouillon, and lime juice. Blend to desired consistency.





I <3 tomatillos.

Adventures in the Kitchen: Cilantro Lime Rice

Sticking with my Mexican theme...

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 large lime (juice and zest)
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:

In a skillet, melt butter and add rice. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except cilantro) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes (add water if necessary). Add cilantro a few minutes before the rice is done. Fluff with fork and serve.

Good in burritos...very Chipotle-eqsue!

Grammar Lessons from the Future English Teacher: Installment 3

Today's lesson will be: The Correct Use of "I" and "Me."


Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT ALWAYS USE "I." THIS IS VITAL, PEOPLE. PAY ATTENTION.



This sentence is correct: Lexie and I are going to the moon.

The reason this sentence is correct is because Lexie and I are the subjects. However, if we were the objects, YOU CAN'T USE "I."

This sentence is incorrect: The goat kicked Lexie and I.

NO NO NO NO NO. It's easier to see if we remove Lexie: The goat kicked I. Would you ever say that? No. No you wouldn't. You would say, "the goat kicked me." So don't say I if you're the object of the sentence. If you do, I will kill you. I will. Don't think that I won't. I'll come after you.

This sentence is correct: The goat kicked Lexie and me.

A special reminder for my Facebook friends aka the largest known source of incorrect grammar: If you are captioning a picture, DO NOT say "this is so-and-so and I." That is WRONG. Say instead "this is so-and-so and ME." Ok? Ok.

***So remember, if you are ever in doubt, just remove the other person and figure out what you would say if you were only talking about yourself. It's not difficult. I know you can do it. I have faith in all of you.***

Adventures in the Kitchen: Poblano Soup

I love spicy things.

Cream o' poblano is one of my favorite soups, so I thought I'd try it. I altered the recipe I found, because it called for canned poblano peppers (ew) and not enough cilantro (of course). I also thought it needed cumin and garlic, so I added those too. Here be my final recipe:

Poblano Soup

Ingredients:

6 tbsp butter
1 white onion, sliced
3 fresh poblano peppers, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp cumin
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
shredded jack cheese (to top off)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a pot; fry the onion and garlic. When the onion begins to turn clear, add the poblano. Fry for about 5 minutes. Set this mixture aside to cool. Keep the heat on and fry the tortilla strips in the leftover butter. Salt these and set them aside on a paper towel. Take the poblano/onion/garlic mixture and puree it with the chicken stock and cilantro until it's relatively smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and heat it up again. Add cream, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla strips on top! Nom.

*On a side note, you may want to wear gloves while slicing the poblano peppers. I didn't, and my hands burned for about 24 hours. You've been warned.

**On another side note, the fried tortilla strips are one of the best things I've ever tasted. Ever.

Adventures in the Kitchen: Guacamole

Now that I've graduated and am once again living at home while I wait for the TEFL ball to start rolling, I've found myself with quite a bit of free time. One thing that I did a lot at school (but not quite as much as I wanted to) was cook; now seems like a good time to start it up again. I've somehow convinced my parents to let me have a grocery budget, so I've decided to peruse the internet for fun recipes and share all my kitchen adventures. Lucky you.

This first one though, I've been making for a while and is nottttttt from the internet. A Mexican friend initially taught me how to make guacamole, and I've since tweaked it a little bit. I know it's not technically "cooking," but I've been told it's pretty good and have been asked how to make it, so here it is. Measurements are more estimates than anything, but I tried to be as accurate as possible and pay attention to how much I was using this time. So, here it is:

Vee's Guacamole! I hope you like my happy cilantro garnish.

Ingredients:

2-3 large avocados
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced
1 jalapeño, diced (keep the seeds for more spice)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 large lime
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp salt (at least!)
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder


Directions:

Peel avocados and mash them with a fork. As soon as you've done this, squeeze the lime over them (this keeps them from getting brown). Mix in all other ingredients, and add more salt/lime juice if needed. Mmm tasty. Now go get some chips.

Grammar Lessons from the Future English Teacher: Installment 2

First thing.

To everyone who shows up on my Facebook newsfeed: STOP USING "YOUR" WHEN YOU SHOULD BE USING "YOU'RE," AND STOP USING APOSTROPHES FOR PLURALS. YOU ARE IN COLLEGE, PEOPLE. MOST OF YOU HAVE GRADUATED. JESUS CHRIST.

Now, that's out of the way. If you missed the first lesson, never fear. Here it is: Clicky click.

Due to popular demand, I'm going to make a whole post about homophones. For those of you who missed this day in FIRST GRADE, homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently. I know, really confusing.

Here is a very helpful website, if you're having trouble with confusing words (not all are homophones - Thanks, Sharon):

http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/words_commonly_confused.htm

There are a ton, but I'm going to focus on some that I feel are the most common. Let's revisit the most annoying ones (to me) first, because somehow people are still making mistakes after my first post. I mean obviously everyone read it, so I don't know what's going on.

your vs. you're

Once again, "your" signifies possession. Example: That is YOUR bad.

"You're" means "you are." The apostrophe is REPLACING THE 'A.' Example: YOU'RE a d-bag.

I don't know how to make that one much clearer.

Another that I've already addressed but needs to be mentioned...


it's vs. its

It's = IT IS. Use "its" when talking about something inanimate possessing something else.

Example: IT'S really sad that the food has lost ITS flavor.

I know this one is really super hard because "its" is possessive and omg there is no apostrophe, but GET OVER IT AND REMEMBER IT.

Now, the one that everyone couldn't believe wasn't in the first post...


they're, their, there

Oh shit, now there are three choices. What do we do? We take a breath and think about it for a millisecond before we write it.

"They're" means "they are."

"Their" means relating to them (adj).

"There" means "in that matter, respect, or relation" (adv).

Example: THEY'RE getting more food for THEIR platypus over THERE in the pond.

accept vs. except

"Accept" is a verb that means "to receive willingly."

"Except" is a preposition that means "but" or "with the exception of."

Example: I ACCEPT all of your flaws, EXCEPT the fact that you have poor grammar.

than vs. then

Technically not homophones, but they might as well be with the way we speak in the US. No one knows how to use them correctly anyway.

"Than" is used to indicate difference (conj).

"Then" means next or consequently (adv).

Example: I use correct grammar more often THAN you do; I am going to make a post about it, and THEN I expect you to try harder.

whose vs. who's

Whose means "of or relating to whom or which esp. as possessor or possessors" (adj).

Who's is a contraction of who and is.

Example: WHOSE clothes are these? They belong to that guy WHO'S skinny dipping. Let's hide them.

Okay so these are the ones that everyone usually screws up. Let me know if you think of any more good ones, and I'll add them.

Please please please visit this website, and make sure you understand all of the words on it.