Well the weather has been unprecedented in its warmth and brightness. Too bad I seem to spend most if it indoors...
The last two weeks were the longest of my teaching career. I worked in an ESL school downtown, with a class of 12 tweens from various parts of the world ~ in theory, that is. In reality, I had one student from Saudi Arabia (Rahaf, a charming girl), one from Japan (Mayumi), and ten from Korea who made absolutely ZERO effort to speak in English. During class they sat in their chairs, as animated as lint on a sock, totally silent despite my open-ended questions, encouragement, humour and cajoling. The only time any of them woke up was to tell a classmate something funny in Korean. Although I repeatedly admonished "ENGLISH ONLY!" the response I invariably got was a meek "Yes, teacher", whereupon they turned and continued their conversation in Korean.
Before working there, I maintained firmly that teaching ESL is the same, in principle, as teaching French Immersion. It's all a matter of Second Language Aquisition, and the teaching skills involved are one and the same. Having survived two weeks in that situation, I still say the principles are the same. What is different is that my French Immersion students HAVE PERSONALITY!
Other than that, I have been attempting (pithy, I know) to clean my appartment. Call it the Spring Cleaning that never gets done in the Spring! I am hoping, planning, counting on, being able to go spend a few days in Winfield (just outside of Kelowna) with my uncle and aunt, who are both retired and now live an idyllic life on lakefront property. Sticking to my intended departure date depends on three things: (1) does my friend want to carpool with me? (2) will my appartment be clean enough for me to ask a neighbor to come and feed the animals? and (3) will the car actually make it that far?
The veedub has been running fairly well, all things considered (warning: car talk to follow!). Since my last update, it's spun out only once more (in the rain, and I swear, it's because of the tires!), overheated once or twice (I think the antifreeze is too diluted), and lost its starter.
What?
Yes.
The motor mounts never being in optimum condition all three at the same time, I lost a starter bolt somewhere on Burrard and Dunsmuir. Three days later, I drove out to Langley with my brother, who loves to drive the living snot out of my car whenever he gets behind the wheel, bless his heart! That was enough to make the other main starter bolt loosen, whereupon the starter, holding on by a mere short bolt, decided to grind and get stuck. We had to replace the loose bolt (nutless) back inside, and secure it with a pair of vicegrips for the drive home. I must say, though, my brother was quite prompt in getting new bolts and securing the starter back where it belongs.
So, can I make it to the Okanagan? We shall soon find out... provided "Molly" manages to get the rest of this joint cleaned up by the weekend!
