I think my favorite part of giving final exams to students is that I get to talk to them one-on-one, however briefly.  Even though I call on all of them individually in class, they seem to tell me much more about their lives when I'm the only audience.  Best of all, they smile in these ways that are truly genuine, especially when they're talking about something that makes them happy.  Sometimes I learn we have more in common than I thought.  Sometimes not, but I still learn.  A few students talked about playing soccer or volleyball, and although I'd never played seriously, I did have fond memories of both from my childhood.  All it really took was a few leading questions, and they would talk forever if I didn't have to stop them for time.  Then again, some students are from countries with violent conflicts, and I cannot relate to their experiences or fears.  This is the only job I've had where I will read something in the news about some far off distant land and think it has nothing to do with me and then go to work and meet someone from that same place.  I wish I had more time to talk to them individually, as opposed to the quick tests.  Even so, the exercise gives them a chance to talk, and it gives me a chance to listen.  I know that some of them have improved their skills thanks to me, and I know that some of them haven't.  But all of them have improved my listening skills, and I thank them for that.  I have learned from experience that doing things with some effort and exertion will often help you later on in some unforeseeable way, even if you think those skills weren't useful.  Climbing ladders to paint houses built my courage to travel, and taught me about focus while living a careful balancing act.  Traveling taught me courage when faced with constant uncertainty, and how to talk to people I didn't know.  That helped me get a job.  Teaching this language helps me employ it on my own time.  Doing that helps me do all of this

I asked the class why people travel, and they said:


romantic search

meet people

confidence

inspiration

travel bug

stories

language

sex

broaden your horizons

cultural enrichment

experience

stir crazy

open your mind

discover yourself

joy

relaxation

challenge

shopping

contribute to economies

food

perspective

spread DNA

new eyes

feels good

knowledge

education

work

business

adventure

relationships

vacation

honeymoon

wisdom

photography

make memories

escape reality

overcome fear

we can

Up and down and round and round

I had a great time with people today and was happy to learn I am always learning something new, whichever wondrous way I go through, and somehow I, whatever we do, am teaching something with u

I really love travel, people, words, language, especially music, art, nature and beauty in many creative unique special ways when we enjoy life's love

I am happy to be here.  I am happy to teach people and learn from them.  I usually learn that I am not the best at many things or, when faced with the universe, the best at anything other than what I do, which is living the life I am.  Even if we sometimes do, we don’t always have to be the best, which makes life very fun.  We work together to share what we experience with languages we make

Colors are growing

I am thankful for this heavenly fortune of being alive, and the freedoms I have to pursue happiness while enjoying this miracle.

There is much to be said for today's date.  I've said it in my journal.  I say plenty in my journal every day.  I write, I write, I write.

Most importantly, you don't have to "do what you love" (i.e. perfect job) but you should do things that you love while you are alive.  And hey, if it presents itself, go for that dream!

Where is mine leading?  Actually distributing pieces of writing in widely read publications, as long as they accept them.  I will be sending work for approval in June, a beautiful time of year for commencements.  I hope the doors will open where I didn't know they would be...

Where is yours leading?  Wherever you would like, so long as you remember to be brave, kind and curiously creative with your "God" given universal imagination.

Play with elation.

Your existence is a sensation

Update on the way...

Love and laughter with friends, family and gorgeous spring scenery pleasing the eye as far as this I can see

I am very lucky to have recently met so many people, and their smiles, and more come with a new day

You live brave journeys

I am thankful I have speaking, reading, writing, intuitive, listening, looking, seeing, and skills for loving life

Today the students in my first class finished their final exam.  They are Level 8, which is an advanced level.  I have been teaching them for two months.  Then again, before this I taught Level 7, and two of the students were in that class as well.  Those same two students were in my Friday lab class the previous two months, so I have been teaching them for half a year now.  One of them is moving on, but the other I will still teach, yet again on Friday's, as I have been given the most advanced Friday class again too.  Since I had been teaching Level 4 (very enjoyable students, but very limited capability for discussion of the kinds of things that swirl around this brain) for four months previously, I've been very happy to be teaching much higher level students recently.

Although I met the requirements of the job and taught them all the necessary grammar, vocabulary, readings and exercises from the assigned text, they had plenty of supplementary material from me.  Today they joked that I was really a philosophy professor.  It wasn't my fault though!  The book would give us some deep topic such as the future and robots, climate change, art, comedy, mysteries and so on, but there was only so much content in the book to cover four hours each morning, so I had to give them more materials, which I am encouraged to do by the school.  As you might imagine, I've been very happy to oblige.  On top of that, there are 6 units in the book and 8 weeks of class, so I get to teach them whatever I think is useful and will stimulate discussion for the final two weeks.

They're great people.  I really feel lucky to have had such a motivated, interested group.  I'm definitely heaping exorbitant praise on them.  They also felt tired and lackadaisical on certain days, but I could always count on someone to express their opinion or share an experience.  Most of all, I appreciate their smiles, insights and laughs making each morning brighter.

That's all for tonight.  I've been running up an incredible sleep debt (despite a 3-4 hour break in the afternoon, my day does not end until 10).

I can see many smiles when I am looking

Working, enjoying the show

Light the candle in the universe with smiling vibrant energy exciting electricity in intricate complicity with every destiny, you and me and everybody we see with whom we live, from whom we take, and to whom we give vivacity, veracity, voracious, herbaceous, tenacious, gracious, with imagination and generation of divine sensation

Yum

I love eating food and listening to stories with family, these friends extended as far as we love

Today

I, somewhere, move ways, every day, and we live the treasure of beautiful vibes, smiles, eyes, taste, scents, insights and magical feelings which come from everywhere we dare stare, fully aware of the glorious creation with which we pair our various joys which energy employs excellent emphasis enthusing artistic spirit as soulful as necessary for we to hear this adventurous mind that loves kind light in star bright given focus with shadows of night, a flight and fight to live life, that's right, with all your might, emitting imagination because journeys of elation, our universal station, brave unknown creation, constant salvation

What's up?

U!