Adult Class

For the past two or three weeks, Brandon, Andy, and I have been teaching adult ESL classes three nights a week. Andy has beginners, I have the intermediate students, and Brandon has taken on the advanced class. At one time, these sections were combined into one class, but to better fit the needs of the students, they were split. Andy seems to have the largest class, with six to seven adults; Brandon has a smaller class, with only three or four; and I have the smallest, with just one student, Jenny. This is my first time teaching adults, but it seems to be different from children only in the topics of interest covered and behavioral attitudes. I greatly enjoy my class because I am able to give Jenny the one-on-one attention that she needs, I am able to build a comraderie with her that is absent in my other authority-based classes, and because the topics covered are also of similar interest to me. I have to say: it's one of my favorite classes to teach.

Another great thing about teaching adults is that they have a measure of freedom to engage in activities that interest them. Andy and Brandon have told me a story or two about about the adult class inviting them to several activities. My student, Jenny, asked me a couple of weeks ago if she, Brandon, Andy, and I could go out for dinner one night; this, of course, morphed into the whole gang coming along. We had it planned for last Wednesday, but things didn't pan out. We ended up going out as a group last night (11-11) to a place called Cherry Blossom, a buffet-style "family restaurant" (so they advertize). It was so elegant--and, by far, the best dining experience I've had this side of the Pacific! It wasn't the kind of southern "family style" I'm used to, like Bill Miller's or Luby's, but it was beautiful and the food was delicious! I tried sushi, some sort of veggie summer roll, rice with caviar, and even found some good ol' fashioned p'tata salad! (And don't forget two slices of Korean watermelon) It wasn't "southern," but I s'pose it was good enough!

After dinner, we sat around talking for a little while. It was all very pleasant, the conversation centering mostly around me and what Texas was like (if all the houses are so spread out). Andy and I bantered back and forth about which state was better, mine or his (California)--and I won the debate by "ki-bi-bo," Rock-Paper-Scissors. Things got a bit heated when the question was asked if I was comfortable "living with" the guys. I must have turned red-faced, for I quickly righted their mistake. "We live in the same apartment building," I said. "But we had different rooms." We later adjourned outside for a photo and a ride back to our apartments. It was a wonderful night, one I hope we can soon repeat.