Larry - CP 2

My new local conversation Partner is Long Vo. He is a Vietnamese "guest worker" at San Destin Golf and Beach Resort. I met him while I was visiting Hue City, Vietnam a little over one year ago. He was a senior at Hue University and was very anxious to learn English. To say he is a quick learner is an understatement. He was the Salutorian of his graduating class last year. He majored in Hotel Management and the Leisure Industry. He asked me to help him find a job here in Destin, Florida. I did that. He arrived about four months ago and lives in a relatively isolated location at a housing facility for workers at the Resort. Last night, I rescued him from his isolated boredom, and we drove over to Destin proper to shop at Wal-Mart, talk, and watch fireworks. We talked about numerous subjects. He has little problem with ideas, logic, philosophy, social terminology, and all factors related to his job. My main assistance is in pronounciation and advanced vocabulary development. He is an excellent listener and offers profound advice, when I complain about my wife, children, and the sad state of political affairs in the US and throughout the world. Last night, I corrected him on the proper pronounciation of "packed"...as in, "Wal-Mart is packed with tourists!" He only said "pack" when he should have pronounced the final "ed". We also talked about "Erikson's 'Eight Stages of Life'." I taught him the meaning of the new word "despair" associated with the 8th stage. Additionally, I correct and assist Long's girlfriend, Thi, with English writing skills. She, like Long, is also a brilliant human being. She graduated from Hue University with a degree in physics. She will soon move to Taiwan to earn an advanced degree in Physics with a specialty in nuclear studies. I assisted her in writing a request for acceptance into a prestigious Taiwanese university. I guess I must have done a good job. She was accepted. I also assisted both Long and Thi with the writing of their resumes. Before Thi enters the University three months from now, she must learn to speak the Chinese language. I wonder who will TCFL to her. Long and I meet at least once per week and I feel I can be of considerable help to him in refining his spoken and written English.

I have changed from having Rosa and Miyra (two Guatemalan women) as my conversational partners, because of their very limited ability to carry on any type of conversation. They have become tutees in the Group 1, level 1 category. I just finished teaching my first lesson to them this evening. I feel I will gain more knowledge of TEFL if I have a good range of abilities to whom I can teach and converse.

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