12 minute read
I'm so proud of my students!
As a teacher, a lot of things can bring me joy. However, probably the most rewarding aspect of my job is witnessing when students break through barriers, when they have that ‘a-ha! moment‘ and when I can see they are really making progress. And I had one of those moments recently.
I’m bursting with pride to share with you the work of two of my talented, amazing students, Olatz and Lucia.
First, let me set some context. Olatz and Lucia were among the group of our new course Book-Lab where we read and discussed the book Bridget Jones’s Diary. At a certain point during our class, we came across this rather amusing passage written in a particular narrative style.
The creative writing challenge!
I set my group a challenge: to write a passage using the same style and narrative voice as the one we had just read… and it had to be funny!
Not easy (creative writing is hard in our own language, let alone in a second language) but I had faith in these students and the results were beyond what I could have hoped for!
So I invite you to sit back for 10 minutes, make yourself a brew* and read the pieces that these wonderful ladies have produced.
Who knows, they might even inspire you to do the same!
make yourself a brew* [slang]= make yourself a tea or coffee
April 4th
Dear life,
I cannot cope. I do not know exactly what I need right now but I swear to god I cannot cope with you any longer. “What doesn’t kill you makes you…” No fucking thanks. I am not falling for that BS again.
Anyway, Sarah rang me yesterday evening, “My test has come back positive, I feel rotten, I’m afraid you’ll have to get tested too.” Grand, then. Let the hunger games begin.
I’ve been isolating and turning down lovely plans my workmates have invited me to for the past 9 months* because I was trying to keep my bubble safe** and the one weekend I decided to join them for a drink*** someone gets fucking COVID. Ok Murphy, I’ve had enough of you, if you’re planning on staying forever, let’s at least split the rent.
I’ve been up since 6 o’clock this morning. I went out for a walk with my mask on, because, let’s face it, no one in Ireland walks anywhere**** and then came back home to isolate in my room. Luckily my housemates are sound enough and they brought the assault bike upstairs so I can exercise*****.
- *Not that I had much interest in going anyway, but you know…
- **more like keeping my seat in the couch warm
- *** Several cans of cheap beer and massive hangover
- ****not now that the pubs are closed anyway
- *****I do real exercise now, not that thing I used to do when I watched other people’s workout videos while eating crisps.
Anyway, this is it. I’m a “close contact” so my life is over for the next 14 days. Here’s a list of things I should do that I will then update once my isolation is over.
What I should do | What I’ve been doing instead (updated on April 8th) |
Organize my wardrobe | Buy more clothes |
Read the books I’ve been meaning to read | Get acquainted with random celebrity Instagram accounts |
Start watching that tv show Cam asked me to watch | Re watch Pride & Prejudice (2005) for the 23rd time****** |
Listen to more classical music while I write | Don’t touch any of my notebooks and discover that I actually like One direction******* |
- ******Love the way holding hands equals sex when it comes to Austen adaptations
- *******Who the fuck am I?
I haven’t got a trustworthy sense of direction (1), and even if this is annoying sometimes, it also gives me the possibility to discover new places and meet new wonderful people (2).
For example, when I went to Nyborg, Denmark, attending classes in an English school for three weeks, I would never have discovered its small, enchanting dock if I had taken the right road.
Every morning we woke up, had a rich breakfast, and jumped on our bikes to go to school, happily (3). One morning I was a bit late and went to school alone, it had already been a week, and there was only a crossroad. I should have found the way easily (4).
So, at that crossroad, I went straight instead of turning right. After a couple of minutes I started looking around, trying to understand why everything was so unfamiliar (5).
After having accepted the fact that maybe I didn’t know where I was, I stopped a woman, chosen for her nice and friendly appearance (6) to ask where the school was. Luckily, she patiently (7) explained to me the road to take to arrive, late, for the lesson.
AS I said at the beginning, new places and wonderful people.
- I get lost inside my own house
- random people who pitied PITY me and give me indications directions.
- at 7 am. Cycling on the only Danish hill, in the whole country.
- I didn’t.
- Or panicking if you prefer.
- Literally the first person I saw
- And repeating ‘keep calm, it’s easy. You can do it.’
