Final day at work!

Today was my last day teaching English at the company. (I started working there more than a year ago!)

Their strong recommendation letter is why I got my upcoming job. Through working with them, I’ve learned some valuable etiquette for company life.

The final lesson was a bit sad… I’ll miss the guys a lot!

Current job

I would like to talk about my job here in the US more, but I can’t.

I do my best to preserve my ESL students’ privacy.
That means I can’t flap my gums!

But I can talk about my graduate thesis, which was based around my students.

My thesis was a qualitative study, backed up with other current research on English usage strategies in non-Hispanic ESL students. Basically, the data pointed to the need for textbooks aimed at middle-class, career-minded learners of English.
My research got high marks from my university. However, the main benefit for me was to be able to talk candidly about issues that my students face everyday. Even in the smallest ways, I was able to know their struggle better, and able to help them more.

Isn’t that what teaching is all about.

It’s why I love my job, and why I’ll miss my students so much.

Snapshots: The office

This is the conference room that I hold ESL classes in. It's like a fishbowl at night.

‘Casual Friday’ tips

This is one of favorite shirts, but it's a complete "NO!" to wear when I'm teaching. Sleeveless or even semi-sleeveless is a huge faux pas with Japanese people. You would think that I looked like the whore of Babylon by the way they kept asking if I was 'cold' or 'wanted to cover up'!

I hate “Casual Friday“!

I do!

Why?

It’s confusing!

The problem with Casual Friday is that the standards aren’t universal. Depending on where you work, ‘casual’ Friday can mean jeans (hooray!) or something moronic like ‘smart casual’ or simply right to wear bright colors! The dress code for my IT job is relatively causal everyday. However, the Japanese company that I teach ESL at has never heard of woman NOT wearing pantyhose, much less Casual Friday.

As tough as the job market is right now, many places have seen casual dress vanish, going the way of the dinosaurs and health benefits. According to common wisdom, there is a great deal to be said about wearing the appropriate attire and being professional. (I only buy that BS to a certain existent. Do you?) Heaven forbid, relaxing one day a week can cause wily employees to relax on other days.

Regardless, if your place of employment still has Casual Fridays, take my advice;

• Still look ‘professional’. – Dress like you’re still employed.
• Don’t be too trendy.
• Don’t forget your audience! If you have a meeting with the VP of your company, don’t wear khakis and a lime-green polo.
• Never go sleeveless.
• Never wear flip flops.
• Don’t wear anything that could get you fired.
  • If you have to ask about wearing something, just don’t wear it. You already know the answer.
  • If you are a semi-attractive woman, hide your figure! Haters abound, and there’s no use getting fired over a jealous old bag!

Accent? Accent?!

Even though it’s alittle bit old, I would like to share this video about the very distinct way people in Kentucky speak.

It’s a concept that I’ve discussed with my ESL students.
The accent is an expression of the Kentucky way of life. There is a great deal of focus here on the integrity and pure-heartedness of the individual person.

Much like in the Japanese language, people will talk ‘around’ the topic, delaying or avoiding speaking too directly. As the narrator points out, people may sit, sharing stories and pick their teeth before business is discussed.

This video is recent, documenting the way of speaking in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, just over the state border.

My father and his wife live in the foothills of Appalachia, and I’ve heard them muse about these same points. (The way of speaking there sounds like singing!) The people where they live are very kind, and they wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.