Can We Talk?

Friday, March 6, 2015

Kristin (left) enjoys getting to know the English students at ICATQR.

Kristin (left) enjoys getting to know English student Crespin at ICATQR.

Having a conversation with a new friend is simple enough—unless one of you is only in day three of a new language class. No te preocupe—no worries. Good humor and a bit of sign language helps.

“I had a blast,” said Kristin, a Friends of Cozumel volunteer from North Carolina.

Kristin and several other FOC volunteers have been serving as occasional English conversation partners for several years in classes at the Instituto de Capacitacio para el Trabajo del Estado de Quintana Roo—or ICATQR. This school serves a variety of students, including working adults who want to learn English. Because their instructors are not native speakers, it’s a new experience for students to talk with us and decipher our various accents from the Midwest, Texas and beyond.

“The key is to speak in short, clear sentences and take weird jokes and slang out of it. That’s not as easy as you’d think,” Kristin said. “But we’re all having a good time and getting to know each other. Isn’t that the point?”

Exactly right, chica. Let’s stay in touch and talk again soon.

~ Phyllis from Nebraska

The 7-8 p.m. class worked on basic vocabulary with FOC volunteers.

The 7-8 p.m. class worked on basic vocabulary with FOC volunteers.

 

The 8-9 p.m. class included many students who need to learn English for their work in spas.

The 8-9 p.m. class included many students who need to learn English for their work in spas.

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