Greg Mackie – Golden Rule Activism

Done! With a big assist from my hero Fred Rogers (the subject of my listening lesson tonight), I finished my ESL teacher training with flying colors. All that’s left is a Saturday morning meeting on employment opportunities followed by an online fiesta.

As Fred Rogers said via video to my students tonight, “The greatest thing that we can do is to help somebody know that they’re loved and capable of loving.” That’s what I want to remember going forward, whatever ESL employment I end up pursuing. I look forward to many more opportunities to give and receive love as my journey continues. But for now…time to rest! 😴

I’m almost done with my ESL teaching class—this is the last week! It has been a remarkable experience. Among other things, I’ve learned that teaching language can be a wonderful way to talk about things that really matter to us. That’s why last week, I did a grammar lesson on George Floyd.

Continue reading “A grammar lesson about George Floyd”

I have officially reached the halfway point in my ESL teaching course. I’ve completed two of my four required written assignments and four of my eight required teaching sessions. I’m happy to report that I’m doing better in my teaching sessions every week. My tutor gave me “meets the standard” grades for my first two classes (a worthy grade that means I taught a good, solid class), but gave me “above the standard” grades for the last two. 🙂

Continue reading “I’m halfway there, livin’ on a prayer”

Just a quick update to let everyone know that my ESL teaching class is going  well so far. It’s very time-intensive, so I’ve pretty much been living at my computer. I’ve passed my first two written assignments, as well as my first three teaching practices (where we teach an actual class). Our tutor said that my third teaching session was my best yet, so looks like I’m learning something. 🙂

Continue reading “So far, so good…”

Hope everyone is doing well. I’ve been pretty much anchored to my computer chair as my ESL (English as a Second Language) online teaching course has gone into full swing. The program is quite intensive and full of things to do, so my life is now a strange combination of being planted in one spot and being engaged in constant activity.  I’m definitely taking it sitting down!

Fortunately, I’m really enjoying the course and everything is going well. My teachers and fellow students are wonderful, and the work is interesting and engaging. I’ll be doing my first online teaching session with real students this Wednesday. Wish me luck! 🙂 Everyone take care and stay healthy! 😷

I just finished my first week of training in teaching English as a second language, and it looks like I’ll be extremely busy from now until the end of June. But it has been very rewarding so far. Nothing like going back to school at age 56!

One pleasure, of course, is meeting my instructors and classmates—at least online, since that’s where the entire class is taking place. What a wonderful international crew we have: men and women from the US, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ghana, Iran, and China. One of our problems is finding a time when we can all meet!

Continue reading “Back to school: My first week of English teaching class”

Hope everyone is doing well, given the strange circumstances we’re all living in with the COVID-19 pandemic. I know that many people are getting hit hard, and if you are, my and Patricia’s love and prayers go out to you. We’ve been reaching out to those around us (following all the preventive protocols of course) to give what help we can. As I said in my last post, let us all be angels for each other.

Fortunately, we are doing okay ourselves. We are hunkered down at home, working online and binging on Netflix like so many others. Thank goodness our financial situation is okay. That being said, it could be better, and so I’m glad to be embarking on an exciting new venture: On Monday, I’ll begin a training course for a credential to teach English as a second language here in Mexico.

Continue reading “A new beginning in these strange times: Teaching English here in Mexico”

In my last post, I said that I would report more on my trip to Arizona. Now that I am safely back in Xalapa, it’s time to share a few highlights of a trip that felt truly blessed.

Continue reading “My trip to Arizona: Angels everywhere”

My trip to Arizona is going well; I’ll be leaving Saturday morning. I’ll write more about the trip later, but for now I just want to share the good news: After two years, I finally got my computer back! On Wednesday, I want to the Ajo Border Patrol Station and picked it up, along with my external hard drive and my old cell phone. If I may have a little fun with some famous lines of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, my computer is free at last!

P.S. Yes, I’m taking my precautions. I’ve gotten surprisingly good at not touching my face. 🙂 Everyone be safe and healthy!

It feels like one chapter in the ongoing saga of humanitarian aid in the Arizona desert is coming to an end. First, the government recently dropped the final charge against No More Deaths volunteer Scott Warren. Though he was acquitted of the felony harboring and conspiracy charges against him, he had been convicted of the misdemeanor of driving in a wilderness area, and was awaiting sentencing. But without giving a reason, the government asked U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to dismiss that charge as well. So, Scott is completely free and clear.

Second, next week I’ll be heading to Ajo to retrieve my computer, hard drive, and cell phone from the Border Patrol. After two years of hearing nothing about these items despite repeated inquiries, I thought I’d never see them again. But when I least expected it, Scott’s lawyer gave me the surprising news that lo and behold, the BP finally responded to her. Thanks to the kind help of David, one of the BP asset forfeiture paralegals, my items have been located and I’ll be collecting them shortly.

Sadly, the death and disappearance of so many people in the Arizona desert continues unabated. The saga of humanitarian aid goes on, for the need is more pressing than ever. But I’ll take good news wherever I can get it!