Conversation Corps-Italy. What One Tutor Experienced

Yet another Blog post from a member of the Conversation Corps. Wow. What a program.

Dionne spent a month in Tuscany with the Corps and wrote a great Blog about here experience.

Dionne's Summer in Tuscany is the name of the Blog, and I was especially struck by how well she spent her time. And may I also say…Dionne is married and her husband was fantastic about her journey and very supportive. See? Anyone can do it.

Dionne landed in Paris with a 12 hour layover. Rather than sit around she checked in for her flight to Italy and off she went to discover Paris. This is a person who made the most of everything.

If you're headed to Italy, check out Dionne's post called Things I've Learned. She writes about Bikes, Mopeds and Motorcycles then Bathrooms and then, of course, coffee.

Most of the Blog is about all the travel Dionne did during her month in Italy with topics like Home Made Pasta, Food, The Beach, and Everyday Life In Italy.

We decided to showcase this Blog because we do occasionally get questions about what Corps members can do with their free time. This Blog will give you so many ideas.

If You Speak English, You Can Teach English With GeoVisions

I’m Kevin Morgan, GeoVisions CEO.  I’m travelling now through Asia ...  meeting with our English language tutors, future Work and Travel students, and leaders in education and exchange.  I’m also reading the region’s newspapers and websites.  There are so many stories I read, and conversations I have that stress the importance of people in Asia learning to speak better English … and there is a role for you.  

“If you speak English, you can teach English.”  Okay, maybe not the intricacies and nuances of dangling participles and conjugation of verbs.  You see, our tutors teach people how to speak better, by talking with them, making them more comfortable with day-to-day conversation.  We give you tools to help you coach others along, and as much support as you need, but, if you like to talk with people, and have a bit of self-confidence, you can help people learn to be better English speakers.

 

Why is this important in Asia?  Here are some things I learned in just the past week:

-       Reuter’s News Service reported that in Japan, some of the biggest retailers announced they would start testing employees for English proficiency.  Even Toyota and Nissan have announced moves to make English more common in the workplace.

-       In Beijing, where it was recently announced that English will be taught in China starting in kindergarten, the government announced plans to have every public employee to know more than 100 basic English sentences.  80% of police officers will be required to pass English tests starting in 2015.

-       In Bangkok, a survey of business people uncovered trends in English training that call for more practical and specialized language training in Thailand.  Language coaching and conversation specific to a person’s needs are becoming as important as the basics learned in formal classroom teaching.

-       In Singapore, there is a growing need for English teachers and Conversation assistants.  Why, you ask?  Don’t Singaporeans speak English already?  Yes, but thousands of mainland China students are flocking to Singapore to learn English and still be comfortable in this city/state with a rich Chinese heritage (and maybe some relatives with whom they can live!)

All the above reinforces the need for English speakers to come to Asia (or anywhere in the world for that matter).  On our Conversation Corps and Conversation Partner program you can come to exciting world capitals or provincial villages, spend 15-25 hours a week “talking (as a tutor/coach)” and travel and get to know people in your free time.  As Asia develops its global leadership skills, you can see what drives these economies and these people … and you’ll have a great time.

 

Do you speak English?  Think about becoming a conversation tutor!  GeoVisions offers Conversation Corps and Conversation Partner programs in over 15 countries, with more new countries like Korea, Japan and Singapore coming on board every week.

GeoVisions Volunteering and Teaching Makes a Difference - I Saw It

It's always great to see positive results, especially when you're involved in projects that can really help people.  This weekend I returned to Asia and attended an event with some of our teachers and volunteers, and ... even better ... some of the students we work with from the "Children's Village" orphanage in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.  A vanload of children from this unique educational community, complete with their Thai traditional instruments, came to Bangkok and entertained us ... actually wowed us with their self-confidence, their charm, and their English skills.

 

 

These are children of poverty, children of neglect, and children of abuse.  They learn from volunteers on our programs.  It is great to have engaging conversations (in English) with 11-14 year olds that many people would have given little chance to develop skills to succeed ... but these students are making giant strides.

Moo Baan Dek ("Children's Village") is a very special place.  The children are active members of the community.  They participate in decision-making, rule-making, even discipline when necessary.  It's self-described as "experimental", and "alternative".  I describe it as "wonderful"!

You don't need to be a specialist, an educator, have teaching credentials to be a successful volunteer on a GeoVisions program like this.  You just need to care, and be ready to give of yourself.  One thing that was all our volunteers agreed on -- you get back a lot more than you give!

GeoVisions has many opportunities in Thailand for you to give of yourself.  You may want to work on one of our Volunteer Projects or teach conversational English to a family or a business or community group on our Conversation Corps and Conversation Partner Programs.

The photos on this page were taken by Phillip Chappell, who coordinates our programs in Thailand.  We thank him for his photos and the help he gives to all of our volunteers and teachers in Thailand.  More pictures can be found on the Moo Baan Dek Facebook group page.

Suck My What? Conversation Corps In Thailand

Suck My Nation!  The newest addition to the GeoVisions family of volunteer Blogs.  Read Don's Blog here.

Conversation Corps member, Don Deerie, is writing an amazing Blog with the most unique photos of life in Thailand I've seen.  Don is volunteering to live with a family in Thailand, and teach them English around 15 hours each week.  In return, he's getting free room and board with the family.  At GeoVisions, we call that Conversation Corps.

How many people get to actually live with a Thai family for a month?  It is a rare opportunity, and Don is making the most of it.  Here is an entry from June 15:

All smiles in the ราชอาณาจักรไทย
-2nd week in Thailand
-location: Trat
-3rd day as an English tutor to 2 students
-progress: hopeful.

I'm living with my host family for a month. I have my own room (a room larger than my parents'). The family owns a motorbike shop.

Don is a student at Bates College in Maine and speaks Spanish, Dutch and is learning Czech.  He brings to the Conversation Corps a great sense of humor and tons of excitement for Thailand, his host family and teaching them some conversational English.

If you have any interest in Thailand or what it's like to live with a family in that stunning country...or if you have questions about joining the Conversation Corps, you will enjoy reading Suck My Nation.

Do you worry about not being able to teach English?  Leave us your comments below!  The Conversation Corps is about teaching conversational English.  Anyone can do it.  What are your thoughts about Don's Blog or the Corps?  Please leave them below.

Evil Eye, Belly Laugh, Hope Chest: Conversation Partners Have Fun

Conversation Partners and members of the Conversation Corps teach conversational English.  Over time, we have found that organizations requesting GeoVisions Conversation Partners are more interested in conversational English than formal English or grammar.

That of course makes it impossible to stay away from Colloquialisms--those informal (almost slang) phrases we take for granted in the U.S.  If you are having a meal with your host family you might just blurt out, "That meal was great but we're going to need a lot of elbow grease to clean the plates." Your hosts may look at you as if you have 12 heads.

Language in many other countries is more formal and sometimes have a lot of usage rules.  In English (especially conversational English) native speakers will easily lapse into informal English, and that is when the fun begins.

Sometimes Colloquialisms are geographical in the U.S.  In the Northeast we "take" someone to the movies.  In some places in the south they "carry" that same person to the movies.

We thought it would be fun to list the Colloquialisms our tutors have written to us about, which have created the most laughter at a family dinner table or in an informal class. We would love for you to add your own in our comments section below.  As you read the Colloquialisms below (highlighted in red) imagine people listening to you who have no knowledge of these everyday, informal phrases and imagine the look on their faces when they hear:

• I guess we'll have to browbeat you to go with us.
• I just dumped my sweetheart.
• I just got a serious tongue-lashing.
• Don't buy him a beer, he's a hothead.
• When I looked out they were necking at the front door.
• I just don't want her to badmouth me.
• I just had a brainstorm.
• Wow! What a brownnose.
• He is very headstrong.
• Can you believe that egghead? (knucklehead, numbskull)
• What a great belly laugh.
• I think she just gave me the evil eye.
• We're going to have to knuckle under.
• Her hope chest is large.
• Have you ever seen a one-armed bandit?
• Keep a stiff upper lip.
• People are different in this neck of the woods.
• She's a bleeding heart.
• You're skin and bones.
• Give me a little elbow room, will ya?
• It happened in the blink of an eye.
• Now I have to go face the music.
• You are going to have to toe the line.
• I'd rather meet face to face.
• We went toe-to-toe over that.
• That stone is like a baby's bottom.
• When they questioned us, I got fingered.
• She broke my heart. (She must have a heart of stone.)
• You are a sight for sore eyes.
• Just made it by the skin of my teeth.
• You are the apple of my eye.
• He has no stomach for it.
• I'm having a bad hair day.
• Zip your lip.
• Just eyeball it.
• Can I have that last ear of corn?

Language is fun.  And using Colloquialisms can lead to some great lessons around a dinner table or in a classroom.  And a lot of laughter.  As a former teacher, I found when you combine laughter and a lesson...the lesson is rarely forgotten.

So what do you say?  Don't get all up in arms about it.   That new Colloquialism is right on the tip of your tongue.  You can write it in a comment box in the blink of an eye.  Go ahead, I've got your back.

Chickens Are Mine Became The Cold Baby-This Is Conversation Corps

The video embedded in this Blog post is by the great Italian actor, Adriano Celentano.  Also a song writer and singer, Celentano wrote this song entirely in gibberish to show English speakers what English sounds like to non-English speakers.

As a member of the Conversation Corps, you are called upon to speak "conversational" English and we thought you would enjoy hearing what that sounds like to your "students."

GeoVisions does provide our own text, "A Tutor's Guide: Teaching English To Families And Children."  We also provide an online source to provide English flash cards and worksheets.  And let's not forget a 24/7 email hot line for personalized assistance and ideas.

Originally, this video did not contain the subtitles, but after searching around we found the official subtitles for you and we think they help make the point even further.  So enjoy the video and remember, "My eyes smile senseless and we got some growing diesel, alright?"

 

Middle East Peace Process - the GeoVisions Contribution

Some people wonder, "Will there ever be peace in the Middle East?".  Well, we know there won't be if lots of different parties don't contribute something to make it happen.

I'm Kevin, a CVO at GeoVisions.  Today I was reviewing a file full of applications for our Work and Travel US Exchange program.  On this program, university students from around the world come to the US to work in seasonal jobs.  I don't know why this particular file attracted me.  But I started looking through the applications.  In this file, I spotted two students from Jordan, then one from Lebanon.  I liked that.  But as I went further, there was a student from Iraq.  Then one from Israel.

All these students are going to work together in Ocean City, Maryland this summer, and I got to thinking about how programs like ours do bring people together who otherwise would probably never get to know each other.  Our Work and Travel program is a part of the US State Department's public diplomacy effort.  Students from around the world get to know about the USA, but they also get to know each other.  Abraham Lincoln once said "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."

Our Work and Travel students always tell us that one of the greatest benefits of our exchange program is that they got to make friends from all over the world.  GeoVisions ... hopefully we can help a little bit to convert enemies into friends.  My file folder gave me hope!

We can also help you go to countries in the Middle East to volunteer and teach. You can be a Conversation Corps or Conversation Partner tutor in Lebanon or in Jordan.  Live with a family, help people improve their English conversation skills, learn about a fascinating part of the world.  Make your own contribution!

In this article we identified four countries, but showed six flags from Middle Eastern Countries.  Can you identify all of them?

 

Thailand: Teach, Volunteer, Splash - Happy New Year

Splash!

Happy New Year!  It's Songkran.  April 13-15.  The Thai New Year.  We have GeoVisions teachers, volunteers and staff in Thailand now.  

In Bangkok there is political turmoil.  Red shirts trying to bring down the government.  Red shirts being manipulated by an outside force.

But ... it's New Year.  Songkran.  The Water Festival.  

The water will wash away past transgressions.

 

 

The sprinkling of water on friends and visitors is a way to appeal to the higher powers to bring water to the fields for a new rice crop.  The sprinkling has turned into splashing.  The splashing has turned into dousing. In Thailand ... at New Year ... you are going to get VERY wet.  Thais will spread a floury paste on your face ... on your neck ... it wards away evil.

The fun of the New Year lasts for three or four days.  How wet can you get?

Happy New Year.  It's 2553!  Come to Thailand.  Teach.  Volunteer. Discover.  LIVE! 

GeoVisions in Thailand includes Teaching, Volunteering, Conversation Tutoring in a Classroom or with a Family.  Join us.

Top Five Things NOT To Put In Your GeoVisions Host Family Letter

For the weekend, we are recycling our number one most popular Blog post.  Since this post went live on August 9, 2009 it has been viewed over 4000 times.

If you have joined the Conversation Corps, if you are headed abroad to be a Conversation Partner, or if your volunteer project includes a homestay, this post is for you.  It's fun, and very instructive.

_______________________________________________________

So you've joined The Conversation Corps!

Next item on the "Things To Do" list is write a "Host Family" letter.  Here is one recently submitted to us:

Dear Potential Host Family,

I love French fashion and French food.  I want to come to Paris and spend my time learning how to design French clothes and show the French fashion industry what I know about French fashion.  I'm also a really good cook so I think that will help me fit in to the culture.

1.  Your "Dear Family" letter is the most important part of your packet.  GeoVisions is out there "marketing" you to families seeking tutors.  Tell them why you have a passion to visit their country.  Explain why you have a keen interest in languages and communication.  Write something funny about conversational English and that you know it's not only difficult but most of the time doesn't make any sense...even to Americans.  Let them know something about your own family and what you've been doing the last few years with your life.  Tell them how friendly you are and that you know one of your "duties" is to respect their family's rules.  You are eager to try all kinds of things and you look forward to meeting them.

2.  When you submit your five photos you want us to show your prospective host family, keep in mind only your closest of friends are interested in your tattoos, piercings and your talent of holding 5 beer bottles with your toes while standing on your head...on the bar.  Mom and Dad are not especially interested in showing your bikini-clad body at spring break to their teen-aged sons.  They don't care what you look like asleep with the marker drawings on your body that your friends drew on you when you were passed out.  They want to see you with clothes on, with your own family, with your friends doing ordinary activities.

3.  Use humor, but don't go overboard.  Don't do this, which is an actual letter we were asked to share with a potential host family:

Dear Host Family,

I want to come live with you because I hate my own family and living with you could not suck more than the family I live with now.  I am embarrassed about my own family and since no one here knows you...you have to be a step up.  My father is gone and I have no idea where he is nor do I care.  My mother dates an undersea welder who's main function it is not to get blown up.  My sister dates every man in [location left out to protect the innocent].

4. Don't demand Paris, Rome, Rio, Barcelona, Bangkok, or San Jose.  Tell your potential family you are eager to go where you are needed.  It's OK to tell them you hope it is easy to find public transportation where they live because one of the reasons you want to come to their country is to learn as much as you can about their COUNTRY.  You don't want to tell them you want a central apartment in Madrid to allow you to stay in the clubs until 4:00 a.m. making your return to awaken them early in the morning much easier and safer.

5. Let the family know you hope to travel as much as possible and that if they choose you, you would love to set up a tutoring schedule that matches their expectations to learn Conversational English and also takes into your consideration how much you want to experience their country.  Don't go thinking you are going to SIT in their home all week.  Plan the activities you want to do, read up on the area and make a list of things to do, ask GeoVisions for other hints and ideas to make your 1, 2 or 3 months rewarding...to your host family and to you.

GeoVisions can help you prepare the very best Dear Family letter and packet to guarantee your placement.  Our staff has a lot of experience and are available to help you when you decide to join the Conversation Corps.

 

A New Blog From A Volunteer In Spain

One of GeoVisions' volunteers on Conversation Corps-Spain published a new Blog and is updating her posts regularly.  It is really worth a read.

Brandi is updating about her host family, her tutoring the family and her outings in and out of Madrid. In one post, What A Life, she writes about what it is like to tutor a family and how some people can earn quite a bit of extra cash tutoring others around Madrid.  She includes a great photo of Puerto del Sol.

In her most recent post, Time Flies When You're Having Fun, she writes about her experiences around the famous El Rastro market and how she celebrates her one-month anniversary on Conversation Corps-Spain.

Here is an excerpt from Adventures of Curly Girlie: One Girl's Quest to Conquer the World:

The tutoring is going great. I am tutoring the whole family throughout the day, when I am home, as well as my scheduled time of 7-10 p.m. It is very informal. We traditionally just have a casual conversation and then I correct them when they say the incorrect words or help them when they are struggling with what to say in English. I help the mother, Maria, translate some of her work documents in English and because I am great with Powerpoint I help her jazz up her presentations. She is extremely grateful.

Maria was telling me even if she learns English she is unsure if she will ever understand American English because we have so many sayings that do not make sense to her. She wants me to teach her these sayings. I tend to say A LOT of these American sayings or idioms,  For example,

• right off the bat
• off her rocker
• that´s the way the cookie crumbles
• would not be caught dead, and so on.

For this reason, I have been compiling a notebook full of all the idioms I use and can possibly think of. I write out the idiom, explain what it means, then provide an example of how one could use the idiom in a sentence. When I leave I am going to present it to the family. In the meantime, I just read the family a few of them a day. They find the sayings very entertaining!

Check out the "Volunteer Blogs" tag on the right and read what others write about this amazing program.

Are you headed to Spain with the Conversation Corps?