It may be hard to understand how the daily routines differ for North and South American students, but it’s something I’m learning and appreciating first hand. From meals to hobbies to family, each unique aspect of our lives makes up a broader cultural experience, of which no two places are quite the same. Yet are our lives truly so different?
Continue reading “Bridging the gap: Student life and culture in California and Ecuador”
As I dialed the number to call my student Mariuxi for the first time, I was filled with anxiety. Anxiety about whether I would be able to sufficiently communicate or explain a whole language in an entirely different one. And then Mariuxi answered the phone. During that first call, though there were starts and stops – times of confusion and times of certainty – we were able to convey the essentials. Spanish and English flowed in a complex dance of syllables, enunciations, and pauses. Over time, we would grow together.
Continue reading “Lessons in translation from a Remote ESL Intern”
Dear members of The Tandana foundation, I wrote the following blog to share my experience as an IT intern at the foundation. In this sense, this message is very special to me. It has been a long time since I arrived at the foundation, and I want to share everything I learned and exchanged with others during my stay.
Learning a new language can be difficult for anyone. There are so many new words to learn and conjugations to memorize. Nevertheless, everyone in Tandana’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program this school year managed to learn and teach one another about their different languages and cultures.
Continue reading “A look inside Tandana’s virtual ESL program”