I'm in Ukraine and I like my job teaching adults at the American English Center in Kharkov. I'm also studying Russian and can speak reasonably well for daily purposes. But how do you meet people in a foreign culture? I don't mean the bar scene (I'm a late middle aged person, not interested in that). There is apparently no ex pat club in this city. Besides, I want to meet the local citizens.
What have other new EFL teachers done to meet people? Suggestions please and thank you.
meeting people and making friends
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
-
Sally Olsen
- Posts: 1322
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Canada,France, Brazil, Japan, Mongolia, Greenland, Canada, Mongolia, Ethiopia next
Are the adults in your classes allowed to ask you home or at least out? I spent many an hour before 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. classes in the homes of my adult students or they took me on short sight seeing tours. Then on the weekends on longer jaunts.
I used to walk in the morning for a couple of hours before the heat exploring the city and having breakfast in a cafe or restaurant. I had my favourite restaurants for dinner too and got to know people there. Many people want to practice their English. To be true to my school I always handed them my business card and got several students that way. After all they are getting a free English lesson.
I joined the local language classes for foreigners. They were usually held on Sunday and so got to meet a lot of people both foreigners and locals.
I joined a church and got to meet local people and study the language at the same time. They had all the hymns in the language with the words underneath and since I knew most of them in English it was a great language learning experience.
I joined a choir and since you sing the same song over and over for practice you get better at pronunciation and I had people translate the words to English so I knew what I was singing.
I joined in celebrations. In many countries they have special days and need participants in parades or to wear the old clothes or carry old weapons. There are walking races, celebrations for various events like New Years and they need volunteers to dress as special characters. I was always asked to join families who were celebrating and try their food.
I took the local bus tours to view the local sights and chatted up the tour guides who often have huge families or at least know the best places to go and when.
I tried to keep away from ex-pat situations as much as possible although I accepted invitations when asked but I found that most people spent the time complaining about the country and their situation and I hardly ever enjoyed those times. Of course, it depends on why the people came and if they had adapted to the situation. The ones who wanted to be there and usually knew the language really knew a lot and often a lot of people to introduce you to or activities to engage in.
I rode horses, went skiing, dog sledding, fishing, hiking, on helicopter tours, to temples, to mosques, to churches, and on tours of historic buildings and museums. I would tell my students where I had been and get lots of information from them before and after my visit. Some even wanted to come along.
I interviewed local officials who spoke English and asked them to my classroom to show the students that important people thought it was important to speak English and that they were good at it. They often asked me for dinner for more conversation.
I went to the local karaoke bar to sing the local songs and again it was great to learn the language.
I once went to the airport because it was a nice hike away and just sat and talked to travelers. My boss found me there as she was picking up a new teacher and later said that she thought I was escaping so she asked me every Saturday out with her group of friends to make sure I was happy there.
I invited the other teachers over for dinner or for lunch and learned about them and they had often made friends that included me as well.
I talked to everyone at grocery store, banks, and the local market and they often wanted to establish friendships.
Of course, you have to be careful and you have to be loyal to your school so out came the business cards again. Some people you just click with and others are just acquaintances but it keeps you busy.
The friends I keep in touch with were mostly former students or colleagues with one or two I met swimming or at cooking lessons.
I used to walk in the morning for a couple of hours before the heat exploring the city and having breakfast in a cafe or restaurant. I had my favourite restaurants for dinner too and got to know people there. Many people want to practice their English. To be true to my school I always handed them my business card and got several students that way. After all they are getting a free English lesson.
I joined the local language classes for foreigners. They were usually held on Sunday and so got to meet a lot of people both foreigners and locals.
I joined a church and got to meet local people and study the language at the same time. They had all the hymns in the language with the words underneath and since I knew most of them in English it was a great language learning experience.
I joined a choir and since you sing the same song over and over for practice you get better at pronunciation and I had people translate the words to English so I knew what I was singing.
I joined in celebrations. In many countries they have special days and need participants in parades or to wear the old clothes or carry old weapons. There are walking races, celebrations for various events like New Years and they need volunteers to dress as special characters. I was always asked to join families who were celebrating and try their food.
I took the local bus tours to view the local sights and chatted up the tour guides who often have huge families or at least know the best places to go and when.
I tried to keep away from ex-pat situations as much as possible although I accepted invitations when asked but I found that most people spent the time complaining about the country and their situation and I hardly ever enjoyed those times. Of course, it depends on why the people came and if they had adapted to the situation. The ones who wanted to be there and usually knew the language really knew a lot and often a lot of people to introduce you to or activities to engage in.
I rode horses, went skiing, dog sledding, fishing, hiking, on helicopter tours, to temples, to mosques, to churches, and on tours of historic buildings and museums. I would tell my students where I had been and get lots of information from them before and after my visit. Some even wanted to come along.
I interviewed local officials who spoke English and asked them to my classroom to show the students that important people thought it was important to speak English and that they were good at it. They often asked me for dinner for more conversation.
I went to the local karaoke bar to sing the local songs and again it was great to learn the language.
I once went to the airport because it was a nice hike away and just sat and talked to travelers. My boss found me there as she was picking up a new teacher and later said that she thought I was escaping so she asked me every Saturday out with her group of friends to make sure I was happy there.
I invited the other teachers over for dinner or for lunch and learned about them and they had often made friends that included me as well.
I talked to everyone at grocery store, banks, and the local market and they often wanted to establish friendships.
Of course, you have to be careful and you have to be loyal to your school so out came the business cards again. Some people you just click with and others are just acquaintances but it keeps you busy.
The friends I keep in touch with were mostly former students or colleagues with one or two I met swimming or at cooking lessons.
meeting people and making friends
Sally, Thanks, those are some excellent ideas. I hand't thought of some of those.
-
Sally Olsen
- Posts: 1322
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Canada,France, Brazil, Japan, Mongolia, Greenland, Canada, Mongolia, Ethiopia next
I forgot a good one. I invited many of my old friends to visit and they came to stay with me. Since they were on holiday they were free to go places while I was working and often met people. My students also volunteered to show them the local interesting spots that are not on usual tourist itineraries and I would get to go along. Have your friends come to class with you and get to the know the students a bit. They often click with a student you haven't really gotten to know yet.
My mother came and started a bridge club for the ladies, taught them to make Canadian dishes and taught them to crochet. She was a great hit and I made some of my best friends from the ones that "helped" her.
My mother came and started a bridge club for the ladies, taught them to make Canadian dishes and taught them to crochet. She was a great hit and I made some of my best friends from the ones that "helped" her.