Hi all! (or ¡Hola!):
I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be a bit busy in March, so you might not see me around as often as usual.
I’d like to tell you this will be me:
But not quite. Yes, I will be attending an intensive course in March, but I suspect I might end up like this:
You are free to imagine me in a place like this:
Although I bet it will be something like:
No, seriously. I just love the picture and it reminded me of my time as a medical student, even if I studied Medicine in Barcelona and not Austria.
This is more like it:
Although I think all the students will be a bit older. What am I going to study? Some of you probably remember I don’t seem to be able to stop studying.
Yes, I need to get a copy of that sign to decorate my apartment.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll remember I mentioned the University of the People, and I volunteered there for a while as an instructor for their English Composition course. Although I knew many students would not be native speakers of English, I didn’t expect them to have as many difficulties expressing themselves in written English as they had. And that got me thinking about what it takes to teach English. I also decided that I would like to try to teach in person, rather than always online, and I am therefore going to take a course that, all going well, will help me get an official certificate to be able to teach English abroad. (It’s not that I haven’t thought about teaching Spanish as well, but I have not studied a degree in Spanish, so it would be a much lengthier process, and there isn’t a similar course recognised across countries). The course is here in Barcelona, but it is an intensive course, and we also have to prepare lessons and teach students, so I’m not sure I’ll have too much time for anything else. (We are warned we shouldn’t try to hold a job and do the course, as there isn’t enough time for everything).
I hope I don’t need to become a superhero to pass the course, but, of course, we all know that teachers are superheroes/heroines.
So yes, I hope in the future, my desk might look like this:
Don’t worry, though. You know how I feel about books:
Read, read, read, is my motto. Or this one:
I will keep reading and trying to get on top of my ever-growing reading list:
And you’re likely to see some reviews here, but probably not as many as usual. Don’t be worried. Now you know what I am up to. Every time you wonder about a grammar point or correct some spelling mistake, think of me.
Thanks for your patience, enjoy the month of March and keep reading and smiling!
Oh, and thanks to Unsplash and its collaborators for the awesome images!
Good luck with the course, Olga. We’ll miss you, of course, but we’ll still be here when you return to full blogging mode. And I hope you’ll tell us about the course.
Thanks, Mary. I’m sure I’ll learn plenty, and I hope it will be fun as well. Have a lovely week!
Good luck and study hard and have fun!
Thanks, Priscilla! I’ll try my hardest. Enjoy the week!
Thanks for letting us know. You can bet I would have worried! I am sure you will become an excellent (in person) teacher, and the course will be helpful. Best wishes, and enjoy it!
Pete. x
Thanks, Pete. I know we all care for each other in our blogging sphere and worry when somebody falls off the radar. Keep the stories coming and love to Ollie!
Too late, Olga — you’re already a super hero to us!
Funny, I was just thinking about University of the People today, that I should look into getting my masters… Yet wondering how I could add even more to what I am trying to accomplish. Enjoy, my friend. I know you will do well. Hugs on the wing!
Thanks, Teagan. Yes, I know what you mean. It’s impossible not to drop some balls if you take something else on, although it’s true that sometimes a change is as good as a break (though more tiring). Keep well and keep the imagination working! Big hugs!
Have fun at the course – we’ll miss you. See you when you’re back – soon we hope.
Thanks, Christoph! The course is four weeks (it might feel longer, but let’s hope not), and then we’ll see, although they offer some specialization courses that also sound interesting. Keep well, and if I don’t catch up before, good luck with the festival!
Good luck, Olga. Teaching is so rewarding.
Thanks, Liz Anne. I’ve enjoyed the teaching I’ve done so far, but I’m looking forward to learning more about it and practising with others as well. Enjoy the rest of the week.
Hi, Olga! I’m excited for you. I’m also a career student. I love learning, and I’m always trying to learn something new. I wish you the best in your new venture. I’m sure you’ll do great, my friend❣️
Thanks so much, Vashti. There are so many things to learn! Enjoy the week!
Olga, wow! Have a brilliant time on your course and what an exciting new step in your teaching! I love the presentation of your post here, colourful, fun, reflective and thoughtful … your classes will be brilliant! See you around when you have a chance to be back next and as for reading … nothing will stop me for reading books … and books … and books!
Thanks, Annika! Looking for the picture was inspiring and a bit of light entertainment before the hard work coming my way (and after the first time, it seems we’ll be very busy indeed). Oh, nothing can stop me from reading either! Have a great month!
Olga, you’re an inspiration! Enjoy your course and best of luck with the homework, lol
Thanks, Jacquie! There’s plenty of homework and hands-on experience, but the group is very varied and friendly, so I think we’ll all enjoy it. Have fun this week!
Best of luck with the course, Olga! And have fun. Cheers.
Thanks, Jo-Anne. I think I’ll need all the luck and plenty of stamina as well. Enjoy the week!
All the best with your new endevour, Olga. A also like to learn and study but I wouldn’t go back to formal education.
It’s a month’s intensive course, a requirement to get the certificate. It’s been quite good so far, and I’ve met very interesting people from anywhere. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus, they’ve closed all schools and most big shops, restaurants, etc, here, for the next two weeks at the very least, and that means we’ll have to try to do as much as we can online, but some bits of it we can’t do that way, like supervised teaching, so at this moment I’m not sure when I’ll be able to finish. I’ve just finished reading a historical novel about copper mining in South Africa. I’ll share the review on Tuesday.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, Robbie.