I'm So Exciting!

We're now on the other side of the hump in our CELTA course: three weeks and five assessed lessons down, two weeks and three lessons to go. It's hard work, but by no means backbreaking; save for a few stressful afternoons where we've had to rearrange lesson plans in a couple frantic hours before giving them, we've been ok.

And the people are great. Our trainers are brilliant, capable, adventurous, inspiring people with an obvious, deeply felt passion for their work. Their enthusiasm is contagious. We have colleagues from all over the world, Hawaii and Philadelphia, Holland and New Zealand. One of our favorites is George, a Dutch former diplomat who moved to Quito, Ecuador with his wife, who is a diplomat from Spain and serves in the consulate here. English is his second (of five) languages, so teaching the language presents unique obstacles for him, with the occasional "L1 interference" leading to constructions like "How do you call this man?", as in "What is this man's job?" I suppose this experience provides him a unique empathy with his learners and makes jokes based on the difference between exciting and excited, for instance, especially hilarious to him.

And thus, he introduces himself into many a conversation with his favorite faux pas: "I'm so exciting!"

As for Molly and me, we're very exciting ourselves to be two weeks from done with this hard work and eager to settle into something a bit more permanent, not to mention something a little more mountainous, profitable, and dry. More updates soon!