My English Class

This fall I have been teaching English as a Second Language to Hispanic adults here in Georgia. It is a great class with some beginners, a few intermediates and a couple of advanced students. These are parents of children who attend an elementary school in our town and they are a committed group. They are making great strides in learning English and I am proud of their efforts!

They not only study English with me for three hours, twice a week, but also take a parenting class taught in Spanish by Joyce. They are learning much about our culture and how parenting in the USA differs from parenting in their country.

Here is the class:





Last week I gave each of them a small Christmas remembrance: an ornament and a candy cane. They learned some Christmas vocabulary words and sang "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"!

Today Joyce organized a Christmas party for our students and their children. Pizza, drinks, candy, gifts for everyone, a Christmas story for the kids and a rousing chorus of Jingle Bells made a fun day for everyone! The adults gave a gift to each of their children and made little Christmas trees with candy hidden inside.

Some of the mothers put last minute touches to the Christmas trees. Lift up the tree and---a surprise: candy!

Joyce had poinsettias and bags of candy for everyone.

Lots of pictures, lots of smiles, and lots of fun! The children were so happy and the parents were very pleased.

We will have a break for Christmas but everyone will be back, studying English once again, at the beginning of January.

Hasta luego.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: a unique American holiday; a day we set aside to give thanks for all our many blessings; and a day for family, food, football and fun!

In our family, the kids and grandkids come home to be together, eat turkey, and just enjoy being with each other. Our tradition has been that they come on Wednesday and leave on Saturday, so we have three days of "togetherness". A big turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a little football on TV, a card game of Hearts or Gin Rummy, and watching a movie or two fill the time.

A cornucopia, pilgrims (salt and pepper shakers), candles and fall leaves decorate the table.

The family gathers for Thanksgiving dinner while C takes the photo.

On Friday, Mr. Neat and the grandkids raked some leaves! They were a big help.

We were very grateful to have everyone together and especially for the many blessings that each of us have in our lives.

Hasta luego.