English Corner Activity

To learn some anatomy vocabulary, at my past English corner I had them play a game where they would get into two teams and label their "model". The team with the most correct labels won...and I'm not gonna lie, it was also fun for me to observe.

感恩节 (Thanksgiving)

I lead an English Corner, and it truly is a highlight of my week...I really love the people who come, the coffee shop it's hosted at...everything. I try to make it interesting each week, and so for the week of Thanksgiving, I decided to bring them some traditional Thanksgiving food.

I let them try mashed potatoes, stuffing/dressing, and......TURKEY. Yep, ladies and gentleman, I made my first ever Thanksgiving turkey for them to try. Interesting fact, the word for turkey, "火鸡"　translates to "fire chicken". Awesome, eh?

Anyhow, apparently the Thanksgiving food was quite the hit...I had quite a few leftovers that I left with the owner and employees of the coffee shop...and apparently they are still talking about it. Just wait until they see what I have up my sleeves for Christmas....

English Corner

Many foreigners in China are asked to do English Corners. These are usually just gatherings where people (usually university students or young professionals) can practice English. Myself and a classmate lead one, and I have to say, I really enjoy the opportunity to meet Chinese students, and *gasp* to speak English. I spend most of the week attempting to speak Mandarin, so it is honestly nice to have easier communication for one evening a week. Also, it ends up being helpful with Mandarin because we try to practice a bit as well (I usually learn some things trying to explain English phrases).





Also, some of my closest friends here I have made through English Corner...we have some really interesting discussions...these have included:

-family

-politics (although, as a foreigner, I usually just listen to their opinions and don't contribute many of my own)

-spirituality

-societal pressures of China

-dreams, goals, and what brings people here hope

-random get-to-know-you questions

-dating, sex, and love

-ebonics/slang

-the environment

-movies, music, and pop culture

...and really anything and everything in between!



What about you? If you have experience interacting with international students, what are some topics you've found interesting to discuss?