I met recently with my second conversation partner, Karoline, for the first time. She is one of the Brazilian teachers studying here. We talked for a long time about her life and the system of education in Brazil, and also some about her experiences in Tallahassee.
From what Karoline told me, teaching in Brazil is a difficult job. Although she definitely enjoys teaching, she complained that in order to make a living, she is often forced to teach more classes than she can handle, and has no time for planning and grading. She also said that many teachers are pressured into teaching subjects that they are not proficient in. Karoline teaches English, Portuguese, and Art classes. Another challenge she encounters is unmotivated students, whom she tries to sympathize with and encourage. With so many students, however, it is difficult to help everyone. She said that she has been very impressed with her CIES classes, and what she has heard about middle and high school education in the United States (she wants to visit a school, but she will leave before their classes start). She was excited to tell me that her government has begun giving scholarships to teachers like her to study English abroad. She hopes that the program might be the first of many improvements in education in her country.
I asked Karoline how she liked Tallahassee so far - how her dorm was, if the food was what she expected, and what kinds of places she had visited. She said that she and her friends had been exploring Tallahassee quite a bit. The day before, they had walked to the capital building. I asked her what she thought of American food, and she seemed hesitant to answer. I asked where she had been eating, and she said Suwannee. I told her that she should visit other restaurants, because a lot of people don't like the cafeteria food very much. She seemed very relieved and said that she really disliked the food there, and hadn't wanted to offend me (because she thought we all liked Suwannee food!). I told her about a few good restaurants near campus. I also told her about free movies at the SLC, and International Coffee Hour on Fridays. We decided that we would communicate by email and meet again sometime soon.
From what Karoline told me, teaching in Brazil is a difficult job. Although she definitely enjoys teaching, she complained that in order to make a living, she is often forced to teach more classes than she can handle, and has no time for planning and grading. She also said that many teachers are pressured into teaching subjects that they are not proficient in. Karoline teaches English, Portuguese, and Art classes. Another challenge she encounters is unmotivated students, whom she tries to sympathize with and encourage. With so many students, however, it is difficult to help everyone. She said that she has been very impressed with her CIES classes, and what she has heard about middle and high school education in the United States (she wants to visit a school, but she will leave before their classes start). She was excited to tell me that her government has begun giving scholarships to teachers like her to study English abroad. She hopes that the program might be the first of many improvements in education in her country.
I asked Karoline how she liked Tallahassee so far - how her dorm was, if the food was what she expected, and what kinds of places she had visited. She said that she and her friends had been exploring Tallahassee quite a bit. The day before, they had walked to the capital building. I asked her what she thought of American food, and she seemed hesitant to answer. I asked where she had been eating, and she said Suwannee. I told her that she should visit other restaurants, because a lot of people don't like the cafeteria food very much. She seemed very relieved and said that she really disliked the food there, and hadn't wanted to offend me (because she thought we all liked Suwannee food!). I told her about a few good restaurants near campus. I also told her about free movies at the SLC, and International Coffee Hour on Fridays. We decided that we would communicate by email and meet again sometime soon.
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