Week #2

At this point I've had two meetings with my group (Which I absolutely love, they're all such fun and interesting people) and they both went extremely well with only a couple minor issues that were relatively easy to resolve.

On the day of our first meeting, I went to the Biggby on Liberty street-the place we'd agreed to meet-only to find out it had closed down a couple months earlier (I'd never have imagined a coffee shop could run out of business in a college town, but I guess anything's possible.) My phone had broken the day prior, and the only electronic device I had on me at the time was my iPod, which needs Internet to do anything of worth. So I frantically ran into the Sweetwaters across the street and stole their Wifi to send a mass email instructing my group to meet me there instead; it was about 10 minutes before our scheduled meeting, though, and I worried my group wouldn't receive my message in time. 

I eventually managed to wrangle everyone up after loitering outside of the empty building formerly known as Biggby's and approaching every confused-looking person I saw walking down the street in my direction, so fortunately the catastrophe was limited to only taking up a couple minutes of our scheduled time. We went to the nearby Ben & Jerry's and proceeded to have a lively conversation in which most of the members were well engaged, which is more than I could have hoped for for a first meeting. Every member of my group brings a different perspective to the table, but being that 4 out of the 5 are from China and one is from Korea, they also tend to have a lot in common. 

During our second discussion the following week, I only had three group members (One didn't show and one had emailed me to say that she had too much homework that night to make it) but our conversation flowed endlessly. One of my members is really enthusiastic and talkative and, since I also have these characteristics, our combined energy encouraged the other quieter members to speak up. I've found that both times the hour has flown by, and we often go over our "time limit," a sure sign of a good conversation group. 

I'm so excited to become friends with these people! They all have so much to offer and have so far been pretty open with me in terms of what they want from the group and from being in this country in general. Using a second language always presents a slew of problems and confusion to a speaker, and being able to provide advice for these new friends is an opportunity I consider myself really lucky to have. Sharing our cross-cultural experiences and interests has proven to be quite fulfilling so far, and I'm excited to see where these next few weeks take us. 

Although I already have one consistent no-show member whose never come to a meeting and one who dipped out of the last one without letting me know, I think that it's really important to focus on the positive and the people who appreciate the time and effort we're putting into this program. If we do that, I think we're all bound to create some really unique lasting friendships. 

Blog #2

            I think I took a lot away from hearing Angelo and Carson’s advice as well as from reading the “Survey Results” handout they gave to us.  At the same time, though, some of the issues raised in both the talk and the reading made me feel more anxious about whether my idea of what a Chat Café should be is different from my group’s.  In particular, I am nervous that my attempts to be more of a peer than a teacher and to have a freely flowing conversation rather than a strictly planned activity don’t conform to my group’s expectations. 

            As I read the survey results, I noticed that many students seemed to prefer a more structured topic or a planned activity to a natural conversation.  Both times I have met with my group, I came with a prepared list of conversation topics and an “emergency” deck of cards, but I haven’t had to use any of them.  My group and I sat outside and chatted about majors and dining hall food and differences between their home countries and the United States.  I enjoyed these casual conversations because they felt more like talking to a group of friends than a classroom.  Yet many former participants wrote in their surveys that “follow[ing] a topic each week would be better.  Otherwise [they] don’t really know what to talk about.”  Some of them suggested that the facilitator email the topic to the group beforehand so that everyone could prepare to talk about it beforehand.  I think this sounds a lot more like something a teacher would do and I’m also a bit concerned that people might not feel inclined to come if they aren’t particularly interested in the topic I’ve chosen.   One person said that taking attendance is a good idea so that people feel obligated to be there, and while I am definitely having trouble with attendance, I’m also not sure I want anyone to feel obligated to be there.  Other students wrote that the facilitator “should be a teacher, not just a listener.”  This confused me because we have spent a lot of time in class talking about how we shouldn’t be acting like a teacher.  I’m also a firm believer in the notion that the best way to get better at speaking a language is simply by speaking it.  I don’t think that correcting every grammatical mistake will help them as much as creating a space where everyone feels comfortable talking will.  At the same time, though, I don’t want to disappoint anyone who joined because they were looking for a structured environment where someone would correct their mistakes. 

            Another person said that they felt that ending exactly at the designated time made it seem like the facilitator didn’t want to be there, but I know that some of the kids in my group have class and meetings immediately after our Chat Café.  I’m not really sure how to deal with this, because I can see how it might seem rude to end exactly at 5:00, but it might also be rude to keep people from their next activity.

            All this is a lot to think about, but I am confident we will all find our own ways to respond to these conflicting pieces of advice and make our groups our own.  I think one of the best ways to do this might be to send out a survey asking people what they are expecting from this experience so that they can answer in a private and honest way.  All in all, I’ve really enjoyed these first two meetings and I’m looking forward to the rest of the semester!

Blog Post #2

I am happy to say that my second conversation circle went much more smoothly than my first! I did not anticipate having such a quiet group for my first session, and I was quite unprepared in terms of discussion topics, as I had hoped that we would naturally have enough to talk about. However, after the very helpful meeting with Carson and Angelo, I learned that I definitely needed to prepare more on my part, and that I should focus on giving them specific tasks to do, instead of just speaking.

In order to prepare, I organized our session into 3 sections: an icebreaker, discussion questions about cultural differences (holidays, foods, familial norms, etc.), and a game (Apples to Apples). At the session, 4 of the 6 members came (one had previously informed me of a time conflict, while I did not hear from the other). One of these 4 was new, as he could not attend the session last week. Thankfully, while our new member seemed to be more of a beginner with English, he was also quite talkative! He was able to introduce himself and meet some of the other members. Then, we did an Icebreaker activity called "Roses and Thorns," where each member tells the best thing that happened to them that week (the rose), and one bad thing that happened (the thorn). They seemed to enjoy this, and it gave everyone a chance to speak.

Then, instead of doing the discussion questions, I thought we should play Apples to Apples to make sure we have enough time. While I think that they enjoyed the game, it also seemed a bit difficult for some of them because they were unfamiliar with many of the terms. Nonetheless, I think they learned a lot by playing the game.

Next week, I hope we can have more discussion time, to simply talk about different topics. I think that a "genuine" conversation flows more naturally, and provides a comfortable and encouraging atmosphere for everyone to share their ideas with the group. In order to allow for such a space, I hope to make sure that we are all learning from each other, that every member gets a chance to participate, and that we are talking about relevant and important topics.

Blog Post #2: Communication really is key...

My first Chat Cafe meeting was game-changing in my eyes. I began the session with one goal in mind: to make these students feel as if this session was truly "theirs". I think that social dilemmas often stem from feelings of being on the outside looking in. My inclusive efforts are an attempt to disuade fears of rejection and trouble communicating. I want my fellow students to view our meetings as a time to catch up with friends who accept them wholeheartedly.

In retrospect, for some reason I was not expecting much shyness from the group. I figured that students who are willing to engage in weekly conversation with peers must be the talkative type. However, to my surprise, conversation was led by me and questions were simply answered by my group. This was not what I wanted. I had wished for the English conversation to build as I slowly became a less prominent member of the group. I wanted the students to take over. I quickly came to the conclusion that I was not going to see such an occurrence in this group because I was forgetting a crucial component to "genuine" conversation. A conversation can only be truly meaningful if those involved are evidently interested in the topic and one party can offer information regarding the issue. Without interest, a conversation falls apart. As I went around the circle of students asking them to introduce themselves and talk about why they were here, I noticed some members staring off into space. I knew what I needed to do. An effective conversation must tap into a person's mind, so I was glad I planned ahead. They really did need me.

Before our first session, I had asked each member to email me a topic or interest that they would like to discuss at future sessions. I know that passion can drive the most powerful conversations, so this is why I asked them for their input. I only got a few replies but I cherished the fact that some were eager to engage in conversation. One student had asked me to talk about greetings and making friends in the United States. This student's email struck me, as I realized how often we overlook the cultural elements in an everyday "Hey, what's up?" or a hug you give to your friend but not your lab partner with whom you spend 4 hours a week. As our conversation moved from generic to crucial issues that these students all dealt with, I noticed ears perk up and increased participation among everyone. People want to talk about themselves, about what is useful, and about what the want to know. I want my conversation group to be that outlet where my fellow students can talk to me for a fresh new perspective and find comfort in the fact that they are definitely not alone with their concerns. I have high hopes for next week.

First Meeting: Reese's PB Cups & More!

I don't think I can start this post off with anything other than the following points:

• I loved meeting my conversation circle participants,
• I loved how amazingly engaged they were,
• And, I loved our conversation!

I have to admit that after reading the blog posts from last semester's facilitators and hearing from fellow classmates on how their first meetings went, I was SUPER nervous on my way to meet with my group. But, all of my nerves went away once all six of my group members showed up! We met outside of the UGLi and then found a place on the lawn of the Diag to sit and talk. We did a quick round of "meet and greets" - name, year, major, hometown - and then I had a small icebreaker prepared. Everyone randomly picked a question, such as "What is your favorite food? How do you make it?" and then we paired up and talked for a few minutes about the question we selected with our partner. Afterwards, we shared out to the group. I was afraid it would seem too "teacher-like," but it actually went over very well! Some of our main topics that we talked about included the Mid-Autumn Festival (which was celebrated this past weekend), how nobody except me has had the glory that is a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (it's in my plan to bring them one week for everyone to try), and everyone's highs/lows of the day.

After this long discussion (thankfully, I have a very chatty group), I then asked them how they wanted Chat Cafe to go each week. We talked about a lot of things here, but two of the major things I took away from this part of the conversation was that they wanted a relaxed atmosphere (i.e., an environment that they feel comfortable enough to talk about anything in - not a classroom) and a potluck at some point during the semester! I was especially excited about the potluck idea, because this hadn't even crossed my mind as a possibility. We closed out our conversation with an activity called "Wishes". I learned it from my theatre troupe, and it sounds a little cheesy, but basically, everyone in the circle goes around and says a wish they have for themselves and/or the group (e.g., I wish everyone has a great weekend). Like I said, it sounds cheesy, but it leaves everyone with a nice feeling at the end.

People stayed back to exchange phone numbers, and I offered to compile a contact list for everyone with talks of a potential GroupMe to be made. I left in disbelief that the hour had gone so quickly, and I wished we had more time. Good thing we meet once a week! My only small, little, itty bitty concern is that I have a postdoc fellow in my group, so she is considerably older than the other participants. I talked with her about it at the end of the circle, and she said she really wants to improve her English and was happy to be there. I hope she, as well as everyone else, continues to come each week. 

I know there will likely be challenges down the road once the semester gets busier, but for now, I'm taking the time to be overjoyed. Here's to the continuation of a terrific conversation circle!

Football, Jersey Shore and Community Service, oh my! (Blog Post 2)

After spending the weekend imploring friends to explain football to me and then spending hours sifting through youtube's generally unhelpful 'football for dummies' videos, I made my way to my second chat cafe meeting.
The first week had gone amazingly well and I was excited to see my group again. At the end of the last meeting I had asked if there were any topics they had wanted to talk about in particular and one of them was the rules of American Football. So there we were, the five of us circled around a table in the East Quad cafe with a rudimentary drawing of a football field in front of us, and me, explaining a game I only had the slightest handle on. I was pleased how engaged and genuinely interested they seemed with the topic, asking many questions, some of which I suspect I may have answered incorrectly. (How many point do you receive for a field goal? My group and I may never know for sure.)
From there we went on to talk about reality television (they were all very interested in the premise of Jersey Shore), Northern Michigan and whether there was a difference between Community Service and Volunteering in the English. (The jury is still out on that one.) We had one new member, one member who came last week but couldn't this week and one illusive member who remains at large, yet to be seen. Our new member was a grad student who had just come to the United States one year ago. His grasp on English was a little below the other girls, but it didn't stop him from participating and a few times when he didn't understand something another girl acted as a translator for him. I thought this was really nice and helpful of her, and he seemed to really appreciate it! For the most part he was fine, but I think some new vocabulary was learned, like chainsaw and massacre (yes, we were talking about the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie...)
There wasn't only new vocab for him but for several group members during our conversation. The sheet of paper that I had been diagramming football on became a place where they were asking me to write out certain words they hadn't hear of or wanted spelled. At the end one of the girls took the sheet with her and another took a picture of it. I think that it was really helpful and I think I might always keep a sheet out now because it seemed to be really helpful!
We've decided next week to meet at Noodles and Company since our meeting time is close to dinner. So far the group is going really well and we are able to sustain conversation well enough by our selves that I'm not sure I'll even plan a topic for next week! I'm sure being at a restaurant will be enough to get us started.

Blog Post #2

It was a pleasure having Carson and Angelo from ELI attend our last class. The most important thing that I learned was to focus on content, not form. The entire facilitation session does not need to be structured in a certain way; it is okay to let things flow based on group dynamics. They advised us to do our best in engaging our students and having them naturally converse in dialogue. Some tips they gave that I found helpful were to have the students play games, discuss what they are passionate about, and break them into smaller groups to allow for a more comfortable atmosphere.

A “genuine” conversation is one that is natural and not forced. It is when people just talk and don’t need to try to build a connection but rather can do it by just being themselves. I hope to work towards having these genuine conversations with my students and allowing them to be free with me. I try to be open-minded and easy going in order to ease them into dialogue and discuss what is important to them. If students speak about what they love, it is easier to connect and relate to them in a more honest manner. Having them speak about such passions and interests is a good way to foster genuine conversations with my group.

Blog #2 Should I be Miss Thistlebottom or not ?

The most important thing I learned from Carson and Angelo is that I should not be too stressed about correcting English of my group members. If I did that, I would be caught in a state of hypocrisy where I would point out someone's wrong English usage while making my own mistakes. However, after listening to their advice, I feel more relaxed and now I can facilitate the conversation more naturally rather than holding a notepad and writing things down.

To me a "genuine" conversation involves topic that everyone can relate to in some way or another. As an international student, I bring up topics about cultural adjustment and everyone seems to have something to say. As a facilitator, I make a visible attempt to have an engaging conversation. Instead of just saying one fact about oneself and let the other person take his/her turn, I try to extend that by adding something relevant from my experience. This gives me an opportunity to tell more about myself without going into a lengthy ice-breaker. Better yet, some of the students also find similar interests with me and feel more comfortable to talk to me after the session is over.

Blog Post 2

My first sessions with both groups went surprisingly well. I am so happy I took on the Wednesday group because they were all such cool people and our group clicked right away. I was also pretty happy with the attendance because more than half showed up (4!) We went in the courtyard of West quad because it was so beautiful outside. The group felt so perfect and easy going. We filled out an “all about me” robot which I use for kids I tutor, played never have I ever (which is like a tongue twister for them), did an anonymous questionnaire thing, and we played a challenging hand game. I was really happy because even though I had to leave right away for another meeting, the group stayed and continued to talk/exchange phone numbers after I left.

My Thursday group got off to a slow start and it didn’t feel as perfect, but it was still a good circle. 5 people showed up!! I was so excited. Go attendance!

I got 2 bug bites on Wednesday from cafe chat. I wanted to bring my bug repellent to Thursday’s session but I could not find it. I still started the meeting outside though because I really wanted to recreate the perfect Wednesday feeling. I knew I would get bit, but I didn’t think it would be that bad. I never think it will be bad, but it always is. I think there is something wrong with my blood. Anyways, there ended up being too many bugs and I got a huge bite on my face and it was annoying so I bought it up and this guy was like, “Yeah it’s HUGE.” So then I moved the whole circle inside after we shared our get to know you robots.  

Then I was really itchy so I turned the subject around and had them all guess how many mosquito bites I had. I said I would bring winner’s favorite candy to next meeting but a lot of them weren’t fond of candy. I guess they aren’t that similar to the kids I tutor. They still humored me and played along though. The average guess was 10.8, median 11, and I had 11. (New count is 15 because some big ones turned out to be two/found new ones) I think North campus bugs are more vicious and itchy. Then we did the anonymous questionnaire and played never have I ever. When it was time to go, they all kept talking and stayed to add each other on facebook so I was really happy. I stayed too because I had to wait for the bus anyways and we went an extra 20 minutes so I think we are off to a great start!

I emailed my group Thursday night telling them the winner of the bug bite competition (11 at the time), and the winner texted me after and we had a little convo through text about bug bites so that was cool.

Prior to the meetings, I had them answer a bunch of questions through email (some basic some funny like would you rather...etc) and reply to all so they all got a sense of who each other are. I noticed that when I did it with ELI conversation circles, everyone replied, but with cafe chat, the people who replied were the ones who showed up to circle. This was the same for both groups. I found that interesting because I’m wondering if the other people are ignoring me because even though I made it really clear in the first email to let me know before being absent, no one did. That’s kind of expected I guess because it took me a little bit to get my conversation circle people to remember to do it in the past. I emailed the absent people though and they replied, so I’m glad I’m not being shunned.

ELI convo circles, I used to mail them a letter (snail mail) after circle if they attended, and they would get it before the next meeting. It wasn’t too much work because half the group was absent every week. They seemed to really like that and this nice girl wrote one back to me at the end and it was so nice but now I have 3 circles (2 cafe chat and one ELI convo circle) and more classes and stuff (and they seem to have better attendance), so I don’t think I can do that. However, I came up with a really good idea in the shower to pair one of my cafe chat groups (undergrads) with my convo circle group (grads)like big sib lil sib and they will write a postcard one week, I’ll give it to their sib the next meeting, and I’ll have them take 5-10 minutes to write back or take it home and bring it back. I would have them send one letter a month, and receive one letter a month.  I’m not sure about it yet though because people are always absent. The only way I could think of to counter this is to have two weeks where we write it (people can make it up the next week), but some people miss many in a row which is annoying but I’ve learned to expect it. I would write a letter to whoever doesn't have a letter though. I’m not sure if I’m gonna do this yet. I’m still thinking about it but I think it would be a really fun idea and I would bring my sticker collections and pens to the meetings for them to use. I have always wanted a sibling so I think anything that does big/little is really exciting.

The only thing I’m concerned about right now is my north campus group getting dry because north campus has nothing so there is nowhere for us to go. The restaurants and stuff are further north and even if it wasn’t so far north, it’s not meal time when we have circle and there are no snack places like bubble island.  When I asked them in the questionnaire what they like to do on north/have always wanted to do on north they all looked at me and one guy was like, “what’s on north” and I was like you’re right. I know past facilitators regretted staying in the same place but I don’t think we have anywhere to go. Maybe I’ll set up a scavenger hunt around Pierpont or something next next week when my class is cancelled so I have more time before circle.

I think the most valuable thing from Carson’s visit was that he taught us not to worry about things before they happen. It’s good to be prepared and have backup plans, but we shouldn’t over stress ourselves out or get in the way of a good conversation. What makes a genuine conversation is one that just flows and you don’t have to plan out every word before you say it.

Post #1...

Blog Post #1... a little late. Since this was a post that was meant to go up before we had our first Chat Café sessions I'm going to treat it as such and talk about some of the things that I was nervous or confused about and excited for.

I was pretty worried about feeling like I had no idea what to talk about. This seemed to be a fear of a lot of us when we all got together to talk about it on Wednesday. What do you say to a group of strangers who are expecting you to some extent know whats going on? Suddenly we're in the midst of this somewhat academic, somewhat social space and you are there at the helm, expected to steer it to these student's expectations. That is if they show up, which was also another major concern.

 It was not even something I had considered truthfully before reading the blog posts of the students from last week, though it perhaps should have been. Being a junior I know how stressful college life can get, even at the very beginning of a semester. Syllabus week seems to be mostly a myth to me with professors who want to jump right into their subjects. Sure the first day you might go over the syllabus together, but then its right onto your first two hundred pages of reading and 7 response papers. Having lead a slightly larger group of students in one of my student orgs I've already witnessed how fast 10 people can become 3. So and so has an exam and another person's work schedule changed and Larry just doesn't feel like coming. Can you really blame any of them? I certainly can't. So how do you get a group of people to make what you are all doing a priority? I have several different theories surrounding this involving various forms of bribery, community building, and a sense of responsibility. I'll get back to all of you about the various successes and failures they bring through the semester.

I was about to start another paragraph about my fears of seeming too removed from the group, or out of touch with what their needs/wants are but I realized I've already spent the majority of this time talking about my fears and worries when I had made a claim in the beginning that there were things I was excited about. What am I excited for? I think it is especially important to take a moment when you're feeling fearfully and worried to also feel excited. I'm excited to meet new people and talk about different cultures. I'm excited to learn and to teach. I'm excited to see my school from another perspective and I'm excited to show my own perspective.  I'm really hoping there will be a sense of unity within my group at the end of the semester, and I'm excited for the chance to build that unity.

-Emma

#1

With my first conversation circle fast approaching, it makes sense that I should recall those instances last semester and during the summer that provoked (or reinvigorated) my interest in facilitating a chat café this fall. To start, my first semester of work as a PWC in the winter opened my eyes in a small way to the unique struggle that non-native speakers experience both in and out of the classroom. This in conjunction with Emma’s presentation of the program, which positioned the facilitator of a chat café as a sort-of “cultural touchstone”—as well as Andy’s, during which he excitedly talked to the PWCs about having made great friends with his circle members—motivated me to enroll in 302.

And that my sense of purpose and motivation might not wane even a little, left to be consumed by summer’s monotony and bad television, come June I found myself in Athens, where the capacity to read Homer and Plato (unsurprisingly) does a girl little service among native speakers of a slightly more modern tongue. In short, it was my first time abroad, and albeit that English speakers and signs exist in abundance across the city, this was only a small comfort to the unique tonic of culture shock and constantly overheard Modern Greek in which I was swimming. To be sure, mine was only a small dose of the reality that international students coming to the states endure, but I was nonetheless endlessly thankful for every “cultural touchstone” by whose company I could ground myself.

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention my summer friendship with Wen, a Chinese student of Philosophy at Emory University studying with me at the Norwegian Institute in Greece. In time Wen and I became close, and I learned more about China from her than I ever have in any class or book—our conversations revolved around everything from the organization of Chinese school systems, to familial and social customs, to her favorite foods from home, and in our last few days she extended an invitation to visit her in Shanghai sometime (to which I fully intend to say “yes”).

So with all of these things said, it follows that I should be excited this semester to…

-       Gain a more thoughtful perspective on what it means to be an international student/non-native speaker of English at the university, as well an empathetic understanding of their needs and experiences (individual and collective)

-       Have more conversations like those I shared with Wen (that is, learn from international students not only about their own countries, but also about their unique interests, experiences, etc.)

-       Be a “cultural touchstone” with respect to spoken English/the academic and social experience at U of M/my experience in the U.S. for members of my conversation circle

-       Explore A2 with new people! (I’d really like to get out and have our conversations somewhere new/interesting each week)

-       Do my part to (gradually) foster a group dynamic and friendships among and with members of my circle

But I am increasingly nervous about…

-       Logistical things – will students be able to meet in the places I have been choosing? Will there be room?? Will students attend???

-       Being interesting, engaging, and talkative while not coming across as overbearing and while leaving space for the purpose of the circle (for members to practice conversational English with one another)

-       Being a good/not entirely too awkward conversationalist
-       Mediating different expectations (i.e. Will some students expect me to correct their English? How will I feel doing this, inasmuch as I hope foremost to be a member rather than a kind-of authority figure in the circle?)

Blog #1: Pre-Chat Meeting

Definitely like my fellow peers, I am feeling that slight nervousness bubble within! Obviously, attendance was an issue mentioned frequently by the last crop of Chat Cafe facilitators. Sometimes homework or studying will definitely take priority over other things. but I hope to help create a comfortable group dynamic where everyone feels comfortable sharing about themselves or their experiences and are not afraid to speak openly! I've met a few friends in high school who came from China or Taiwan or Korea, and their English was pretty basic. They knew what they wanted to say, but had a really hard time communicating effectively because they felt so self-conscious about their grammar/accent. And, that just bums me out that sometimes classes and group activities lose out on these quiet voices because they're afraid to speak up!

When all of my Chat Cafe sessions are done, I really hope there will be strong, new friendships among students who otherwise wouldn't have met. If that doesn't happen, I at least hope that everyone (because they would have totally came to every meeting right...) has found the discussion space useful! Alright, even if MOST people think the conversation circles were pointless, I do hope at least someone loved the chance to practice their English in an informal manner! I also hope at the end of the semester, we all end up a little more informed about a different culture-- be that American, Chinese, or Latino. I'm excited for the knowledge pow-wows of my group to start!

Also, I am SO VERY excited for my first meeting. I am thinking Bubble Island for bubble tea for the first event! If anything, we can talk about how weird the concept of bubbles are.

Blog Post #1

Hello! It was wonderful attending class yesterday, as it was my first session. I am very excited to be taking this course and to have the opportunity to facilitate students from all different countries. Everyone has different perspectives to offer, given their diverse backgrounds, cultures, and skillsets. I want to provide an open and inclusive space for everyone to engage in dialogue. There is always something to talk about and to be able to create a medium for others to simply talk and share their thoughts is invaluable to me.

For my first session, I hope to open up the conversation circle with an ice-breaker in order for everyone to get to know one another and to be comfortable in the group setting. I think it would be good to have a quieter yet cozy setting. Some of my options include the Starbucks in the Michigan Union, Espresso Royale, South Quad lounge, or a Ross classroom. I hope everyone is as interested in participating in the conversation and shows enthusiasm, positivity, and high spirit. My worry is that students will find this to be a waste of time or that I will not be able to relate to them and their experiences. I hope to be as cohesive and understanding as possible in order to make sure everyone feels integrated and even more, assimilated into the American culture throughout the year.

My motivation to be a Chat Café facilitator comes from the mere idea of being able to give back and pay it forward. I believe I have been very fortunate to be in the position that I am: a business student attending UofM whose education has led her into the banking world. I hope to pass on my knowledge, skills, and various experiences to these students. In addition, I hope to learn from them and expose myself to different cultures and ways of living. I have traveled around the world and visited many interesting places, but it is completely different to be able to immerse myself with those very individuals who have come from various countries. It is an overall learning experience for everyone and I hope to be able to provide advice and guidance in any way I can while at the same time be a friend and companion to my peers. 

Blog Post #1

In preparing for my first conversation session, I'm excited to get to learn more about different types of people and their perceptions of the United States and American culture. Of course, while I hope that I am able to teach my group members a lot about language and culture, I know that I will also be learning a lot, and I'm really looking forward to increasing my own cultural awareness by getting to meet some of the diverse students here at the university.

I am also nervous about a few aspects of leading a conversation circle. I am worried that the group will run out of interesting things to talk about, or that participants will feel too shy or uncomfortable in participating. I hope to create a safe and open space for conversation, but I worry that some students will still feel reluctant to contribute. I also worry that the students will look to me as their teacher, as opposed to a friend who is trying to learn along with them. I wouldn't want to seem like an authority figure among these students who are my peers. Lastly, I worry that there will be some cultural clashes in our conversation, especially if we have a more diverse group. Of course, while debate and discussing differences can be very valuable, I hope that it doesn't create tension between different members.

Many factors have motivated me to become a Chat Cafe facilitator. First of all, being exposed to different languages and cultures when I was growing up has given me an increased sense of multicultural respect and appreciation. I'm also very interested in the language-learning process, and hope to teach English abroad after I graduate. Lastly, I'm also motivated to learn about different perspectives of students on this campus. It's sometimes hard to meet international students in my classes or extracurricular activities, and I think this would be a great way to expose myself to people of different backgrounds.

Blog #1

            I think the most honest thing I can say is that I am not at all sure what to expect from next week.  I signed up to be a facilitator because it sounded like an incredible opportunity to form close relationships with people from all over the world.  I was really interested in learning everything I could from students my age who grew up in other countries and I was really intrigued by the prospect of sharing what I know about living in the United States with them.  And of course, I still am. 

            But now that the first conversation circle is rapidly approaching, I am realizing that we will not form these close relationships within the first hour. I am realizing that it will be my responsibility to create an environment that fosters these types of relationships over the semester.  Since I’ve never had that responsibility fall on my shoulders alone, I don’t really know what I’m doing and so I’m starting to feel a bit nervous.

            I’m also starting to feel really excited.  I can’t wait to experiment with different ways of running things within the framework of the “Chat Café.”  I’m excited to meet all the students and hear about their families, their lives and their experiences.  I think it’s extremely important that they know I am just as interested in them and where they come from as they are in us and where we come from. 

            One thing I have been struggling with is how to create an informal, casual space where everyone can feel comfortable speaking up (especially if they are not confident in their English) while still making it clear that there are some more formal expectations (like attendance).

            Here’s hoping this will be a great semester!

Blog #1: Preparing for the 1st Chat Cafe

As we prepare to host our first Chat Cafes, I'm feeling excited to meet my group members as well as quite curious to learn about their respective cultures and their thoughts on life in the US. I don't necessarily expect the lot of us to form a superbly comfortable, close-knit group immediately--meeting new people is daunting regardless of lingual/cultural differences, although I imagine for international students, those differences can sometimes exacerbate feelings of nervousness and uncertainty. In the face of that, I plan on doing all I can to ensure that my members feel welcome in the conversational environment we facilitate together. 

In terms of planning for the chat, I don't necessarily believe that providing topics for each circle is the best idea. I think that in attempting to standardize or delineate conversation, it can sometimes become stagnant or awkward. That being said, I'm hoping to foster a kind of free-flowing feel to our circles by being as open as possible to my members in our first conversation. I plan on doing this by introducing myself not only in the traditional college-student sense, (My name is Bella, I'm a Creative Writing and International Studies major, I grew up in Michigan so if you need any help surviving the winter I know how it's done hahahaha) which frankly I find to be a little boring, but in a genuine and personable sense as well. I want to let them which cultures played a huge role in my upbringing and also what my experiences have been with cultures not directly connected with my family. I want them to know that culture and language isn't everything, and that though those two things are quite different here than what they're used to, they are ultimately unique individuals with countless, valuable thoughts and ideas to bring to the table at this university. Improving their confidence, should they need it, is one of our main jobs as conversation facilitators. 

I also think it's important to state our expectations at our first meeting--I noticed that many of the final blogs lamented the lack of attendance the facilitators experienced throughout the semester. So I think I'll try to spend a bit of time letting my group know that I'll be there every week to spend time with them, and that I hope they'll do the same for me. However, I completely anticipate and understand periodic schedule conflicts, and I hope that as our meetings progress and we get to know each other increasingly well, they will feel comfortable enough with me to let me know if they ever need to reschedule or change a location to better suit their needs. It's important to me that they don't feel like this is some type of academic mandate; I want them to want to be there. 

As a closing thought, one of the main things I hope to convey to my group is that I'm here to help them with whatever they need in every way I can. Their expectations of me are equally, if not more, important, in my view, to be understood and discussed during our first meeting. After our conversation, I hope to have a good understanding of my members' interests and needs so that I can connect them with resources at the school and also do some searching on my own to see if there's anything I can do through my relationship with them to help them achieve what they want during their time in this country. 

So yeah! I'm really looking forward to our first meetings, and also to sharing our experiences with one another in class. I think that having that structured classroom environment every week along with the chats will be a good way for we facilitators to become better at what we do. The best learning is done through experience, and being able to discuss our respective ones as the year goes on will be a huge advantage to all of us. 

Blog Post 1

I remember when my parents dropped me off that first day freshman year. All my things had been unpacked into my dimly lit, cupboard of a room: my clothes, my fridge, my ten inch by ten inch tv, a bobblehead of Andy Roddick that I found (and still find) endlessly amusing, my maps of Africa and Asia. My roommate had yet to arrive. I was dually thankful for that. For one, I didn't have to endure the embarrassment of my parents interrogating him over what kind of toothpaste he used or how loudly he snored. But I was also relieved that I could put off this inevitable social interaction until I was better composed. According to our brief email exchange, I knew my roommate was a slightly larger fellow from Livonia, Michigan. I felt the need to plan our conversation ahead of time, carefully calculating which topics I should bring up, how humble I should be when I tell him of the places I've lived, how interested I should be when I listen to him tell me of his strong religious background. In my mind, I could not weather rejection. I yearned for acceptance, in any form and context, in the eyes of my roommate and every stranger I passed.
     Even though I am an American, I felt concerned and worried about whether I'd understand what it was like to be an American in the United States. Is there an inherent and jarring difference between us? A certain experience or ritual that one has to undergo that makes one a true American? During my first meal in the West Quad dining hall, I eavesdropped on some conversations, trying to find a moment to interject and introduce myself. But often, I couldn't understand what they were talking about. Both the manner and matter of their conversations confused me; apparently obvious references lost on me. Those first two weeks as a college freshman were trying and I isolated myself to my room, avoiding social interaction entirely (it didn't help that I was never the most social person outside the United States either). But as it is with most things, as the days went by and the more I forcefully opened myself up for interaction, the better I adapted and learned.
     It's difficult coming to a strange and foreign environment, especially one as surreal as a college campus. Imagine the culture shock one undergoes when they come from an entirely different country, from an entirely different culture, forced to speak an entirely different language. And though I did spend most of my life overseas, I had the luxury of being to the United States before and having English be my first language. I can't begin to imagine what the transition must be like when you're a nonnative speaker. I wanted to become a Chat Cafe facilitator because I want to provide a friendly voice to international students and try to encourage them to be their best selves, whether that is independent of the college setting or helping them adapt to the strangeness that is Ann Arbor. I'm certainly no expert in transitioning to college but I hope that the other students in the Chat Cafe can take solace in knowing that they don't go through these struggles alone.


   

Blog Post 1: Opening Thoughts

What if nobody shows up? What if I have nothing interesting to say? What if I don't pick the right location? What if the conversation dies? What if I'm not a good facilitator? What if the participants don't connect with me? What if I don't connect with the participants? What if my breath smells? What if it's not fun? What if I'm too awkward? What if they don't find it meaningful?


All of these "what if's" fly in and out of my brain as I think about what lay ahead as a Chat Café facilitator. I'm sure that we will address all of these concerns throughout the course (well, with the exception of the bad breath. I guess that's on me to always carry around a mint). But right now, I carry these worries with me. At the end of the day, what I truly want is for this experience to be meaningful for everyone involved. Meaningful for me as the facilitator as I get to know ESL students navigating the university; meaningful for my fellow classmates as we share our weekly experiences with each other; meaningful for Scott as he guides us through this class; but most of all, meaningful for the Chat Café participants who want to further their conversational skills in English and learn more about American culture.


It is this hope for meaning and purpose that fuels my excitement for this course and squashes all of the worries. I am excited to get to know my peers (both my classmates and conversation circle participants) I may have never met otherwise. I am excited to learn more about myself as a student, a facilitator, and as a lover of language. Above all, I am beyond thrilled to be a (small) part of these students' international experience here at Michigan. I hope to get to know them as people and learners, and I look forward to making connections with them that will hopefully last longer than just this semester.

Blog #1 My Motivation

It was in a class about bilingualism in the Spanish-speaking world where I learned of the Chat Cafe facilitator position. Profesora Teresa Satterfield notified our class of the opportunity and I was immediately interested. Ever since I entered this university I have cultivated a new passion for studying language acquisition and speech, which I have maintained in a variety of ways. As a pre-medical student, I am intrigued by the issues that language barriers can create with respect to healthcare and access to treatment. From a public health standpoint, it is clear that many can be disadvantaged when they are not able to effectively express symptoms and concerns to their healthcare provider. Thus, I chose to immerse myself in a world of speech disorders in order to gain more insight into the problems posed by lack of communication. Volunteering for the University of Michigan Aphasia Program has helped me to understand some of the frustration involved with the inability to express oneself. The feeling of an idea being on the "tip of one's tongue"...the knowledge of a word yet lack of linguistic capability to form the sound...these are just some of the feelings that I have observed and wish to address in my group sessions.
The issues surrounding global communication are of great interest to me, as they relate to the medical model that I have studied in recent years. Too often, language barriers discriminate and isolate individuals in ways that seem unavoidable. I believe that through effective communication and interaction, one can surpass these hurdles and nurture a supportive environment where concerns can be both voiced and heard. I wish to use my role as a facilitator to encourage conversation among students from very different linguistic and cultural backgrounds so that similarities can be identified and an effective community can be created.

Blog #1 Um,Hi. My name is..

Yes it sounds cliché but I am definitely looking forward to meeting international undergraduate students from other countries as a part of the chat circle. As an international student myself, I know the tribulations of trying to adjust to a new culture and the difficulty of engaging in a conversation in English. The benefit of studying abroad here is the chance to meet people from other countries and getting to learn about their culture and language, something which I love to do since I cant afford to travel the around the world yet. I want my session to be dynamic and full of energy. By the end of the semester, I wish to see all my attendees being friends with one another, if not with me. What better means to unite with one another than to have a common foe to fight against (or at least complain about). These are also my reasons to become a chat cafe facilitator in Sweetland as well.

What I am worried about is what the students expect a chat cafe facilitator to look/sound like. Since I am a non-native speaker, I speak with an accent and that is something I believe might steer away some students from attending subsequent sessions. This sounds pessimistic but it is something I had already faced before in my life. However, I aim to change the misconception of what an 'American' sounds like by giving them exposure to the vernacular formed from different cultures. I want to show them how English itself is not bound by standards just like any other language. There are differences and I want them to know that through my sessions.

Blog #1 Initial Thoughts

   It’s always scary to walk into a room full of people you have never met. You see others like yourself nervously glancing back and forth between the floor, the blank walls, and other individuals, trying to seize up who won’t reject their gesture of friendship.

         Although my cowardly little heart is not immune to the panic this causes, I know that my job as a cafe chat facilitator requires me to put that aside, smile a little brighter, open my eyes a little wider, and welcome every student that comes in the room. Many international students at the University of Michigan note that it is difficult to find a community on campus, and I am determined to make cafe chat just that. I know that my attitude will affect my group’s attitude, so I will fake it until I make it. The usual, “Hi! My name is Jessica! I am so nervous about talking to you that I am about to pee my pants.” will be stored on the highest shelf. Instead, I will be confident in my own ability to reach out to other people, and show them that I am ready to make friends with them.

I will make it clear from the first day that their attendance is expected, not just recommended. This is important because it is very difficult to form a strong group dynamic when only half the group shows up every week. I had this problem when I facilitated conversation circle for the ELI program, and I am still unsure about how to fix it. Another reason that attendance is so important is because if students feel like they don’t have to attend, they won’t feel like a vital part of our cafe chat group. However, I want them to feel like every member, including themselves, is an important part of our cafe chat community. Group would not be the same without the attendance of every single member.

        One thing I would like to work on this semester is learning how to come up with interesting topics to facilitate conversations around, and actually having these conversations. In the past, when I did ELI conversation circles, I organized many icebreaker games, card games, and even minute to win it. My group was very active and I bought in a lot of energy, but we didn’t spend much time with free conversation past the icebreakers. However, I think that allowing more room for conversation is very important because the members are there to practice English.

All in all, I’m very excited for cafe chat to start. This is my first class at the University of Michigan that I might not dread going to, because I love how it helps us pursue our real world passions. Although I am nervous because I am a little bit socially awkward, I believe that many of the international students will be nervous too and we can work through it together.  

Welcome to the Chat Cafe Blog!

This is the blog where students enrolled in Sweetland Writing 302: Global Communication will post regularly about their experiences as facilitators of weekly conversation groups and as participants in the course.  Each student will create six bi-weekly blog posts (up to half of these may be in-depth comments on other students' posts).  As Sweetland Chat Cafe Facilitators, we are committed to helping each other develop our practice through conversation.  This blog is an extension of that spirit.