#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?)