Blog Post 6: Last Meeting!

Today I met with my group for the last time and I was surprised at how attached I have become to my members. Although only two people showed up, these are the two with whom I have formed a true connection with and who are eager to meet every single day. I honestly feel like I could talk to them for hours and never get bored! I tried to wrap up some of the main themes that I believed were the focus our conversations and was able to get some truly inspirational responses from my group members. I learned more about them than I had over the entire semester in this single meeting. I came to understand fully why they chose to come to U.S. to pursue their educational goals. One student, interested in Industrial Design, was an artist as a child, but never had a defined path of study in relation to his passion. Only here, at the University of Michigan, was he able to find a career that truly suited him, and that his parents respected. In a different sense, another group member demonstrated to me that his decision to study economics was stemmed from his desire to support himself with a stable job, slightly disheartened by the fact that he felt he lacked true passion. The amount of honesty that we were all able to share was thrilling and helped us to understand our goals better in a more focused way.

Blog Post #6

Some of the best moments during my Chat Cafe sessions this semester have been simply through chatting and learning about different ideas from my group members. I've found this to be the most effective way to create a positive and open atmosphere during our sessions. Earlier during the semester, I would try different activities and games with everyone, and while some of these were very successful, I've found that what they enjoy the most is simply getting to ask each other questions and talk about new topics. I've also enjoyed how much more comfortable they've become speaking with each other as the semester has gone by. Earlier in the semester, they were often quiet and shy, but I am definitely glad to see that they have opened up tremendously!

If I had to do this all over again, I would try to create a stronger group dynamic right from the beginning. This could include more icebreakers and deeper conversation topics. I would also try to make sure that everyone had equal chances to speak, so that they all feel as though they are a valuable part of the group. In addition, I would try to add more variety to our sessions. While we did enjoy chatting about different topics, I think it would have been fun to try new things and go to different places every week.

My experiences as a facilitator have been very valuable in improving my own communication and intercultural skills. I have become much better at keeping conversations going, and learning about which topics are most interesting or relevant for international students here at the university. I've also personally learned more about different cultures and respecting each other's values and traditions. In terms of teaching English, I've learned how effective games and activities can be, and I've also learned how to correct someone's speech politely and effectively. Overall, I think that I definitely gained many skills through my experience as a facilitator!

#6

Hard to believe (and swallow) that I’m coming up on the last two meetings with my group. My interest in the chat cafe program started way back in my youthful/naive sophomore days, just about a year ago when one of my Writing 300 colleagues presented on her conversation circle in class, and today, in a small way I’m proud of myself for following through on that interest and checking out what it would be like to facilitate my own group.

More than this, however, the experience itself has been one of enlightenment and personal growth in a way I did not necessarily anticipate. On the one hand, my group members in conversation allowed me access to their lives at home, in their new country, and at their new school, and with it to their struggles, stresses, successes, and day-to-day dealings—both those to which I could relate, and those which were uniquely their own. Sometimes at U of M it feels like we American students are all too willing to allow the experiences of international students to be left unspoken and unconsidered. The chat cafe program, in providing a space for nonnative speakers to practice conversational English, for me and my group came to be a setting in where we could simultaneously attempt to learn about one another and our far-too separate lives at the University.   

On the other hand, the biggest personal takeaway from my first semester as a conversation facilitator was a more critical assessment of my skills as a listener. As the semester progressed, I tried more and more to push myself, no matter how tired the week had left me or no matter how many things were on my mind, to truly listen and take an active role in my group’s conversations. I hope, in turn, that my circle knows that I have truly valued my time with them and that I really did appreciate and take to heart all that we talked about during our Friday afternoon coffee dates. 

So I suppose that's a wrap for my blogging experience here. But I've still got two more circles to go - and a dinner plan for this weekend - so I won't get *too* sad (yet). It's been a ton of fun, and I wholeheartedly look forward to continuing to take part in the chat cafe program during my remaining few semesters here. 

avete atque valete, my Writing 302 comrades!