(no subject)
I'm at the airport waiting for boarding. It's only now that I'm starting to have real second thoughts about whether my English is good enough to be taking CELTA in Oxford. Previously, I assumed it would be somehow OK. But I just chatted for 20 minutes with an American from California, and speaking was SO BLOODY DIFFICULT! I can't pronounce words properly (Gosh, I couldn't pronounce 'distributed'!), I search for words for too long and make stupid mistakes. My only hope is that I'll be in the group which teaches Pre-Intermediate students in the first two weeks. If we start off with Upper-Intermediate students, I'll be busted.
By the way, this American was exceedingly unpleasant about Russia ('one of the shitties countries in the world', 'used to go there, but don't any more - 'tis not worth it' and so on). And he actually spoke quite good Russian, but he had given up learning Russian after the stock market had crashed and Putin was delivering lulling speeches on TV). Also, he said 'Russian people are not liked wherever they go - there must be a reason for that'. All in all, this has been a very discouraging conversation (but mostly because I'm so insecure about my English, not because some git has been rude to me).
The plane takes off in less than an hour. Maybe I'll get lucky and will actually get an agreeable neighbour this time?
By the way, this American was exceedingly unpleasant about Russia ('one of the shitties countries in the world', 'used to go there, but don't any more - 'tis not worth it' and so on). And he actually spoke quite good Russian, but he had given up learning Russian after the stock market had crashed and Putin was delivering lulling speeches on TV). Also, he said 'Russian people are not liked wherever they go - there must be a reason for that'. All in all, this has been a very discouraging conversation (but mostly because I'm so insecure about my English, not because some git has been rude to me).
The plane takes off in less than an hour. Maybe I'll get lucky and will actually get an agreeable neighbour this time?