Hi all,
This is my final post and blogging about my internship has been awesome. I have one more week of work and it is mostly going to be dotting my 'i's and crossing mt 't's. I never thought I would enjoy blogging. Working at the IRC has been a wonderful learning curve for me. I am grateful for the exposure and the people I have met and worked with. For the friendships I have developed, I am thankful.
To my fellow 584/484 bloggers- you guys are great! I have learned so much by reading your blogs.
Here's to more great work from us all. To those graduating, wishing you God's best and for those of us left behind... we'll survive.
Enjoy your summer and see you around in school.
cheers
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
This week is my penultimate week at the IRC and I feel like I am just starting.
In the last few weeks, the focus has been on ESL (English as a second language) training. The response has been excellent as I have seen improvement in some clients in the last two weeks. The new volunteers that teach are just so great and patient.I am glad that the outcomes of the ESL training can be seen so quickly and this would help clients in the job searches because their communication skills would be greatly improved.
Work this week was interesting- juggling with finals, projects, and work! I was practically running out of the office to school.
Catch you guys later.
Cheers
In the last few weeks, the focus has been on ESL (English as a second language) training. The response has been excellent as I have seen improvement in some clients in the last two weeks. The new volunteers that teach are just so great and patient.I am glad that the outcomes of the ESL training can be seen so quickly and this would help clients in the job searches because their communication skills would be greatly improved.
Work this week was interesting- juggling with finals, projects, and work! I was practically running out of the office to school.
Catch you guys later.
Cheers
Saturday, April 30, 2011
I am a sucker for hope and happy endings.
This week has been one of such; more good news than sad news. The news coming from the Mid west is very sad and disheartening but what can one do? I pray for the repose of the souls lost and hope their families and the affected states can rebuild their lives and communities afresh. Apart from that, the royal wedding (how many guys watched that?) was magnificent and lovely. That Gabby Giffords could attend the Endeavour launch (though it did not launch as scheduled) almost made me cry! I really do believe that NOTHING is impossible. Finally, watching the White House Correspondence dinner and the president roasting himself and Donald Trump was a good good laugh but Seth Meyers nailed it! I have not laughed so hard in a long time. President Obama is a good sport.. he should do stand up more...
Here's wishing everyone all the best in their finals, projects, and papers.
Cheers
Hi all.
The semester is coming to an end.... where did the weeks go?
I have some finals to finish up this week and work got really busy. Yes, I have been on about how work has been slow.... well I got an answer to my prayers. The four hours was not enough, had so many things on my plate. Thankfully, three new volunteers have joined Jeffrey (we run the lab together) and I so the situation did not fall apart. The five of us were able to handle ESL, resumes, and food handler's cards for clients
It felt productive and good to be very busy and to know that yes I can handle so many things simultaneously.
The semester is coming to an end.... where did the weeks go?
I have some finals to finish up this week and work got really busy. Yes, I have been on about how work has been slow.... well I got an answer to my prayers. The four hours was not enough, had so many things on my plate. Thankfully, three new volunteers have joined Jeffrey (we run the lab together) and I so the situation did not fall apart. The five of us were able to handle ESL, resumes, and food handler's cards for clients
It felt productive and good to be very busy and to know that yes I can handle so many things simultaneously.
Friday, April 22, 2011
LEARNING ENGLISH IS FUN 2
Hi all,
This is the part where I tell you how the new ESL games we got worked out with our clients. One word..-.wait for it- GREAT.
It was awesome and such a hit. The most interesting game was the one clients had to click and match US states. The games killed two birds with one stone; learning how to use the computer and English. I had fun this Monday in class and the fun continues on Monday.
Have a great Easter.
God bless you
P.S. 1: progress report on learning other languages... so far the only one I am making progress with is Swahili.
P.S.2: If you've not heard about Malcolm Gladwell (google him). He is the author of Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers -excellent books-. He has a not-so-new- book out: What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures. I highly recommend it.
This is the part where I tell you how the new ESL games we got worked out with our clients. One word..-.wait for it- GREAT.
It was awesome and such a hit. The most interesting game was the one clients had to click and match US states. The games killed two birds with one stone; learning how to use the computer and English. I had fun this Monday in class and the fun continues on Monday.
Have a great Easter.
God bless you
P.S. 1: progress report on learning other languages... so far the only one I am making progress with is Swahili.
P.S.2: If you've not heard about Malcolm Gladwell (google him). He is the author of Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers -excellent books-. He has a not-so-new- book out: What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures. I highly recommend it.
KIPLING
I love literature and sight seeing (especially historical places). I could read books (as long as it is not a school text book) all day and be happy. Kipling, Grisham, Gladwell, Archer, Frost, Shakespeare, and Tennyson among the many authors and poets I follow (Zzz)
Anyways below is one the poems (using Brady's words) that I swear by. A times, I cry reading this poem.
Hope it touches you as it has always touched me.
Deuces.
If- Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son
Anyways below is one the poems (using Brady's words) that I swear by. A times, I cry reading this poem.
Hope it touches you as it has always touched me.
Deuces.
If- Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son
Sunday, April 17, 2011
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
This was another one- of- those-slow-weeks. There were no new clients as such so Tuesday and Wednesday ( days we help clients with job readiness, applications and resumes) was activity free. As one of my colleagues told an employment specialist, we're open for business! So what did we do? This week we searched for schools where clients can take classes and learn new skills - I learned that you can get a degree in carpentry-. Hopefully that pans out well. A few clients also came in for the food handlers card.
Monday was a different story. I requested for some interpreters over the weekend to help with the clients that would come in on Monday. Somehow the request was not processed and so we had no interpreters for some of the clients and these clients came in by 9am. Thankfully, I was able to speak to my colleague who orders the interpreters and she saved the day. Monday's class started late but it went well and I was grateful.
Lesson learned: Follow up on your responsibilities (that's one of the first lessons you learn in school and at work) and why I did not do that last week beats me. I got lucky and I realized that I may not be that lucky next time.
Monday was a different story. I requested for some interpreters over the weekend to help with the clients that would come in on Monday. Somehow the request was not processed and so we had no interpreters for some of the clients and these clients came in by 9am. Thankfully, I was able to speak to my colleague who orders the interpreters and she saved the day. Monday's class started late but it went well and I was grateful.
Lesson learned: Follow up on your responsibilities (that's one of the first lessons you learn in school and at work) and why I did not do that last week beats me. I got lucky and I realized that I may not be that lucky next time.
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