Teaching English and Making Friends: From Ariana Albanese & Maddy Mangan

Teaching these kids, though it may sound cliche, is literally one of the most worthwhile things either of us have done. It was a little difficult in the beginning to get comfortable communicating effectively and getting the messages of our lessons across. However, it is remarkable how quickly one becomes accustomed to their learning strengths and weaknesses and learns to adjust accordingly. In our first lesson, it was actually incredibly nerve racking to be in front of so many new faces. But after getting to know the students in class and at meals, we know that they are so welcoming and kind to us that we are finding it easier and easier to talk to them. For us specifically, we have made great strides in terms of fostering friendships with the students. Through shared meals and conversations, we have gotten to know two 16-year-old girls very well. They were so quick to show us great acts of kindness, whether it be giving us gifts (pencils, pictures, etc.) or just holding our hands. It was heartbreaking because they kept telling us to "not forget them". We tried our best to assure them that that would certainly not be an issue. I don't think either of us are capable of forgetting such genuine kindness.