The New Strategy

Today in class we talked about our personal story.  We were going to do a revision on them, but Achy tried a new strategy that no one in the class expected. The new strategy was that we need to revise one of our classmate stories, on top of that we have to review another story from a different classmates. Then, we needed to present it to the class, do an open critic about it. Achy was not going to talk in the critic as much, it was only us, the class. She gave us the names of which story we needed to revise and to review. Then, she let us go at 10 AM and come back at 11:15 AM. I had to revise Nina story that was about two astronauts stuck in a planet and they had built this time machine that would send them back home. The story I need to review and take notes for tomorrow is Karen story.

When, I was on my way to class, I found Liwen one of my classmates. She’s from California too. We were talking about how her revision went, she was nervous because she was going to be the first one to do the presentation. On the other hand, she told me that it was good so she can just get it over with. She’s a very smart girl; her writing is so incredible that I get jealous of her. She has also told that her school, Monta Vista High School students push themselves to do well and be better.

In the past she has told me that her school is in ranked number 13^th within California. Many immigrant kids go there because their parents know that Monta Vista is a great school, parents want the best for their children. I asked her if the teachers push the students to give the best they have. I was surprised on her answer when she told me no that the students push themselves to do the best. I asked her why and she gave the answer that applies to me, students push themselves because they see their parents struggling and they want to become someone in life so later on they can give back to their parents. That day I knew that she and I had a lot of similarities.

I had to present today too, I was a bit nervous but I knew that I shouldn't be. I think I did good in my presentation, but that’s one of my goal when I go back to California to not get nervous when I’m the center of attention. I need to practice on that more.

Evan (No hat on) and Robert posing.

I got more close to Evan and Robert; they are cool guys and funny guys to be around. One thing that we have in common is that we all three like horror movies.

The entrance to International House

Later on, I met with Pamela. We did a review on the simple past tense verbs worksheets, regular and irregular. One new thing that I learned that almost no one have ever corrected me on is on my verbs hurt and cost. They never change they stay the same in the past tense. I always used to say hurt-ed and cost-ed adding the –ed at the end and now I found out that I was mispronouncing it, good thing that every day you learn new things.

We also did a new exercise that I really like, it made me feel more comfortable and relax. The exercise was to walk around in the backyard, have a conversation with each other back and forth, she would ask me question about the work I have to do today and I will respond her with an answer. For example, if I was writing instructions of how to make a sandwich, then she would ask me, what would be your first step and I would give her my answer that would be put mayonnaise on the bread first. While we were walking around I was recording, so I can go back and listen it again. We also worked on a worksheet that she gave me of all the irregular verbs. I need to remember about fifteen words each day, to prove that I have been working on them she will quiz me while we walk around the backyard. I really like that because it clears my mind, I’m not stressing on getting the right answer and I think it helps me remember the words more quickly. Pamela Lavigne (I misspelled her name in one of my blogs and she told me if I could correct it) gave me homework and I need to do sentences using the irregular verbs.

When I came back to my room I started working on the sentences. Then, Alexa text me to meet them at Jonnatta Lounge to talk about how class went, Dani and Oyin were there too. I stayed there working on my homework.