Moving to Colombia was as exciting as it was terrifying. Exciting because I was fulfilling a bucket-list dream; terrifying because of the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding how wise this choice was. According to GOV.UK, tourists need to be wary of terrorist attacks, kidnappings, robberies, assaults and other crimes. The government even warn against travel to … Continue reading Sola en Colombia: A Solo Female Traveller’s Experience of Colombia
Tag: ela
The Myth of the ‘Native’ Accent
A former student of mine once asked me whether it was possible to truly speak a foreign language with a ‘native’ accent. This student – let’s call her Emma – had initially come to me for French classes after not having studied the language since secondary school. Emma had reached that all-too-familiar feeling of defeat … Continue reading The Myth of the ‘Native’ Accent
Home
There's no place like home. That's how the saying goes, right? That you could be anywhere in the world, be on the most extravagant adventure or lavish holiday of your dreams, but when it really boils down to it, home is where it's at. And why is that? Because of our loved ones? Because it's … Continue reading Home
Discovering Colombia Through Encanto
I recently rewatched Disney's Encanto for the first time since moving to Colombia. For anyone who's seen it, you'll already know it's a visual masterpiece with some of the catchiest songs ever produced for a Disney animation. What I didn't realise the first time I watched Encanto was how true it is to Colombian culture. … Continue reading Discovering Colombia Through Encanto
Cultivar la paciencia
Click here for the English Translation. Este mes intento cultivar la paciencia. Y con esto no solo me refiero a la capacidad de esperar a algo, sino más bien al aprendizaje de cómo estar tranquilo y presente en este mundo caótico donde no se puede controlar cuándo y cómo ocurre lo que uno está deseando … Continue reading Cultivar la paciencia
Seasons
I can’t explain why, but 30 degrees in Neiva feels different to 30 degrees at home. When it reaches 20 degrees in Bangor, families start heading to the beach and lighting the barbecues. You never know how long an Irish summer will last, so you have to make the most of every sunray. Having experienced … Continue reading Seasons
Neiva
I’m waiting at the kerb, staring down the stream of oncoming traffic. Cars, motorbikes and yellow taxis beep their horns as they soar past, drowning out the noise of the restless cicadas. The city bakes under the morning sun: stallholders slouch under their parasols; motorcyclists careen down the road fashioning their jackets backwards with the … Continue reading Neiva
Working as an English Language Assistant in Spain
Official English translation currently not available. Please use the Google Translate tool in the sidebar to translate this page into English. Antes de comenzar... Trabajaba en dos colegios: una escuela primaria y un instituto. Durante una semana, trabajaba con todas las edades, desde niños de seis años hasta adultos de tal vez 30 años. Con … Continue reading Working as an English Language Assistant in Spain
Teaching Resources
General Teaching Resources Primary School Secondary School Adults On this page I've provided a range of different teaching resources: lesson plans, themes, ideas, activities, games. These sites and sources were the same ones I referred to during my year as an ELA (English Language Assistant) to help me to create my own lessons. Some resources … Continue reading Teaching Resources
Out of the Shell 