kids these days

In addition to my primary assignment, which is working with a nonprofit organization here in Akhaltsikhe (I’ll tell you all about it someday, I promise), I also am expected to work on secondary projects of my own choosing. This is actually a great thing, as it gives me a way to diversify my day-to-day life and reach out to new segments of the community.

One of these side projects is setting up an English language conversation group at the local university and today was my first meeting with the students. That today was our first meeting was a surprise. I thought I was just going to meet with the head of the English department to talk more about setting up the actual first meeting. But when I walked into a room full of people I realized it was lights, camera, action. No problem, though! I’m flexible, remember?

I’m excited about this. And the thing that makes me so excited is that the students are excited. They were quiet at first, but as the hour went on they opened up and starting talking more. They asked questions, they had ideas, they told me what they wanted to get out of this club. They are so eager to talk to foreigners (especially Americans) and learn English. I don’t know what is going to come of this as the weeks go by, but I’m looking forward to the possibilities.

Hopefully this will be a fantastic experience for them and me. And hopefully I won’t get sacked by the university administrators. Look, I’m all about keeping it clean. Yes, I have what some may call a “potty mouth”, but I know how to be professional. If someone asks me a question, however, I will tell no lies. So, in that spirit of honesty and cultural exchange, when one student innocently asked me what “LMAO” meant, I told her. At this point both the director of the English department and an assistant dean of some sort were in the room. Luckily everyone laughed, even the faculty. And when the dean asked me “why would anyone say that?!”, I simply shook my head and said “I have no idea. Kids these days.”