This past week was a very unproductive one in terms of Nanowrimo. It was only possible to write a little bit in the Thursday night meeting. I got no work done in terms of word count at all beyond that day. And even on Thursday, my account was at 500 words. Why, you ask? Because I was so busy talking about the book project with my friend who is going to illustrate it. We want to have the ideas cemented by the time I leave next week so that I can start writing and she can start drawing. It’ll be an interesting collaboration as it will be mostly on Skype. Actually, it’ll probably all be on Skype. I do feel quite a bit of Nanoguilt because I haven’t written very much. I don’t know if my readers who are also writers feel the same, but I bet you all know where I’m coming from. It’s so hard to write one something else gets in the way. And for me, there are many somethings that get in the way. They usually happen to be in the United States and there are fires to put out and follow up to do with various things having to do with my family, Over the last week I have gotten not one, but two in real life clients here in the Netherlands.
I start with the first client this afternoon. He is a Greek adult who has no English language level at all and no ability whatsoever. He also has no access to online so we will not be continuing lessons while I am in the United States. I will see the student a total of three times before I leave. I hope he doesn’t forget what I teach him as I’m going to teach him functional language that he needs to get around Amsterdam and get things done, as well as some basic job related “read: kitchen language” material. I think this one will be easier because I have Greek language skills and can communicate in that language to help out.
My second student, however, is a child of Middle Eastern descent who goes to the British school whose English level is a little bit advanced but he has trouble focusing on reading. This will be an interesting conundrum for me because I have not taught someone who has specific reading issues. I am not a teacher, I am an English language teacher. Which you may or may not know, is a horse of a different color entirely. Still, I am very excited by all of these possibilities.
To be honest, my writing has been suffering quite a bit since I started teaching English as a Foreign language. I mean, let’s face it. I am online for most of my day. The last thing that I want to do is turn on the computer and have to create. It is hard enough getting other people to create in a language that is not their own. And after 6 to 7 1/2 hours of teaching, I am almost incoherent with fatigue.
But that’s why I particularly look forward to Thursday night Writers Group. It is my one chance during the week to be able to write uninterrupted and my ideas flow freely and unreservedly. Also helpful, is the social interaction that I get when we go out and, like the great Ernest Hemingway, get our drink on.
Next week’s post might be a lot shorter than normal. I leave for the States on Wednesday and I will be away a month. I will do my best to keep posting once a week like I have been doing since May, but I apologize in advance if I don’t get to it.
That’s all she wrote for this Inkreadable installment. But, stay tuned. As always, there is more to come.
Inkreadable 