Archive for July, 2008

Saying How You Feel

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

I am excited by BookaChat's new English courses. I am saying how I feel. In many cultures, it is not necessary to mention feelings or to know what your feelings are. But to speak English, we must be able to say how we feel. In fact, tests of competency in ...

BookaChat launches 1200+ hours of online English courses

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

We have some exciting news! BookaChat is pleased to announce the release of an extensive range of interactive English language courses which you can view at http://www.bookachat.com/english/ BookaChat has partnered with a leading provider of English language materials in order to provide BookaChat members with a large selection of English ...

Making a List Can Save Lives

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

If you have too much to do, make a To Do list. If you don't make such list, you may rush around like a maniac trying to get everything done in one day. You may become irritated, angry, and even violent with your loved ones. In this way, making a To ...

The Good Life

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

I arrived in Manhattan at the age of 20 seeking work, only to find that my college degree did not qualify me for any job. I took jobs unrelated to my education in order to have enough money to pay the rent on a tiny apartment. I was one of ...

The Liberty Clock

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

My conversation partner had been a professional woman in her own country. She was self-confident. Her English was very good. Last week she told me she was planning to go to Philadelphia. “My husband and I hope to see the Liberty Clock when we go to Philadelphia,” she said. “There’s ...

American Culture and the American Dream

Sunday, July 6th, 2008

There is no such thing as American culture. What people see in Hollywood movies is not the real America. Religious and family traditions are the two pillars of culture. Most American families are officially Christian, but many young people do not go to church on Sunday anymore. And everybody knows that ...

I May Not Love You: Art in New York

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

“Thirty men were running through the South Street Seaport today wearing red dresses and red sneakers. Some of them even had red wigs,” I wrote to my mother in October 2005. “This strange event took place out of the blue on a Sunday afternoon. Some of the guys wearing flowery ...

Burnt Out by Fire

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

My husband and I were asleep in bed at 3 a.m. about six years ago when someone started pounding loudly on our door.  It was a fire woman.  She told us to get dressed immediately and leave the building. There was a fire on our floor. Dressing in silence, I took ...

Watching Water with Dr. Emoto

Friday, July 4th, 2008

I saw stars and diamonds in the water of the Hudson River that afternoon one year ago. I also saw these colors: light blue, pure white, medium green, moss green, beige, silver, and lilac. I saw large, flat, scary shapes coming toward me underwater. They looked like huge sea monsters, ...