JUDE EATS ICE
Not yellow ice I hope! 
There was a little gentle melting of the ice yesterday and I expect by this afternoon it will be all gone.
See the change in the colours when a shaft of sun fights its way through. (Below) It was reasonable yesterday. No damning wind. When it is calm any amount of cold can be tolerated. 
Though it was not even too cold. When the day is a little warmer Jude comes rocketing screeching out of his corner to follow us about. He is very easily sidetracked and Ton is driven quite mad trying to keep up with him.
When it is very cold he pokes his head out and shakes it, curls his body up in disgust and retreats back into his hot box. Not stupid!
I have enrolled in a twelve week course of study to qualify as a teacher of English as a Second Language. TEFL. (Americans love to use letters instead of words). Teaching English as a Foreign Language. As you all know I love to teach and have been haunted by a need to help the refugees who are arriving here with nothing – not even words. Then confronted with such a negative environment.
I hope this qualification may enable me to help out a little in the immigration communities of Chicago. I am not sure exactly where this pathway will lead but I can also teach online and this will help the family finances with John stopping work.
I feel good about this. The courses themselves are not cheap but this one is with a Chicago school ( brick and mortar) and is certified, accredited and recognized, with good teachers and support. I have done a lot of research on this, trying to find my way to involving myself in helping the children.
Winter is the perfect time for study. The Airbnb closes for the winter and siesta time can be study time. Much of the course can be completed online. And I love to learn. And I love to teach. I feel this is a good step forward as I feel my way into getting involved. Just gasping in horror at the tent cities of imprisoned South American children is not enough.
I did my final telephone follow up with the school yesterday and the next course had one spot come available so not wanting to wait for next years enrollment I put everything on my credit card and I start Monday!
I hope you have a lovely day – we have a few warm days ahead which makes everyone’s lives easier ( and wetter but never mind).
Love celi
54 Comments on “JUDE EATS ICE”
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thekitchensgarden 
ESL – English as second language. I applied for that position once when I was teaching but due to layoffs at the time I didn’t get the position or a job any longer. Jude looks like he is screaming “Ahhhhhhhhhh!” from brain freeze. Morning miss c… t
Well – that is discouraging.
It turned out for the best in the end but there are times when I think about trying again.
You’re a good soul with your wanting to teach/help. The one picture of Jude looks like the see pig is laughing…Priceless
Wee pig. Darn spell check
He is quite a cheerful wee pig, as soon as it goes above freezing I am going to turn his heat lamp off for a few hours. He needs to learn to burrow!!
Celi you never stop adding to your already full plate. Will you consider getting a full time farm manager? Look how big Jude has grown in the last week! Madly getting ready for visiting family here. Good luck with your new venture. Laura
With John retiring I hope he can take over the day to day – or at least half of that. Possibly. Hopefully
Well maybe not day to day but certainly he will lend a hand when he has time –
Wow, Celi, that’s a fantastic thing to do. I’m very concerned about the world wide refugee situation and always trying to find means to help. But putting such a huge effort into it… I’m overawed
Yes, it is worldwide and I am not adverse to traveling so we will see where this all takes me. I think I can combine my skills in drama teaching with the English. This is my germ of an idea anyway
Thank you for being you, Celi! We have a program here (several, really) designed to help immigrants find their place in our community – taking them to appointments to get kids enrolled in school, help moving when they find housing, etc. A couple of years ago, one of our local restaurants held a fundraiser. From 5-9pm, all proceeds at his restaurant would go to helping settle Syrian refugees in our city. The line stretched around several blocks, and people waited three hours for their food because we are in support of a diverse community. I am so proud of my city. We welcome immigrants, and I am aghast at the treatment they are receiving at the border.
I love your community – it sounds rich and upward moving. The border tension has been manufactured by crushing all the immigrants into one place – closing other entrances and points of applications to them. I fear it will only become worse in Tijuana.
All the best on your new course! Always good to keep learning.
I agree! I love to learn and as most of the course is on HOW to teach ( and I used to run a popular summer course at Massey University in New Zealand called “teaching teachers how to teach drama” – my goal is to do extremely well at this course.
I am sure you will.
Love the sound of that and bet it was a great course.
After reading this, I can see you are a “Ringer”; a real “shoe-in” for teaching ESL, and wherever else it may take you: )
What a wonderful, kind, positive thing to do. I hope you love the courses and that the study enriches you too. I’m also glad you’ll have some physical down time while you study. LOVE the pics of Jude eating ice!!! What a cute, plump little pig he is becoming. Hope today goes well.
There will be sitting and you know I only sit when there is a purpose !
Thank you for doing what you are doing. I live in Canada but so disheartened by what I see happening at the border.
I’m amazed at how you invest yourself thoroughly in all you do.
Again, I am grateful that you are doing your part to help this crisis.
If everyone does a little – we cannot help but save a few. These people are not running away from their homes because they have a good life there. Every one of them is an individual in crisis
Super excited about you getting your TEFL certificate Celi!!! You will love the courses and then the opportunities it will open up!!!! 😘
Yes! I am feeling very positive about it!
Oh June looks to be gleeful just like me at the thought of you teaching! It sounds like a wonderful path to follow!!!!!
I loved my career as a teacher so once all the pieces fell into place the path was obvious
There is as always a lot here to comment on though I usually don’t. I absolutely think what you are doing to get your teaching certificate for ESL is a wonderful idea! There was no such thing when I came to this country so I was teased a lot for my lack of English language skills in school. I think this will also feed your soul as you had commented about something missing a while back. The world is changing and it needs to in many ways. You can create your own job and if you KNOW there is one out there for you, it will show up. Don’t second guess yourself. Trust your instincts. They keep leading you forward. You’ve got this.
So very well said! Seconding: )
What a fantastic thing to do! Good luck with it. 😁
That will be a good brain exercise for the winter. And of such valuable assistance to immigrants. Honestly I cannot fathom moving somewhere without understanding the language. I imagine it is a constant state of uncertainty and confusion. I think it adds a level of bravery to immigrants that people don’t really stop to think about in this country.
you are a wonderful soul- not just fretting about things but actually doing something! Bravo! Good for you and splendid for the people you will help!
Way to take action and make a real difference! You are my She-ro! Lucky people getting you as a teacher!
Good for you about helping English language learners. I’ve been volunteering in a group since the first of the year. Most of them are working on conversation skills. They are very grateful for the help.
That’s great! When I start I can pick your brains.
Please do. We’re still learning a lot.
Bravo, dear Celi. I am so proud of you. You will be giving your students a new life.
What an amazing plan! See a need and fill it! You are constantly reinventing yourself. And you have such energy! I’m wishing you much luck with your new endeavors!
I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have helping me fit into my new land if I were a refugee gagged by my lack of language. Ability to make yourself understood is such a basic human need.
100% in your corner, Ceci, cheering you along the way!
Jude is so adorable even if Tom doesn’t think so!! I hope you will be able to teach English for those poor people- my heart goes out to them! Don’t understand my beloved country anymore. Anyway, I don’t know how you do it all ! God bless!
What a cute little pig!
I continue to stand in awe of you, C. I love who you are.
xo,
K
That is a great idea! And I know you will be great at it. That picture of June chomping is hilarious. I can almost hear him crunching.
Good luck on your course. It’s a very helpful/useful course and I know the immigrant children and adults will appreciate the chance to learn the language. I can’t remember if we had anything similar offered when my brother and I came to Canada in the late 60s.
Teaching was what occurred to me during your recent Feedback post… but thinking farm. However, in the community offers much, and and some off-farm life balance. When I lived in the city I volunteered in a program at an asylum seekers centre where English conversation was needed to help those doing ESL studies as well as volunteering visiting at a detention centre until the program was shut down. I also studied and got my adult literacy education certificate. Putting it into practice, I found more difficult, navigating support groups and bureaucracy, my own work-life balance and then a move away from the city. I am sad about that but opportunities may come up. I think you are in the right time and place, and possess wonderful ability to make a real contribution.
My very best wishes in your efforts Celi! That Jude is a sassy little thing!!
Celi! I am absolutely thrilled to hear the news! To me this would be a wonderful win-win situation in many ways! You have always been a natural teacher and, methinks, you would gain as much as those you taught, especially having been an immigrant yourself, but in much easier circumstances. You understand, you care – you would be such a giant cog to make a difference . . . And as Big John is about to do away with long drives to and fro, it would be just great if you found a case of new checks and balances . . . all the best . . .
What a positive move to do this training. I have friends who do it here in NZ as they find it so satisfying. I’m sure you are a great teacher. PS any plans for NZ when summer finally arrives?
The stars aligned for you to get into this course; so GOOD for you (and all of those who’s lives you will touch: )
Jude sounds more than just a little hyper-active – thank goodness he’s out in the barn now – what a corker!
This is so cute! Too much to handle 🙂
This organization, TESOL, used to be good for teachers of non-English speakers: https://www.tesol.org
It’s not just Latin American speakers, locally we have refugees from multiple regions and the last time I checked there were over children spoke 100 home languages outside of school. I worked with these populations on the ground, with publishing to try and get solid materials in the hands of educators, and in research.
Sympathy and empathy is wonderful but what these kids need is solid determination to get these kids moving into the mainstream. They get quickly discouraged.A farm mom like you will have the instinct to see what they need (just get the credentials and then do what you know they need – as you do on the farm) One of the biggest problem is that most of these kids – especially for the secondary ones is that they have had little or no education so they are illiterate in their own language (except verbally). People must realize that. Another surprise to many is that while most speak Spanish – there are many variations/types of Spanish – that can be a bump in the road trying to teach them.
ESL is much more effective than bilingual. They must learn English (and will become the translator for the family in so many situations)
Kids are tough. The little ones have a real chance, the older ones – it depends on the attitude of the adults around them..their road is much more difficult, they get frustrated with life here not as expected, and the gangs are a source of comfort and community.
One thing though, you might be surprised how many non-speaking English kids in ,multiple regions/states are native born….we need to help them, too.
You starting a great adventure. You have the right stuff. The farm will help you keep perspective and protect you from becoming emotionally overwhelmed. You must take care of yourself and be able to step back – in order to be what these kids need.
Online opportunities sound like a great option!!!
Go, Ci, Go – with heart and open eyes.
(We are also on the edge of retiring husband’s business …should have done it sooner, but the uncertainty of the economy and life makes you wary)
Hello from North Carolina (soon to be Georgia)!
I just wanted to check in and see what life on your farm has been like recently. (June feels like so long ago.)
And oh my goodness – you have the cutest little piggie!! I wish I could meet him, he sounds way too fun. The teaching course seems like it will be quite a challenge to balance -I hope it all works out well. That could open some exciting doors. I miss you, John, and the animal family. Stay warm this winter. Brr!
~Valerie
Off to Georgia – how wonderful! Good luck with your adventures darling! Keep me up to date!
Good luck with the course Celi … you would make a fabulous teacher