Beyond Grammar

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my secret identities (in the name of education) is Gramma Grammar. Here's a photo of me in my wig and shawl, along with the ESL class at our end-of-year potluck.


More valuable than the English lessons, however, are the unique friendships that develop among students and volunteers despite cultural differences. The other night we had supper here with a young couple who are recent refugees from the Middle East. As they shared their experience in beginner-but-improving English, I was overwhelmed at how what they have lived is so completely foreign to my small life. Yet we sensed a wonderful camaraderie with them that I can't explain. After supper (Jeff's famous ribs, of course), I was helping the wife with some English work while Jeff and her husband were watching guy stuff on the computer. At one point I overheard Jeff trying to explain to him the difference between a knock out and a technical knock out (wrestling jargon, I think?) and I recognized that there are some things that will always serve as common ground for the average male. His wife and I preferred potting some plant clippings that have been rooting around our apartment for the last months, a gift to them that I hope will be symbolic of a newly planted friendship.