Replies to Ivan

3/3

Quite a trip, huh?

I hope you enjoyed the duty free Dubai stores during the time you were there. Such a long run must have been exhausting, but I guess that's how you should feel after crossing the whole world!

Over here everything seems to be under control. Joni and I have managed to decipher the Iambicness of GRE, nothing to worry about!

The first days are always challenging, but you certainly grow after those experiences. Are you getting used to shifting gears the other way? That must be something!

Hope your experiences so far (and the ones that are coming) are shocking good rather than just shocking.

Best wishes for you from the distance. Make yourself sure you get to know many places, try different food, work hard, study.... er... the list is kinda long, but I don't think you'll regret later for doing all these things. Keep it all cool!

Hope you keep in touch!

Best Regards,

Ricardo

2/3

Hey Ivan!!

It's so nice to hear from you. It had passed some time so I was wondering how you were doing there, although I suspected very well as I can read in the lines you wrote. Let me tell you that regardless of all the time that you spent sitting in the plane it was worth it, and you have fun stories to tell. Now you can say you've seen the only 7-star hotel in the world! I loved all the differences that you have found so far, and for sure they won't be the only ones. I have to say it's very common to find things so different, but that's what makes you stronger and richer in cultural matters.

I've lived something similar since I moved to Cali. Not just the weather and the geography were different, but the people, the speaking and all the “slangs” that are used. My first memory was one day when someone called a friend “Pirobo”. Oh, that was a huge offense for me and I thought "mmm how rude people are here". It was like one year later that I discovered that “Pirobo” is not a bad word here but I haven't completely understood the meaning yet. That was in my school time, but I still have expressions in my job such as “Cañengo”, that I can't figure out the meaning of. I think I understand what the people are talking about when mentioning it, but I can't give any definition. Anyway, you can live with it. Besides, you start behaving and talking in the same way people do, and that's the only way you realize you have immersed in the culture and that all the complete experience was worth it.

Finally, I send you all my best wishes and I’m sure this is just the beginning of an amazing experience that you will live there! Enjoy, Learn, Laugh and try all kinds of food!!!!

Natalia Ruiz

1/3

Ivan:

Hi! How are you? It was nice reading your greeting on the blog. As you may know, I could finally continue my English classes with Joni. We’ve been doing very well and I enjoy his classes as much as yours. I’m glad you are already settled in Perth, but I can imagine that it will take some time to adapt to a new lifestyle. I would like to know how you have liked the course so far. Has it fulfilled your expectations?

About your trip, it was definitely very long, but also an opportunity to at least see Dubai from the plane, something that I have always dreamed of. 

Ivan, take care and enjoy this experience as much as you can! That, of course, I know I don’t even have to say. You are preparing yourself professionally, but you are also having an opportunity to grow as a human being from many different aspects.

Keep in touch!

Sonia