Informal Observations of the Expat Experience

I have been teaching English to expats in Indiana since 2004. Over the years, I have noticed some patterns. When people arrive, they are extremely busy setting up their households, getting cars, talking with people at schools for their children, and when their personal belongings arrive from overseas, they have more unpacking to do.

After about three months, students get sick and have to cancel a lesson or two until they feel better. The people who thrive are the ones who attend English classes, make friends, drive, and have a social life. Without a social network, some people feel isolated and suffer from depression. Accessing counseling seems to have a social stigma attached to it, so it seems that many people suffer in silence.

Some relief happens when the family gets to travel to various tourist attractions in the United States. Some of the most popular places I have heard mentioned are the following, in no particular order: Chicago, Disney World, Niagara Falls, The Grand Circle, and New York.

What is the TOEIC?

TOEIC stands for Test of English for International Communication. It is often used by organizations to test the ability of their employees to understand written and spoken English. There is also an internet-based test that checks speaking and writing ability, but seems to be used less frequently.

It is possible for someone with a high TOEIC score to not feel confident about the ability to communicate well verbally because they have focused on preparing for the TOEIC Listening and Reading test. While some companies require that their employees test at a certain level, it is also important to practice speaking and writing in English to be understood by coworkers and customers. Word processing often has suggestions to autocomplete sentences, but the user ultimately has to know whether these suggestions make sense for their particular situation. There is no substitute for being able to speak in the language of your coworkers or clients as using an interpreter or electronic tool is not always feasible and interrupts the flow of natural conversation.

If you are interested in preparing for the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test, Midwest Language Services, LLC can help by providing online coaching on using tactics to help you before you take the test. Even people who have taken the test before can benefit from this.

Not Enough and Too Much of Something

There are many ways to say something in English when the right words escape you. Today one of our students was describing a situation at work. Sometimes the best way to define something is to identify its opposite. Similarly, the best way to define a situation is to describe the opposite situation.

For example, if a screw is not tight enough, it is too loose. If a machine is not cool enough, it is too hot. If oil levels are not high enough, they are too low.

English Classes at Providence Cristo Rey by Midwest Language Services

Join us for English classes twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays from 5:00 - 6:00 PM at Providence Cristo Rey High School. This is an 8-week course that will introduce you to basic English grammar and vocabulary.