And the Fragrance Remains With You . . .

In English Corner, we discuss topics that are of interest to each individual group. The participants attend to increase their vocabulary and to practice their speaking and listening skills. We have discussed topics like Friends, The Environment, Travel, Education, Sports, Technology, Music, Religion and various others. My students are well-educated and interesting and I learn something from each of them every time we meet. Monday's group meets at the Beijing YMCA Metro office and has 10 - 14 participants of all ages from university students to a retired music teacher. Friday's group is pre-teens ranging in age from 11 to 13 and Saturday's group is comprised of 4 or 5 professional people several of whom work for financial institutions and a professor who teaches marketing. Most of the students have taken English names which were either assigned to them by their English teachers in school or which they picked themselves.

I saw something on TV the other day that said: "As a volunteer, you give roses to others . . . and the fragrance remains with you." Certainly the fragrance of this experience will remain with me forever!

MONDAY
Front:Mary, Carole, Parker, Emma, Annre
Back: Alice, Candy, Philip

FRIDAY
Piggy, Linda, Hoover, Cookie, William, Michael, Mike, Davy, Shirley, Tom (seated) P. C. and Uncas (back row)

SATURDAY
First Picture:Alan, Alexander, Richard.
Second Picture: Daisy, Alan and Richard