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Hello, everybody! Let's talk about time.
February 2nd is known in the United States as Groundhog Day. This day is an excellent example of superstition: events that may lead to good or back luck. In this case, a village in Pennsylvania waits for a groundhog to emerge from its den on February 2nd. The superstition goes that if the groundhog sees its shadow then winter will last for an additional six weeks. But, if the groundhog does not see its shadow then winter will end six weeks early. Does the weather care about what a rodent in rural America sees on February 2nd? Absolutely not. Do people care? They absolutely do. That's the power of superstition.
When I was a kid, breaking a mirror was the absolute worst thing that could happen. A shattered mirror brought you seven years of bad luck. It makes me wonder what superstitions did you and your family believe? Or, what do they still believe?
If you haven't seen the classic American film of the same name, please do yourself the favor! This movie has become so popular that we use it in our everyday language. For example, when something keeps repeating (happening over and over) we say "it's like Groundhog Day."
Also, the groundhog (his name is Phil, by the way) did see its shadow so winter will supposedly continue for an additional six weeks. :(
Vacation - James and I will be on vacation from March 11 - 19. This winter has been brutal: -25C and a lot of snow. We need a week away from the city to avoid cabin fever. We'll be returning to Puerto Vallarta, México.
Work Calendar - My availability will change after returning from México. Right now, I have only one day off: Friday. To help avoid burnout, I'm going to take an additional day off during the week; however, that day will not be fixed. It will be staggered each week. Here's what I mean. The first week I will take off Sunday. The next week I will take off Monday. The following week I will take off Tuesday... and so on. This strategy allows me to have an additional day off without forcing students to completely change their schedule.
Daylight Savings Time - The hated time change takes place twice: in the United States on March 8th and in Europe on March 29th. Please keep an eye on your calendars. I'll contact you directly if there are conflicts in our class schedule because the time changes always cause conflicts in the class schedule. :(
Miro Boards - Chicago English Corner adopted new technology this year! I began using the Miro platform in the hope of making our classes more interactive. Introducing new technology often results in disruption and frustration but you all seem to have adapted without much difficulty. Hooray! I'd like to thank everyone for their patience. I'd also like to thank Dana and Hlib for taking time out of their days to teach me how to use the platform. You're both wonderful. :)
I think that's all for now! As always, don't hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns or questions you have. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Cheers,
Donald
October 27 2025 - Age
Age is a sensitive topic. Talking and asking about a person’s age can cause embarrassment or offense. If you want to become the least popular person at a party, ask someone their age. It's a big no-no.
The topic becomes even less comfortable when talking about it in another language. How should we form the question: what’s the right grammar, the right sentence order? Let me give you an example. Spanish uses the verb tener (“to have”) when describing age. English on the other hand uses the verb “to be.” The simple task of saying how old we are just doesn’t translate directly between the two languages. What comes out from Spanish speakers is the wonderful, though incorrect, English sentence “I have 27 years.”
Something we learned to do as children can suddenly become awkward or even cause embarrassment. But it also shows the speaker’s strength. What do I mean? Language always reflects a culture. So, a person speaking another language is also learning how to live in a new culture. They’re learning two things at the same time. It takes strength to take on these simultaneous challenges.
Let me share a story about embarrassment.
Last weekend, I found myself in the most unusual place in an unfamiliar city. I was at a martial arts studio in one of the Chicago suburbs. I had only been to this suburb once. I had never been inside the studio. A dozen or so young people and their families were packed into this space. The students were taking exams. Instead of grades on a paper, their goal was a different color belt. Two of the students were the sons of my friends. Their boys had their eyes on the highest ranking color: black. It’s not every day I get to watch someone I know earn a black belt, let alone two people in the same room!
Speaking of time, the exam went on for a while. Kids demonstrated their forms, focus, and some breaking of boards. The space was crowded and got a bit hot. After about an hour, I excused myself to get some fresh air. I saw a kid of maybe 8 years old sitting on a bench in the waiting area.
He was wearing the studio’s uniform, so I wished him good luck in his exam. He said thanks but quickly told me that, in fact, he wasn’t taking an exam today. His job had been to help set up the room for the kids taking their tests. That sounded to me like a really important job. He nodded his head and agreed. “Who are you here with?” he asked. He had never seen me before so assumed I must be related to one of the kids at the studio. I complimented his excellent observation then told him I was with Daniel and Mark (not their real names). The helpful kid looked right at me, his face showing both surprise and suspicion, then asked if I was their grandfather.
THEIR GRANDFATHER!
I felt embarrassed for a moment. Did I seriously look like someone’s granddad? I said “no, I’m not their grandfather.” Well, he knew that I couldn’t be their dad because everyone already knew him and plus he was in the training room right then with their mom. I said that it was very true and then invited him to take another guess. After looking at the floor for a second, he correctly figured out that I was a friend of Daniel and Mark's parents.
I walked out of the waiting room barefoot into the parking lot. My head was swimming from what had just happened. Nobody had ever asked or confused me with a grandfather. I had never even imagined such a thing happening. But, it did happen. It happened in the most unexpected way: in an unusual place, in an unfamiliar city, and from the mouth of an elementary school child I had never met. That kid didn’t take a test that day. No. He gave me one.
Standing outside in my socks, I laughed my ass off.
Why am I sharing this story with you all? The boys taking their black belt test are the sons of my friends Alex and Nataliya. Alex and I met three years ago when he began taking classes with me. We knew each other first as student and teacher. Neither of us could have known that our online lessons would grow into a real life friendship. Our families would become closer over time. My embarrassment of being mistaken for a grandfather evaporated when the kid realized that I was Alex and Nataliya's friend. Being their friend is a joy that outweighs any shame about age.
Which brings me back to age.
Today I turn 47 years old.
I get to celebrate another year of having the best job of my life. The Chicago English Corner exists to help everyone, everywhere, however they need it. Its continued success has been possible thanks to people's trust in me as their partner on this learning journey. It’s an honor to be your teacher and your friend.
Tonight, when I blow out the candles (there will not be 47 of them), my birthday wish will be for everyone’s happiness, safety, and success.
Героям слава!
Donald Martin
(not a grandfather)
October 10 2025 - Costa Rica
Hello, everybody! Usually, I share information and the goings on from Chicago but I'm sending this email from a very different place: Costa Rica.
We arrived here two weeks ago and every day has been an adventure. Even the quiet ones in which we did almost nothing! We have had a blast exploring a new city, seeing a volcano, driving across a different landscape, and settling into a house that isn't our own. Perhaps the most familiar thing that we have done during our vacation in Costa Rica happened this morning. James and I volunteered at a local dog shelter. You can see a photo of me and a delightful girl named Kira.
This is our last night in Costa Rica. We go back to reality tomorrow. I'm incredibly grateful to have been able to visit this lovely country. Being here has allowed me space and time to think. On the subjects of space and time, I'm sitting on a terrace that overlooks a lush forest and listening to the rain (it has rained every day) while the sun goes down.
Here are some of the thoughts that feel worth sharing with you all:
This year has been one of major successes. I marvel at what many of you have accomplished. And what has been accomplished? The list includes: getting new jobs, giving presentations in English at international business events, launching a new website, seeing loved ones on the other side of the country (or even an ocean), welcoming children into the world, reading new books, graduating from university, winning academic competitions, sharing your knowledge on the radio and podcasts, buying property, obtaining a US visa, and even becoming US citizens! I know of these victories because you trusted me in some way. In some cases, we worked together towards your goal. In other cases, you honored me with the sharing of the news. And if anyone had been wondering: No, I had absolutely zero role in the arrival of babies. :)
This has also been a year of struggle. For some of you, the distance between where you are and where you want to go remains too great. For some of you, the job you want to leave is the job you still have. The employment market is much, much tougher than expected. For others, your families live in danger of violence either physical or political. One of my favorite writers (JD Salinger, American) wrote that "sometimes, the shortest distance between two points is a complete circle." What this means is that the path that leads us to our goal may not be obvious -- or even in the direction we want to go. But, keep walking the path as long as it makes you a better person. Keep walking the path as long as it takes you away from danger. You're also never alone. There is always someone willing to help. I'll always do what I can.
This has been a year of discovery. There are a lot of English language resources online. Sadly, many of them are crappy, cost too much, or irrelevant to the student's goals. I've been thinking throughout the year about this problem. It occurred to me this summer that in order to provide students with high quality, affordable, and relevant language resources then I would have to create them myself. Yikes. That was a scary feeling. But I had a "eureka" moment: use the language my students are learning with something that I enjoy doing! And so began a new experiment at the Chicago English Corner: I have been writing new and original stories based on the language from our classes. My goal for every week is to write new stories, convert them into audio for listening practice, and then create grammar exercises using the script. These resources should give everyone material that makes sense for their lives and their goals. Please let me know your thoughts!
It's almost time to put away the laptop and say a final goodnight to Costa Rica. I want to share my immense gratitude to those of you who have invited me into your friendship, your family, and even your homes this year. You know who you are. Thank you.
January 1 2025 - Happy New Year!
My warmest wishes and best hopes for all of you who have trusted me with your English language journey. I’d like to share a few fascinating facts from 2024:
The average number of classes per week dropped from 40 to 35. The change came out of the need to protect my emotional and mental health. In other words, I did it to prevent burn out… and it worked! :)
On the topic of videos, I managed to finish the Alphabet Advent video series. You can check out all 26 short lessons on YouTube.
The Podcast launched in September. There are now 10 published episodes. The 11th should appear in the next few days.
Ukraine continues to be the country from which the largest number of students has found help in The Corner. I don’t know what I did to deserve this wonderful community. дуже дякую.
The second largest number of students comes not from a country; rather, a language: Spanish. Students from both Latin America and Spain counted for a significant number of my students in 2024. Having said that, students continue to arrive at The Corner from nearly all parts of the world. I’m amazed at the list of countries that you all represent.
Referrals. A number of new students in 2024 came to The Corner thanks to others referring them to me. I cannot overstate what at honor it is to receive a referral. Remember! If you refer someone to me (and they sign up for classes), you both will receive a free lesson. :)
I celebrated the second year of working with my good friends at Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates. Lighthouse is an immigration law office dedicated to providing the highest quality legal services to people at the lowest possible price.
I enjoyed working twice each week with the lovely team of accountants and tax professionals in Barcelona. This next year should be even more fun! :)
On the topic of professionals, the number of new students seeking help with their professional English continued to grow. Creating professional CVs and giving successful interviews are challenges in any language. I confess that helping to write CVs and to prepare people for the job interview experience are my favorite parts of this job.
In the next few days, I will send out another email containing a survey. The goal of the survey is for me to learn how to best help you in 2025. While I have been proud of our shared successes, there will always be opportunities to improve. I would very much appreciate if you could take 5 minutes from your day to share your thoughts with me.
December 1 2024 - Alphabet Advent Videos
I’m excited to announce something new to our Corner: the Alphabet Advent Calendar! Exciting. Hmm… but, you might be wondering what, exactly, is that?
Advent is an important period in the western Christian calendar. It lasts for about a month, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Today, December 1st, is the first day of Advent for the year 2024. Many Christians will begin to countdown “the days of Christmas” until December 24th - Christmas Eve.
Last week, I thought of a new way to share interesting language while using the familiar concept of Advent: what if I posted a video every day based on the letters of the English alphabet? There are 26 letters in the alphabet and, when this idea came to me, 26 days before Christmas.
PERFECT!
Every day, I will post a short video about an expression or phrasal verb beginning with that day’s letter. The first day was dedicated to “A” (to ask around), next was “B” (below the belt), and today’s was “C” (to catch up).
I’ve been having fun with this new project and invite everyone to check out the Alphabet Advent Calendar on YouTube. This is a perfect opportunity to actively use this language so post your own sentences in the comments area!
November 12 2024 - Calendars and Regret
Hi, everyone. I took most of last week off from work. It was exactly the correct decision. I used that time to think deeply and to re-structure my daily habits. Ooooh… have I ever explained that word: Habits? I should… but not right now. :)
Your scheduled classes will resume as normal. However — there are two important details:
1) Daylight Savings Time ended in the United States on November 3. The time change could have affected your class time.
2) I did have to make changes to some classes due to some personal responsibilities.
Please double-check your calendar (or contact me directly) if your class schedule does not look right.
The election damaged my faith in the American voter… but, my faith in and appreciation for you all never changed. I read every message of kindness that people sent through email and text. They were enormously helpful during a difficult time.
Being a teacher brings me enormous joy. I have never regretted leaving behind a career in IT or a comfortable job at the university. Each class reminds me that I made the right decision to focus on you all, to assist with your challenges, and to do everything possible to help you reach your dreams.
I may not say this enough, so let me say it now:
Thank You. Everyone.
October 7 2024 - Three for One
In a class today, the student wasn’t sure about the difference between the words alone and lonely. The conversation inspired me to make a video about three words that come from the same root — al-one — but are used in different ways.
1) Alone
2) Lonely
3) Lonesome
Click here for the video to hear the full explanation of how to use these words best.
Contact Donald
Have questions or ready to start your language journey? Take the first step: Contact me and I'll respond within 48 hours.
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