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. 

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!

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.