In the Lunchroom
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Laura Eschbacher, Communications Intern
Today, like any other day, I went to the staff lunchroom to eat my sandwich. But this time, I found an older man and a young woman in there. He was helping her take an English test on a story she’d just read. Both looked up at me, and I smiled to assure them that I would be as quiet as possible, and try not to disturb them. I got my bag from the fridge and sat down, observing the lesson as I ate.
The tutor reminded me a lot of my grandfather. He was supportive and helpful with each question she didn’t quite understand. I wondered how he’d first heard of the International Institute, and how he came to be an English tutor here. He seemed to really love the work.
She was eager to learn and kept asking questions. She laughed when he reminded her jokingly, “now, I can’t give you the answer, that’s not the point!” She smiled in between her concentration faces. She looked up at me a few times, and I smiled back and kept chewing quietly.
Neither of them spoke to me directly, but I was still excited to have witnessed the English lesson. The man was a volunteer tutor, genuinely enjoying helping the young woman, and you could see the appreciation in her face, and the happiness when she came across the correct answer. It was a simple, but remarkable interaction to watch.
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At times during my internship, I’ve wished that I had a more active role in directly helping the people in the classes on the floor below me. (Jessica and I went to sit in on an English class once, but couldn’t stay long because the teacher was sick that day.) But when I really thought about my role here, I came to the conclusion that I’m helping out in the place where I fit best. My job is to spread the word about the Institute so that these teachers and students have financial and societal support and can continue with everything they do. I’ve never been a tutor before and I can’t speak Vietnamese, but I have written and edited blogs and audio presentations. That is my area of expertise. I’m content with my role behind the scenes. I’m happy to be the quiet, supportive person in the lunchroom, because I know that I’m helping in a way that’s hidden, but still necessary.











