The ELI Weekly
The Weekly Newsletter of
the English Language Institute
Volume 148, Issue 8
July 11, 2022
Depot Park Potluck!
Come out and share some food with us!
Saturday July 16th – Depot Park Potluck – 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Come have dinner with ELI friends at the beautiful Depot Park! Bring a dish to share and eat with others, then play some sports, walk the nature trail, watch the sunset, and just enjoy Depot Park! Take bus 1, 5 or 46!
Address: 874 SE 4th St, Gainesville, FL 32601
Sign up here and let us know what food you will share: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-depot3
The Weekday Activities
Monday July 11th – Cabana Beach Pool Party – 6:00 – 8:30pm
It’s pool season! Come hang out with us at the Cabana Beach pool area and swim in their spacious pool! Feel free to bring a bathing suit to swim, a towel, and your friends! If you don’t want to swim, there will be plenty of games and socializing! Take bus 20 or 21 to Cabana Beach Apartments!
Address: 1601 SW 51st Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32607
Tuesday July 12th – Volleyball – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Come play volleyball and hang out at Lexington Crossing Apartments Phase 2! No experience necessary! Take bus 34 or 35.
Address: 3900 SW 27th St, Gainesville, FL 32608
Wednesday July 13th– Soccer – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Come play Soccer on campus at Maguire Field! No experience necessary!
Address: Bledsoe Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611
Thursday July 14th – Rotating Thursdays: Museum Nights– 6:00 – 8:30pm
See the Harn Museum of Art on campus for this special event. The theme is chillax! There will be food, activities, performances, art, and special relaxation activities like massage and more! Free to the public. Take bus 20.
Address: 3259 Hull Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608
Friday July 15th – Café Friday – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Socialize with LAs and ELI friends at the Starbucks on Archer Road next to Burger Fi! Play games, speak English, and drink a coffee or get dinner at one of the restaurants nearby! Take bus 1.
Address: 3524 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608
Student Voices Reminder
Last call, everyone! Every semester, the ELI publishes a collection of student writing. You can send a piece of your writing to be published for everyone to read. You can send paragraphs, essays, stories, recipes, poetry, and even photos. For inspiration, you can find previous editions of The ELI Student Voices on the ELI website.
To submit your writing, please email Thomas Dolce at tomdolce@ufl.edu. Please include your name and class. The last day to submit a piece of writing is July 15th. We can’t wait to read your writing!
Scholarship Nominees
Please join me in congratulating the nominees for the ELI Scholarships to study in the Fall, 2022 semester:
Naifah Alshameri
Camila D’Leon Gamboa
Hikaru Kaneko
Sergio Rios Bonilla
Jorge Salazar Meza
Luisa Velasquez Gomez
Youssef Zakhia Dahdah
It is very difficult to be nominated for a scholarship. This means the nominees all worked extra hard this semester and achieved the following criteria:
- Full-time C semester student
- Academic Excellence: 4.0 GPA and high level of proficiency in at least three of the four skill areas
- Outstanding Progress: outstanding progress in language skills
- Excellent Attendance: no more than ten hours absences
- Speak English: make every effort to speak English at all times with fellow ELI students
- Successful Work Strategies: demonstrate personal initiative in and out of the classroom
Congrats nominees! Good luck to all of you!
Covid Update
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, take a COVID test as soon as possible. If you test positive for COVID, do not come to campus. Call the Alachua County Health Department at 352-334-8810 right away. You must follow the directions of the Health Department. If you will be absent, you should email Victoria (vcshelly@ufl.edu) to let her know how many days you will stay home.
If you feel sick for any reason, do not come to campus. If we see that you appear visibly ill, we will ask you to go home until you feel better. If you need help making an appointment at the SHCC for allergies or other illnesses, email Victoria (vcshelly@ufl.edu). Victoria can also help you schedule a COVID test, if necessary.
Remember, UF and the CDC recommend students, faculty, and staff wear masks in indoor public settings.
Out and About
We have another student submission this week, from Yousssef Zakhia:
On May 21st, I went with ELI students to Blue Springs, a natural park where you can do many activities with your friends, such as kayaking, fishing, camping, walking, and observing the wildlife. It was a unique and unforgettable experience. Normally, the water is cold, but you get used to it. It is relaxing to stay there and swim with your friends. Additionally, there were volleyball courts where ELI students played.
In this picture, you can see me kayaking in Blue Springs, and, as you can observe, the flora is present in every space. In some sections, the water is so crystal clear that you can see the fish.
I took pictures of tortoises and an alligator; they were so close you could touch them. It was an amazing experience that I recommend to all ELI students.
Photo Scavenger Hunt
The ELI photo scavenger hunt is on! Find the complete instructions on the bulletin board, or Facebook and TikTok @UFLELI. The first video entry with at least 6 selfies of the images (provided on the instructions) posted to TikTok or IG with @UFLELI tagged will win a prize. You may enter photos of the images, or your interpretation of the images. Ask your instructors if you need help. We are excited to see your creative entries.
Notes from the Office
Victoria Out: Victoria will be out of the office on Monday, July 11.
Santa Fe College Workshop
Representatives from Santa Fe College will present to ELI students on Wednesday, July 13th at 5pm in Matherly Hall, Room 11. If you are interested in attending the University of Florida or another undergraduate program in the US, Santa Fe College is an excellent place to start! Santa Fe College transfers more undergraduates to the University of Florida than any other school. Many ELI students have transferred to Santa Fe College and returned to UF two years later to complete their bachelor’s degree. The friendly staff of Santa Fe College look forward to answering your questions and sharing more about their school.
Birthdays
The following are ELI birthdays from July 14 to July 20:
Students:
July 18: Abdulmailk Albelaihed
Staff:
None this week!
Happy Birthday!
Manners and Culture
Q: Why do Americans make such a big deal about their 21st birthday?
A: Turning 21, for most young adults, is a big deal because they feel like they are really starting to begin their adult life. Also, they are now allowed to legally drink.
Q: Why don’t young people in the U.S. care about their families?
A: Not all young people are the same, but most young adults see this period in their lives as a time when they can grow up and become independent. Most young people do care about their families, they just have different ways of showing it.
Grammar
Q: What is the difference between less and fewer?
A: Use fewer if you’re referring to people or things in the plural (e.g. houses, newspapers, dogs, students, children).
- People these days are buying fewer newspapers.
Use less when you’re referring to something that can’t be counted or doesn’t have a plural (e.g. money, air, time, music, rain).
- It’s a better job but they pay you less money.
Less is also used with numbers when they are on their own and with expressions of measurement or time.
- Their marriage lasted less than two years.
Quote of the Week
Nothing is so embarrassing as watching someone do something that you said couldn’t be done.
Sam Ewing
You can access a copy of the Weekly in PDF form here: SS2108