The Weekly Newsletter ofthe English Language InstituteVolume 151, Issue 1May 22, 2023 |
The ELI Weekly
Amber Brooke Farms
Join us on Saturday!
Saturday May 27th – Amber Brooke Farms – 9:30am to 1:30pm
See a real Florida farm where you can pick sunflowers and blueberries, play fun farm games, see beautiful views, eat at the café and shop at the farm store! We suggest bringing 20 to 30 dollars to spend on food, entrance, and any extra shopping or activities around the farm! Wear sunscreen and close-toed shoes. Meet at Norman Parking Garage.
You must sign up to attend this activity: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-amber
Notes from the Office
Withdrawing from the ELI or one course:
Students who withdraw from a course or from the ELI after the drop/add deadline (5/24) will not be able to receive a refund or credit for their courses. Their transcript will have a grade of W (withdraw).
Deadlines:
The deadline to drop or add a class, pay tuition or provide a financial guarantee, submit proof of insurance and immunizations, and turn signed waivers of liability, is Wednesday, May 24th. If you miss any of these deadlines, you could be removed from classes or charged a late fee! If you have questions about paying tuition or submitting a financial guarantee, email Iman Vann at jvann@eli.ufl.edu. If you have questions about insurance or immunizations, email Christine Voigt at christine.voigt@ufl.edu.
CIP Activities
Monday May 22nd – Coffee Talk – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Socialize with LAs and ELI friends at the Starbucks on Archer Road! Play games, speak English, and drink a coffee or get dinner at the restaurants nearby! Take bus 1, 12, or 34.
Address: 3524 SW Archer Rd #160, Gainesville, FL 32608
Tuesday May 23rd – Volleyball – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Come play volleyball and hang out at Lexington Crossing Apartments Phase 2! Take bus 34 or 35. No experience necessary!
Address: 3900 SW 27th St, Gainesville, FL 32608
Wednesday May 24th – Soccer – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Come play Soccer at Maguire Field on campus! No experience necessary!
Address: Bledsoe Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611
Thursday May 25th – 4th Avenue Food Park – 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Spend time in this cute outdoor food area and try some amazing tacos or pizza! This famous Gainesville spot is great for socializing, eating, and spending time outside with friends! Bring some money for food if you want to buy dinner!
Address: 409 SW 4th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601
Friday May 26th – Reitz Game Room – 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Hang out with ELI friends and play pool or go bowling! Pool and bowling are at a discounted cost with your Gator ID but board games and socializing are free!
Address: 655 Reitz Union Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611
Other CIP Reminders
Don’t forget to get your CIP Passport hole punched from the activity leaders AT the event (not after). Redeem your completed passport for a small gift and photo for the ELI Instagram! Remember the CIP Pineapple is hidden in a new place every Monday in the CIP office. Stop by and find it for hole punches!
Conversation Partners
Sign up for a CP here: https://forms.gle/HeU3v2P9xUTqyW15A
Remember, if you sign up, you must meet your partner at least once a week and respond to their messages. Email conversationpartners@eli.ufl.edu if you have any questions or problems or stop by the CIP office to see Will during his office hours.
Birthdays
The following are ELI Birthdays for the week of May 22-May 26:
None this week!
Countries Represented
The following are the countries and places of origin of our students this semester:
| Argentina
Bolivia Brazil Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Ecuador Greece Japan Korea
|
Kuwait
Pakistan Paraguay Peru Saudi Arabia Spain UAE Uruguay USA Venezuela Yemen |
Manners and Culture
Q: I go to restaurants a lot and I don’t understand when I should tip. What restaurants should I tip at?
At restaurants where you have full service from a waiter like The Top or The Cheesecake Factory, you should leave between 15% to 20% of the total bill. If your bill was $25 and you leave $2, this is not enough!
Some full-service restaurants nowadays automatically include an 18% gratuity in the bill for large groups. If you’re splitting the bill and the restaurant didn’t add the gratuity, make sure you calculate it and add it.
At restaurants that have partial service like Tijuana Flats or Bento, where you order at a register and they bring the food to your table, it’s nice to leave a small amount. Here $2 is ok, usually on your credit card receipt.
Restaurants that are complete self-service like Chipotle or Blaze where you order at the counter or the drive-through and then pick it up at the cashier, it’s not necessary to leave a tip. However, if they were extra friendly or helpful, it’s always nice to leave a couple of dollars for the tip.
Tipping in restaurants is particularly important here in the US; servers in restaurants in Florida have a minimum wage of only $7.98 an hour, which is much less than the Florida minimum wage of $11.00. Also, please remember that restaurant workers were particularly hard-hit during the Pandemic; an extra tip will be greatly appreciated.
Grammar
Q: When can I use on when talking about transportation?
A: On is used for mass transportation that requires a ticket. Also use on for bicycle, horse, and motorcycle. For personal modes of transportation like cars, vans, and trucks, use in.
- I got on the bus.
- I got on my horse.
- I got in my car.
Quote of the Week
The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.
Mark Twain
You may access a PDF copy of the Weekly here: SS2301