The ELI Weekly
Out and About: Guardian Angels
by Lia Garcia and Alejandra Florian, RW41
One week ago, 6 ELI students went to a Volunteer Day called ‘Guardian Angels’. This day was all about getting to know the work that they have been doing there, how they rescue and train the German Shepherd puppies, the hard work that the coaches are doing to help a person with disabilities, and the extra volunteers they need.If you want to participate, they are always looking for new volunteers!
CIP Weekday Activities
Weekend Event
Saturday, October 12th – Midterm Welcome Picnic – 12:00pm – 2:45pm
Welcome new B-term students with all your ELI friends! Spend time socializing outside and eat free food! Meet in front of Norman Hall.
You must sign up to attend this event: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-51916919-midterm
Other CIP Reminders
Conversation Partners (CPs)
Want to meet with a fluent English speaker and make a new friend? Sign up for a CP! If you choose to sign up, you must meet with your partner for one hour a week. It can take up to two weeks to get a partner from when you sign up. Please sign up at this link: https://forms.gle/CZoP2zQ7nxWD4wcA8
Please email Rachel at conversationpartners@eli.ufl.edu for any issues, questions or concerns or visit her in the CIP Office during office hours.
CIP Passports
Don’t forget to get your CIP Passport hole punched from the activity leaders AT the event (not after). We don’t hole punch passports after the event. Redeem your completed passport for a small gift, a photo for the ELI Instagram, and your name published in the ELI weekly!
Need a new CIP Passport? Stop by the CIP Office!
Remember the CIP Pineapple is hidden in a new place every Monday in the CIP office. Stop by and find it for hole punches!
Completed CIP Passports
Congrats to students who completed their CIP Passports! Thank you for being so involved with the CIP!
- Saoud Alsahali
Notes from the Office
People Out: Christine is out of the office from October 18-24. Please plan around these dates if you need to talk to Christine.
Community College Workshop: Representatives from the Santa Fe College and the College of Central Florida will speak to ELI students on Wednesday, October 30, at 5:00pm in Matherly Hall. We will announce the room number next week. This is great opportunity to learn about SF and CF, hear about the application process and timeline, and you can meet their International Student Services team.
Bike & Scooter Theft: Gainesville is a very safe place, but it is still common for people to steal things, especially bikes and scooters. If you ride your bike to campus, make sure you use a high-quality lock, such as a U-lock, to secure it at the bike racks. For students with an e-scooter, you can ask your teacher to let you bring it into the classroom. If you experience a theft, you can come to the ELI office for help filing a police report.
New Students: B Term is about to begin, and you will see new students coming to the main office, in the hallways, in your classes, and at activities. Please welcome and help new students as they begin to settle at UF and in Gainesville.
Student Voices
Every semester, we have amazing student writers, so we take your writing and publish it in an online collection called Student Voices. In past semesters, students have written paragraphs, essays, creative stories, recipes, letters, obituaries, poetry, and more. You can see past editions of Student Voices (https://eli.ufl.edu/news-publications/, scroll to the bottom of the page) for inspiration.
We encourage you to submit anything of your work that you wish to see published. It can be from any class or something you have written on your own but ask your teachers for help editing! You can email it to Olga Moody (omoody@ufl.edu) or to your teacher. Please include your name and class on your submission. The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 1st.
Photo of the Week: Volleyball!
Birthdays!
Manners & Culture
Q: How can I politely get a server’s attention in a restaurant?
A: You should get the server’s attention by making eye contact with a nod or raising a hand.
Q: At the restaurant, when I get my bill, can I I leave the money and tip on the table and leave, or do I need to wait for the waiter?
A: It is always safer to hand the money directly to the server.
Q: If a restaurant makes a mistake on my order, what should I do?
A: If a restaurant makes a mistake on your order, tell your server immediately. For example, if the server is putting a burger and fries in front of you (and you ordered fried chicken), then you should immediately say, “I’m sorry. That’s not my order. I ordered the fried chicken.” If they made a mistake on your bill, show it to the server immediately and explain what is wrong, “I think you charged me for the jumbo combo, but I only ordered the sandwich.”
Grammar
Q: What is the difference between ‘me either’ and ‘me neither’?
Both phrases are used to agree to a negative statement and have the same meaning as ‘neither + (verb) + I’ (neither have I, neither do I, neither am I). Both are more informal than ‘neither + (verb) + I’. Here is an example:
If your friend says:
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You could say:
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Joke of the Week
Q: What is the easiest building to lift?
A: A lighthouse!
Notes From the Editor
Come by my office (221 MAT) and help me write the Out and About section! There are so many topics to write about–a fun activity, an interesting place on campus, a club or hobby that you enjoy, or even tell us about a place to visit in your country. Bring a photo of your experience and put it in the Weekly.
Send stories and grammar, manners, or culture questions to Maya Shastri (mshastri@ufl.edu).