The ELI Weekly
Out and About: From Fear to Fitness
by Jeftey Saint Fleur, RW60
When I first came to the US on September 20th 2024, I was afraid of not being able to pursue my dream of practicing any sports. This engagement has become a powerful tool to stay healthy since 2008, when my mother passed away because of diabetes. During the week’s orientation at ELI, I was excited about hearing that sports such as volleyball and soccer were part of the ELI Weekly activities. Besides “Coffee Talk” at Panera Bread, where ELI students and LAs usually come to share experiences about their cultures while enjoying their favorite meals and know each other better, volleyball at Lexington Crossing and soccer at Flavet field make me feel happy.
Looking at this photo above, you might wonder what this guy is doing with this ball? Even if we do not have a basketball schedule, every Tuesday my friends and I enjoy playing basketball instead of volleyball. To be honest, I am a soccer player, but sometimes many people argue that I look like a basketball player based on my height (6’.03”).
Being always connected to those workout styles gives me self-confidence about physical and mental health. Furthermore, my ability to manage stress and depression has increased since I started making these choices. For example, every time I feel down, sports always serve as good therapy to overcome the situation. They represent also a significant way for me to stay fit and healthy.
Overall, practicing a sport can play a crucial role in keeping you healthy physically and mentally. Even if you have a goal to achieve or not, try to do your best to enjoy every single moment. You may not have enough time today, but keep this in mind, ten minutes of exercising can have a positive impact on your life.
Never skip Tuesday and Wednesday!
CIP Weekday Activities
Other CIP Reminders
No Weekend Event
There is no weekend event due to spring break, but see the spring break note in the Weekly for important information and activity ideas.
Weekend Event Reminder
Please only sign up for Saturday events if you plan on attending. It takes slots away from other students who could have attended if you sign up but do not show up for a Saturday event. Thank you!
Selling Transportation Passes to Busch Gardens for our 3/29 trip!
Don’t miss the fun at Busch Gardens when the ELI spends the full day there on March 29th! Purchase your transportation ticket from Tate in the CIP office this week on Monday or Tuesday for 25 dollars exact cash. Remember that Busch Gardens theme park tickets will need to be purchased on your own separately. Tickets average around 100-125 dollars depending on deals, choice of pass, etc.
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 here!
Please email Joey 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
Find the Pineapple
Remember the CIP Pineapple is hidden in a new place every Monday in the CIP office. Stop by and find it for hole punches!
Notes from the Office
Noise in the hallways: Many UF faculty and staff have offices in classroom buildings, like Matherly Hall. Please remember to speak quietly in the buildings. Please do not block the hallways or staircases by sitting in them. If you are waiting for your friends in classes, please hang out at the picnic tables outside, not in the Matherly Hallway.
Spring break office hours: The ELI Main Office will be closed Monday 3/17 and Tuesday 3/18. The ELI Main Office will be open from 9am – 3pm Wednesday 3/19 – Friday 3/21. Even though the office will be open, administrators like Daryl and Christine may be out of the office. Please email them or call the main office to be sure they are here before you stop by to see them.
ELI emergency number: Remember, in an emergency, you can always call the ELI emergency cell phone, even during Spring Break!
Contacting Daryl: If you need to email Daryl, please use this email: studyenglish@eli.ufl.edu.
Community College Workshop
Wednesday, March 12, 5:00pm, MAT 214
Representatives from the Santa Fe College and the College of Central Florida will speak to ELI students on Wednesday, March 12th, at 5:00pm in Matherly Hall room 214. 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. You should attend this session if you want to earn a bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida or other university in the state.
Spring Break: March 17-21
There are no ELI classes March 17-21 for Spring Break. This is a great time to rest, travel, and prepare yourself for the rest of the semester. Whatever you do, remember to have easy access to immigration documents on your mobile device.
US Federal Tax Forms for International Students
International students that were present in the U.S. in 2024 have a responsibility to file tax forms with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Tax forms are due on April 15th this year. They are filed for the previous calendar year, which in this case is 2024.
You must provide required tax forms even if you did not earn any money in the U.S. in 2024. All F and J visa students (including dependents) must submit IRS form 8843. You can get the form 8843 from the ELI main office. Instructions for completing the form are also in the main office.
You cannot submit this document electronically. You must physically mail it to this address by April 15th:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service Center
Austin, TX 73301-0215
Come talk to us if you have questions about how to mail the form. You can get an envelope from the ELI main office.
If you had on-campus employment in 2024 as an international student, you will receive a form from your employer reporting your income and tax withholdings called a W-2. Because you earned reportable income, you must submit a federal tax return to file your W-2. Talk to Daryl if you had on-campus employment last year and have questions about filling your taxes.
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, March 28.
Photo of the Week: Reitz Game Room
Birthdays!
Manners & Culture
Q: Why do Americans pronounce the word ‘wanted’ without the ‘t’ sound?
A: Listen to several people say these words. Do you hear them saying the ‘t’ sound or not?
- wanted, mountain, Atlanta, plenty, center, painter
Linguists who research phonology (the study of complex sound patterns) have noted that when a ‘t’ sound follows an ‘n’ sound in the middle of a word in American English, then the ‘t’ can be soundless. Since not everyone follows this rule of phonology, it might be a regional difference. It is not necessarily a conscious decision to pronounce or not pronounce the sound, it is just the way people talk.
Grammar
Q: What’s the difference between ‘like’ and ‘such as’ for examples?
We use ‘like’ to mean ‘such as’ to introduce examples when we are talking. Most textbooks will consider ‘like’ used in this way to be slang or conversational informal English. This means that you are likely to hear people say ‘like’ for examples, but you are less like to see it written in formal or academic texts.
- You will hear people say: “There are great trees here, like pine, bald cypress, and oak.”
- You will see written: This county has a variety of trees, such as pine, bald cypress, and oak.
Joke of the Week
Q: What goes up when rain comes down?
A: An umbrella!
Notes from the Editor
I still need your help with the ELI Weekly. Send me a paragraph about fun activities you have tried in Florida or send me a story about an interesting place in your country. Send me grammar questions, culture questions, or even jokes. Send them to mshastri@ufl.edu. Use the subject heading ELI Weekly.