TheELI Weekly
Out and About: Art is a Part of Me
by Olga Moody, Instructor
I grew up in a small town surrounded by nature. My school was built next to a deep pine forest, and my house had an orchard with fruit trees and beautiful flower gardens. I loved gazing out my bedroom window and observing the birds chirping while they perched on the branches of an old apple tree. I could watch them flying for hours, especially when I was sick and had to stay in bed all day. They were big birds, small birds, all colors and shapes – sparrows, crows, blue jays, and occasionally a woodpecker! When the tree doctor came, I could hear him working relentlessly on removing the tree pests and making sounds as if he were playing the drums. My father and I made a bird feeder, so we could put some food out for them on cold winter days. This is how my appreciation for nature and beauty created the eye of an artist. As life evolved, I chose to go with my other great passion – teaching, but my love for nature keeps me an artist.
Photo credit: Olga Moody
Notes from the Office
COVID-19 Requirements: Face to face students, remember to do the weekly COVID-19 screening by 3pm on Monday, March 8 with this link: https://uf.tfaforms.net/440
You are not required to do a saliva test this week. Your next test must be between March 15 and March 18.
Teacher Planning Day: This Friday, March 12th, will be a teacher planning day. There are no classes on this day. Enjoy a long weekend!
New Students: The B-term Semester will begin soon, and new students are arriving in Gainesville. Come welcome new students to UF and the ELI this Thursday at the Plaza Hangout in-person activity. See the CIP Weekday activities for details.
Time Change: Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday, March 14th. You might need to change your clocks by adding one hour. Some smart phones and computers do this automatically.
CIP Weekday Activities
ELI students and LAs at the Plaza Hangout, March 2, 2021
Monday, March 8th– Game Night (Zoom) – 6-8pm
Play fun virtual games with LAs and classmates! This week we will play Fishbowl and Codenames!
https://ufl.zoom.us/j/96129662095?pwd=TmdIdmgvWkFIekhBc0FwdFdOeW9NZz09
- Meeting ID: 961 2966 2095
- Passcode: gamenight
Tuesday March 9th– Movie Night (Zoom) – 6–8:30pm
Please note the schedule change!
Come vote on a movie and watch it with LAs and ELI friends as we chat in the chatbox! Stick around for a fun discussion afterward! Movie choices this week are Finding Nemo, The Help, and Thor.
https://ufl.zoom.us/j/92962712031?pwd=dnZhVnh5WTJxWE5FNGZaRndyOFN0UT09
- Meeting ID: 929 6271 2031
- Passcode: movienight
Wednesday, March 10th– Coffee and Culture Talk (Zoom) – 6-7:30pm
Join us this week for discussion about fame and famous people around the world!
https://ufl.zoom.us/j/99582032927?pwd=UlFOQ1pjaiswa3huUk41cnBuMEFiQT09
- Meeting ID: 995 8203 2927
- Passcode: 926123
Thursday, March 11th– Midterm Welcome and Plaza Hangout (In-person) – 5:00-7:00pm
Come hang out face to face at the Plaza and meet our new B-term students! Socialize and play some contactless games and icebreakers.
Sign Up Here!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-midterm9
Weekend Activities
Saturday March 13th – Volunteer at Saint Francis House (In-person) – 8:50am – 12:00pm
Volunteer at our local homeless community center by helping with yard work and maintenance! They need our help to make the center look great! Please see signup for details on location and arrival. You MUST sign up for this activity, be cleared for campus, and wear a mask at the event.
Sign up here!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-volunteering1
Saturday March 13th – ELI Top Ten! (Zoom) – 4:00 – 5:30pm
Let’s make an ELI top ten of all of our group’s favorite things to pass along to others! We will make playlists of songs, book lists, movie lists and more – all based on ELI students’ suggestions and sharing! Be ready to share screen and show us all your favorite videos, songs, social media accounts, and more!
https://ufl.zoom.us/j/99552969087?pwd=ZmVRWlg2dzJEbFd6ZStwbTZpdW9IQT09
- Meeting ID: 995 5296 9087
- Passcode: 317369
Conversation Partners:Want to meet with an English speaker every week to practice English and make a friend? Sign up for a conversation partner! You can sign up by emailing Tate at conversationpartners@eli.ufl.edu. We still have some volunteers waiting to be paired with you! We have one CP who specifically works with students on their pronunciation, email Tate if you are interested in being paired with her for special pronunciation practice.
Manners and Culture
Q: What is the reason for Daylight Savings Time?
A: Daylight Savings Time (DST) is the practice of setting clocks forward in the Spring to make better use of the natural daylight. The change allows more daylight in the evening hours. This allows for people to get out of the house for outdoor activities like golf or children’s sports after work or school.
Birthdays!
Students: none
Staff: none
Notes from the Editor
Do you have something to say? Say it in the Weekly! Send your grammar questions, culture questions, and stories to Maya Shastri at mshastri@ufl.edu.
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