The ELI Weekly
The Weekly Newsletter of
the English Language Institute
Volume 148, Issue 1
May 16, 2022
Blue Springs
Join us on Saturday!
Saturday May 21st – Gilchrist Blue Springs – 8:00am to 1:00pm
Come see the beautiful Florida springs with crystal clear water! Swim and enjoy the outdoors with friends! Meet at Norman Parking Garage If you sign up, please be on time – we must arrive to the springs early before it gets to full capacity and closes.
You must sign up to attend this event – Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-blue
Norman Parking Garage Address: 1242 SW 8th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601
Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park Address (for self-drivers): 7450 NE 60th St, High Springs, FL 32643
Notes from the Office
Student Addresses: It is important that the ELI has each student’s address. If you have an F or J visa, you should report a change of address within 10 days of any change. You can update your address in myELI using the ‘Basic Information’ tab in your ‘My Profile’ page. All students should update their address in myELI by Friday, May 27th.
If you need help updating your address in myELI, please contact Daryl at studyenglish@eli.ufl.edu.
Withdrawing from the ELI or one course: Students who withdraw from a course or from the ELI after the drop/add deadline (5/18) 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 submit a financial guarantee, submit proof of insurance and immunizations, and turn in a signed wavier of liability, is Wednesday, May 18th. 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 Jennifer Vann at jvann@eli.ufl.edu. If you have questions about insurance or immunizations, email Victoria Dolce at vcshelly@ufl.edu.
Victoria Out: If do you need to see Victoria, please note that she will be out of the office on May 24th and 26th.
CIP Activities
Signup Notes:
- You no longer need to sign up for weekday activities. Just come!
- However, you MUST sign up for the weekend event each week if you want to attend. You can sign up if you need a ride or have your own ride.
The weekend activities often have limited space and the only way to reserve your space is by signing up. Please only sign up if you plan on attending. - If you can no longer attend, make sure to delete your slot and email Tate at least 24 hours before the activity so someone else can have the space.
Monday May 16th – 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 May 17th – Soccer – 6:30 – 9:00pm
Come play Soccer on campus at Flavet Field! No experience necessary! Address: Woodlawn Dr, Gainesville, FL 32603
Wednesday May 18th – Volleyball – 6:30 – 9:30pm
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
Thursday May 19th – Downtown Gainesville! – 6:00 – 8:30pm
Meet at Bo Diddly Plaza and explore downtown Gainesville together! If you want, bring money for food or treats and be ready to take lots of pictures! Take bus 5, 1 or 46.
Address: 111 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601
Friday May 20th – 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
Birthdays
The following are ELI Birthdays for the week of May 16-May 22:
Students:
5/16 Ismat Huldar
5/17 Zuhur Aloufi
5/17 Mariana Douaihy El Douwaihi
Happy Birthday!
Conversation Partners
Want to make a friend and speak English? Sign up for a conversation partner! Wait two weeks to be paired and then meet your new partner for one hour a week! If you are a returner and still want a CP, you should still sign up here.
CP Signup: https://forms.gle/D4bEFETqnKDJ6AYe6
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.
Countries Represented
The following are the countries and places of origin of our students this semester:
| Angola
Argentina Benin Bolivia Brazil Chile China Ecuador Colombia Cuba Ecuador Israel Italy |
Japan
Korea Kuwait Pakistan Panama Peru Puerto Rico Saudi Arabia Spain Thailand Uruguay USA Venezuela |
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 $5.63 an hour, which is much less than the Florida minimum wage of $8.65. Also, please remember that restaurant workers have been 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
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