The ELI Weekly
Scholarship Nominees
It is very difficult to be nominated for a scholarship. The nominees all worked very hard this semester and achieved the following criteria:
- Full-time C semester student
- Academic Excellence
- Outstanding Progress
- Excellent Attendance and Participation
- Practices English
- Successful Academic Work Strategies
- Intercultural Understanding/ Relationships
- See more about the scholarship here: https://eli.ufl.edu/application-information/scholarship/
Please join us in congratulating these nominees for the ELI scholarship to study in the Summer 2024 semester!
Marina Darmesh
David Ariza Peña
Diana Barragan Caicedo
Rolande Yahano Pagoui
Tomas Soto Jara
Ameer Alasadi
Out and About: Uniting Cultures through Dance
by Yuritzi Camargo, RW41
Dancing bachata, salsa, and merengue with my ELI friends has been cool. We Latinos from Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Bolivia, have shown our friends from different countries like Arabia, Korea, Haiti, and Brazil how to groove to our music. We got together to practice and get ready for the talent show.
When we started, many of them barely knew the basic steps. But wow! It’s amazing how fast they’ve learned everything. From the beginning, we worked together as a team, sharing our thoughts on the steps, the music, and we all got to pitch in with our creative ideas.
I’m happy because for me, the most important thing isn’t doing it perfectly, but having fun, and I think this has brought us closer as friends. We’re excited to share our culture and have fun together on stage. It’s cool to see how music and dance bring us together, no matter where we’re from.
CIP Weekday Activities
Special Activity: ELI Talent Show
Friday April 5th – Doors open at 7:00pm, Show starts at 7:30pm – University Auditorium
See your ELI friends perform their many talents at the beautiful University Auditorium! Our performers are working hard to put on an amazing show. Spread the word to guests and friends to come watch the performance for free! Please arrive early or on time, the show will start exactly at 7:30pm.
Address: 333 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611
For performers:
FULL Dress Rehearsal April 5th at 4:00pm in the University Auditorium. There will be a one hour break before the show starts at 7:30pm. All performers must attend this rehearsal. All bio and music information should already have been submitted.
Other CIP Reminders
Conversation Partners
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/Vs8dgX3R8qGvT1Ed7
Please email Will at conversationpartners@eli.ufl.edu for any issues, questions or concerns or visit him in the CIP Office during office hours.
CIP Passport
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!
Notes from the Office
Class Photo: We will take a photo of everyone at the ELI on Thursday, April 4. Listening Speaking classes will meet at Tigert Hall steps at 1:40pm.
Immunization Appointments at the Health Center: Your immunizations are very important. If you miss your appointment at the health center, you will have to pay a fine to the health center and you will be barred from class until you get your immunizations.
Student Voices Deadline: There is good news for all of you ELI writers! The Student Voices deadline has been extended. If you want to see your stories, essays, or other writing published, you have one more week to email Olga Moody (omoody@ufl.edu) or to your teacher. Please include your name and class as well as your writing in the email. The new deadline is Friday, April 5.
People Out: Natalie is out of the office on April 8-10. Tate is out of the office from April 8-12. Daryl is out on April 12. Please plan around those dates if you need to speak to Natalie, Tate, or Daryl.
Apartment Leases: As the semester draws to a close, keep in mind that your lease might be ending soon. It is important to know the exact date that your apartment lease ends so you can make plans. If you’re not sure when it ends, ask your apartment office.
If you need help finding a hotel to stay in short-term (you should ask your friends first!), someone to take over your lease, or a new apartment, talk to Christine in Matherly 223.
Taxes: International students that were in the U.S. in 2023 need to file tax forms with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Tax forms are due on April 15th this year. As a UF ELI student you can use a free international student tax filing program called Sprintax. Talk to Daryl (studyenglish@eli.ufl.edu) if you need more information.
Charges Due: Every ELI student should log in to ONE.uf.edu and look at the “Campus Finances (Bursar)” tile to see if you owe any fees to the university. For example, you may need to pay for services you received at the Student Health Care Center or printing in a library. If you have a scholarship, it will not pay these charges.
Check your I-20s: If you are traveling during the break (for example, leaving the US and coming back), make sure your I-20 is signed. Also check the expiration date. You can make an appointment with Daryl to sign your I-20 or to renew your I-20 before it expires.
Financial Guarantees for Summer: Dear scholarship students, we hope to see you again in the Summer! Therefore, we have sent you an early reminder to request your new financial guarantee letter for the Summer semester, if you plan to return. If you need an enrollment letter or if you have any questions, please email Natalie Claytor at fiscal@eli.ufl.edu.
Photo of the Week
Birthdays!
Manners & Culture
Q: What is the difference between cursive and print writing?
A: Essentially, cursive writing is handwriting that joins the letters of a word together while print writing separates every letter, similar to typing. Long before computers and typewriters, cursive was really the only form of writing. Then in the 20th century, educators realized they could teach younger students a more simplified writing style, and that was the beginning of print writing. Now with computers and typing so important for communication, cursive writing isn’t as important in the US. In fact, only 21 states in the US require students to learn cursive writing. You can read about the cultural debate around cursive writing in this CNN article: Cursive vs. Typing: which should schools teach? by Rachel Rodriguez.
Grammar
Q: What’s the difference between: at the top of the paper and on top of the paper?
A: The first one means something is written on the paper close to the top edge. The second one means something is covering the paper. Can you tell the difference in these examples?
- Ex. 1: Write your name at the top of the paper.
- Ex 2: I can’t find my homework!
- Here it is – your book was on top of the paper.
Notes from the Editor
I still need grammar questions, culture questions, or even jokes for the Weekly. Send them to mshastri@ufl.edu. Use the subject heading ELI Weekly.