The ELI Weekly
Out and About: My First Week at the ELI
by Joao Ambrozio, RW 30
In my first week at Gainesville taking classes, I had new experiences as a student as an independent person. It’s very difficult and tiring manage even my small apartment by myself. My first day alone was a strange time for me because I thought on everything that I needed for me on the next days. I’m not used to buy and go after food for example. Furthermore, I have learned how to cook meat and chicken by the time. Maybe next week, I will try to do some eggs and other dishes. Another topic is very important are the documents, I’m still bringing my passport and other important papers wherever I go.
One of the best parts of studying in the ELI are the friends. I was very fortunate because everyone who I met were good people. There are a lot of Koreans doing the ELI courses so I already know some people. I spend a lot of time with three guys from Korea, my first friends in Florida. One of them is called Shawn and he’s the only one that I have class with. Grammar is my second class of the day and there is where I can met him. We make another friend Julio from Bolivia. After class, all of us lunch together, for me this time with Julio and Shawn was the best part of the week so far. We lunched on different places and talked about many things.
To summarize, I had a good time on this first week but I still need to get used to some new responsibilities, the food will be the biggest challenge, I rarely cooked in my country. Besides that, the people on Gainesville are often very kind and helpful with me, and I am loving this new experience.
CIP Weekday Activities
Weekend Event
Saturday February 10th – Gator Basketball Game – 2:45pm to 6:15pm – Meet Outside Gate 1 at the O’Dome
Come and cheer on the Gators Saturday as they play Auburn! You must have already purchased a ticket from Tate. We are sold out. But if you are still interested, have Tate help you get on the waiting list or find your own tickets.
For those with tickets, we will be meeting in front of the O’Connoll Center on the corner of Gale Lemerand Dr and Stadium Rd at Gate 1 at 2:45pm.
Please make sure that you have your UFID and your digital ticket (pulled up and ready to scan from your Gator Ticket account).
BAGS, BACKPACKS, or PURSES LARGER THAN 12″ x 6″ 12″ are not allowed. For the full list of items that are not allowed, please see the O’Connell Center website for security policies.
- Please remember that there is no alcohol allowed at ELI events.
- Dress in Orange and Blue! Go Gators!!
- Address: GATE 1 – 250 Gale Lemerand Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611
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 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!
Notes from the Office
People out: Christine and Tate will both be out February 15-17. Please plan around these dates if you need to talk to them.
ELI Emergency Cell Phone: The ELI has a special phone number that you can use if you have a medical or legal emergency outside of normal office hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm). The ELI emergency phone number is 352-672-0144. You should store this number in your phone in case you have an emergency.
You should only use this phone number if you have an emergency. For example, if you or another ELI student need to go to the hospital or get arrested. Please do not use the emergency number for anything that can wait to be answered by email or when the office is open. If you need the police, fire department, or an ambulance for an extreme emergency, call 911 before you call the ELI emergency number.
Semester Schedule: Look at this calendar for a quick guide when planning for your holidays. The days marked in orange are holidays during semester.
Photos of the Week
Birthdays!
Manners & Culture
Q: What does “personal space” means in the United States? When one should be aware that it is being violated.
A: One feature of US culture is the idea of personal space. Basically, if you stretch your arm out to its full length, strangers should not come any closer to you than the tips of your fingers. Sometimes people come too close to another person, and this could be considered a ‘violation of personal space.’ How do you know you have violated someone’s personal space? They will take an involuntary step backward from you. If you want to notice how people react to their personal space being violated, watch people on a crowded bus. People will try to avoid any contact with the other riders and even apologize for any accidental touching.
Grammar
Q: How can I use due to? I thought due to meant the same as because, but somehow I always get it wrong.
A: Sometime the meaning can be the same, but the grammar is different. This is the case with due to and because. In fact, you can use due to just like you use because of, and then the meaning AND the grammar will be the same. Here are some examples:
When you use because by itself, you need to create a clause (subject + verb):
- Because the weather is stormy, we have cancelled the soccer game.
When you use due to (or because of), you only need a noun or noun phrase:
- Due to the weather, we have cancelled the soccer game.
- Because of the hurricane, we have cancelled the soccer game.
These sentences confuse the two grammar rules:
- Because of the weather is stormy, we have cancelled the soccer game.
- Due to the weather is stormy, we have cancelled the soccer game.
Joke of the Week
Q: What did Baby Corn say to Mama Corn?
A: Where’s Pop Corn?
Notes from the Editor
The ELI Weekly needs you! You can participate in several ways:
- Email grammar questions for me to put in the Weekly.
- Email manners and culture questions for me to put in the Weekly.
- Write a paragraph about your experiences this semester. You could write about an ELI activity, a Gainesville event, a fabulous local restaurant, or tell us about a place or event in your country that we should visit!
Send your questions and paragraphs to Maya (mshastri@ufl.edu) Use the subject heading: the ELI Weekly.