Today I met my conversational partner at the CIES tea. I was really surprised at how many people attended. I had a bit of a problem finding my partner, but persistence prevailed!
My partner's name is Marlena. She speaks Portuguese and is from Brazil. She and her brother Robert are attending FSU for four months to learn English. Marlena is 18 years old, so I could actually be her mother. She says that I remind her of her Mom. I am making a valiant effort to take this as a compliment. This is a bit frightening to me because, most days, I still feel as though I am 18.
Marlena is very outgoing and was really excited to meet me. One of the first things that she said to me was to be sure and correct any mistakes she makes when speaking. We have a few things in common and I am looking forward to spending more time with her and getting to know her better. I am excited to see the progress she makes throughout this process.
Being this "mother figure" could be exactly what she needs.
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