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Tu, from Thailand, began studying English at CELOP in the summer of 1991. He is now the executive chef of Brown Sugar Café on Commonwealth Avenue. Tu first decided to study at CELOP because it was highly recommended to him by his relatives. When reflecting on his experience at CELOP, Tu has a strong memory of how his instructors made it a priority to help students understand American culture. In addition to learning about American culture, he also had the opportunity to build relationships with his classmates—people from several different countries, including Italy, France, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He especially enjoyed learning about the different religions of the citizens of these countries. When asked about his classes, Tu explains that many of his classmates had several years of English grammar instruction before studying at CELOP, but little or no speaking experience. He remembers that his instructor, Chris Antonellis, “put a lot of effort into helping students learn to speak with confidence in front of groups.” Tu also said that he was able to significantly improve his listening comprehension because Chris incorporated unique, fun activities into her teaching, such as having students carefully listen to songs and then write down the lyrics. Tu is very fond of the relationships he made while at CELOP. He warmly recalls, “I had the opportunity to build friendships with diverse people, and I deeply value the relationships I formed with my teacher and classmates at CELOP.” He is still in regular contact with friends from Italy and Spain that he met while studying at CELOP. CELOP also influenced where he wanted to live after studying. When talking about his decision to stay in the area, he says, “The personal commitment of CELOP teachers greatly enhanced my ability to establish myself here in Boston.” When talking to Tu, it is apparent that he is still very grateful to his teacher for her interest in helping her students succeed, even after they leave CELOP. |
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