Welcome to Tim's blog

Welcome to Tim’s blog! From time to time I’ll share a few thoughts with you^LB.

By the way, if you see “LB”, it means there will be something about it in the Language Blog later on.

It was great to see so many of you at the Stairway do^(LB) on the Wisla. Maybe we should do that kind of thing more often. If you think so, tell us!

It was nice to talk to a lot of you, our intelligent and interesting students. But I must say I had a feeling of déjà vu when the BIG QUESTION, THE BURNING QUESTION, THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION was asked.

Déjà vu? Let me explain. When I first taught in Poland in 1993 (!) the same thing happened with every group after 3 or 4 lessons; a brave student would pluck up the courage^(LB) to ask THE QUESTION. In one group it went like this:

Asia – Tim?

Tim – Yeah?

Asia – You’re a teacher.

Tim – Since I’m teaching you, I hope I am, yes.

Asia – No, but you’re real teacher.

Tim – Why, thank you Asia, dear.

Asia – So you could teach anywhere in the world. So, (pauses for the QUESTION) why are you in Poland?

Now, there I am on the Wisla all these years later, still being asked the QUESTION. I’m not going to answer the QUESTION here. Right now I’m more interested in the fact that the QUESTION has a subtext, and it is this:

“If you’re all here, then you’re not all there.”

No Language Blog for this one – you’ll have to puzzle it out for yourself!

LANGUAGE BLOG

share some (my, your etc) thoughts with – just as in Polish we can share thoughts, feelings, impressions, opinions with someone.

do (pl. dos) noun! A party, event, reception, a wedding do, a leaving do, an all-night do, a posh/formal do.

They’re having a do to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

a burning issue/question – something people feel strongly about or very interested in.

pluck up the courage to do – find the courage or be brave enough.

He finally plucked up the courage to ask her for a date.