Thoughts from a Generally Clueless American

Today I started working with a new Learning Parnter from Turkey. I'm so excited to start working with two new future-friends from Turkey this week. They aren't currently students but are hoping to work on their English grammar, conversation, and reading skills in order to prepare for graduate programs. Our session this afternoon went well; it's always a bit anxiety-provoking to start working with a new student, but it's also one of my very favorite feelings. That mutual exchange of experience and knowledge is so life-giving. It makes my heart explode with thankfulness. My brain got all sorts of new wrinkles today.

Yet I will admit that everytime I work with a person from another country, I come face-to-face with my own cultural illiteracy. Why am I so clueless? I guess it's just an ongoing process, right? So, I think once a week I'll have a day dedicated to "A Mission to Ending Emily's Intercultural Ignorance." I'll just do a little research and share a few facts about a country in the world. Hopefully you don't find this too annoying. Primarily I just feel like a bozo for not knowing more about this amazing world we inhabit!

Also, thanks to everyone who participated in yesterday's 5 things. It was quite splendid to read your responses. It's always fun to see comments because then I feel a lot less like I'm talking to myself.

This week's country is: Belize Here's a good link for more facts: The World Factbook
Here are a few brief facts:

-Located in Central America
-Tropical climate
-Primary environmental concern: Deforestation
-Population: about 308,000
-Capital: Belmopan
-Government: Parliamentary Democracy
-Prime Minister: Dean O. Borrow
-Exports lots of: bananas, sugar, and citrus fruits

Click here for Language and Literature in Belize

Feel free to comment about any information you have on Belize. Thanks for joining me in this mission to reduce cluelessness, of which I am the primary culprit.