Reflection from Chris

Chris Tomasich (Mr. T)                                    June, 2010

I came to Macau this year not knowing what to expect. I knew only a very little about the city, but what I found was beyond anything I could have prepared myself for. Macau is a unique blend of cultures in such a small space, and therefore I was able to walk through the city and take in my surroundings at a slower pace and truly absorb what a different world this is compared to the one I am from..

I have found Macau to be a city of much hidden beauty as there was something interesting down every side street I turned. The different buildings and shops always offered something to see, and the gardens and public spaces always offered somewhere to go. The food of course is great and everybody was always trying to feed me or have me try many of the local specialties which are so delicious.

Teaching at St. Joseph’s has been a great experience for me. The students have been a lot of fun. Many students will come up to me in the hallways in school and say hello, and some will even try to practice their English with me. I have always tried to make English fun, and I hope the students have felt like they have gotten to know me. If my students can take one thing from my teaching I hope it is that you should always try, and not be afraid to make mistakes because making mistakes is how you get better. In my teaching the students who have tried have improved a great deal while the students who were too afraid didn’t benefit as much. It is my hope that more students continue to try so more students can feel comfortable speaking and working towards improvement.

I have asked many of my students about themselves and about living in Macau and through this I have learned a great deal about what sort of things interest the students and how they feel about living here in Macau. For the most part every student that I have come across has been willing to learn and hoping to have fun and while doing it. My teaching has been made much easier because of this.

 The staff has been very helpful. People have been very willing to explain to me things about the school, the students or Macau so that I could learn more about the world in which I was teaching. Everybody has gone out of their way to make me feel very comfortable here in Macau and because of this I have felt able to teach and learn in Macau very easily. It was good to see how much the teachers encouraged their students to speak and hope that the students will continue to practice their English when they get the opportunity to.

        When I leave to go back home to Canada I’m sure I will miss the food of Macau and how I am able to walk everywhere here, but most all I will miss the people who have been so kind to me during my stay.