Friday Dinner

On Wednesday, my student Peter and I made plans to have dinner together on Friday evening.

This afternoon he called me, asking if it was okay if he brought a friend.  Of course, I said.  

This evening he came to my apartment building to pick me up and walk me to dining hall IV.  Which was additionally sweet as there are several inches of new snow outside.  We went to the dining hall (the farthest one from my apartment, but the closest to the guys' dorms).

"What?  Peter, your friends are Ansel and Savis?  They're your classmates!  Why didn't you tell me that?"

He laughed.

So the four of us ate dinner together, and I had a great time.  They're from the class that I'm most comfortable with (yes, I heard about the Waterbottle Incident), and we talked about a lot of things -- English, travel, families, future plans, the weather.  We joked and teased a lot.  I think that one reason I enjoy their class so much is that I feel like I am their teacher in class and their friend outside of class.  I can be absurd with them at dinner and be comfortable with them and feel like I'm hanging out with friends and not like this is something that it is just my duty to do.

Probably my favorite conversation:

Peter:  "Hello, Keeler."  [which is how he gets my attention even in the middle of conversations]  "Do you like small things?"

me:  *totally bewildered*  *looks at Savis and Ansel to see if they understand*

Savis and Ansel:  *look at Peter blankly*

Peter:  *goes on to explain*

me:  "Oh, like jewelry!  Ah.  Okay.  Well, most of my jewelry has some meaning to me.  Like this necklace, I got the first time I came to China.  And this bracelet, my roommate in China gave to me so that I would remember her.  And this other bracelet, a friend in Thailand gave to me so that I would remember them."

Ansel:  *without missing a beat*  "I'll give you a bracelet!"

me:  "Yeah, then I'll remember you forever!"

Ansel:  "We can all give you bracelets, then --" *motions to bracelets covering my entire arm*

me:  *laughing*

other guys:  "Yeah, he sells bracelets..."

Ansel:  "Yeah!  Do you want bracelets?"

Peter:  "I think it's a really good way to start business!"

me:  "Yeah!  So your bracelets, are they beautiful?"

Ansel:  "Yes!  And not as expensive as the supermarket!"

other guys:  "The MARKET!!"

me:  "Yeah, the market -- so are they good quality?"

Ansel:  *something between a loud snort and laugh*

me:  "Well then, okay... that answers that..."

Peter:  "I told one of my friends to buy an umbrella from him... and it broke on the second day!"

me:  "Um... okay Ansel, I appreciate your honesty, but I don't think I will buy anything from you."

After dinner, Ansel and Peter walked me the entire way back to my dorm.  Such gentlemen!  (Even though they argued over if a gentleman would SAY that he is a gentleman or not...)

Anyway... I really love and enjoy my students.