New Outlook
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Sabriya | Fred |
Sabriya: My year was quite interesting. I learned a lot. I've experienced a lot.
Fred: You've experienced a lot. What have you experienced?
Sabriya: I've tried new things. Things that I have not done before. I've tried different jobs.
Fred: What kind of jobs have you tried?
Sabriya: I've tried working with children, actually, this year and it's been amazing. It's just been the best experience ever.
Fred: What was it exactly that you did when you were working with children?
Sabriya: Basically, it was in a... it's not a rehabilitation center, but it was a center for disabled children, and basically what we do is we spend the day with them and attend classes with them and just play with them, talk to them, interact with them during the day.
Fred: Wow, that's really great. So you did some voluntary activities.
Sabriya: Yes. Yes. I did for the first time.
Fred: Wow, that's really cool.
Sabriya: It was quite an experience because I was quite scared at first. I wasn't to sure how to treat them. I wasn't to sure what exactly I should do, but the instructors were very nice and they explained that, you know, you just have to be yourself and treat them like any other children, and that's how they want to be treated - just like normal children, and that's what I tried my best to do.
Fred: Wow, so you must have learned so much, and you became a more responsible, mature adult.
Sabriya: Yes, it did. It changed me in that terms because I become more patient than before. Before, I mean, I used to be quite stubborn and I used to irrationally make decisions, but after this I calmed down and I always questioned myself before doing something, so I think in that way I completely changed.
Fred: Could you say that what you've learned through your experiences of working with children has also helped you in other parts of your life?
Sabriya: I think the whole getting a patient side has helped me in many terms because it's made me think for example, when I want study or when I want to take classes, I always ask myself, should I do this? Should I do that? Should I go here? So, I don't think like that, so it's just a matter of thinking ten times before I decide anything.
Fred: OK, well you know I feel that I can learn a lot from you and maybe I should do the same thing to become a more responsible person, too.
Sabriya: You should. I'd advise you to. Working with disabled children is nothing like anything else. It's amazing. You should. You should.
the best experience ever
Working with children has been my best experience ever.
Something that is the 'best ever' is the best in our life so far. Notice the following:
- Summer abroad was my best experience ever!
- 24 hours on a bus in Sri Lanka was not exactly my best experience ever.
rehabilitation center
It's not really a rehabilitation center, but a center for disabled children.
A 'rehabilitation center' is a place people go to help them return to good health after an injury. Notice the following:
- The city just built a new rehabilitation center.
- She spent a month at a rehabilitation center.
voluntary activities
It's the first time I did some voluntary activities.
We do 'voluntary activities' for no money. Notice the following:
- I do voluntary activities on the weekend.
- She does voluntary activities at the rehabilitation enter.
be yourself
The instructors told me, "Just be yourself."
To 'be yourself' means to act naturally and not worry about what others think. Notice the following:
- I just try to be myself.
- It's easier to be yourself than to act like someone else.
questioned myself
I always questioned myself before doing something.
When we 'question ourselves,' we think of reasons why we should or shouldn't do something. Notice the following:
- I always question myself before I buy something.
- I should have questioned myself.
Vocabulary Quiz
be yourself • question herself
