The following article was submitted by ESL Tutor and Trainer Sandy Deeds. She has been working with her student, Sylvia for four years. Natalie and her student Sophia are also a long-term tutor-student match.
March 16, 2023, a crisp cool sunny day, offered the perfect opportunity for two tutors and two ESL students who have been working together for some time, to enjoy a day in Washington, DC. The purpose of our trip was to enjoy time together, experience riding the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) train, and converse in English while taking in a few attractions in Washington, DC. Traveling by train was easy and convenient. We walked from Union Station to the US Botanic Garden. Along the way, we saw and heard the bells ringing in the tower of Taft Memorial Carillon. Our visit to the botanic garden included seeing plants and flowers from all over the world from the deserts of Africa to the tropics of South America.
We ventured toward the Library of Congress and
witnessed the stone and metal restoration currently taking place at the U.S. Capitol. Then we visited the U.S. Supreme Court and admired all the portraits, photographs, and sculptures of past and present U.S. Supreme Court justices.
We concluded our adventure with lunch at a local grille discussing everything we saw. We enjoyed a carefree ride back home on the MARC train. This outing was an adventurous exception to the normal tutor/student session.
Our next adventure will include a trip to a local Korean market and lunch at a Korean restaurant.
Sylvia, Natalie, Sandy, and Sophia at the United States Botanic Garden in DC
