Advanced English Practice

Advanced English Practice

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Ma'am, good evening. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Yes, I'm doing exceptionally well, happy and alive, I would say. And how about you? How are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 0:10

I'm also doing great, and you tried your best to adjust the timing. Thank you so much for that. Thank you for taking time out. I know that you are so busy, but then also you tried your best. Okay. So let me introduce myself. Okay. As you know, my name is Mohmita. I am actually from Kolkata, West Bengal, but currently I am living in USA due to my husband's job. It's been two years we have been living here. And um I completed my masters in mathematics, and after that, I did MC also. Along with that, I used to give tuition from plus seven to plus ten. I used to teach them mathematics. But before coming here, I left that. And here I am homemaker and mom to a toddler. My daughter is now two years old. And I am working on my communication skills now. That's why I opened a YouTube channel also. The name is English Vibes with Momita. Last month I opened that, and now you can say it's my hobby, and otherwise, uh, I love cooking and traveling also. That's all about me.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

Oh wow, that's wonderful to know about you. So, do you want me to introduce, or we can just skip this part?

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Just with your introduction.

SPEAKER_02 1:36

I know you, but um, okay. I don't know why, but I feel so bored when uh people uh ask for my advice. So I'm Neharana, uh homemaker, proud homemaker, and uh an enthusiastic uh online English instructor. I hail from Himachal, but I live in Mojali, that is in Punjab. I would say that I am an enthusiast of this language and I am passionate about teaching. So, this is how I am uh uh trying to uh enhance my uh communication skills through my teaching because I conduct online sessions where I deal with uh beginners, intermediate, and sometimes advanced level learners also. So I try to um make them comfortable with this language. I try to uh help them in learning the ropes and uh to understand the intricacies of this language. So, this is how I'm working on my communication skills, and this is how I'm imparting my knowledge. Apart from that, I love shopping, I love music, I love grooming my home as well as uh myself. So that's all about me.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

That's great. So you teach only online or offline also? Only online. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:00

I mean I used to teach or used to conduct online tuition classes, uh, but I think online uh helps us to broaden our uh uh skills and uh area field. So, yes, so now I have completely switched to online scenario.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

Yes, online and the communication uh language like English, this actually broadened the horizon. Um when I used to teach, I also um teach only for Bengali medium. I am Bengali, so Bengali medium students, but I I have uh experienced that it's actually uh restrict ourselves to reach uh so many other students.

SPEAKER_02 3:40

Right, right, actually, because uh you are just accessible for those people who uh understand Bengali, or uh even if you know Hindi, then also you feel restricted because many people don't know Hindi. So, yes, uh it helps us to be more approachable, and uh yes, we can experiment with our teaching as well as uh with our learning also. Uh so there was a sudden shift uh from India to US, US, right? Yes, yes, from a working professional to a homemaker and then uh to mother of mother to a toddler, a big task, I would say. So uh how to feeling, are you enjoying, or sometimes you feel that no, I'm done. I need a break. So tell me.

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Yes, yes. Sometimes I really feel that I am just I feel overwhelmed that so many things. I how can I handle so many things only? But um yes, it's there is no other option, so I have to manage everything. Initially, it was really, really very tough, but now I am habituated with it, with the culture and with the lifestyle of USA, and now uh I I delivered here my baby. So at that time it was so very, very tough at that time. It's taking care of a newborn alarm. It was really difficult, but now she is growing up and uh I am I am a little bit comfortable for five years, but now also now also she is just now it's a dangerous place, you know. She is trying to do all the things she is watching, and uh, she is exciting, excited always to um to do uh climbing up and just jumping, just she is doing so many things, and it's really really very tough to handle her.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

Exactly, it is, and you know what uh to tackle all the things alone, and that too when you are out of your country, you have and lifestyle, culture, everything is different, right? So hats off to you. How you are tackling, I don't know because uh I live here uh in uh Mojali, I guess uh two and a half hours far or three hours far from my native place. But if I uh fall sick or if my uh child gets sick, I feel so alone and so helpless. I just uh want someone, my uh someone, I mean, I maybe my parents or my parents-in-law to be with me. Uh though my son is grown up, is a grown-up now, and uh but again, uh still if I'm going through a rough patch, I miss my family member and I want them to be with me. Or or uh I try to visit my place. So it's a kind of nightmare for me to live so far or uh far from your family member, especially from your parents.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

Yes, right?

SPEAKER_02 6:47

It's not it's it's truly because we have a fancy, oh my god, she lives in US or USA, she might be enjoying the life, but it's not like that, though. Yes, um uh living with her husband is always uh uh something uh very very fascinating, and uh we all want to actually life partner is our pillar of strength, we can say, but yes, there are days when you feel low on your energy, when you feel someone uh from your family uh with you, right?

SPEAKER_00 7:17

So that time I think uh you must uh feel quite and you know it's uh it's a like of golden case, you know, when you are when you are saying someone when you are saying someone that you are living in, you will say they will say that um okay, that means you are you are lucky and you have you have nothing to complain, but actually not I have seen so many working women who are coming from India and they are actually lost their identity, their dream career, and they are now completely housewife. It's really hard for them. I have a baby, and somehow I manage myself that I keep busy with her, and um somehow it helps me that I can forget about everything since I have a baby. But for them who are coming from after leaving their career, and they are they sometimes they are coming after leaving their government job, also in India, so I sometimes I feel that it's uh it's a golden cage.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Uh that uh uh things are or life is uh grass is greener actually, not life, grass is greener on the other side. Actually, this is true. We all uh feel that uh people are enjoying their lives and they are very happy, right? And we complain about our lives and things, but the thing is we should be grateful for whatever we have, and uh yes, you are blessed that you are a mother, and I think uh it should be your priority to raise your kid nicely, right? Because uh, according to me, that's what uh a mother's first job is to raise the kid in a very nice way. So after uh I mean once your child is uh grown up uh child kid, you can do you can chase your dreams. That's what I'm doing. I I also chose uh my motherhood over my career, over my job, and I have no regrets, truly, truly. I'm very happy that I uh made that decision. It was uh sagacious uh decision, I would say, and now uh he's he can uh take care of himself, he manage manages his stuff on his own, and I'm doing my things. So, yes, to be patient, right?

SPEAKER_00 9:42

Yes, that's uh and that is why I am now just trying to work on myself. It's um when whatever time I get, I just to try I am trying to utilize that. And um, here every day I am trying to adjust somehow, and I am trying to pass the day.

SPEAKER_02 10:00

Actually, we are blessed that we have uh technology. I mean, we have uh gadgets in this era, right? We have phones, smartphones, we have internet, so we can uh at least if we are not working, if we are not earning, at least we can uh groom ourselves, we can polish ourselves. So you have truly taken a very wise step that you have created your channel and now uh you're keeping or you are engaging yourself in a positive way, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Moreover, you are interacting so many, so many negative things will come to my mind, and I will just fall in the cot of that negativity.

SPEAKER_02 10:40

Yes, yes, and uh it's uh actually it's a kind of web of negative uh thoughts when you do uh again uh ideal uh mind is a workshop of or is a devil's workshop, we say. So uh and the way this is a very nice way to connect with people. You can share your ideas, sometimes you make friends, right? And uh you can share your feelings also. So wonderful. Uh, how many sessions have you taken uh so far?

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Yeah I have uh taken at least 15 to 16 sessions. Okay, nice, great, and experience and uh I just uh last month I started, and um every week I try to at least have a three to four conversation because first of all, the time zone issue, you know that I we were discussing so many times that you know this time or that time, and another problem is my baby. Uh when she is awake, I can't do anything, it's not possible. And uh my husband goes to the goes to office at that time. I am the only one who is taking care of her, so uh that's why I choose only this time, and it's not possible for everyone to connect on this time.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

Actually, I don't know my at this very time, but it's Saturday, so I am free. Otherwise, 4 to 5, 5 to 6. I'm busy with my regular session. So, what uh what is the time? I mean, at your place exactly what time it is there.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Yes, it's 7 a.m. now.

SPEAKER_02 12:16

7 a.m. Oh god, I forgot the session so early. I don't feel like going for a session at 7. I feel so so uh lost and uh I would say lethargic at that very moment.

SPEAKER_00 12:31

So because there is no other option now. My baby is sleeping, and when she will wake up by that time, by that time, you know, the here when it's uh the uh 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. at that time in India it's already night. Night, yeah. Oh god, and the whole evening um it's night in India, and I don't get any chance to connect with you. So this is uh struggling a lot.

SPEAKER_02 13:02

I mean, hearts up to you. It's your passion, and I appreciate you. Your hard work is going to pay off truly, truly, because uh uh you because for us it's easy to manage because we uh give you our options. No, no, I'm not free at that time, and you have to adjust, right? So 7 a.m. If you uh ask if you ask me exactly, let's have a conversation at 7, I'll be like, nay, nay, but I'm so sorry. I don't feel like going for session, but yes, when you don't have any choice, you have to find a way. So we have a topic, but I think we have a lot many other things to discuss. I am curious to know a lot of things. Uh okay, so should we uh proceed with topic or you want to discuss random things? Tell me.

SPEAKER_00 13:55

No problem, Mama. Whatever you want, we can discuss on random topic also. And if we had want, we have the one topic right now.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

So if I ask you, uh what would you how would you consider yourself? Are you a book smart or a street smart person?

SPEAKER_00 14:13

Okay, so when I was a student, I was really book smart because I am very bad at the other option. But uh I was academically good and um I always tried to score good marks and everything, but um but later in my life I realized that book smart is not everything. We should be street smart, and it's really important in this era. When uh see, I am not now doing anything, but I am living abroad and um I am living abroad, and um, every time it's not possible for my husband to uh company with me all the time because he is also busy. So it's really important to be street smart, whether you are working or not. But street smart, state smart is really very important nowadays. What do you feel?

SPEAKER_02 15:05

Exactly. I would say um I have encountered uh so many people. Actually, sometimes, if I ask you that, sometimes you wonder that uh people who have there are some people who have uh top uh degrees, uh right? I mean um top degrees, or they are quite good at their studies, but they struggle in real life situations. On the other hand, uh, we uh on the other hand, we have those people who have uh little formal education, I would say, but uh they thrive effortlessly, right? So this is I would say that this is the basic difference uh being uh book smart or uh street smart because it's not always uh what you know, it's it's more uh how you apply what you know. So if that smartness, like if let's say you have some knowledge, okay, but if you are not that much smart, how to apply that knowledge, how to utilize that knowledge, then it's of no use, right? Because bookish knowledge is all about the theoretical knowledge, but until we use that knowledge to make our life better, it's so yes, we need to be straight smart. Um bookish knowledge will help you to pass your examinations, to ace your exams, right? But in real life struggles, you need to be straight smart. I would say that yes, life has taught me a lot. Um, I can consider myself um both I am a book smart as well as a street smart, but to some extent, I won't say that I am very smart because I find that I am oversensitive and um sometimes I go the extra mile uh to help people, and in this way I put myself in uh uh a pickle or in hot water, I would say, because uh yes, that's what I am going through these days. So I am trying to be again street smart so that I can tackle certain situations without being oversensitive. I need to have that pragmatic approach, so that's how I'm working. But yes, uh, if I talk about today's uh children, I think as parents, we need to make our kids street smart, right? Only then they can face uh life struggles and they can uh deal certain problems.

SPEAKER_00 17:36

As a parent, everyone wants that their child, um everyone wants their child to score good marks and be excel in their career, will get a good job. It's everyone, every parent wants that, but when you are too focused on this, then you will lack on those intelligence. Actually, these two are different kinds of intelligence, right? And intelligence is something which is uh which is something that's one size not fit at all. So it's uh it's two some people are book smart and some people are still smart, but we actually need both, both, and you know what?

SPEAKER_02 18:12

Uh sometimes we can't make them learn everything, they have to fix and then they have to deal with that very situation on their own, right? Nowadays, what we do, we over pamper our uh children, we are always there like a shadow to defend them, to uh it's I mean we molybordal them uh if I use uh an exact word. But the thing is, how uh if I go back to my childhood, how did I learn through exposure? Yes, right? So that's I try to I try to make my son he is I would say he's a street smart to some extent, he's not that very chant and chala kind of boy, he's very sensitive. Then uh once you are oversensitive, I think you become uh more vulnerable to uh these kind of uh social uh system. I mean you you don't really know how to deal with very cunning people, or uh you don't know that how people take you for granted, or or how can they uh make uh advantages or take advantages uh of your uh goodness, right? Uh but like gradually with uh over the period with time, life teaches us each and everything. Yes, yes, but as parents, we should be there as pillars of strength, as guiding light to guide them, tell them, but we can't train them, we can only help them, they have to face certain situations, then they can uh learn.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

Yes, and I have seen it many times that the students who were not that much good in their students' life for their education and everything, but they get success early in that uh life because you know bookish knowledge and theoretical knowledge is not everything when you are giving any interview at that time, also they uh they see that how you are handling your situation, uh how how intelligent you are, how smart you are, they try to see this kind of thing because at the end of the day you have to notice all kinds of people and you have to negotiate some kinds of things.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

You have to put your degrees, this is the yeah of competition. See, I uh if I talk about my degrees, no one asked me uh about my qualification, right? This is my smartness that I am using my hobby as my profession, right? Because though I hold master's degree or I have bachelor's uh bachelor's degree of uh education or ECC at diploma and whatnot. But the thing is, until I use my knowledge, it's it's useless, right? So if I'm sitting here, I actually first I worked on my skills, right? Then I tried to find a way how can make the most, how can I make the most of it that I know I I know that I'm quite good at presenting myself. I was never uh that much confident uh in terms of speaking English, right? But yes, I was always good at presenting myself, so I found a way that yes, I can use this language and my presentation skills, and I can uh maybe find my career out of this. So now I don't step out of my home, I just sit here, I converse with people and I get a lot of ideas. But yes, you need to be smart enough. That's it. You need to be smart enough with your learning. You need to be creative, you need to think out of the box, right? And um uh you need to be creative with your learning as well as with your teaching.

SPEAKER_00 21:57

Then you see you grow.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

In your life.

SPEAKER_00 22:01

Yes, but uh nowadays since the competition is very high. So along with the state smart, we have seen that so many people are getting early uh success in their life or state smart, but at a certain point of their life they can feel that I am stuck because the lack of knowledge, because so at the same time they should uh have the proper knowledge and the theoretical knowledge also. So it's both are really important, both go hand in hand, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:34

See, uh without knowledge, we can't do anything. Yes, yes, right. Knowledge, uh if you have knowledge, then only you can present that thing, okay. But yes, if you have knowledge and you are not using that knowledge, you are not implementing that knowledge, then it is a wastage of time and energy and everything. Okay, so uh you can be a street smart, but you need to have certain uh levels knowledge, okay. And if you are uh a bookworm or book smart, then and you are not street smart, you can adapt, you can learn. Uh, right? You can work on your skills. We are working, likewise, we are working. We are learning every day. Yes. Um, I was discussing with my learners that uh my son um is uh sensitive, oversensitive. Uh one lady was telling me that, ma'am, my daughter is very sensitive and very innocent. She doesn't know how to deal with uh uh when whenever she goes to play in the park, uh children push push her and uh they just don't let her use any swing or kind of thing. So uh she doesn't know how to deal with this uh thing. So I told her that okay, this was the scenario when my son was going through this thing because our children are oversensitive, we have made them so so mannerful that they always wait for their turn. Okay, let them do I I can wait, I will wait, kind of right. So eventually, what I felt that at certain point of time I started feeling that oversensitiveness or um innocence, uh the innocence, these things were taking a toll on um his personality or his growth. So that was the time when I realized that I have to tell him to be a street smart. Okay, so then I uh started telling him, okay, it's if someone is using harsh words, if someone tries to push you, try to defend yourself strongly, okay? And push him back.

SPEAKER_00 24:46

You can also win. So that's exactly right. That we always tease them that you have to be nice, you have to wait for another one when another one is using your toys and everything. So actually we tease them, but at the end of the day, when they they they do this, then it's actually not right all the time.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Yes, I try, um, I mean, I try to uh raise him as a gentleman, but you know what? It started uh uh affecting him in a negative way because he was so naive, he was so innocent. I told him that sharing is caring, so he used to share all the things, but actually, uh, when he uh he was, I mean, uh during uh when he was studying in 9th or 10th or in eighth century, actually, children started bullying him just because of these kind of habits. So I then I uh had to take a stand that no, uh be very strong, that no means no, and if you have to uh push them back, do this. I am there. So then the question used to be, Mama, what if teacher asked me? So then I told no problem, I am there, I'll uh tell your teacher the whole scenario. But the thing is, every time you can't be with your kids, so uh I I don't ever uh uh give this piece of suggestion or advice to anyone that make your children very, very mannerful or very very sensitive because this is going to trouble them, they need to be uh strong enough mentally and emotionally, right?

SPEAKER_00 26:30

Actually, everything needs a balance, and it's really difficult to maintain a balance all the time.

SPEAKER_02 26:36

Yes, and I think life and time are great teachers, they teach everything, they teach everything. We just we just plan okay, we'll do this, we'll do that, but actually, life and time they are great teachers and they teach eventually, but yes, as parents, we need to be there as a backs. Uh, if I talk about children, right? Okay, so have you had anything because it's just 7 a.m.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

No ma'am. I have seen that uh you and Sunita ma'am are um opening a WhatsApp group also, and I would tell you it's really nice, but in my case, the problem is the time zone when everyone is um uh connecting with each other.

SPEAKER_02 27:23

There are night outs, there are night outs in the group, and moreover, uh actually uh this group is already uh doing exceptionally well. We are posting uh uh material, written material, I mean that WhatsApp material, and uh so many experts are there. Uh, we are conducting group sessions, so at this time you can participate, okay? Because if you are going to be the part of that group, of course, we are going to take care of your time zone also. And sometimes there are night owls, you can connect with them, and this is a safe group because uh this is exclusively for women, so no worries uh to get your number leaked or kind of know this. Is very safe and sound group. So just try for one month. If it works for you, continue, otherwise, you can leave the group. But I think it is going to um give wings to your dreams. That's what I believe.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

Yes, I just uh yesterday I was there, and I feel that it's really helpful for everyone. It is you can try to join.

SPEAKER_02 28:27

Right, you can ask people uh personally that I want to conduct a session with you, so in this way you uh can uh grow your YouTube channel. Okay, you can fix the timing with that person as per your convenience and that person's convenience. So, yes, you will get a lot of good speakers there. I guess beginner is that good, everyone is either at intermediate level or uh uh at the beginner level. Sorry, levels. Uh so you can try at least for one month, and then uh the ball is in your court whether you want to continue or not. Okay, okay, okay, I will try.

SPEAKER_00 29:05

Definitely, I will try.

SPEAKER_02 29:07

Okay, it was such a beautiful fresh session with you, and looking forward uh to have you to having you in our group.

SPEAKER_00 29:15

Okay, so much, ma'am, for connecting with me. So when you get time, yes, when you get time, please share the video with me.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

I'll definitely share, I'll definitely give me some time because uh uh it okay, it will take some time, but definitely I'll share uh this video.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

Okay, okay, okay, thank you so much.