My Father (ESL Vocabulary)

ESL Vocabulary (My Father)

1. (to be) broke - having completely run out of money

2. verge - approach something closely ; be close or similar to

3. leave the nest - to move from one's parent's home

4. befuddled - to make someone or something unable to think clearly

5. resentment - bitter indignation at having been unfairly treated

6. content - in a state of peaceful happiness 

My Father

In the summer of 2016 I decided to leave my father’s apartment and go to Costa Rica to live near my girlfriend. I haven’t seen my father since which when I left I was expecting, but almost everything else took an unexpected turn. I broke up with my girlfriend, decided to leave Costa Rica and live in Miami, ended up being broke in Miami and almost on the verge of having nothing.

Fast forward to today and I am still in Miami, but living much more comfortably under the wing of my parents, taking film classes at Miami Dade College and working as an English teacher online. Even though I am not necessarily satisfied with my position or status in life at this point, but I can say that I am content from learning the lessons I have as I look forward at my life. More importantly from all of the drama and pain I caused myself for trying to leave the nest too soon I’ve learned to really appreciate and love my father for who he is.

Some fathers are very affectionate with their children always speaking glowingly of them and comforting them with hugs. My father is definitely not like this at all, but he does show how much he cares for me and also my brother all the time. By leading through example of working everyday, always providing for us and finding solutions in difficult times.

My most fond memory of my father is when I was in Kansas during the dead of winter and my car had gotten stuck in some snow and ice. I wasn’t in panic mode because I was in the area of my suburb, but I was befuddled as to what I should do with my car that was not moving in the snow and ice. Fortunately my dad knew exactly what to do. Due to the ice the car couldn’t be driven forward but it could be driven in reverse, so my dad drove the car all the way back home in reverse.

Through my adolescent years I felt a lot of resentment and anger for my father for various reasons. At that time I was not really able to express myself in a genuine and authentic way. However as I’ve matured and have been humbled from my mistakes I am able to understand and appreciate everything my father did for me in the past and still does for me today.

ESL Vocabulary

Vocabulary ( Interview with Queen of Fairies)

1.To take for granted - underestimate the value of someone or something

2. Showcasing- exhibit; display

3. Self Sabotage - deliberately destroy, damage or obstruct someone or something 

4. Healer- a person who claims to be able to cure a disease or injury using special powers

5. Ancestors- a person, typically one more remote that a grandparent, from whom one is descended

6. Trauma- a deeply distressing or disturbing experience

Idiom of the Day

Idiom of the Day 

Like two peas in a pod 

Example: Sarah and Jessica both love drinking wine; they're like two peas in a pod!

Definition: very similar

ESL Conversation Questions (South Beach Fun in Miami)

ESL Questions for South Beach Fun in Miami

1. What is the nickname for Miami?

2. Who was the man who brought stability and business to the beach?

3. Which two famous hotels are mentioned in the article?

4. What activities  do you like to participate in on the beach?

5. When was the last time you went to the beach?

6. In your opinion what do the majority of the models look like that you see?

ESL Vocabulary ( Sundays on Lincoln Road)

ESL Vocabulary ( Lincoln Road)

1. Cuisine - a style or method of cooking, especially a characteristic of a particular country region or establishment

2. Affluent- having a great deal of of money; wealthy

3. Pedestrian- a person walking along a road or in a developed area

4. Exotic- originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country

5. Latin American- relating to or characteristic of Latin America or its inhabitants

6. Savory- food that is spicy or salty rather than sweet

7. Catwalk- a platform extending into an auditorium, which models walk to display clothes in fashion shows

Sundays on Lincoln Road

A very popular tourist destination in Miami Beach is the Lincoln Road Mall. Located in between Washington Avenue and Alton Road, this mall is a road of outdoor shops and building offices. There are several coffee shops to enjoy such as Starbucks or if you want customary  Miami cuisine there’s a restaurant named La Havana. 

In 1912, Carl Fisher, a prominent man in Miami’s history, cleared a path to what is now known as Lincoln Road. This road stretches horizontally from Collins Avenue to Bay Road in between 16th and 17th street. 

This area grew to a high level of prosperity because of all the elegant shops that surrounded the road. Exclusive stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, the Cadillac Salon and Elizabeth Arden prospered in the Miami sunshine. These high end stores attracted very affluent shoppers who spent a lot of money on Lincoln Road. 

Now, Lincoln Road Mall is an eight block pedestrian area were locals wine and dine and tourists shop. There are several cafes to enjoy such as Books & Books and if you want local Miami cuisine there’s a restaurant named YUCA. Also there are some tremendous galleries that have upscale art from famous creators such as Romero Britto, Peter Lik and others. 

 My favorite day to go to Lincoln Road Mall is on Sunday, because usually there are a lot of interesting activities happening. 

This summer the World Cup took over Miami! Business boomed for restaurants with large screen televisions, because there were several people who wanted to watch the games and enjoy their meals. Even though the United States did not qualify to the 2018 edition of the World Cup tournament, there were still a lot of people coming to watch the games. 

The reason the World Cup still drew big crowds in Miami is because this city is very international. Even if you are not a fan of soccer, the World Cup is very enjoyable because of all the different countries being represented. It’s a time where people can put their political differences aside and enjoy the beautiful game. 

On Sundays on Lincoln Road there’s  an outdoor market day where vendors of all kind set up shop to sell to locals and tourists alike. Some of the more popular stands usually sell exotic fruits such as mangos, papayas, star fruit, pineapples and so much more.  

Miami has a very strong Latin culture and you can see this manifest on the Lincoln Road Open Market. Some stands sell typical food you see in Latin American countries such as arepas or empanadas. The empanada has a small purse like figure with a crispy breaded outside that is packed with savory flavors of beef, chicken and even sometimes sweets depending on the recipe. 

The weather in Miami is usually very hot and you can tell when you walk on Lincoln Road by the way people dress. On Sundays you can see all sort of the latest summer fashion. Lincoln Road Mall may be the only mall where it’s acceptable to have on swimming trunks and some flip flops, because of how close the location is to the beach. 

Also women love to show off their latest new hairstyle or elaborately designed leggings on Lincoln Road. Sometimes Lincoln Road feels more like an outdoor catwalk than an outdoor mall, because of the models that live in Miami Beach.