Jon

United States
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Profile information

Travel information
I am currently
Travelling
Description
i like helping people, and learning new languages and cultures. i've studied 10 languages to some extent. i don't remember much swahili, but i used it pretty well in tanzania. since i understand how other languages work, i am a good teacher of english. i don't have a TESL certificate, but i did teach an english for foreigners night class at columbia university (new york city) years ago. i have three half japanese grandchildren, ages 5, 7, and 9, and i enjoy working with children, especially aged 5 or above, not preschool. teaching english is my strongest skill, but i'm very fit and am wiling to help with anything except farm animal chores. (gardening or harvesting is okay.) i also have good computer skills.
Interests
Yoga / Wellness
Writing
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Performing arts
Outdoor activities
Nature
Languages
Hiking
Fitness
Cycling
Culture
Books
Beach
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
German: Intermediate
French: Intermediate
Italian: Intermediate
Japanese: Beginner
More details about my language interests
i've studied ten languages, so i know how other languages work. that means i understand why someone learning english makes certain mistakes, which means i can teach them better. i am not TESL-certified, but years ago i did teach an ESL night class at columbia university in new york city. i also taught english at a "magnet school" in the highlands of tanzania. since i have studied languages, especially difficult ones like russian and japanese, it is easy for me to be patient with learners of english. i am a screenwriter by profession, so i am always thing of choosing the right word. but language is not a fixed thing, and there are always several ways to say the some thing. communication is more important than word choice or even correctness.
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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Hospitality/Tourism
Some knowledge of:
Teaching
Able to teach about:
Languages
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
excellent ability teaching english.
great computer skills.
my background is (1) book publishing, (2) acting, (3) screenwriting (4) teaching english.
i have also maintained my own websites for about 20 years.
Age
68
What else ...
two years ago, at age 65, i took up adult gymnastics and parkour (a sport about overcoming obstacles). i'm not an expert, but i get better all the time, and i love being physically active. i would love doing some trekking. most of all, i love to swim, but only when the water is clean enough. i have grandchildren ages 5, 7, and 9, and every child i see while traveling reminds me of them. i do not wish to work with preschoolers, but would enjoy working with children age 5 or older. but actually i like working with people of any age.
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
- Special dietary requirements

Feedback

6 Sep 2023

Left by host (Help me with languages in ...) for Workawayer (Jon)

Your wisdom, Jon, is like a beacon of light that has illuminated our lives. The conversations we had, the stories you shared, and the insights you offered were nothing short of extraordinary. Your 60 years of life have undoubtedly gifted you with a wealth of experiences and knowledge, and it was an absolute privilege to hear your perspective on… read more

(Excellent )

10 Jul 2023

Left by Workawayer (Jon) for host (Help me with languages in ...)

pranshu was kind and welcoming. my stay with him was brief, but we had wonderful talks about life, religion, spirituality, and he even gave me some suggestions for a movie script i'm writing. he and his friend took me out to eat some safe street food. pranshu is a jain, and he explained his religion to me in a way i could never have gotten on the… read more

(Excellent )

29 Aug 2023

Left by host (Experienced teachers and/or ...) for Workawayer (Jon)

It was such a joy to have Jon in the school and campus, he started off teaching older children in the school, helping them practice English language. Jon tutored the hostel boys in the evening in all the subjects, including poetry. The hostel boys particularly enjoyed having conversations and asking questions about USA this helped them practice… read more

(Excellent )

28 Aug 2023

Left by Workawayer (Jon) for host (Experienced teachers and/or ...)

the school/campus is a magical place! the biggest evidence of this is the boundless energy and joy of the children. these kids are happy to be here—and they are very appreciative of visiting volunteers! they are being nurtured and taught well, and i think they feel how special this place is, and how well they are treated and cared for.
first, my… read more travel buddy and i were picked up promptly at the train station by two staff members, along with another volunteer who had already spent two weeks there. they took us for lunch, then for ice cream, and then to the campus, which is outside of town and has its own private security gate. they showed us around the campus, which has a large beautiful temple that has a dining hall on the ground floor, as well as classroom buildings, boys' hostel (boarding rooms for boys who live at the school), living quarters for the swamis, a small home for the elderly, a water filtration plant, and a cow shed. the school has both boys and girls, and the hostel has just boys. (some other locations have girls' hostels, but i don't think they have volunteer programs.)
they introduced us to key staff, then let us rest from our trip, and after dinner, let us relax in our rooms. the next day they had a special ceremony with all the students present to welcome us, and we each got to say a few sentences of introduction. then they took us on a tour of a magnificent white marble Jain temple nearby. the next day we started sitting in with teachers and, when we were ready, teaching classes by ourselves or assisting teachers with classes. mostly it was just conversation class, and one person taught music because she is a music teacher in russia. they assigned us classes according to our preferences and abilities.
i also tutored the hostel boys in the evenings. they came to me with questions in all subjects, and, to my surprise, they especially enjoyed poetry.
i engaged the kids in conversation—or more often, they engaged me first!—at lunch and in the chess room. i don't play chess, so i played carom with the boys in the hostel. (that was a lot of fun!) i accompanied the kids on a field trip to the jain temple. i went with staff and children on an outing to plant trees at a government school, and i could see the difference in happiness between those kids and the children. that really showed me that it is making a difference.
i really enjoyed the simple interactions with the super friendly staff who brought us food, and the lovely chai (tea), of which i’ve become a big fan while here in india.
i was here on august 15, which is india's independence day, and i had the honor of giving a short speech on my experience of india and of the school. some of the little kids were dressed in costumes as a little mahatma gandhi, jawaharlal nehru, indira gandhi, and historical princes and princesses. it was really cute.
i learned some hindi and even a couple sentences in gujarati (the local language), which really brought big smiles to people’s faces. one day while waiting for a ride into town, i played a game with some workers’ children on the steps of the temple/lunchroom, which gave me a big smile as well as them. a small moment, but a precious one. the staff and the kids truly appreciate the volunteers' presence, and there have been many such special moments.
one day i went with my new friend sasha (from russia) when she played some keyboard music for the elderly folks in the home, and i shared some sweet smiles with them as we enjoyed the music together. (sometimes you don't need a common language in order to connect.)
the volunteers were very well taken care of. the food was excellent, the rooms had AC, we had internet, and they even did our laundry, folding everything very nicely.
aside from our wonderful interactions with the staff and students, i also became fast friends with the other volunteers.
my 4 weeks here were an amazing time. i would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone wanting an authentic, safe, friendly, rewarding, and memorable experience in india!
jon

(Excellent )

12 Aug 2023

Left by Workawayer (Jon) for host (Design, art, language ...)

karan was professional and courteous. the food was delicious. his workers were polite and friendly. he didn't require much work from us, but i was able to set him up on TripAdvisor, and happy to do so. he also asked us to reply to people who had reviewed his camel and jeep safaris and his luxury desert experience trip. it was encouraging to see… read more

(Excellent )

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