On May 26th I presented a workshop at the 5th ELT Horizons International Conference. Since I was ill I went to the premises straight from the clinic and then as soon as I finished my presentation I went back to bed so I could not attend any other workshop or meet some of the friends and colleagues I usually meet at this kind of events. However, two things happened that drove me into writing this note.
First, in the audience I met some teachers who had been my students when I started teaching at the ACPB-Lima (now El Británico) a long time ago . They remembered me and it was a nice surprise to see that they had become teachers of English as well (it would be too arrogant to say that they made this decision because of me and, of course, none of them said so) but it is good to know that there are people whom you have taught at some point of your life and who changed from being your students into being your colleagues.
The second thing that set me into reflexive mode was that just when I was leaving I met a teacher who had already been teaching when I started at Britanico back in the late 70´s (fancy that!). We talked for a little while about the teachers of that time and -as it usually happens whenever some of the "old Británico teachers" meet- we remembered the person who trained us and who should be proud to know that most of that "batch" became succesful people; some of us are still teaching and in some cases juggling teaching with administrative duties but what we all have in common is this feeling of respect and thanfulness towards the person who helped us become teachers, our trainer.
I have not had the chance to thank this person before perhaps because since she is just a few years older than I, I thought I would always have the chance to do so but as I said at the beginning, the fact that I met senior teachers who were once my students and that with my friend Charlie we went back to the friends and colleagues in the 70´s made me realize that time goes by and I may not have the chance to thank all those people who helped me become who I am thanks to their friendship or coaching.
So, thank you very much to all those friends from Británico Lima who I still meet from time to time and who made me feel welcomed and supported when I started teaching and also thanks to those whom I met afterwards. Thank you Pilar Ferreyros for being such an inspiration, for your example, for your criticisms (which were rarely well received in spite of being necessary) and for being my role model all these years. Thanks to all the friends from the different places I have taught : ESAN, Universidad del Pacífico, USIL and, last but not least, thanks to my students for motivating me to keep on learning.
Maria Luisa Mu
Teacher of English
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever."
(M. Gandhi)
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