Emmanuel Miran Tutor Interview

Q. Hi, Emmanuel. Would you like to give us a short introduction about yourself?: A. Warm regards to everyone here at Cafetalk! A few bits about me: I am 25 years of age and I have been speaking English all my life. I am a graduate of English and Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago. I have two cats and two dogs who get along really well. I love to read, travel, and watch Japanese films (particularly by Miyazaki and Kurosawa). Next year, I intend to pursue an M.A. degree at Columbia University in New York. If I get a scholarship or save enough money, I will definitely continue there with a PhD in Literature.
Q. I heard you were born in Chicago. How long had you lived in there? How was life there?: A. I grew up in Chicago with lots of interesting stories. It was in a way hard because my parents got divorced when I was 11 years old. Despite of that, I think my parents have raised me well to be kind, understanding, and hard-working. As you probably know, Chicago is called “The Windy City.” It can get very cold there. I can no longer count how many times my classes in the university got cancelled because of the terrible weather. Still, I love Chicago. It’s one of my favorite cities in the world. My other favorite cities are New York, Stockholm, Tokyo, and of course, Manila. I want to visit Kyoto in the near future. I heard it’s so beautiful there!
Q. After moving to Manila in the Philippines do you feel your life has changed?: A. I moved to Manila to spend more time with my father. He transferred to Manila after the divorce with my mom. It’s fun here in Manila. I didn’t expect it to be this great. The people are very warm and friendly. It’s nice to get to know my heritage. Next year, I plan to go back to the US for my M.A. degree. In the meantime, I do a lot of productive things like meeting and teaching great people here at Cafetalk.
Q. Manila is a popular city for sightseers. Would you tell us something about your current town?: A. Manila gets a lot of visitors. But if one really wants to see the beauty of the Philippines, I think it’s best to travel to the countryside where the fantastic beaches and landscapes are. The sceneries in the provinces are breathtaking. I must honestly say that if you want to explore the real Philippines, then your trip should not end in Manila. I can actually suggest a lot of beautiful, affordable and safe places to visit outside Manila.
Q. How do you spend your holidays?: A. I usually spend my holidays in the US. There, we have a big celebration during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. I get to eat a lot so that can be bad for my health. But the holiday season is just a great time to reconnect with loved ones. This year will be my first time to celebrate the holidays in Manila. For Christmas, my dad is planning to have roasted pig. For New Year, he wants us to light up some fireworks. People here say it’s for good luck. Let’s see!
Q. According to your profile, you have a teaching experience with immigrants as a volunteer. Could I ask about the experience?: A. Yes, I worked as a volunteer for a local organization in Chicago that helps immigrants with their various difficulties. Because of my educational background, I helped mostly in problems related to the English language. A lot of immigrants who go to the US or other English-speaking countries to work or study often encounter problems with culture and language. What I did was help them through different programs. We studied grammar, we did some English exercises, we embarked on field trips, and so on. It was one of the best moments of my life. I met a lot of wonderful people from different backgrounds. I also met my first girlfriend there. We are no longer together because of the distance but we remain good friends.
Q. You have a lot of interesting lessons such as “Psychology Sessions in English.” Your lessons have a wide range of topics. What is the idea behind your teaching of these lessons?: A. Indeed, I teach a lot of interesting and effective lessons. For instance, my “Psychology Sessions in English” deals about students who may be having small or big problems and would want someone like myself to advice them about their problems. Of course, the session is done in English. That way, they get to process their problems while also improving their confidence in expressing themselves in English. In college, I got a lot of psychology subjects because my degree was inter-disciplinary. If a student requests for other special lessons, then I will most certainly welcome that. It is also worth saying that together with these interesting lessons, I also offer basic lessons like grammar, speaking, writing, and so on. I also try my best to make these basic lessons fun and effective for the student.
Q. Please tell us the characteristic of your lessons.: A. My lesson adjusts to the level of the student. That is why I like to talk first with each and every student so that I would be able to measure their English level and create the most effective lesson plan for their needs. My lessons are very comfortable and I ensure that my students will learn a lot. Each lesson is committed to help each student improve effectively and rapidly. I get very happy and excited when my students realize that they can do it and that improving their English is not so hard after all.
Q. Before we finish, would you like to give our students a message?: A. Thank you. I invite all students to check out my Cafetalk page and try a lesson. I give free consultations and trial lessons if you want to know which lesson is most ideal for you. Whether you are preparing for IELTS or TOEFL, whether you want to improve your confidence in speaking or in general, whether you want to polish your English for a job, whether you just want to learn more about English, then I am here to help you in the best way I can. I hope to meet all of you. Domo arigato gozaimasu!