MissMelinda Tutor Interview

Q. Hi MissMelinda, please introduce yourself!: A. Hello, my name is Melinda! I’ve been working as an ESL teacher for several years now. I was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia – one of THE most isolated cities in the world! Since my 20’s I’ve absolutely loved the adventure of travel. Being a photographer, journalist and now ESL teacher I have been fortunate enough to have lived and worked abroad quite a bit. Currently I’m living in Berlin, I also lived in NYC for almost 4 years, which was an amazing experience. As much as I appreciate the vibrancy, culture and intrigue of big cities I also love the peace, quiet and beauty of natural spaces too. I read a lot and like to keep centered and focused with regular meditation and yoga and am currently doing a reiki course which I am enjoying a lot.
Q. Please tell us something about Australia.: A. Like the Peter Allen song goes; “No matter how far or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home” Yes, I have traveled the world and always end up back there. I’m like a human boomerang! I love the space and the wide-open blue skies which offer freedom and inspiration. When I’m “home” I like to visit the beautiful beaches and swim in the sapphire blue Indian ocean. I also love to visit my family who live in Kalamunda, the town is part of the Darling Ranges and quite magical, if you like sitting with nature or going hiking, you would love it there. No matter what your tastes, there’s something for everyone in Australia and no two cities are alike.
Q. According to your profile, you live in Berlin! How is life there?: A.Life is good in Berlin! I’m currently living in the ultra cool, bohemian “kiez” of Friedrichshain. There are lots of groovy little bars, cafes and cool graffiti art all over the place. I’m working here as a freelance English teacher at a language school in the cultural center of Berlin called Mitte. Berlin is definitely an exciting and vibrant city. I was lucky enough to be here over Christmas and experience the magic and the wonder of the fairy lit markets. In January we’ve had a few days of snow, unlike in NYC, the snow here stays pristine and white. It’s very beautiful; children can be seen having snow fights, building snowmen and being pulled along on sleighs by their parents. For anyone who appreciates film like I do, February is the time to be here with the Berlinale – a huge international film festival. There is always something interesting happening around here!
Q.How do you spend your days off? Is there anything you’ve gotten into lately?: A. Lately my focus has been on screenwriting and I’ve set myself a very big goal of finishing two screenplays by the end of Winter…haha we’ll see! ;) I’m also dedicating a lot of my free time to learning reiki which I’m finding very rewarding. When I’m not working, writing or learning you’ll find me catching up with a friend at a nice little café, or visiting art galleries and museums, or even checking out a band or two on the weekend.
Q. Could you share some of your tips for studying English?: A. When learning a language it’s important to immerse yourself in it as much as possible! My advice is to read, speak, and listen to radio and TV shows all in English! If you want to improve your fluency quickly, I highly recommend writing in a journal for 15 minutes a day as it breaks down the barriers whereby you translate from your own language into English and you’ll soon start thinking in English, maybe even dreaming in English! It doesn’t matter what you write about, just write! And keep a vocabulary journal too! It’s so important to keep expanding your repertoire. When you write a sentence using a new piece of vocabulary you’ll have a much better chance of remembering it. Also, don’t be afraid trying out phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions in your speech. Native speakers use them a lot and if you want to understand and speak English like a native speaker you should start getting familiar with these key expressions.
Q. Please tell us what makes your lessons special!: A. Being a creative person I try to make my lessons as fun and creative as possible. You’ll find time flies when you’re learning AND having fun! I have a wide range of classes, that are contemporary and always student centered. I also take requests so if there’s anything you particularly want to focus on just send me a message. I design and tailor every lesson to suit my learner’s needs.
Q. Finally, would you like to leave a message for our students?: A. Practice! Practice! Practice! It’s the key to your success on this learning journey! No matter how little time you have, SOME time is always better than NO time. Stick with it; remember nothing in life worth doing is ever easy. Overcoming our challenges is what makes us great!