Karen Hand CP #3

Karen Hand CP #3

Date/Time: 11/12/15, 1:30 – 2:30

Location: LeRoy Collins Public Library

Topic Discussed: Veteran’s Day and Military Service

Cultural and/or linguistic topics you and your partner(s) learned: My conversation partners are ESL students from all around the world who attend a conversation group that I lead at the LeRoy Collins Public Library. Today I asked how everyone’s week was and someone mentioned that they enjoyed the Veteran’s Day holiday yesterday. Then someone wished me a happy Veteran’s Day because they knew that I am an Air Force veteran. Someone else mentioned that they had read in the news about difficulties that veterans have, such as unemployment, lack of adequate medical care, and homelessness. We proceeded to have a very lively discussion about many topics pertaining to veterans and the military. One student asked me how “Veteran” is defined in the U.S. I explained that there are 3 classifications. Anyone who has served in the military and been honorably discharged is a “Veteran.” Those who served during a war are classified as “War Veterans.” Those who served in combat zones are classified as “War Zone Veterans.” I mentioned that I am a War Veteran, but not a War Zone Veteran, because I served during the First Gulf War, but I was not deployed to the combat zone. I was stationed in Germany during the war. One student in the group told us that he served in the Korean military. Another student had served in the Turkish military. I taught them terms such as “draft,” “draft dodger,” “conscientious objector,” and “PTSD.” To explain the “dodge” part of draft dodger, I told them about the children’s game called “dodge ball” and acted out dodging from the ball. I told them a story about an older friend of mine who got released from the Army as a “conscientious objector” during the Vietnam War era after completing boot camp and the first few months of technical training. She decided she didn’t really believe in war and so when she went before the board to plead her case as a conscientious objector, she brought her guitar and played an anti-war song that she had written about peace. She won her appeal to be released from service! They enjoyed my stories and asked a lot of questions about our military, as well as sharing information about their own countries’ militaries, and discussing their feelings about war and about military. We all agreed that we wish the militaries would engage more in humanitarian aid when they are not actually fighting wars. Most of the students in my conversation group are at a high level of English and they enjoy learning more advanced vocabulary and terminology. They also really enjoy discussing current events and philosophical issues.