This will be my second to last post of the year or penultimate post if you're looking for a new word. The last one will be the second to part of the most common mistakes, peculiarities, and translations made by Ukrainian and Russian speakers. I thought I'd end the year with 12 adjectives to describe a feeling I had during each month of the year when I was in a situation. It would be great to hear yours, so if you find the time, have a think about your year and share your year of feelings.
January - Annoyed- a little angry.
In January, my plans in Kiev didn't work out as I hoped and I was short of options where to go and work. I decided to go back to Warsaw because I know the city quite well. While I'm not the biggest fan of the city, I knew there would be lots of work there, so I decided to go back, albeit just for 3 months. While I was annoyed about having to go back there mainly because it takes forever to get anywhere in Warsaw, even across the road, I did have an amazing group of students during that time which really made life easier.
February - Baffled - very confused
I took a long weekend - Thursday to Sunday - trip in February to Vienna, Austria. The hotel prices were surprisingly low, and a Polski Bus and Lux Express coach was even lower. I was wowed by the beauty of the city and its efficient transport system. I expected everything to be good, but everything exceeded expectations. But, there was one thing that baffled me. I was baffled on Sunday when I went to the coach station a couple of hours before I was due to leave the city to find the massive shopping centre next to it closed, the cafes and toilets at the station all closed and the nearest supermarket closed. I asked someone what was going on and they told me how on Sunday in Austria everything is closed and if you want to buy something you have to go to the petrol station.
March - Relieved- the feeling when something unpleasant is over or something you think was going to happen doesn't
Sorry, Warsaw, you again. I was relieved that my time in Warsaw was over. I also made the decision to never go back and work there again. Great people, horrible city lay-out
April - Gob-smacked - very shocked
In April I was in Kiev with a friend and we decided to take a trip to a new city within Ukraine which we hadn't been to before. We chose Dnipro. We got a 'fast' train - about 5 hours - from Kiev. I remember thinking it was a shame to be leaving Kiev on a glorious Friday morning. The sky was blue and there was a warm smiley sunshine in the sky. As the train got closer and closer to Dnipro I saw patches of snow outside the window.... then when we got to the station and we left, I was gob-smacked to see snow everywhere. This was late April.
May - Uncertain - not sure if you should do or not do something / not known / unclear
I was lucky enough to be in Italy in May with my brother. This was my 3rd visit to the country in two years, and each time, I went to Como which is a beautiful town by a lake with the same time. As much as I love Como, I was uncertain if I wanted to go there again. I wanted to check out another city/town by the lake. I decided not to go to Como again and I went to a town on the opposite side of the lake called Lecco instead. I was uncertain if I made the right choice, but I did. Lecco is a wonderful place and I would highly recommend a visit
June - Delighted - very happy
Now back in England for my regular summer teaching work. I started off working at the teenager school of the company I always work for, and then later I went over to the adult school. Teaching teens is very hit and miss, sometimes you are gifted with a great, hard-working class, and other times you are given well.... little-bastards. Luckily this year I was delighted with my groups. Not a little bastard in sight ;)
July - Frustrated - when things don't happen the way you want or you have no control over changing things.
I wanted to go and work in Italy for the up-coming academic year. There were many jobs being advertised for the academic year in September, but the problem was all of the best ones required a driving license. I was frustrated by seeing all the good jobs listing a driving license as a requirement because I don't drive. I also felt frustrated by the jobs that were offered to me required too much..... work
August - Self-conscious - worried about your own ability, and what others might think of you.
I'm stealing this feeling from someone else because I think it's a useful one to know. I had some students study with me for 4 weeks during the summer. That's 40 x 90 minute lessons, plus they were in England. That's a lot of English. I asked my students at the start of the course how they were feeling. A French girl described how she was worried about her own level of English and thought it wasn't as good as the other people around her and she felt self-conscious. This was a new word for her, and one of the first of many she made wrote down in her notebook. At the end of the course, I asked how everyone was feeling and she said ' I feel less self-conscious and don't worry as much about speaking or starting a conversation in English ' This was a nice way to end the course.
September - Overjoyed - very happy
I finally found my accommodation in Lviv online. The landlord was insistent he met me at the airport and took me to the flat. When I landed he was waiting with his niece holding a sign with my name on. They were very friendly and took me to the flat and explained how everything worked. I was more than satisfied with the flat and I was overjoyed with how lucky I had been to find a friendly welcoming landlord and a decent flay.
October - Awkward - to not very comfortable in a situation
My flat is near a supermarket. Every time I went in there to get something, I'd go to the till and pay, and every time the same elderly woman would serve me and ask me for the correct change. I never used to carry any coins with me and almost every time she would get angry. I felt very awkward every time she served me or was about to serve me. I've started to carry coins now....
November - Proud - to feel good and satisfied about something you or someone has done
I sometimes write lesson plans for teachers of English to use in their classrooms with their classes. Almost all the lessons I write have been tried and tested by me in one of my lessons. In November I got an email from a teacher from Slovakia telling me how they had just used one of my lesson plans and what a good lesson it was and how the students really enjoyed it. I felt very proud after reading that. It was a real treat
December - Intrigued - interested to find out more
It's fewer than 18 hours away, but I am going to go to Madrid in a couple of weeks and I am feeling intrigued. Spain isn't a country that excites me, but for some weird reason Madrid makes me feel intrigued and I'm looking forward to seeing the city
How was your year in feelings?
Cheers
www.lule
Practice:
Thanks for Joe's present, Jill. Joe was _______ with the toy car
I am _____ of my brother. He came first place in his school for English
I always feel _______ when I have to speak to people I don't know
I feel _______ every time I order something from the menu and they don't have it
I feel ________ because everyone sounds like a native speaker!
I didn't learn any Japanese and there were no signs in English. I was ______ I had no idea where to go.
I was _______ I got all 5 numbers on the lottery. I couldn't believe it
I feel _______ because I can't find a job. I have all the skills, but there are no vacancies
I feel _______ about my future. I don't know what will happen next year.
I only read the first chapter, but I am ______ to find out more
Answers
Delighted, overjoyed / proud / awkward / annoyed / self-conscious / baffled / god-smacked / frustrated / uncertain / intrigued