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I'm here, with teacher Ross, TO talk about: his life, his choices. Before he came to Perth...for
the website Semi Nerd. I Hope you enjoy this video.
- First, Ross... - Hello Wagner.
- I'm glad to meet you here. - It's my pleasure.
- I'd like to start by TELLING everybody, where are you from?
Why did you chose Perth? - I'm from New Zealand, I was born in Napier,
which is a small town in New Zealand. I spent most of my life in Auckland...and then I moved
to Australia. But I chose Perth, this is a little bit embarrassing...
- Why? - But I chose Perth, because...I was running
away from my girlfriend, and were living on the East Coast and...Perth was...very far
away, so I chose Perth for that reason. - It's ok, but it is not is embarrassing...because
I chose Perth... - It's a little bit embarrassing.
- No, no... - And if she is watching, I'll be embarrassed...
- No, no worries...because I chose Perth...because I wanted to watch the Sunset OVER the OCEAN.
- Um, this is a very beautiful thing about
Perth. - Yes, and I like IT ... SO I chose Perth for this.
- ...Once I arrived in Perth and I got to
know the city. Then I chose to stay here it's... for me a perfect sized city. Is not too big,
is not too small, the ocean of course is beautiful and sunset is so beautiful.
- Yee - Ahmm...and, although people think it is
very isolated, and it is far away from a lots of places, but actually it's very close to
Asia, and I like Asian cultures, so, for me it was convenient.
- Yeh, have you been in Asian countries before, you told me a few weeks ago. You lived in
another country in Asian. - That's true I lived in Bali, which is in
Indonesia. - How long DID you live there?
- I lived in Bali for 3 years, teaching English there.
- Yeah, - Yeah,
- How was your time there? - It was great! I had a really good time.
I would recommend it to anybody. - Quite good, maybe next time...
- One day, why not!? - About your work. How long have you been
teaching? And why DID you decide to be a teacher?
- Aahm...I chose to be a primary school teacher actually, in the beginning, because I like
kids, but after a short time I realized I didn't want to teach them, and so I chose
to teach adults...like yourself. - And I've been doing this job for almost
20 years. - 20 years! Well NObody knows your real age,
I WON'T SAY BECAUSE IT'S IMPOLITE. - Next question Wagner!
- Ok...continue about your work, about you here in Milner School. How long have you been
here in Milner School? - I've been teaching in Milner since...well,
about 16 years. Off and On. I've been away and come back a few times, yeah, about 16
years, I love it here. - Me too...I'm not a teacher, I'm just a student,
but I love it here too...it's quite good. And in your career, in your work. What's the
most difficult thing about your job? - It's a good question. I think...what's difficult?...getting
out the bed every morning is quite difficult...no I'm joking...Well, then what is difficult,
I think you do needs to be patient. - Yes, of course.
- I think if you can manage to be patient then the job is quite easy, and you need to
accept that everybody is different. - Of course, a lot of people are different
in the same class and you need TO know when you need to talk with one, it's... IS
kind of different to another, I think it's really difficult.
- It is, It is. But as long as you're patient and as long as you accept that everybody is
different ... and you let people be themselves, then it is quite, it is quite easy.
- Oh good, I hope so. - There's one more thing that's very important
if you want to teach a language, you should study a language, so then you know what it's
like to be a student, than you hopefully remember how difficult it is...to learn a new language.
- Yes, yes of course. I have a couple of questions more. In your job...your job it's good, because
you have a opportunity to MEET a lot of people FROM different countries.
- That's true. - Do you usually (have)...or make a lot of
friends in your job? Is it normal for you TO MAKE friends, or just teach the
people and don't make friends? - Sometimes...you do connect with some people
and perhaps a friendship develops after they have finished school. But while, people are
in school I like to be professional and keep the relationship inside the class room.
- That's ok, I know the rules about teachers and students are a little be DIFFICULT,
teacher and student could be DIFFICULT sometimes, because you must be a teacher and
becoming a friend is a little bit difficult because you need one kind of wall in the middle.
- Yeah, looks there's a difference between being friends and being friendly.
- You are one teacher that's a little bit different FROM others, I like your
methods, I like how you teach everybody. It's friendly, kind, quite good, I like it so much.
But you don't like working with books. - No, I don't.
- Why don't you like workING with books? - I think it's partly, because I would find
it very boring to use the same book, again, and again, and again, but the main reason
is I think it's much more important for students to use their life experience and the experience
at school now, to generate the language that you need so... everybody has some life experience
everybody has some... they have plans, they have desires, they have things, they want
to do in their life, so...you don't need somebody to tell you what to talk about, it's much
better if it comes from within the students. - You like to talk about the experience of
life - Sure, sure.
- The books don't have a lot of experience of life.
- No, it's not personal to the students and each class, each group of students is different,
it's interesting to me to listen to them, my job is to help students communicate with
each other. - It's quite good. Particularity I like your
kind of teaching, I WAS LUCKY to start here in Milner with you teaching
me, it was quite good, funny and I made a lot of mistakes, not just in the beginning...
- Not now. (joking) - Maybe in the interview I'm MAKING
some mistakes too, but it's good, I like it. It's one different kind of teaching.
- So, do you agree that it's better to...to..to use your own experience, your own relationships.
- Yes, I agree!...because you put your experience in the...on the table. So, then you have one
kind of conversation and you open the conversation with the students and the students go away.
- Yes, exactly. I think it's much more interesting if it comes from the students and they talk
about what they are interested in. I can't decide what's interesting for people they
need to show that. And I can help with the vocabulary around that, if you're interested
in travelling, in music, in politics, whatever. Then I'll help them with vocabulary and the
grammar they'll need. - I like it so much. I think OTHER
students like it too, because they talk with me and say: You are a good teacher, everybody
likes you! AS opposed TO OTHER teachers. I won't TELL names here.
- You're very diplomatic Wagner. - Ahaha...I need TO BE.
- You do, you do. - I think just have 2 MORE questions.
- Sure, sure. - About you living in OTHER countries.
What DID you absorb FROM OTHER cultures, what do you APPLY in your
life? - Good question. I think travelling and living
in another place, especially when you're younger is incredibly important, because it shapes
how you view life, for the rest of your life. So, I think for me personally living in another
culture, travelling in another countries made me realize. I'm very, very lucky to have been
born in New Zealand and to be living in Australia we've got a great life, we're very lucky.
It's taught me that...most of the world is not so lucky, and it also taught me of course
we're all human beings, we all have the same needs.
- Do you believe that living in another country, having different experiences, helps you to
construct your own character? - I think so. I think it's played a very important
part in shaping who I am now and I like to think that I'm...you know, compassionate and...and...
sensitive to other people. And I certainly like to help people not as fortunate as myself,
for that reason. There are view the experience first hand travelling it's myself.
- For me it's good because it is the first time FOR ME TO TRAVEL ABROUD.
In the beginning, it was really difficult, I SAID ON my website
someTHING about this. When I arrived here, I hadn't studied English before,
just basic English I HAD contact, but when I arrived here the first time it
was like a great scare. Everything was different everything is...the people asked you something
on the streets and you couldn't understand. - It's pretty scary.
- Yeah, you ARE a little bit afraid about this, you feel like a child.
- Sure, sure. - But now, now 4 months ago that was the beginning...it's...it's
funny, because NOW I can understand OTHER people, other people on the streets
and...I have contact with different cultures. Here in Australia, the same as you, I'm glad
to stay here, because there are lots of things to do, it's one quite safe place.
- Yes, it's a safe place. - The transport IS quite good, a lot
of things here are different than in my country. - Sure, life is pretty easy.
- Yes, life is pretty easy, that's quite good and I enjoy this, and I don't know how
long I'll stay here, but I INTEND TO extend my time here.
- Yeah, cool, cool great. - Yes, I'll do the Cambridge course.
- Do you think it's made you more confident? - Yes, of course! It's Made me more confident
than before. - Yeah! It's fantastic.
- It's one great experience. - Sure, sure, certainly.
- But, you are the star here not me (laughs). I'm going to just finish the questions
and...I'm happy to interview you, really, really. You are a person who I, I ADMIRE.
You are one great guy for me. - Thank you.
- And TAUGHT me in the beginning, I have a great AFFECTION for you.
- Thank you. - I, i hope...I know you are going to Brazil,
maybe next year. - Yes,
- And I hope you enjoy your experience there. It is a good country...but you need
TO be careful with some things, I told you this before. But it's A good country
and I hope the people in this country WELCOME you the same as I was WELCOMED here.
- Yes, thank you. I'm confident they will.
- It's a really, really good country. I hope you enjoy it.
- Thank you very much Wagner. - And I'm glad to WELCOME you here
now, really, really glad. - It's my pleasure,
- Thanks, Thanks. Good luck with your website SEMI NERD.
- Thank you so much. - Thank you. See you!
- Hello everybody!
- I came back...now than you watched the interview don't forget to give us your opinion, your
comments... by website, email or here on Youtube, here below there is a place for you give us
a like. Believe me I don't know which direction I need to show
, anyway give us your like! I promise I'll learn...that's just the first
video after probably will be better, but please send to us your suggestion.
- What would you like see?... If you are coming to Australia, what would you like to know
about? Your opinion is important to continuous recording videos and give you advice about
Australia. - That's all, thank you! see you time.