Friday and Saturday were filled with my ESL students. My Somali refugee is scheduled to take the citizenship exam next month. I think he's pretty well prepared except for the writing part of the test. He seems to have all of the 100 questions and answers memorized; maybe he even understands them. I think he will be able to pass the reading exam. I'm worried about the writing component. For both reading and writing he has to get one of three sentences correct. I don't know if they count spelling; that will be the crucial point.
Friday afternoon I went shopping with my Swedish Russian friend. We do lots of talking but no obvious teaching. She's taking ESL classes at the community college so I think the best thing I can do for her is conversation practice. She's doing very well. Her grammar is good–just needs more vocabulary.
This afternoon I took my Chinese doctors, along with one of their wives, on a little tour of Frick Park and the Frick Art and Historical Center. We also stopped and looked at Chinese graves in Homewood Cemetery. Unfortunately the weather wasn't very good for all the outdoor stuff.
After all of my teaching duties Robin and I went to the Verizon store where she got a Droid phone. After she tests it for thirty days, I'll decide what I want to do. I'm still vacillating.
100 Books Before I Die 
I wonder how many Americans could actually pass that test, let’s say if it was a requirement to be able to vote. What do you think?
I think the test is probably similar. I spoke to a well educated Canadian friend who recently took it. He found it ridiculous, but he can read and write in at least three languages.
You sound so cosmopolitan compare to KY where several don’t speak understandable English.
I recall helping my grandfather study for his citizenship papers–he in his 60’s, me in third grade. The tests had to be much easier then–he passed it under my tutoring.
These are wonderful, worthwhile adventures. You are giving back so wonderfully. Thank you, if I haven’t said that lately.