
Sunny Yu
(Studied at SAL Summer 2002 to Fall 2003)
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What are you doing now?
I am an instructor at SAL. I’ve taught CERV (Current Event Reading and Vocabulary), OC (Oral Communication), English through Art, Survival English and TOEFL note taking. I am teaching another CERV class this semester in spring 2008. I’m also involved with a lot of student activities at SAL, such as Conversation Club, Language Exchange and Volunteers in Action.
What was your favorite class at SAL?
All the classes I took were very helpful. In my WC class, I learned American writing styles which helped me a lot when I had to write research papers in my graduate classes at San Jose State University. I practiced how to make a good presentation in my OC class. Also, CERV class was very helpful in improving discussion skills since we had many in-class discussions about current topics.
Do you keep in touch with your SAL friends?
A lot of them went back to their home countries, so I lost touch with them. However, some of my SAL friends have finished their education in the U.S., and they are currently working in the U.S. One of my SAL friends who I still keep in touch is Alison Lu from Taiwan. Alison and I took the same classes at SAL and became like sisters. She transferred to De Anza College after studying at SAL. Then, she transferred to U.C. San Diego, and now she is working in San Diego. I went to San Diego for a conference and met her last April. It was good to see my old friend.
Can you tell us about your favorite SAL activity or field trip?
Photo Day: All the SAL students used to get together one day and take a group photo every semester. The photographer always made us say “San José” when we took pictures. Now, SAL is too big and we make photo CDs, but I miss the photo day when all the students could get together and take a picture together. I still keep all the group photos at home. They are posted outside the SAL office. It is fun to find former students from the pictures.
Would you like to share a memorable out-of-class experience as a SAL student?
After the first semester at SAL, I started working on campus. I started serving quesadillas at the student union. I still remember the first day. I didn’t know the English name of food items that I was serving. So I started asking customers “Do you want this and that?” and I just created my own quesadillas. Later on, I got trained, made a lot of friends there, and had a good time. It was a very good way to improve my English. And of course, I got a lot of free food.
Do you have any advice for current or future SAL students?
Don’t be afraid of speaking English, and don’t worry about your accent. There are more non-native speakers than native speakers who speak English. Be confident and always look for chances to speak English. Most importantly, HAVE FUN while you are here!! |