English Club Party at Roger and Valerie's house

We were 37 altogether in the Club practicing English twice a week. Some have found a job abroad and traveled away. Some others need to dig their garden so they can get a harvest of vegetables for the next winter.

When we came together for the year finishing party at Roger and Valerie Hazeldens' house, there were only the toughest seven of us, not counting myself.

The girls had prepared the things for a barbecue. The hosts in their turn had made four different traditional English dishes including the apple-pie with custard, which was especially warmly received.

To the great satisfaction of mine, I watched all the girls talk to Valerie and Roger, which would not have been even possible when they first came to the club. And that - only after some three months of studies!

The learning in the Club was based on the following principles:

1 No language can be learned. It needs to be "let in" through the "seven gates" - eyes, ears, nose and mouth - and skin.

2 Coffee or tea helps both to relax and stay focused.

3 No need to worry if you remember next to nothing after the first classes. We have to come across things at least 15 times to be able to call them our own.

4 Teacher is for serving coffee, tea and candies while the class is practicing.

5 Everything needs to be on the blackboard.

Be ready - we will be back in the fall, said the girls when we were saying good-bye to each other after the party.