What’s the Strangest Thing You’ve Ever Eaten
When I asked, “Has anyone ever tried Saino?”; having tasted this species of wild pig called Peccary in English and native to many of the jungles of South America, I did regain a little respect for my “adventuresome” eating. But what brought the house down was my tale of breakfasts in America’s south with fried pork brains scrambled with eggs along with fried slices of pig testicles, known as “mountain oysters” in states like South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. Mouths dropped open and glazed-over eyes seemed to double in size. Then they started talking.
One of the language aspects of most interest to your English language students will be conversation practice. As a native speaker, you represent the best that English has to offer in pronunciation, grammar usage, idioms and expressions, vocabulary, fluency and communicative ability. You are the ultimate example of English in use. But how can you regularly stimulate your English language students to speak spontaneously without timidity or fear of making mistakes?
The use of controversial questions and topics can help. In class ask something like: “What’s the most unusual or strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?” You can then give the answer for yourself first as an example. When I said the strangest thing I’d ever eaten was toasted or fried ants (called Hormigas Culonas here in Colombia) the students weren’t impressed. In areas of Mexico, insects like Agave worms (used in tequila), shiny, iridescent Humiles beetles, and leaf cutter ants and their eggs, are eaten as a matter of course. “I ate flowers once”, I piped up trying to regain some ground. Still no good. Flor de Calabaza, the bright orange flowers of a pumpkin plant, is pass
Tags: Colombia, conversation, Ecuador, English Language, South America, strange foods