Our Lives, Our Dreams: OYY English Magazine 2013-2014 2013-2014 | Page 12

An Unforgettable Experience with Elizabeth Tori-Class 148 In 2008, I met my first foreign teacher—Elizabeth, when I was a junior 1 student. In my heart, she was hard-working, considerate and forgiving. She set a good example to me as a role model. Since she left our school five years ago, I have gotten accustomed to receiving her emails twice a month. However I haven’t heard from her for two months, which makes me feel disappointed, and I can’t help looking back on what has happened to us in the past six years. Once in her class, she wanted to let us learn some words by smelling some objects with our eyes closed. I wanted to have a try, so I raised my hand. Then, she let me reach out my hand and put something into my hand. I recognized it was a liquid called “hand wash” immediately. But to my shame, when I opened my eyes, I also noticed that my hand was dirty. But Elizabeth said nothing but, “Tori, you did a good job.” When I came back to my seat, my desk mate told me that in fact Elizabeth had prepared a little toothpaste to test my smelling for the first time, but when I reached out my hand, she changed her mind. When I heard these words, I knew Elizabeth’s thought. She is such a kind and considerate person because she knew how to hide other’s weaknesses and not to hurt others. After that, I always kept my hands clean! I feel grateful to Elizabeth, she taught me how to take care of other people. In 2009, I invited Elizabeth to visit the town near my house. We made an appointment at 2PM. But I was so tired that I took a nap and I didn’t wake up until she sent a message to me when it was 3PM. I knew it was very impolite to be late when one has an appointment with another person. I made an apology to her. On the contrary, she comforted me by saying, “Tori, that’s OK, I know you are not being late deliberately. You are just too tired.” I was so ashamed, but she was so forgiving. Her forgiveness is an example to me. She guides me to get along well with my classmates. Although she has been away from us for five years, I still keep in touch with her. I can tell her my thoughts, my happiness, my annoyance and so on. Although she is in Tanzania, she still tells me what happens in her life and still cares about her students. But now, I haven’t received her emails for two months! I miss her!