I Wanted a Cultural Experience.........

And that is what I seem to be experiencing. There has been no communications at all between professors and students in any of my courses.  There are a couple of posts by two professors who posed a question to the last group of learners in 2012.  Nothing since. I have been writing like a crazed person, hoping to get attention from someone. Clearly, I am Canadian.

I poke, I ask questions, I ask for feedback. I get nada.  I wonder what it is like to be comfortable behind the cloak of a collective society and have no need to express myself to others or want to learn about others?  Now I wonder what other aspect than speaking English, makes ESL so widespread. As a teacher in this medium, I can assure you that if the learner does not learn the culture as well as the language, they lose.

Can you imagine everyone in the world clammoring to learn Bahasa Malayu? Let's see, the job opportunities would be listed under MSL.  Might get confused with the multiple listing website for homes for sale.  So, why does everyone want to learn English if they are not willing to step out of their comfort zone and learn about the culture that goes with it?  Remember, my cohort are locals preparing to be TESL teachers! I wonder if they will actually understand what they have taken on.  I, in reverse, am doing my best to learn about their culture, but they also need to realize that they will need to have some understanding of the western culture if they become TESL teachers.  They will have an advantage in their home country doing this, but better not stray too far from the border. They would be bear bait in that arena.  I think a more fitting program for them would be EFL - that way they can stay home, and teach the locals a foreign language at the level that everyone would appreciate and master.  Maybe I should suggest this on the forum.