Real ESL

Going to yoga is a great way to make friends and meet Americans … especially if you live in a big city in America like Los Angeles. People who do yoga are learning to be more open and accepting with all kinds of people, so they also tend to be very warm (kind, welcoming) toward foreigners.

I did yoga in Korea and it really improved my Korean. You can do yoga in America and improve your English fast. Plus, you’ll get in great shape (to have a stronger, healthier body)! I know more than a few of my students have wanted to return to their countries not only more worldly (having knowledge of the world and more intellectual things), but also more beautiful than they left.

In Los Angeles, a great place to go is Golden Bridge Yoga (goldenbridgeyoga.com). It costs 16 dollars to go. Many places give you a free first time - ask if they have a free first class. Golden Bridge doesn’t, but many do. The teacher I recommend is Gurmukh. She’s a mentor to me (an advisor, someone you respect, someone who you want to be like). Watch the video and let me know how your yoga experience goes! (Let me know how ____ goes - Tell me what happens with ____.)

Transcript and Vocabulary Explanation:

Go to my website. I have everything there. I think it’s much more useful than writing the transcript on the actual video itself. You can focus on what I’m saying while you’re watching the video rather than reading below.

Okay so right now we’re going to talk about yoga. Yes, I’m going to yoga. And I wanted to tell you that if you are in America and you are having trouble meeting Americans, go to yoga! Now, you get a great workout (to exercise your body), but also afterwards….make sure you pick a place that has sort of a common talking area (a place where everyone can talk together).

I did this when I lived in Korea. I went to their kind of yoga which is called Dahn Hak. And afterwards you have tea and you talk to everyone. It really improved my Korean and it does the same thing in America (improves your English!).

Now one of my favorite places is called Golden Bridge Yoga. It’s amazing. It’s in Hollywood. I highly recommend it (I think you should go). They have this huge table where everyone sits and you can all chat (talk) and it’s really wonderful. Now, when you sit down to talk to everybody and you feel, “Nobody’s talking to me!” Well, you have to talk to them. You have to ask questions. That’s what you need to be really good at.

So if you come to yoga, you can ask, “What class did you do?” Because here there are sometimes a couple different classes going at the same time. And then you say, “Oh do you like that teacher? What do you think of her? Or him?” And then they explain. (You say…) “How long have you been doing yoga?” And then they talk,talk,talk. They think you’re amazing (and your English too!) because you’re asking all these questions and you’re interested in them. That’s what people want. They just want someone who cares. And then you become friends with them. You go to more classes. You hang out (you spend time together). And the friendship develops from there. Now, go for it. I believe in you (I think you can do it).