“When we laugh, our brains release feel-good chemicals that enhance attention, memory, and creativity*”
International students coming in from across the globe, many of them sporting proper names that are both tongue-twisting and truly foreign to the Western ear, elect to adopt names common to North America. From early on Xianghui, aka ‘Paul’, together with his wife and two young sons, endeared themselves to the community. One memorable scene in the life of this electrical engineering student featured a common garden vegetable. It happened on a Thursday at mid-day.
For the weekly FIL (Free International Lunch) for which my wife had pulled together a cadre of Rock Star kitchen volunteers, we rolled out a special feature. Christening it the “English Slang Expression of the Week”, the skit-based treat soon captured the attention of student diners frequenting the downstairs buffet every seventh day.
This Thursday I conscripted our friend Paul to lend his talents in unveiling the day’s idiomatic treasure. Tossing him an unpeeled potato, I signaled to the long sofa with its vinyl black cover resting just inside the room’s entrance.
“Once the students are settled in with their plates of food, just stretch out over there,” I coached Paul who happily complied.
At the key moment, taking up a mic, I directed a sharp glance to Paul who lay there stretched out facing the ceiling – repeatedly tossing the veggie upwards and catching it. “Hey, there, Paul!”
The students all turned his way.
“What is it you are doing over there?!”, I asked in mock surprise.
Paul’s response was perfect, “Oh. . . not much of anything, Jerry. . . just being a Couch Potato!”
It was in such moments that a line from the ministry’s official Mission Statement easily sprang to mind.
(We exist) “to meet practical needs of international students”
The linguistic “pinch of humor” supplied just the right luncheon seasoning.
©2024 Jerry Lout * Barbara Hubert, Ph.D.