You can gather a variety of garden plants/weeds for feeding to either rabbits or guinea pigs. During periods of bad weather, when the animals are confined to their hutches, they will appreciate a handful of mixed grass clippings with the incorporated weeds. They prefer relatively short lawn grass to coarse, long meadow grass, however. The supply of wild plants will depend on the season, of course, with the greatest selection being available during spring and early summer. Do check before you feed any plants that they are not likely to be poisonous. If you are at all doubtful, the best approach is to ignore any plants unless you are absolutely sure they will not harm your stock. As a general guide, the following are all safe to use as food:

Bramble (Rubus fruticosus): Rabbits especially like the young leaves. You can also offer older leaves but take care that no thorns remain attached to the stalks if these too are fed. This is not a problem if one of the cultivated thornless varieties is available.

Chickweed (Stellaria media): Various forms of chickweed exist and their distribution can be rather localized. It is a lush growing plant under good conditions, however, and produces tiny white flowers.

Clover (Trifolium species): Not an easy plant to gather in bulk, since it often occurs sporadically in an area of lawn and is normally fed with grass. It is also often present in hay.

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara): This plant and its flowers are readily taken by both rabbits and guinea pigs. Grows in all types of soil.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): Easily cultivated from rootstock if desired. You can offer both the flowers and leaves, but preferably with other items, since this plant is said to have a laxative effect. As summer advances the leaves tend to die back and brown spots may appear on the surface. It is probably best to avoid leaves in this condition. Kept in a sheltered and moist environment, however, the plants continue to grow through much of the summer and well into the autumn. Other, similar plants which are normally available slightly later in the season are various forms of Sow-thistle (Sonchussp.) and Nipplewort (Lapsana communis).

Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris): A common weed which can act as a laxative, but is often contaminated with a white or reddish fungus on the undersides of the leaves. Do not use plants affected in this way for feeding to rabbits and guinea pigs.

Mallow (Malva sylvestris): More likely to be encountered in a rough area of grassland than in the average garden, but nevertheless useful for feeding purposes.

Plantain (Plantago species): Various forms are recognized, and the plants are sometimes described as ‘Ratstails’ because of their long seedheads which develop in late summer. Some types have broader leaves than others.

Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris): Traditionally used by rabbit-keepers as a natural means of preventing scouring, this plant is quite distinctive when in flower. It has small white flowers, followed by characteristic triangular seedpods on the central stem.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): Also known as Milfoil; this plant has delicate feathery leaves and a composite flowerhead. Yarrow is most obvious during late summer.

Cast iron is iron or ferrous alloy which has been heated until it liquefies and is then poured into mould to solidify. It is usually made from pig iron. It can be thought of as an alloy of carbon and iron. There are two types of cast iron and they are determined by the carbon content as Grey cast iron and White cast iron. The qualities and uses of cast iron make it highly sustainable even in this 21st century.

QUALITIES AND USES

Castability, resistance to force, wear resistance, good fluidity and relatively low melting point makes it a preferred material, which is widely used in field of construction engineering for making pipes and in automotive industry for making cylinder heads and gear box cases. It is resistant to destruction and weakening by oxidation and hence used to make utensils for cooking food.

SUSTAINABILITY

It is the oldest material in engineering but we should say it is taking a rebirth of fortunes in the modern world with regards to environmental impact and sustainability.

It does not rust. It only oxidises that too, at a very slow pace. This process emits carbon based iron ashes which is good for the environment when compared to PVC which is being used now as it is easy to handle. The carbon gases that are given off, promote growth of plants and it is also supposed to increase planktonic life in oceans and thereby prevent global warming.

It is totally recyclable. It is not downcycled, in which case the material loses some of its superior properties.

Pig iron is the basic raw material. It can also be made from a mixture of steel from automotive and construction industry and scrap in the foundry also. The scrap is melted to get new iron. Hence, waste is made into wealth.

Properly maintained cast iron products will last the life of the building, though the capital cost might be higher. Even when a building is demolished after its full life, It can be recycled and used for the same purpose.

It is still the most preferred material in the construction industry for structural support, windows, soil drainage etc.

Cooking in cast iron utensils is sustainable because it is long lasting.

Cast iron utensils have natural non- stick qualities when compared to hazardous Teflon coated ones. It’s skillets only need to be coated with oil to make it non-sticky.

The dishes need to be washed only with hot water and a stiff brush. Therefore they prevent the use of soaps which might have high chemical content.

It spreads heat evenly and makes cooking easier.

When we take food prepared in cast iron skillets, we also consume small doses of iron which is good for our health.

To sum up, Iron is the fourth common element in the Earth’s crust which can be recycled fully every time without loss in properties and hence, sustainable.

In this Maplestory leveling guide, you’ll learn about the best places to level up, and how to best build your Maplestory thief up to even the 3rd job advancement. Remember that thieves can be the most expensive class to play, but it’s well worth it in the end because they become one of the richest jobs in the game.

1st Job Advancement

When you reach level 10, you become a rogue by talking to the Dark Lord. Now you’re even more powerful than before, so congratulations! But you probably don’t know where to go from here, and you don’t want to fall behind, right? So here are a few places where you can go to level up after getting the 1st job advancement, in order as you level up:

1. At the slime tree in Ellinia,
2. Killing pigs at pig beach,
3. Party questing at Kearning, and
4. At the mini dungeon in Ant Tunnel II

If you train in these areas, you will get stronger much more quickly than the rest. Make sure you don’t share this secret!

Building Your Thief

As you level up in Maplestory as a thief, you will want to build up your stats correctly, or else everything will become very difficult. If you want to make things as easy as possible for yourself, make sure you always put 2 points into DEX and 3 points into LUK until you reach level 42. After that, you put 1 point into DEX and four points into LUK with each level up.

For the 1st job advancement, you need to pump skill points into Lucky Seven until you reach the max, and then max out Keen Eyes, and after that max out Nimble Body. When you’re done with Nimble Body, add 3 levels to Disorder and then get Dark Sight to level 10. By the time you finish all of this, you should have reached the thief 2nd job advancement.

Shoe is a basic necessity of human life as they give protection to our feet. People now days prefer to wear nice looking shoes with a certain level of comfort as we live a very busy and hectic life, so comfort in shoes has become very important.

“Hush Puppies” is a brand of casual shoes which was founded in 1958 by Wolverine who worked to provide a practical method of pig tanning for US military. Pig skin is considered the most durable leather of all, so the government was very interested in making gloves and other accessories for their soldiers. The brand was facing its down fall in 1994 when it sold only 30000 pairs of shoes and Wolverine was thinking of shutting down the brand. Then a new trend of wearing Hush Puppies shoes came into being and people began to purchase Hush Puppies shoes, and the next year they sold 430,000 pairs of the shoes, and the amount was increased in the next year significantly.

Hush Puppies manufacture casual comfortable shoes for men, Women and kids. They market the products in about 120 countries around the globe. Hush Puppies usually make suede shoes with light crepe sole which has been proved an insulator and thus may save you from getting electric shocks.

This brand’s men shoes do not offer a very wide range of styles, but there is no doubt in the comfort level of their shoes. Shoes manufactured by this company are very comfortable and people buy them because of this quality. Hush Puppies usually have one or two designs and 3 to 4 colors in each type of shoes. This brand does not offer new designs very frequently as they believe in launching the classics so one design they launch is not replaced that often. Hush Puppies men shoes are usually available in black and brown shades.

Hush Puppies not only offer a very high level of comfort but also manage to provide them at very reasonable cost so that people can buy them easily. Those shoes are very popular by young men because of their cheap prices, high level of comfort and very classic designs. This brand’s shoes are easily available throughout the world and it can also be purchased online. 6pm is one of the popular websites that offers a wide range of Hush Puppies men shoes at very cheap rates. You can also compare the prices of different websites in order to make the best decision.

“Tastes like chicken,” says Lance Zender, a local outdoorsman from the Choctaw Bayou area. Lance is that oh so very southern of species–he is a frogger.

More than 30 types of frog and toad live in the Magnolia state according to the ASA. These range from the tiny inch-long Oak toad, which is the smallest toad in North America, to the huge American bullfrog, which is the largest at over 8-inches. In between are legions of chorus frogs, narrow mouthed toads, pig frogs, barking tree frogs, leopard frogs, and gray and white Fowler’s toads. The most popular with frog hunters are the olive to brown colored pig frog which can reach 6-inches in length, the Southern Leopard which is spotted green and brown, and of course the American bullfrog. To say the least, there is a very diverse and abundant frog population in the state.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) classifies frogging as Small Game Hunting along with rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, possum, and bobcat. The frog season in Mississippi lasts from April Fool’s Day to the end of September typically, and as such is the longest season of any game in the state at six full months. Currently the bag limit is set at 25 frogs and toads per night-that is fifty legs and a good meal for the whole family. Be sure to have your license, hunters ed card (if needed) and be up-to-date on your limits and seasons by visiting the MDWFP website.

Best areas to Frog

Oxbow lakes, gum ponds and almost anywhere you see lots of flying insects and lilypads is going to be an ideal place for the frogger to practice his art.

The marsh-rich Gulf Coast area, with its numerous wetlands, bayous, rivers and streams, are slightly warmer in the winter than areas north of I-20, and as such, the frog population continues to breed over the winter in many coastal estuaries. This means in the spring there is an explosion amongst the lily pads and swamp grass of frog overpopulation. These fertile breeding grounds of the Pascagoula river system for instance are home to as many as 109 species of fish, a unique species of turtle found only there, and all 30 of the known frogs in the state in its 9600-square miles of wetlands. It is quite literally a frogger’s paradise.

That’s where Lance works his magic.

Frog hunting techniques

Working from a flat-bottomed aluminum boat older than he is, Lance prowls the bayou on most weekend nights with a Q-beam spotlight and his half-brother Monroe, looking for the big bullfrogs. The team shares the hunt and the wealth, with one driving the boat and the other perched on the side, spotlight in hand.

“You look for eyes,” Lance explains. “As soon as your run that spotlight across the water, the eyes pop up like stars. Then head for the closest set.”

Once close enough to a keeper toad, it is up to the individual frogger as to how he takes them. Some people go ‘old-school’ and snatch the mesmerized fly-eater from its perch on a log or lilypad then toss it in the container. Others use a.22 rifle to pop the critter, and then scoop it up with a dip net. Still others gig for frogs, channeling the ancient hunter-gatherer with a spear experience still locked inside their DNA from before time.

“I’m a paddler,” boasts Monroe. The leather-skinned frogger explains that the term is what the locals use to describe the method of stunning the frog with a good smack of a boat paddle, then retrieving it as it floats around wondering what truck hit it.

To hold your frogs some sort of good solid container with a lid is preferred such as an ice chest, garbage can, or rubber made type container. Lance is a fan of pickle buckets with the lid tied to the bucket by a string so it does not fall out of the boat in the dark and float down the bayou. “Yea, that happened once.” Lance says

It is only natural that there is a more high-tech set who advocate fancier means of toad control. Some froggers use perch baskets. There are even local cottage industry manufacturers who sell specially made Frogging Baskets. Made with PVC coated wire and a rubber pinch top the baskets are designed to fit inside a 48-quart cooler and safely hold up to 150 frogs at a time.

That’s a lot of frog legs.

If you own and manage a pig farm, you may find this article helpful. You are on this page because you are looking for tips to opt for a farrowing crate. Nowadays, more and more people feel the importance of animal welfare. Therefore, they feel the need to stay in a more comfortable environment when taking take care of their animals.

For a successful business, you need all the facilities for the animals. The production process should be as safe and efficient as possible. Let’s read some tips to choose the right farrowing crates.

Things to keep in mind when buying farrowing crates

It’s important to keep an eye on the environment where your animals are breeding. This is essential if you want to provide them with the necessary care to ensure they are in ideal condition.

Given below is a description of some important features that you may want to consider when investing in farrowing crates.

Material Srength

For better safety and reliability, the crates should be made of strong material. This is important from the point of view of complying with the rules and regulations in your state. So, the product you choose should be made of the best materials available. This is a must if you want to run your business smoothly and ensure efficiency.

Size, Space, and Number of Animals

Based on the size and number of your pigs and the available space, you need to opt for a smaller or large farrowing crate to meet your needs. Besides, don’t forget to consider the number of expected offspring of all the pigs you own.

Easy Cleaning

Make sure the farrowing crates you buy are easy to clean and hygienic. They should be designed in a way that they allow you to access all the areas for easy maintenance. After all the cage should be clean so that the animals don’t get diseases.

Type of Cage

Based on the needs and preferences of your farm, you may want to opt for the right type of cage. Once you have taken into account your needs, you can choose gestation boxes, farrowing cages, or cages with fingers, just to name a few. Here, make sure you know your budget limit when investing in the type of cage you need. After all, you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on this purchase.

Reliable Ground Fixing System

The product you choose should come with a reliable ground mounting system as you don’t want to compromise on the welfare of your farm animals. If they are not installed the right way, the animals may fall on the newborn babies. Therefore, you may want to double-check to ensure that the ground fixing system is of high quality.

So, if you follow these tips, you can make the right decision and opt for the best farrowing crate to meet the needs of your business. With a high-quality system, you can improve your production process and enjoy a great return on investment.

If you were born in the Year of Snake or Serpent (1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001) as per Chinese Astrology Horoscopes, know your Destiny in 2008 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony, Love and Studies. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energies that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Feng Shui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.

Annual Forecast & Feng Shui Remedies for 2007 : Year of Yin Red Fire Pig – Snake Sign (Chinese Zodiac)

The Chinese Zodiac Astrology is ancient, interesting, accurate and loved by millions across the world. The Chinese Zodiac is based on cyclic concept of time : a cycle of 12 years, repeated again and again. The 12 Years are associated with 12 Celestial Animals : Rat (or Mouse on Mongoose), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake (or Serpent), Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog). The animal names occasionally differ with the Oriental Country they originate. The Chinese Yearly Horoscopes are basically built around these 12 Animal Signs.

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is directly based on the Chinese Lunar Year of Birth that you were born. The Chinese New Year is mobile and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year. If your Date of Birth falls into any of the following Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Snake (or Serpent), you are symbolically identified by your Celestial Animal, the “Snake (or Serpent)” :

From 04 Feb 1905 to 24 Jan 1906

From 23 Jan 1917 to 10 Feb 1918

From 10 Feb 1929 to 29 Jan 1930

From 27 Jan 1941 to 14 Feb 1942

From 14 Feb 1953 to 02 Feb 1954

From 02 Feb 1965 to 20 Jan 1966

From 18 Feb 1977 to 06 Feb 1978

From 06 Feb 1989 to 26 Jan 1990

From 24 Jan 2001 to 11 Feb 2002

In Chinese Hsia Calender, 2008 is the 4705th year and significantly, is also the fifth year of the New Feng Shui Land Luck Cyclic Period 8. The forthcoming new Chinese Lunar Year is from 7th February 2008 to 25th February 2009. The next Chinese New Year, Ji Chow, the Yin Brown Earth Ox will begin on 26th January 2009.

Enjoy the Annual Forecasts and learn about the suggested Feng Shui & Crystal Remedies that you may need for the coming “New Lunar Year 2008 : Wu Zi, Year of Yang Brown Earth Rat” :

CAREER

A good year with a lot of professional luck. The wage earners will earn promotion and pay raise and gain influence with helpful people surrounding them. Some of you will make a career switch or a company change successfully. Some others will launch their own business venture with the help of willing mentors. There will be excellent progress either ways but your health and bad interpersonal equations will be the stumbling blocks. Avoid arrogance and be humble. There will be many a green-eyed person waiting to back-stab you. Take all your colleagues and subordinates along with you and maintain the team spirit always. Display the statues of Monkey on Elephant or Money Frog on Elephant along with the Great KuanKung. Carry three of the Rising Dragon Coins with you. The entrepreneurs will flourish in a feverish pace and initiate many expansion plans. To expand and/or diversify, seek partnership. Avoid disagreement with partners. Negotiation and not confrontation should be your motto. Reward your loyal employees. Insulate yourself from internal politics. Make efforts to build a harmonious inner office structure. Stay away from scandals. Install a Brass Five Element Pagoda Tower to keep away disputes and disharmony from spoiling your opportunities.

MONEY

Abundant wealth luck this year, some from unexpected sources. Right time for making good investments – both short term and long term. When you are investing for the long term and in large values, seek the advice of competent professionals. To increase your luck for right investments, install the statue of Frogs Trio or Frogs Duo. Windfall luck exists, but unstable. If you trade regularly in the stock markets, carry a set of 3 Nanbu Windfall Luck Coins with you. Avoid being a spendthrift or your impulsive buys will land you in a loss like situation. Chances of financial loss due to theft is high. Strengthen the security measures and install a Brass Five Element Pagoda. Many of you will lose money because of your friends. Do not indemnify anybody on any loan this year. You are also unlikely to recover any money lent out.

HEALTH

Overload of work will lead to depletion of vital reserves which in turn damages your physical and mental health. Bad moods and depressions will frequent you. Rest and relaxation should be given importance. Drive slowly and safely. Accidents leading to fractures may occur. While the males should watch out for problems in nervous and respiratory systems, the females should be alert against uterine and gynecological diseases. Cut out raw, cold and canned food. Avoid adventurous sports like mountain climbing, speed boating, water skiing, scuba diving or parachuting. Install a Brass Five Element Pagoda Tower at home and take a set of 3 Sau Health Coins always with you. Some of you might feel eerie or surreal energies surrounding you. If the feeling persists for longer periods, replenish your spiritual energy and install the exclusive Sacred Geometry Yantra for shielding you from negative entities.

LOVE

An excellent year for the weddings bells to ring. Singles will get good proposals – choose with care and settle down. Take care of your health during the time of marriage. The married will enjoy the conjugal bliss. Be wary of third party intrusions and nip any extra marital affairs in the bud itself. If you misuse the sexual trust and flirt about, you are sure to break the marriage. Remember to periodically get rid of all the spider webs and pest nests in your bedroom. Keep the statues of Male QuiYong on Dragon and Female QuiYong on Phoenix in the South West of your bedroom and place a set of three Harmony Coins under your bed, to minimize these severe problems.

STUDIES

Emotional instability and wrong friends will distract you from concentrating on your studies. Avoid dressing in such a way that will offend the sensibilities of the elders. Put away the temptation to cross the boundary. Discipline is an absolute must. Romance should be given the least importance in this academically crucial year. Accept the guidance of teachers and parents in the spirit in which it is given. Some of you might go for an overseas trip. Many of you may have work in your summer vacation. Display the Dragon Head Turtle carrying Pagoda Tower in the North East and carry a set of 3 QuiYong Coins, to enforce discipline.

Compatible Sign for 2008 : Ox, Rooster

Auspicious Direction for 2008 : North East, West

Auspicious Color for 2008 : Greyish White, White

Auspicious Number for 2008 : 2, 10

Wealth Gods to pray in 2008 : Hua Tuo Xian Shi, Yuan Shi Tian Zun

NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES : The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy of the year. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location, to derive the maximum benefit. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the forthcoming new years, but they may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

Swine flu is a derivative and like other derivatives has a genealogy. Often, the crux of finding a successful vaccine hinges on proper understanding of the attributes of the derivative. It follows then that to find out which organism causes swine flu it is necessary to study it’s genealogy.

Of course the flu was at one point restricted to pigs only, but even then had similarities with the common cold virus, gastroenteritis virus and the regular flu virus. Obviously, something happened to the virus, mutation or whatever else because it transgressed. And it is understanding the why and how of this transgression which is the key to understanding what organism causes swine flu in humans.

Physiologically we are similar to pigs and can share some traits. The primary difference however, is the virus would have to modify to transgress as in it’s pig form it wouldn’t be able to get past first base; the human immune system. And out of interest, there have been cases of previously human only diseases to transgress to pigs and other animals – it seems then this can work both ways!

Many of us can remember a few short years ago, there was an outbreak of avian flu which transgressed to humans. After many tests and research projects a reliable vaccine was eventually found. And no doubt a reliable vaccine will be found for swine flu virus [http://thehomebusinessventure.com/swineflu.html] too, since after all, it is not entirely new, it’s merely a new strain of an old virus.

Ba Zi literally means 8 character. The 8 characters refers to the 4 Heavenly Stems and 4 Earthly Branches of our birth time. The year, day, month and time of our birth can be converted using the Chinese Solar calendar into 4 Heavenly Stems and 4 Earthly Branches each.

Fundamentals of Ba Zi consist of:

o Yin and Yang (sometimes referred to as polarity)

o 5 elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth)

o 10 Heavenly Stems

o 12 Earthly Branches

o 24 Solar Periods

o 12 Qi phases

o 10 Gods

o Shen Sha (Deities & Gods or others termed Stars)

o Imagery

Ba Zi can be divided into 4 pillars (Year, Month, Day & Hour) and each pillar consist of 1 Heavenly Stem and 1 Earthly Branch. Traditionally the chart is written from right to left, starting with the Year Pillar on the right.

Further to the imagery part, this is a list of Heavenly Stem and their image.

Jia – Trees

Yi – Flowers; shrubs

Bing – Sun

Ding – Fire

Wu – Mountains, stones

Ji – Soil

Geng – Axe

Xin – Scissors/Jewellery

Ren – Sea

Gui – Clouds; dew

It is useful during analysis to link the image back to chart

The earthly branches and their corresponding zodiac sign (which laymen are more familiar with) as as below:

Zi/Rat

Chou/Ox

Yin/Tiger

Mao/Rabbit

Chen/Dragon

Si/Snake

Wu/Horse

Wei/Sheep

Shen/Monkey

You/Rooster

Xu/Dog

Hai/Pig

All the branches have some form of relationship or inclination among themselves. The commonly used combinations are:

3 Combinations (San He)

Shen+Zi+Chen (Monkey+Rat+Dragon) ==>Water Frame

Hai+Mao+Wei (Pig+Rabbit+Ram)==>Wood Frame

Yin+Wu+Xu (Tiger+Horse+Dog) ==>Fire Frame

Si+You+Chou (Snake+Rooster+Ox)==>Metal Frame

3 Union (San Hui)

Hai+Zi+Chou (Pig+Rat+Ox) ==>Winter / Water Frame

Yin+Mao+Chen (Tiger+Rabbit+Dragon)==>Spring / Wood Frame

Si+Wu+Wei (Snake+Horse+Ram)==>Summer / Fire Frame

Shen+You+Xu (Monkey+Rooster+Dog)==>Autumn / Metal Frame

6 Combinations (Liu He)

Zi+Chou (Rat+Ox)==>Earth Frame

Yin+Hai (Tiger+Pig)==>Wood Frame

Mao+Xu (Rabbit+Dog)==>Fire Frame

Chen+You (Dragon+Rooster)==>Metal Frame

Si+Shen (Snake+Monkey)==>Water Frame

Wu+Wei (Horse+Ram)==>Fire Frame

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 passé in the areas around Tepoztlan, south of Mexico City. As a matter of fact, they’re delicious sautéed and wrapped in a hot, blue corn tortilla. Did I mention that I frequently dine on the deadly, fear-inspiring, razor-toothed Piranha? But that’s no big deal here.

It was the students’ turn and each had stories to tell. And tell them they did. “My aunt likes iguana”, one student blurted out. “Have you tried iguana eggs? another asked. “Yes, I have”, I smirked. Stories began to flow. Slowly at first, then faster as memories and emotions mounted. Tales of iguana, turtles, caimans (a species of alligator), donkey meat, reptile eggs, armadillo, a Guinea Pig relative called “Cuy” and Dagger fish emerged enthusiastically – bursting with anecdotes, humor and sometimes a bit of disgust. It not only got them speaking fluently, but was quite informative too. “You can always tell a dagger fisherman”, one Mexican student explained, “because of the strange scars they get from the fish.” I wanted to know more and they obliged. They spoke not only of things they’d tried, but of meats and meals they’d heard of others eating. Opinions of what, where and why added richness, depth and flow to the conversation. In the end I had to halt the session which ran well overtime with no indication of ending anytime soon.

Other topic questions might address places visited or dreamed of, an imagined conversation or date with a famous person, or what students imagine it’s like to do or be any number of occupations, people or things. “If Latin pop singer Alejandro Sanz or actor Brad Pitt called you on the phone, what would you say?” I asked. Giggles erupted from girls around the room, then responses began to trickle out. For the boys’ question it was Mexican singer Thalia, American actresses Pamela Anderson or Julia Roberts. Role plays, interviews, chain stories, social issues, drugs, crime, even proverbs and superstitions all have their place in stimulating the students as speaking activities. Ideas for questions and topics abound. Conversation references can be helpful too. One I use, “Conversation Inspirations for ESL” by Nancy Ellen Zellerman (published by Pro Lingua Associates) has been around for years. Try a controversial conversation question or two in your classes, it’s almost guaranteed to get and keep your students talking.

Oh yeah, I still haven’t tried the “Cow’s Eye soup” in Colombia or the steamy, animal-blood-sprinkled “Yaguarlocro” of Ecuador. But the chicken feet often found in “Sancocho”, Colombia’s national dish, don’t get even the smaller rise out of me anymore. And earlier this year, I sampled a hearty stew of Three-toed Sloth. They’re cute. They’re cuddly. They’re delicious. By the way, what’s the strangest, most unique food that YOU have ever eaten?