📙 Part 2: Describe a time when a person persuaded you to do something, and you were happy about that

This episode's vocabulary

Seldom (adverb) – not often; rarely. → To be honest, I'm seldom persuaded to do anything I don't want to do.

Stand out in my mind (idiom) – to be very memorable. → One exception that does stand out in my mind is when my friend convinced me to come and visit her.

Latterly (adverb) – recently; in the later part of a period of time. → ...a teacher and who latterly became a teacher trainer.

Catching up (phrasal verb) – sharing news with someone you haven't seen for a while. → It was during one of those times that we were catching up...

A while back (idiom) – some time ago. → This was quite a while back.

Reluctant (adjective) – unwilling and hesitant to do something. → At first, I was a bit reluctant to go.

Have a lot on my plate (idiom) – to have a large amount of work or problems to deal with. → ...since I had a lot on my plate at that moment.

See the upside of (idiom) – to understand the advantages of something. → And I started to see the upside of what she was on about.

Deliberate (verb) – to think or talk seriously and carefully about something. → So, after a bit of time to deliberate and think things through...

Head off (phrasal verb) – to start a journey or leave a place. → I decided it might be fun to head off and join her later that year.

As it turned out (idiom) – used to say what happened in the end. → As it turned out, it was a great decision.

Wind up (phrasal verb) – to end up in a particular place or situation. → ...and I wound up having a really fun time.

Talked into (phrasal verb) – to persuade someone to do something. → I'm glad that I let myself be talked into this one.

Rewarding experience (collocation) – an experience that gives you a feeling of satisfaction. → That was a really rewarding experience.

Questions and Answers

Maria: Describe a time when a person persuaded you to do something and you were happy about that. You should say who this person was, when, where it happened, what they persuaded you to do, and explain why you were happy.

Rory: To be honest, I'm seldom persuaded to do anything I don't want to do. But one exception that does stand out in my mind is when my friend convinced me to come and visit her for a month in Kyrgyzstan. That's a country in Central Asia.

When it comes to exactly who she is, Chui is a former colleague that started out as a teacher and who latterly became a teacher trainer. We used to work together in Russia and kept in touch after we both left. It was during one of those times that we were catching up when she suggested coming to visit and maybe do a little bit of teaching and teacher training.

This was quite a while back. It must have been in mid 2023 when it came up in the course of conversation. At first, I was a bit reluctant to go since I had a lot on my plate at that moment, and didn't want to add more on top of that. However, she made the point that I could continue to work remotely, and I could also relax and do things while I was away. And I started to see the upside of what she was on about.

So, after a bit of time to deliberate and think things through, I decided it might be fun to head off and join her later that year. As it turned out, it was a great decision, and I wound up having a really fun time. I've actually been back since then, and I've not once regretted it actually. Hopefully I'll get the chance to go again soon, but if I don't go back, then at least I'll have had the chance to go a couple of times and enjoy myself.

So, even though I'm not usually one to be convinced to do things or persuaded to do things, I'm glad that I let myself be talked into this one. That was a really rewarding experience and I very much hope that I get the chance to do that kind of thing again.