📙 Part 2: Describe an old friend that you got in contact with again

This episode's vocabulary

In terms of - in relation to something.

Mindset (noun) - a person's way of thinking and their opinions.

Attitude (noun) - a feeling or opinion about something or someone, or a way of behaving that is caused by this.

Manner (noun) - the usual way in which you behave towards other people, or the way you behave on a particular occasion.

Counter-intuitive (adj.) - something that is counter-intuitive does not happen in the way you would expect it to.

Upbringing (noun) - the way in which you are treated and educated when young, especially by your parents, especially in relation to the effect that this has on how you behave and make moral decisions.

Get on like a house on fire - if two people get on like a house on fire, they like each other very much and become friends very quickly.

Hand in glove - working together.

Terrific (adj.) - very good.

Convenient (adj.) - suitable for your purposes and needs and causing the least difficulty.

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Questions and Answers

M: Rory will describe an old friend that he got in contact with. He will say who he/she is, what he/she is like, how he got in contact, and explain how he felt about it. Rory, are you ready to rock and roll? OK, give us some moves and dancing. OK, give us the story. Come on.

R: I think this is a good opportunity to speak about my friend Sarah. It's actually unfortunate she's never going to hear this because I think she's really cool. She's a senior teacher in a different company to mine and I think is possibly one of the few people who's like me in terms of mindset, humor, attitude to life and manner. And this is a little counter-intuitive, actually, because she's American and we had very different upbringings and very different political viewpoints. But despite this, there is like the same use of irony and tone and sort of sly remarks in our jokes and a similar quality in our work and our investment in our health and our friends. She works extraordinarily hard all the time, but she always makes time for her friends as well. And I'm learning to do the same. We first met in a bar about five years ago and we got on like a house on fire at the time, but we never quite got it together until we bumped into each other again at a bar. Just before the pandemic really hit, actually. Despite the length of time that passed, it was like hand in glove fit. And we were making the same inappropriate remarks and jokes while getting on with other people who were there. She's a really, like, she's a terrific friend and I'm glad we reconnected and got closer than before. And now we're constantly talking to each other online and just because I actually have social media now, so that makes things a lot more convenient. And unlike the last five years, I was actually able to go to her birthday, which was a really which is a really great occasion, because I managed to meet other people who were just like us there as well. So I actually helped me expand my circle of friends even more. Um, but yeah, I think I'm really glad we reconnected. The only really big regret that I have is that we didn't do it before now. But, you know, we survived and things are going to get better.

M: How often do you see this friend?

R: Oh, not nearly often enough. Maybe once or twice a month now, but it's better than before.

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