“Enrique, would you like to be a speaker
in the national congress we are organizing?”
By Enrique Rojas R.
It was a cold and habitually gray
afternoon of August 2007 in Lima, and I heard this proposal from who was my
boss at that time (and still is today), Marita de la Lama, Director of Centro
de Idiomas de la Universidad del Pacífico. Naturally, I was dazzled and delighted
to have been chosen since the speakers at that now historical happening were
just a handful. Something that has varied substantially with time.
Many years have passed and many congresses have taken place
with brilliant success, eleven to be exact. The event became a tradition in the
environment of language learning; in fact, it acquired enormous importance and
an international scope. And my participation in each one of them became customary
as well, which demonstrated the bounteous tolerance of my superiors. As a
matter of fact, I think I can proudly say that only Marita and I have been constant
lecturers in each one of these renowned and splendid celebrations in the milieu
of language teaching. And taking the risk of sounding stuck up I feel tempted
to say that on the occasion of the coming 12th congress, I won’t
only be in charge of a workshop but, for the third time, in addition to this,
I’m going to dare to participate in one of the semi-plenaries, precisely the
one with which the event closes, the round table. That makes me a happy man. My
enthusiasm and passion are being recognized.
Due
to my professional mass media upbringing I don’t use the first person in my
writings. But in this case I’m presenting a very personal account of something
I have seen sprout, grow and bloom since its inception as a seed in my boss’
ever restless and innovative brain. She has always thought that we cannot be
just “another language school.” As part
of a university we have the mission to shed light on the path, to lead the way
in our endeavor of teaching languages, to steer the professional educators in
the field toward the achievement of improvement, innovation and progress. And
this is what we are trying to do. The annual congress is one of the ways to do
it.
That first assembly congregated just 80 enthusiasts.
Now 330 people participate wholeheartedly in the event. They come from the
whole nation and even from beyond our borders. Many more would like to attend
but, we cannot accommodate them in our facilities and we wouldn’t like to make
the event massive anyway.
Our
first congresses took place in a major hotel facility. As a matter of fact, I
remember when we arrived to prepare everything and found in horror that there
had been a sweet fifteen party and the place hadn’t been cleaned and tidied.
Marita and Karen, our Administrative Coordinator, were on the verge of having a
heart attack. But I don’t exaggerate when I say that our CIDUP administrative team
has always done miracles, through the years and since the very beginning. By
the time the first guests began to arrive, everything was ready and perfect,
nothing was out of place and the organization of our congresses’ has thus been characterized
for being impeccable, from the first to the last of them.
That
is why I can foresee, with absolute confidence, that our 12th Congress
this year is going to be equally successful and flawless. And I expect to see
you there!
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA
Graduated in Journalism at the PUCP, Peru, Enrique Rojas R. holds a MA in Journalism and MA in Inter American History from Southern Illinois University, USA; an MA in Literature from University of the Americas, Puebla, Mexico, all the coursework for a MA in TEFL at Universidad de Piura, Peru and BA in Education from Universidad Federico Villarreal. He has also obtained Certificates of Proficiency in English both from Cambridge University and the University of Michigan and the Diploma for EFL Teachers from Universidad del Pacifico. He is an Oral Examiner for the Cambridge University exams and has been awarded the title Expert in E-Learning from Asociacion Educativa del Mediterraneo and Universidad Marcelino Champagnat. He has worked as a professor in universities in Peru, Mexico and the United States; as a newscaster and a producer in radio and television stations in the United States and Mexico, and as a writer and editor in daily newspapers of the same countries. He has been in the staff of CIDUP for 19 years teaching English and Spanish specializing in International Exams, English for Business, ESP and Teacher Training. He has been a speaker in every Congress of English for Special Purposes organized by Centro de Idiomas de la U.P. He is also a member of its Research Area. 