Students' anthologies - Fall 2017 - English Language Institute - College of Staten Island

English Language Institute
Reflections
AN ANTHOLOGY
College of Staten Island
Center for International Service
FALL 2017

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College of Staten Island (CSI)
City University of New York (CUNY)

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Reflections:
An Anthology
Reflections is a collection of writings by the students of
The English Language Institute
ELI Faculty
Drew Bostinto
David Bridston
Gail Hernandez
Thomas Speirs
City University of New York
2800 Victory Boulevard
Building 2A, Room 206
Staten Island, New York - 10314
Email: elistudy@csi.cuny.edu
Website: www csi.cuny.edu/international
facebook.com/englishinnewyork
** Please note that these student writings do not necessarily reflect the views and
opinions of The English Language Institute and the College of Staten Island.

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INDEX
ITEM Page
Center for Global Engagement 6
English Language Institute 7
Anthologies 8
Elsa Lleshi (Albania) 9
Phuong Ly (Vietnam) 11
Kim DaJung (South Korea) 13
Naoya Toyoda (Japan) 16
Edgar Aguirre (Peru) 18
Fabiola Garcia (Mexico) 19
Estefania Ordoñez (Mexico) 21
Hyun Wook Cho (South Korea) 24
Cristina Salinas Vasquez (Ecuador) 27
Krenare Trenova (Macedonia) 29
Zhifang Hai (China) 31
Yuhan Liu (China) 33
Muhammet Baran Karatas (Turkey) 35
Gihan Warnakulasooriya (Sri Lanka) 37
Melany Basso (Italy) 40
Nikola Baranova (Slovakia) 42
Svathika Thesingharajah (Switzerland) 45
Maria Aurora Soto Dagnino (Mexico) 47
Maria Del Cielo Valdez Cardenas (Mexico) 49
Jorge Armando Gonzalez Arias (Mexico) 51
Lynette Ernestina Ochoa Verdugo (Mexico) 53
Rafael Gutierrez Longoria (Mexico) 55
Ricardo Ayala Rodriguez (Mexico) 57

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Center for Global Engagement
The overarching thrust of the Center and its activities is to be the driving force
behind infusing the campus with ideas and activities that
support comprehensive internationalization. The broad goals set forth below
are designed to enhance comprehensive internationalization on the campus:
 Offer unique programming for students, faculty, staff, and the local community
that serves the diverse needs of the broad spectrum of constituencies interested
in international education, ideas, themes, and activities.
 Expand the international outreach of the College including new opportunities for
joint research and scholarship through cooperative partnerships and
programming at home and abroad.
 Infuse the curriculum with global learning so that all students are presented with
opportunities that promote global-mindedness, cultural diversity, and international
understanding.
 Position the College of Staten Island as a premier destination for international
students and scholars though rigorous academic offerings, innovative
programming, and welcoming policies.
 Encourage the participation in international educational opportunities and
intercultural programming woven throughout the curriculum.

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The English Language Institute (ELI) offers an exciting
and innovative academic program for students learning
English as a second language. Our course of study is
designed to challenge and engage students. Students are
immersed in the language, culture, and the ethnicity of
New York City.
At the English Language Institute, we understand that
learning English can be a difficult task. Our experienced
and dedicated instructors prepare and guide students through an amazing
journey. With patience and compassion, instructors encourage students to reach
their goals and attain academic excellence.
Students in our program are entitled to use all the facilities available on campus
such as the pool, tennis, basketball, racquetball courts, and fitness center.
Students can also attend any lectures or workshops they feel would enhance
their own learning experience.
The English Language Institute (ELI) at the College of Staten Island offers
programs in English and cultural orientation to international students,
professional and business people, visitors, and members of the local community.
ELI provides a supportive environment for
language learning: small classes, individual
attention, highly qualified faculty, and innovative
teaching approaches help students acquire
confidence and develop fluency and accuracy in
English in an efficient and enjoyable way.
Through special focus classes, field trips, and visits to the unique cultural
institutions of New York City, students receive an orientation to American culture
and an introduction to the US system of higher education. Programs are offered
at all levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced. Courses are designed to
address the needs of students who require English for academic, professional, or
personal reasons.

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Anthologies
The following anthologies are entirely prepared by ELI students during the
semester term they spend studying at the English Language Institute (ELI) at the
College of Staten Island/CUNY.
They make this academic work while having classes of grammar, reading and
writing, communications, and TOEFL preparation workshops, with the
supervision of their ELI teachers.
Topics are chosen by ELI students and they reflect personal points of view of the
topics selected and facts and information researched by them.
ELI students dedicate time to make the best articles and carefully prepare their
essays in and outside class. All ELI students participate, from beginning to
advanced level.
ELI wants to show their work considering their English level in order to become
an academic tool for future English-learning students.
Most of all, ELI wants to show content related to topics students may have
experienced while studying English in New York, an important topic in their home
country, a current issue, or any other topic they decided to write about.
ELI is very proud of this academic work that represents the outcomes of each
student, who not only learns English as a language but also is capable of
expressing meaningful content-based language.
Enjoy reading the anthologies!
Fall 2017

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Elsa Lleshi (Albania)
Beginning Level – Fall 2017
Volunteer Work
Volunteer work presents a great opportunity for teenagers to prepare for
the future, as well as to improve their communities. In addition to boosting
socializing skills and having an awareness of local organizations and social
issues, students who volunteer may often have an advantage over their peers.
Although many people think that mandatory volunteering does not need to be
forced, I think that most students do not even consider doing community service
on their own. I agree that it should be mandatory is because I think institutions
like schools want their students to be successful.
The job of a school is to teach students what is the best for them. If
students today are not pushed by their schools or families, then in their minds
what is important is only how to earn money, and how to spend their free time
with friends. I am a student, and like any other student, I do not even like to work
when I know cannot earn money. I think it is a waste of time. However, when I
came here, my aunt told me that I should work as a volunteer and she suggested
for me to volunteer at the hospital where she is working. At first, I did not agree
with her.
I wanted to start working where I knew I could earn money. However, the
only work I could do was in the supermarket or some other easy job, because I
had not finished school to start a serious job. She insisted that if I started working
I would leave school. She also said many other things to push me to start as a

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volunteer. I started working as a volunteer in Manhattan, working in a Lenox Hill
neighborhood house. Now I understand that it was the best thing I could do, as I
am learning many new things there. I’m starting to look at things more seriously,
and to think more about my future.
The second reason is that we can earn credits. Many schools mandate a
specific number of community volunteer work hours before a student is eligible
for graduation. Many volunteer opportunities can translate into high school or
college credits. But to do this, it is very important to first discuss these
opportunities with administrators.
In conclusion, for every idea that students may have, the first thing they
should do is to consult with older people, because they may know what is best
for their careers and for their future.

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Phuong Ly (Vietnam)
Mandatory Volunteering
Everyone has a different opinion about mandatory volunteering at school.
Maybe they say that they do not want to do it because they never did it. If they
try it only one time, I think some of them will change their minds.
Let me tell you a story about my friend. He did not want to do volunteering.
He said he did not have time. He had a part time job, and he must go to school
every day. After school, he had to take care of his little brother at home. He had
a lot of things to do and therefore had no time for volunteering. However, every
school says you must volunteer. So he volunteered and you may wonder what
happened. He went to an orphanage where he cleaned the floors and took care
of the kids. After that day, he asked his school if he could have more volunteer
days at the orphanage. At first, he did not like it but he had to, and so he did.
Now he loves that job. Whenever he has free time, he does not want to play
games anymore, he just wants to go to the orphanage and play with the children.
If he did not try this, would have never known if he liked it.
The second reason why schools should require mandatory volunteering
for students is that volunteering teaches them how to be a good person. They
will become kinder. Schools tell students that mandatory volunteering sets a
good example about that. I think schools should require mandatory volunteering.
Do you know why I say that? Because many students are too young to know
what is good for them. Some students just like games which are so useless. I

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have one friend who changed a lot after volunteering. Her personality became
better. Before she did volunteering, she had wanted to spend her free time for
herself. However, after she did volunteering, she wanted to spend her free time
to help people. This made her feel happy.
I think mandatory volunteering is a good idea. It helps people become
better and better.

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Kim DaJung (South Korea)
Have you ever experienced voluntary work? Was that required work or
just voluntary work? In Korea, many students earn a volunteering score which
they had to obtain for graduation. When I was a middle school student, I also did
voluntary work, but the experience was not good for me because I felt that the
obligation of mandatory service sometimes put pressure on me. I think that
mandatory volunteering is not an appropriate method of voluntary work. This
kind of service has several disadvantages. I will give two reasons to support my
argument.
To start with, I think that mandatory volunteering is not always successful
because mandatory volunteering can cause many problems in the field of
volunteering. If we do mandatory volunteer service, people who do not want to
do it tend to scamp their work. For example, when I was a teenager, I went to a
facility for the handicapped in order to help and take care of them. All volunteers
conducted their own roles, but volunteers who regarded volunteering as a waste
of time ignored their responsibility. After all, we finished our work too late
because some students who were not interested in volunteering left work early.
Their behaviors and attitudes were not helpful to both the volunteers and the
disabled. Everyone felt disappointed with this situation. That’s why I think that
mandatory volunteering is not effective. Service by force does not affect these
circumstances positively.

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Moreover, I think that mandatory volunteer work has a negative impact on
the essence of volunteering. By definition, it is against the sincere meaning of
volunteering to let people who are not prepared to sacrifice themselves do
voluntary work against their will. It merely seems to satisfy mandatory
requirements and to avoid problems which are caused from not carrying this out.
For instance, when I was young, I used to do the housework instead of my busy
parents. In my case, there was a huge difference between doing a service with
my willingness to clean the house for my family and cleaning the house
unavoidably because of an order from my mother. I started doing the housework
with my own motivation, and I had a lot of willingness to do it myself even though
it was difficult. When I cleaned the room, washed the dishes, and arranged the
house by my own decision, I was highly proud of myself, and I found additional
motivation to work at home. It was beneficial to volunteer to do the housework.
However, when my mother directly demanded this from me, the housework was
not enjoyable from the start to the end, and I hastened to finish it sooner than
trying to make the result better. Without the obligation of the chore, I could surely
have satisfaction and achievement of my deed. For the same reason, if people
are under pressure to perform mandatory volunteering, it is possible for them to
miss the chance to realize these tremendous rewards from their sacrifice. That’s
why I think that mandatory volunteering is not efficient.
In the end, I think that fulfilling our work with sincerity is especially
important when we help other people such as the disabled. A lot of value is lost
when we only do our volunteering as a duty instead of doing it with all
seriousness. I hope that many people would expect a feeling of accomplishment
through their choice before volunteering. Afterward, I am utterly sure that people

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can feel the true worth of volunteering their service. For the reasons mentioned
above, I totally oppose mandatory volunteering.

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Naoya Toyoda (Japan)
Mandatory volunteering
Have you ever participated in a community service or a volunteer activity?
Was it your decision or was it mandatory? Many people believe that schools
should require mandatory participation. Before I participated in volunteering, I
did not want to do it even if it was for my career. However, after I participated, I
learned that I liked it. Because of my past experiences, I now support mandatory
volunteering.
My first volunteering experience was cleaning a beach on a Sunday. It was
decided by my parents despite my plans to go somewhere else with my friends. I
was nine years old, so I could not go against their decision. When I went to the
beach with my parents, there were no children—only adults and high school
students—so nobody talked to me. I was so sad, but this situation gave me a
concerted effort. I was beginning to feel so good while I was collecting garbage
on the beach. If there were children there, maybe I would not have felt that way
because I would have played with them instead.
After this, I belonged to a community service for volunteering which is an
official organization. Our group did many kinds of volunteering such as fund-
raising, and cleaning the roads, parks, beaches and forests. One day we
planned a mandatory volunteer activity that was associated with my elementary
school. I wanted to see if the students’ thoughts would change during
volunteering—like it did for me—and would want to continue volunteering. As I

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expected, those students looked so bored, lazy, and sleepy even though I
introduced our schedule and the teachers warned us about being cautious. I
understood their minds perfectly because I had thought the same things the first
time.
Another time, we were going to clean a park. The park was as big as
Disneyland and many students often played there after school. One student had
gotten hurt by a piece of glass before I planned this event. Before we cleaned
there, there was a lot of garbage, empty cans, tobacco, and pieces of glass.
After we cleaned up for over 5 hours, there was no more garbage left.
I was surprised at their effort, but what I was more surprised about was
that the students were smiling. Also, they said that they appreciated this time
because they can now understand why volunteering is important. I was so glad
to hear that. A few months later, we planed volunteering that was not mandatory,
again associated with the same elementary school. As a result, most of students
participated again.
Perhaps some people think that mandatory volunteering is meaningless
because it is not effective and we should respect our personal decisions.
However, if it was not mandatory, I would have missed this chance and
experience. After I did mandatory volunteering with my parents, my thoughts
about the future and the community are getting broader. I hope more people will
do volunteering even if they may have some other plans for their weekends.

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Edgar Aguirre (Peru)
Student Volunteering
Is it good for students to volunteer? Is it a good idea for schools to encourage
students to volunteer? I think volunteering is good for students since they could
have new experiences by helping people who really need it, but only when it
does not affect their school hours. Schools always want the best for students,
and for them to become good people that are prepared for anything.
In addition, schools are doing well by encouraging students to be
volunteers, often by giving extra points. Some students accept volunteering with
the unique purpose of encouraging more students, and others may choose to
volunteer only because of the benefits it offers and not because they really want
to help people.
Students who volunteer because they like to help people will be much
more efficient than a person who does it just for some benefit. Nowadays, I think
there are very few people who really know the true meaning of volunteering.
In some schools, volunteering is mandatory. I think that is wrong because
the meaning of volunteering is that it should be each person´s decision and not
an obligation. Some people say they do not have time to volunteer. I think that is
just an excuse for not participating. Although everyone may have free time, I
believe that it is the decision of each individual.

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Fabiola Garcia (Mexico)
Be a Volunteer
I have chosen this topic given the great importance that volunteering has
for me in the current society in which we live. Thanks to many volunteers who
collaborate in associations, carry out interventions at the community level, etc.,
many people improve their quality of life, while covering with the help of other
people’s basic needs that could not be covered by themselves.
Volunteering means leaving everything behind, leaving your comfort zone
and sacrificing all the comforts of your life—leaving your ego, the luxuries and
comforts and the life we have in our countries of origin to go out to the world
chasing a dream. For many people this is a crazy dream, one which gives
ourselves completely to help others. As human beings, we willingly leave
everything behind without thinking, and we cross countries, and even continents,
to help without expecting anything to change.
Volunteering involves not only giving away a little money so that people
can improve their quality of life. The volunteer also gives his or her time,
knowledge, enthusiasm and good humor with the aim of changing, even for a few
days, the panorama of the people and community in which he or she finds
himself.
Volunteering means being different from others, because helping changes
your life. Volunteers change for the better, and in the end receive more (love,
affection, friends, family, etc.) than they gave. Living life this way and to see
others change makes us more human, more sensitive and more tolerant of

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everything and everyone. If there were more volunteers in the world, the world
would soon be a place with more love, understanding, affection and empathy,
because when traveling and getting to know other cultures, we forget prejudices
and cultural differences and we would see each other as what we really are—
human beings.
In my opinion, volunteering should be a choice that people decide for
themselves, since sometimes people are forced to volunteer for more than they
would like. They may not want to do it, and when they feel obligated, they may
not do it in a good way. They can convey their displeasure and the people they
are helping may not feel at peace with the volunteers.

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Estefania Ordoñez (Mexico)
I agree with mandatory volunteering required by the schools because it
mainly creates an obligation for their students, and in some cases to accredit the
course. Although it could be something that you do not like to do, it makes you
grow up. Depending on what it consists of, what it involves, and the different
kinds of activities, it gives the students more experiences for all the senses.
Although the experiences may not always be good, they can leave you with an
apprenticeship.
Although the opponents of the mandatory volunteering debate say that it
has to be a personal choice, it is not something that is forced on them to do all
their lives. It is only during the time that is established by the school, usually
certain days per week. Generally, they allow the student to choose their favorite
activity among those available. In spite of the fact that opponents say sometimes
the students don’t have enough time to do extracurricular activities, trying a new
activity of any kind motivates people to use their free time productively by doing
community service. It is also a way to realize whether or not you enjoy that
activity. Many students probably don’t know about various kinds of activities and
perhaps they would never know about them if they weren’t forced to do them.
Volunteering can help you to realize your true interests and abilities.
Even though students who are forced to do activities could do things in a bad
mood, the people who are benefited or those who receive help feel grateful for

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them. Perhaps you did not want to volunteer at first, but you did something good
which also generates self-satisfaction.

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Hyun Wook Cho (South Korea)
Intermediate/Advanced Level – Fall 2017
Emotional Turning Point in America
I had lived in Korea before I came to New York in America. When I was a
kid, I worried about going abroad, even though it was just a simple trip.
Innumerable factors made me feel scared: different looks, language, culture,
weather, and environment. In spite of the difficulties, I decided to study in
America though I am thirty years old. After coming here, I have experienced the
uniqueness of culture of the United States. Some of cultural features are utterly
different from those of my culture. Among them, I will explain two special
experiences which I have learned from living here.
To begin with, what I keep in mind is an attitude of thankfulness. My wife
and I have been touched absolutely when people expressed gratitude to us
because of our good deed. In addition, people always repeat the words, “thank
you.” It makes me feel great happiness. For instance, the story is about my visit
to the department store, Century 21. When I was walking to the front door,
though I should walk for at least 20 seconds, a man was keeping the door open.
At first, I was really sorry because I did not realize his action was for me, but he
was waiting for me with a full smile until I was there. I was really impressed with
his good conduct. I cannot forget that moment. Since I experienced that, I have
seen a number of cases of wonderful action, keeping a gate open and waiting for
an entering person. Of course, I have also tried to do a kind of action which I

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want to express my good deed. Afterwards, due to this tiny effort, my whole way
of thinking and attitude have been changing. I have started to care other people
much more than before. It helps me to get a mild manner. I have gotten used to
dealing with my calmness by considering other people. It is probably helpful to
adjust to a foreign country according to my experience. With this attitude, I can
assimilate to living in a foreign country more easily.
Secondly, I understand and change the way how I see my life after living
in the United States. When I was a student, I had a future dream which I thought
was really perfect to me. However, surrounding people told me disadvantages of
my dream before telling the advantages. I felt restrained from my acquaintances,
so I lost a kind of self-esteem. On the other hand, in America, many people
support my future and plan, in addition to giving me some advices. They do not
focus on negative possibilities but positive possibilities. It makes me get more
confidence and motivation about my future. I think they already know how to deal
with their own lives. The way which American people normally choose is much
more useful than Koreans do. Furthermore, I am keeping the direction and pace
to my unpredictable future with a definitely positive attitude.
In conclusion, I think that what I learned in America is highly related to a
view of life. Not that I am here in the United States, I have been adjusting to a
new lifestyle, struggling to learn English, and understanding culture which I have
never experienced before. Of course, just living in America is not the best way to
manage one’s life. I know well that it depends on the circumstances which people
are facing now. Nevertheless, I appreciate my acquaintances for letting me
imagine real future life. I am proud that I have stacked up fantastic experiences

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for thirty years in Korea. Moreover, I am building up another sort of experiences
in the United States, especially emotional experiences. I want to keep up with
what I learned here. The reason is that I am already here. I will not be scared the
same as when I was young.

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Cristina Salinas Vasquez (Ecuador)
The Transportation in New York vs Ecuador
One of the most important things in different countries in the word is the
transportation, because everyone needs to move to work, to schools or to do
many planned activities in the day. My experience has been rewarding because I
come from Ecuador and we do not have a good transportation. Everything is a
mess and I think one of the biggest problems in my country is the transportation.
The order is what impressed me the most because if someone wants to
take the bus, they must stand in line and wait their turn to take it. There is a
punctual schedule and the accessibility. When you want to go from one place to
another, you have some options; for example you can take the bus, the train or
the ferry any time.
The technology is another amazing point for me because if you want to
check the schedule or which is the next train, you can download an app and
follow the line that you should always take. In Ecuador, we do not have anything
like this.
This experience has been interesting for me because I learned that
respect and the order are very important in life and if you want to do something,
you need to take your time and wait because everyone lines up and everyone
lines up and everyone wants to reach their destination. In Ecuador, is very
different because the people don’t make the line. When the bus arrives, the
people cause a disaster because they just want to get on the bus and they do not
care about the rest of the people.

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One of the solutions for my country in this issue would be to implement
publicity campaigns that teach people to be orderly and respect the lines, but I
think that for me people to learn, we need a lot of time, but we need to start
making changes in our culture and so little by we will be learning.
The most important thing is to take the first step and generate solutions
rules to the problems and over time we will get used to them and we will make a
better country.

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Krenare Trenova (Macedonia)
My life in the USA
First, I want to thank America for changing some things in my life. I will say
that this country gives me the opportunity of living life how I want to live it. I come
from a small city, which I like a lot because I grew up there. As I said my city is a
very small city with not a lot of population, you can get to know every person in
the city. It is a city in which most of the people keep their traditions. So, when I
came to America I was an introverted person with people that I had never spoken
to, quiet and very shy to say what I feel with other people. But after I came, I
started to meet a lot of different people from all over the world and each one of
them has different character. Besides that, I learned so much from these people:
they taught me how to not be embarrassed anymore and say what I feel about
something I want. It was very interesting for me to see American people and
people from other countries that they live by themselves and have to deal with
everything that life brings to us. I am living with my parents and they had
supported me all of my life, but since I came to America, I started to change it
and I am trying to be an independent person. Since I started my new life in
America, I think more about my future life. I try to do my best now for myself so I
will be better person in my future.
Another fact that surprises me in America is the transportation. Life in
America is very complicated and busy. I have seen people running to take
subways, busses and boats, because everything is about time.

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People are so busy and don’t have enough time to sleep or relax during the day,
and when they get on the subways, they run to find a seat because of their
exhausting day. Finally, when they take subways or busses, some people say
that at that time they take a rest, and also I have seen people eating food on
public transportation, and they do whatever they want. In my country eating food
on transportation is not allowed. People say here in America, you can do
whatever you want to do. So, what I am trying to say is that I feel in this country,
people feel their freedom and as I know, most of the people who visit America
don’t go back to their country.
I have a few friends from Albania who came to visit America and they were
planning to stay only for 1 month, but after 1 month they decided to live in the
USA. I think everyone changes their mind about living in this country, because for
everybody this country has place to live. So, as all the world says, ‘’God Bless
America’’.

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“Maria” - Zhifang Hai (China)
I Just Want to Say Hello
I want to tell you an interesting thing that happens in America. I have been
here for about two months. For a native, it is common that everyone knows what
to do when it happens. But for a Chinese, what I have done is wrong in America
although it is Ok in China.
That day, I drove a car to Niagara Falls with my family. It was a long trip by
car. It was interesting to some tourist attractions along the way. For the first two
hours, I drove at the speed limit, and I didn’t need to have a rest. Everything was
Ok for me.
Two hours later, I began to worry about the distance that I still had to drive
today. It looked like it would be impossible to arrive at the hotel in the evening. I
began to drive faster and faster. At that time, a policeman was driving behind me,
and we didn’t know it. We were talking about the history of China and America.
Suddenly, a car stopped before my car, and it was the policeman. And at this time,
I knew I had made some mistakes. I stopped my car, and my husband got out of
the car and wanted to say something to the policeman. ”Stop, don’t move, or I will
shoot you!” What the policeman said shocked us. We just wanted to say hello. It
is common in our country, and it is polite to get out of the car. Why did the
policeman say these words?
After this, I know the better thing is to stay in the car and put your hands
on the front and make the policeman see your hands until the policeman ask you

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to leave.
Why? Why does this happen? I think the main reason is everyone can
have a gun, and the policeman must be sure he is safe. Anyone could do
anything in this condition. So do not say hello to a policeman and get out of the
car when you make mistakes. Just stay in your car in America.

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Yuhan Liu (China)
Interesting stories I faced
Today I am still eighteen years old. I am very happy that I am still young, this
year, I am in a very different, beautiful, mysterious country- the USA that I did not
used to stay in, briefly, I think I have learned a lot of things including knowledge,
cultures and customs. In addition, I have met various types of people; also, I
have become more mature than before. Next, I am going to talk about some
interesting and meaningful stories.
When I came to here at first, I could feel the fresh air that is very different from
China. After I got off the plane, I wanted to find some cart to deliver my luggage,
but later I when asked some officials, then I knew I had to pay. Therefore, I pulled
my big luggage by myself. I thought it is very hard work, because I had never
done that before. In China, my parents did everything for me. I just needed to
take a taxi to school and my mom would drive her car to take me home after I
finished school. So, for a long time I had been spoiled. I was so short of
independent ability that I remember very clearly that I hauled the two huge boxes
arduously in the airport. Now I want to summarize that it is a very tiny thing, but it
definitely shows my horrible self -care ability. Luckily, I have a huge improvement
now.
There is a very surprising phenomenon I found here. Every bathroom has built-in
paper and paper towels for drying hands. It is disparate with China, in China, you
have to take paper by yourself when you are going to a bathroom. For me, I like
the difference. In addition, it reminds me of another discrepancy between here

34
and China. In my high school, we have military teaching management regulation.
In class, we are not allowed to go to the bathroom unless we have a very special
condition. You have to ask for instruction, and if you get the permission, then you
could be able to go to the bathroom. I had an awkward experience in my second
grade in high school. I was so shamefaced about it. However, here the education
system is different, and we could go to the bathroom anytime if we need to,
thanks to our lovely teachers. In addition, it can avoid embarrassment.
I came to the college in March; I was impressed by the campus environment.
There are a lot of beautiful trees and buildings here. Moreover, my favorite is the
sakura flower in April. At that time, I lived in the campus apartment. Therefore, it
was convenient for me to walk around in the campus to enjoy the beauties. Every
weekend I got up very early and went to see the pink flowers. It was unspeakably
beautiful. I would like to see it again next year.

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Muhammet Baran Karatas (Turkey)
The Bus Experience
I had a bad story two months ago. The story is that I forget my wallet in
the MTA bus. Let’s talk about my story and learn important things from my story.
When I was at home two months ago, in the morning I was stressed, because I
had a vocabulary test later that day. Then I prepared what I need from home to
go to school. Then I went to the s79 bus in Hylan Blvd to go to the College of
Staten Island. Then I waited for 20 min. Then I entered the first bus (s79). Then
when we were going, I was studying for my vocabulary test so I was not thinking
about my wallet. Then I got off to transfer to the s61 bus. That day was too windy
and cold. I was thinking about when the bus is coming to the station, because I
may get sick. When I was thinking about that, the bus came to bus the station.
Then when I was looking for my wallet, I could not find it in my jacket. Then I
talked with the driver about this bad story. He said that it is ok. You can take the
bus so you can come with us. You do not need pay money for the bus. I was
thinking about that how I could find my wallet. Then I found some solution about
that. The solution is that I should go to the last bus station to find my wallet. I did
not think about how I could explain myself when I talked with security. Then I
arrived at the last station, but I did not see the bus I took first. Then I talked with
another bus driver about my problem. He gave me a phone number for someone
who can find my wallet. After that, I went to school. I was late for my vocabulary
test. In the afternoon, I called the number that the driver gave me. However, I

36
could not find someone. Then I called my cousin. He lives near my home. I asked
him about how I could deactivate my bankcards.
Then I closed all my bankcards. After 2 weeks, when we were fishing,
someone called my cousin. Then she said “I found Baran’s wallet. If you are
available, you can come to Staten Island Mall to take the wallet.” Then we went
to the mall and we said thanks to her. Then I asked to her “Do you have a car?”
She said that she does not. Then I said that we can drive to your home for you.
Then when we arrived at her home, we were surprised, because she is my
cousin’s neighbor.

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Gihan Warnakulasooriya (Sri Lanka)
The Best Experience that I Had in America
On the first day, I arrived in this country as a foreigner coming from an
Asian country. The first thing I noticed was the left hand driving. Then I started
the adventure in America and from that day onwards it has been a wonderful
year to me I have experienced many things in this country. I have traveled a lot
and still have many more places to visit. In the beginning, the American accent
was very difficult to understand, but after some weeks, I got used to it.
The first experience that I had was the ferry ride that I experienced with
my friend that lives in America. While we were riding, he showed me the Statue
of Liberty that I had only seen on movies and pictures and it was the first time I
saw it up close so I was so happy to see it. Then he showed me the bridges that
connect some borough, and we went to the city after getting off the ferry. We got
on the public trance potation system using the underground tunnel trains and we
got out at 42nd Street. We went to all the flag ship stores and we shopped as we
watched 42nd Street getting lit up at the night Even it was around 9pm at night
42nd street was bright because of the billboards and lots of electronic
advertisements with led lights.
The next interesting experience that I had was traveling to Pennsylvania
with my friend’s family. We traveled about 2-3 hours, then we arrived at the
Amish village. It was breath-taking to be away from the buildings, noise, and

38
pollution soon as we got out the braes of the air was so good. Then we went to
the village town and we paid for a guided trip all around the village. We got to
know that villagers don’t use electricity and they don’t focus on learning so much
because the main income is by doing farming and selling the famous Amish
tobacco leaf. We stayed at the village for one night we had a BBQ event. Then
the elders and we gather, we sang songs, and I had lot of fun on that day. It was
a wonderful experience in the village.
Then I got in to the college of Staten Island to do my ELI course. That was
the best experience of America so far to me. I got to know two marvelous
professors and lots of friends from all around the country. First, I was not very
shy to talk with them at the beginning and gradually we became good friends,
and I learned these people are very sweet and so friendly and all of us have a
good bond between us now. Then came the month of October, a month that was
very memorable to me because I was facing the Halloween. The Americans
celebrate Halloween in a very colorful way. One week of spooky house
decorations costume parties and on the day of the Halloween the streets were
filled with little children dressed as monsters, ghosts, superheroes, fairies and
many more innumerable costumes and going from house to house and asking for
candy. It was quite a new experience to me.
In the month of November came the cultural day to our class and all of the
students had to present about their country. I made a presentation about my
country, I wore a traditional sarong from my country, all of the other students
made their presentations, and we learned many new things about other
countries. And the best part was we all brought our food that represents our

39
county and we could experience their food and they could experience our food.
In the same month I experienced the famous tradition in America that’s called as
the Thanksgiving I went out with a native friend of mine to his place and the
dinner table was filled with food, and in the middle of the table there was a large
turkey roasted and stuffed with fillings. We all got together and ate food, we
shared our thoughts, and it was quite fun and a good experience to me. In the
same month, I went on shopping on Black Friday to Jersey Gardens Mall. It was
packed with people so we literally fought with people to buy stuff. We had to wait
in the line for hours to pay for the items we bought and did not liken that
experience at all
So far it has been a wonderful journey for me coming to America and
there is more to be explored and to get to know, so by looking at that, coming to
this country was the best thing I have done.

40
Melany Basso (Italy)
My Experience in America
Living in a foreign country is going to bring many new experiences about
the culture of the native people. It is an opportunity but it is also going to be an
adjustment. I always think why do Americans do that?" in response to some
American habits. I will share some of the most common things to keep in mind
about Americans and U.S. culture before you arrive. Although other countries are
practical, Americans often prefer large and luxurious. Do not be surprised by the
enormous trucks and massive SUVs sprawling across parking lots. Americans
just like their space. Thinking big also added to American food; most restaurants
serve very large portions. It is very common for someone to order a big meal and
then take the remnants home as leftovers (doggy bag). Some restaurant
appetizers are to be shared. If you are going out to eat and are not sure of the
portion size, it is okay to ask your server what they recommend. There is a
saying: "bigger is better." Many people, especially young people, are looking to
have a very healthy life, go to the gym, shop for local and healthy foods, and try
to lower their consumption and waste as much as possible.
Most Americans are always in a hurry. It seems they are often running
from one appointment to the next, going to and from work, picking up kids,
running errands, and going to business meetings and having a social life.
Because Americans are regularly on the move, there is often not enough time to
have a formal, sit down meal. A common expression that I heard is"24 hours in a
day is not enough!" and very often I feel the same way. I wish a day would have

41
48 hours, because my time here in America is running out and I want to
experience and see the most possible of that beautiful and immense country, and
learn the culture and their habits, for example to celebrate Independence Day or
Thanksgiving, spend hours of happiness (with the family), meet people and learn
the way in which people interact with each other, or the music, the history, the
art, and not forgetting the food! It is wonderful to go and live abroad in order to be
immersed in a culture that is extraordinary to you, where you can experience
things that wouldn’t be on offer at home. Therefore, many people, like me, are
very attracted to this country.
Living in a foreign country is an enriching experience because it forces
you to adapt to things that are unfamiliar and unusual to you. You become
independent and open to new, exciting, or terrifying challenges that you would
never have experienced in your home country. And that is the most rewarding of
all: the opportunity to learn and develop as a person, because you will discover
things about yourself that you may not have known before: your beliefs, your
passions, your character and your skills. Through interacting within a foreign
society, your eyes will be open to all sorts of aspects of life that would be difficult
to learn in your native country.
These are just a few of the many reasons why people choose to buy the one way
ticket and establish themselves in a different country. It may be temporary, it may
be forever, but one thing that is guaranteed is that you’ll never look back. These
adventurers have wise, honest observations to pass along, observations only
experience can teach you. The basic headline is that living abroad is a wonderful,
strengthening, enlightening, and life changing experience, but it also doesn't
come without its difficulties.

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Nikola Baranova (Slovakia)
Living and Making Friends in New York
When I was in Slovakia I never thought that my path will direct me to New
York. I lived in a small country where it is not that hard to find something and go
somewhere. Everything is close and everyone knows each other. I was studying
physical therapy and graduated with a degree and I was satisfied with myself.
Even if I didn’t know what would happen next, I felt pretty good. I had everything
that I needed for living a nice carefree life. But the situation changed when I was
thinking about my job, where I wanted work, what I wanted to prove and it made
me confused. I got into a vicious circle with many questions about what is the
best choice for me. Every one of my friends already knew what they wanted to do
and I was disappointed. I asked myself, my mom is in the USA and my friends
and other family are here in Slovakia. I can work here, but is it what I really want?
My mom always wanted the best for me and I really love her for it. She
does everything that she can do, even if we don’t have so many resources, and I
really appreciate how she can manage everything. My mom came to New York
about 4 years ago, so she asked me if I wanted to come here and continue my
education that I acquired in Slovakia and improve my skills. I was shocked
because on one side I really wanted to come to New York and be with my mom,
but on the other side I was afraid to leave my space where I felt comfortable. I
was thinking about my options and I finally decided. I wanted to try something
new and maybe better. When would I have the opportunity visit as big a city as is

43
New York? I could not refuse that big chance I got, so I am here and I think my
decision was right. I am visiting the College of Staten Island to improve my
English and show myself I can do it. At first, I was afraid if I could make friends
here and if I could prepare to continue college here and handle it. But everything
is possible if you have passion to do this, go for it and never give up. I have
learnt new things and I received many nice times here, from Culture day,
Thanksgiving, crazy Black Friday, tours to Manhattan and visiting many beautiful
places here. I will remember every moment since I am here.
I remember on one funny situation from last week at school. I was in
administration in building 2A to give an interview with one guy about school, how
I feel about the college , how I like it here, if I can make friends in class and out of
class, and I said yes sure. He asked me how I can make friends outside of
school and I said from one mobile application. While we were talking, another
guy was listening to our conversation, so he asked me which one and I said to
him “Badoo”, and he said he didn’t know about this application and gave me
advice on another that he uses, so I downloaded this application. A few days
after this, someone was writing me on this application and asked me why I use
this application and I told him about the man who recommended it to me, and he
said “No way, that was me!” We were laughing about how small the world is.
If I can give advice to people who are afraid to come here or another
country because they don’t have anybody here or don’t know language, I can say
they shouldn’t be afraid. You can meet new people and have some funny
experiences for your future. If you are brave and have courage, you can live in
any place in the world that you want. People here are understanding and patient

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because they know that it is hard for us to live here and communicate, so don’t
worry and risk it!

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Svathika Thesingharajah (Switzerland)
My first Thanksgiving and Black Friday
On November 23 and 24, 2017, I celebrated my first Thanksgiving and
Black Friday here in New York, in the United States. When I lived in Switzerland,
I heard so many things about Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but I never
expected that it would be such a big celebration as I had last Thursday and
Friday.
My uncle’s family and I were invited by a Tamil family here in Staten Island
for the feast. We went at 7 o’clock and we were one of the first people there.
When I was there, the first thing I saw was the huge turkey. The big turkey was
surrounded by delicious starters like cold cuts, nacho chips, fish, shrimp etc. For
the first half an hour, I could not take my eyes off the turkey. As time passed,
many people came with more food. When I saw this, I wanted to try all the food
but I was full and waited to try this big turkey.
Finally, the time was here, and I was so excited. At 9 pm, we cut the
turkey. Before they cut it, they mentioned my name and I was shocked why they
said my name, then I paid attention and they told to everyone that it is my first
Thanksgiving. Afterwards we cut the turkey, and I ate a lot. We had so many
dishes like mac and cheese, lasagna, fried rice, turkey, pasta, fish, etc.
Unfortunately, I did not like the turkey and I did not eat a lot of that. After we ate,
they put music on and we danced and chitchatted a lot. I did not dance. I sat on
the side of the dancefloor and encouraged the people who danced. It was funny

46
and never boring. When I looked at the time, it was almost 11 pm. It was time for
dessert. Once again, there was so much food. I could not choose what to take,
and at the end, I took chocolate ice cream and a little piece of cake. After this big
day, we came home at 12.30 am.
The next day was Black Friday. However, we were too tired to go early in
the morning, so my cousin and I decided to go shopping at 7 am. We were too
tired and did not hear the alarm. Then, at 7.30 am, my aunt came to wake us up.
We woke up in a rush and my aunt dropped us off at the Staten Island Mall. I
thought the mall would be full and we would need to stay in a line to pay for our
stuff. But it was the opposite. The shops were not really full and we took our time
to try on the clothes. After 11 am, the entire mall was full of people. I was so
happy that we went in the morning, because we were almost finished with
shopping and had all the things we decided to buy. But the negative thing was
that we had planned to go to a shoe shop but the mall was so crowded that we
cut this plan.
For me it was an exciting experience. I always had a different thing in my
mind, because in my country we never have so many discounts, not even at
Christmas time. For two years we also had Black Friday but in several shops
when you go shopping on Black Friday and ask for any discounts they will ask
you “What is Black Friday?” or “What discount, we do not have any discounts”. It
is too bad that it is like that. I want to have something like Black Friday in
Switzerland. But I am very happy that I had the opportunity to celebrate these
festivals in New York.

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Maria Aurora Soto Dagnino (Mexico)
My first international experience
Living in a different place than home is already a hard situation, but living
in a different country, no matter how long, is a completely new world. In this case,
I was not that far from home, but as this was my first time, it seemed to me like a
different continent. In this whole month, I experienced so many things; some of
them are pretty funny, some others are more than funny and then there are the
bad things that always happen. Let us start with the good ones. My host family
was the best that I could ever have; they were so nice to me and I think that is
what I am going to miss the most from this place. Then I visited so many places
in the city that were all brand new to me, like Broadway shows, buildings, parks,
museums, etc. In addition, I met people from all over the world and they all were
funny classmates and they helped a lot with my English improvement.
Related to my school, the program was very interesting in so many
senses. We had activities besides the classes and it helped us to know all the
international students, and how the education works in the U. S. A. We had this
culture day where we learned things about other countries and we tried delicious
food. Our teachers were so funny and each class was better than the previous.
Of course, a month it is not enough to learn a new language from scratch, but the
classes were so dynamic and we practiced a lot.
Every time we were on the street hanging around, something happened to
me. I used to watch T.V. shows and movies about American people, so it was

48
funny to realize that things in movies are so similar to real life, and that was
surprising to me. As I saw the people just living their lives, I noticed every single
detail and that they were actually familiar to me. So if you used to watch those
kinds of shows about any part of the world, maybe you can suppose that you
already know the place.
In addition, I had the opportunity to share some time with my cousin and
my uncle, because they live here in the U.S.A. We were at the NYC Marathon,
we celebrated my uncle’s birthday, and we went to Washington, D. C. for a quick
visit. I have to say that it is a beautiful city but in a very different way than New
York, and we enjoyed our time there by visiting memorials, parks and the White
House.
I think we were so lucky to be in this season of the year because we
shared important celebrations. In my personal opinion, Thanksgiving was the
best because you spend time with your family and you can enjoy the amazing
dinner. I have to say that my host mom made a huge effort with the dinner for us,
and of course, the food was delicious. I also went to the Thanksgiving parade
and it was freezing, so I got sick the next day and I had to stay in bed, but it was
totally worth it because these are the kind of things we do not have in Mexico.
Finally, we all experienced many things this month but I cannot be more
clear when I say that this is the best experience in my life this far. Of course, I
hope to come back soon with my family because as a result of this trip, I became
a subway expert through our adventures in the city and I will be able to lead
them. I absolutely loved seeing new places and seeing new people and I think
that is something I want to do for the rest of my life.

49
Maria Del Cielo Valdez Cardenas (Mexico)
How important is keeping the technology near us?
Studying abroad
When you decide to study outside your country, probably you always
focus your mind on the benefits that you will get. This happens when you are not
at the final destination yet, and the crucial part arrives when you are there. This
does not mean that you cannot find advantages this way, but you have to be
prepared to face anything, because you will be practically alone. Most people
experience the famous “culture shock,” the phenomena that makes you strange
and uncomfortable when you are experiencing the lifestyle of a different country.
The changes give us weird feelings; the fact that you make a change implies
getting a new style, a new viewpoint, and a new way to think, but you are always
going to learn something. The changes are hard and complex, because
immediately you will be missing your family, your house and the food of your
country. Perhaps people get used to a new style of life, but always they will
prefer their country’s food.
Technology is an important tool that makes the process easier. Many apps
help you to feel better and sure. This advance has allowed the population to take
the chance to study abroad and improve their professional life, or even to get
something and do what’s necessary to reach it. For example, if you choose to
move to a big city, you would have to know the subway lines and the places near
your destination, which is almost impossible at the beginning. Fortunately, our

50
cellphones have a marvelous app “GPS”, so getting lost is not a problem today.
When I arrived in NY, I was a little confused about the way to go to school, but
my cellphone saved me. GPS tells the right route to take and the precise time to
get on the bus or the subway.
Another typical situation that everybody experiences is loneliness, but it is
solved in an instant, because you can use your cellphone and keep in touch with
your parents and see them in real time. In the short time that I have been in NY, I
do not miss my family too much, because every day I text with them and it is as if
they are with me. When you are away by yourself, you have many difficulties;
however, if you know how to overcome them, the list of the experiences
increases. In my case, I can say that I am able to live in a big city.
On the other hand, there are many unforgettable moments, and I have
had the chance to interact with people from other countries and know about their
cultures. It is exciting to discover the differences among us and share this
information. In addition, I have seen the best places in NY; my dream came true
when I saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time, visited Central Park and walked
on Fifth Avenue. Also, I have tasted new dishes in the restaurants of the city.
I could not do that without the help of my cellphone, so, my advice is to
keep your phone with you wherever you go and don’t forget its charger! Through
it, you will discover the places around the world.

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Jorge Armando Gonzalez Arias (Mexico)
My experience in America
My dream was always to be an exchange student and when I knew it would be in
New York, it was exciting because I always saw the huge buildings in the movies
and it was a dream to come here. When I arrived in the United States, the first
change I noticed was the weather. Where I live, the weather is hotter, so when I
arrived here it was like a drastic change, getting used to the cold. When we
arrived at school, it seemed like a very big and beautiful school. There we were
going to meet our new family, so I personally was nervous but excited to meet
them, because I knew I was about to live an experience that would last me for
the whole lifetime.
The first day of school we did a position test, and I was nervous because I would
meet new classmates and my new teacher for 1 month. They gave us the tour
throughout the school and I was amazed at how big it was. I even had to take a
bus to get to my classroom! The first day after school I remember we didn't know
how to get to the mall, but it was our first day and we went on the adventure. We
arrived and everyone was amazed by the stores, but also a little worried about
the prices because for us Mexicans the dollar is a bit expensive.
The first day already in the class I met many people from all over the world. I
never thought that I would meet people from so many countries and all of them
seemed very good. They all spoke to you and asked you questions, and the two
teachers seemed excellent teachers. Their form to teach is very didactic and

52
varied. After school we decided to take the ferry to go to Manhattan, but it was
our first ferry experience and all the time we took pictures, so we looked like
children.
The school took us on a tour of Manhattan with our teacher Tom. We went to the
museum, to Chinatown, and we visited many famous buildings. It was a great
time. Then they also took us to a Broadway show (Beautiful: The Carole King
Musical) and it was fantastic! I always wanted to go to a Broadway show. We
also visited Central Park, Times Square and Fifth Avenue. We went to several
clubs inside the school and we met more students, and they are all very nice
people and we had very nice times. Then they informed us that we were invited
to a dinner at the president's house, and it was a very big house.
My first thanksgiving in the United States I had a great time. My new family
invited many people and we had a full house. I learned from the traditions of the
United States how they live in these parties, and it was a very nice experience.
The time I was here made me realize that there are still many things to discover
and that this is just the beginning. I give thanks for this opportunity that I was
given to meet so many good people, and I will miss the United States.

53
Lynette Ernestina Ochoa Verdugo (Mexico)
Discovering my passion
At the beginning of this experience, I was very excited, because I was
anxiously expecting what would happen to my friends and me during this month.
The first day, I was too nervous because I did not know my host family, but when
Fabiola (my Mexican friend that lives in the same house as me) and I arrived,
John Gates (our host father) received us with enthusiasm behavior, so he made
us feel like we were at home.
Two days later, I knew my classmates; they come from many different
countries, and I could not learn all their names until a few days later. The first
person I knew was Svathika; she is from Switzerland and she is a nice and
gentle girl. Time after time, I learned about their cultures, the way they dress, eat,
their traditions, and all the topics were very interesting to me.
Three weeks later, during the international week, I realized that when I
was in high school, I really enjoyed learning English and doing other things that
really made me happy. It reminds me that I want to learn more languages.
Therefore, one of my biggest dreams was opening a school of languages in my
city because of the current need for it. But because of my busy days at the
school and at the company where I was practicing, I forgot all about that.
During the time I lived in New York, I spent time with many different
people, and nowadays I can say that knowing about other countries and diverse
ways of thinking helps me to grow as a person. Even though I love to travel

54
around the world, I consider that when someone hangs out with international
people, it is not an obligation to travel to their countries to know and learn about
them.
The people in my city have a wrong perspective of the foreign; they think
that all the Americans are racist or bad; they even believe that traveling to
another country is something impossible and too insecure, but now, I feel the
responsibility to share my international experience with them. Maybe it could help
to change the way they think. I want to inspire and motivate more students to do
this; we can enrich our country and improve it, but I cannot do this fby myself. I
need support from the others that think the same as I.
Living in a city where the main language is English helped me to
familiarize myself with more words and expressions, and I even felt more
comfortable speaking English. Now, I am sure that one of my biggest passions is
feeding my international knowledge. I want to continue learning more languages
and I want to travel to improve as a student and as a person.

55
Rafael Gutierrez Longoria (Mexico)
My experience in America
Many things have happened during this month in America that helped me to
better understand the culture and their traditions that all the American citizens
have. Since the first day I arrived in this city, I felt a good feeling about my
experience. It was my first time studying English in an American college (College
of Staten Island), which is a very big school with many buildings and has
excellent English teachers.
At least 90% of the time I needed to speak in English to communicate with
others: teachers, friends, classmates, family, etc. Speaking a lot helps me to
improve in many ways, such as losing the fear of talking in public, socializing in a
better way, and having long conversations when it was necessary.
During the classes, we learned in different ways; we spoke, read, wrote and did
exercises in the books. We read a story first and marked the words that we did
not know or understand and asked for the meaning so it could be easier for us to
follow the reading with sense. We used the books to improve our grammar, to
use it correctly to avoid the common mistakes when we write or speak.
When the classes finished in school, we decided to go out, and there are many
places to visit near the neighborhood or out of the island like the big city. It is
better to go out to the city, because there are many things to do and visit. So, we
had to take the ferry to travel all the long way to the other island and then take

56
the metro that took us to the center of the city where many interesting places are
located.
We visited Broadway where we saw a show named Beautiful; also, we went to
Times Square on 7th avenue to see the big buildings with the lighted screens.
The thing I like the most was Central Park, which is a huge park with many trees
and lakes. Also, it has a zoo that contains different kinds of species from all
around the world.

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Ricardo Ayala Rodriguez (Mexico)
My time in America
In this month, I had the opportunity to come, learn and practice more about the
language, thanks to the program and scholarship.
Knowing the city, visiting some of the places that I wanted to know,
meeting new people and learning about their traditions and culture, and having
classes with two excellent teachers helped me to practice my skills more in the
language and of course to improve it.
One of the funny things that happened is that on the first day of school, I
got lost, and it was all because I didn’t knew how to get on the right bus. I ended
up in the middle of nowhere, asking people for directions to get to the school
where I needed to be dropped off. This also happened the first time I went to
Manhattan and took the subway; it was a big maze for me. However, in the end,
thanks to all that, I learned how to use both correctly.
Something that got me very excited was the first time I went to Times
Square, which was one of the places that I always wanted to go, see, and
experience. At first, I was in shock looking at the lights, TVs and announcements.
I was very happy entering all the different stores and walking in the streets,
taking pictures of myself or going to some of the stores that got my attention.
Other things that got me very excited were going on the hop on / hop off
bus tour to all of Manhattan, entering The American Museum of Natural History,
looking and taking pictures at some of the most representative buildings in the

58
city, and having dinner in a restaurant inside Chinatown. In addition, I was very
happy because I got the opportunity to go and see a show in Broadway called
Beautiful; that was very interesting, and I liked it a lot.
Nevertheless, the activity or thing that I did and enjoyed the most was to
have the Thanksgiving with my homestay host and some of her family and
friends. Even though I already celebrated this festival with my family, it was a
very special day and very different from the ones I did before.

60
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Students' anthologies - Fall 2017 - English Language Institute - College of Staten Island

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Students' anthologies - Fall 2017 - English Language Institute - College of Staten Island