Hi!
This week's questions is presented by Aisha. The question is "open to interpretation" in that you can look at it from many different viewpoints. You might interpret it as asking for your feeling in general about the experience of coming to the U.S. (excited, nervous, anxious, scared, etc.); on the other hand, you might say something about how you felt about U.S. culture before you arrived here and how you feel now. Here is the question:
How was your feeling before and after coming to the
U.S.?
Think about your response and try to write as much as you can.
As always, happy writing!
There are a lot of differences between the U.S. and Japan, in my feelings. This is the first time for me to stay in the U.S. and I was mainly surprised at two points.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the food in the U.S. is much larger than I thought. When I went to a restaurant, one lady was eating a huge hotdog and pizza. I had never seen and eaten that size of food in Japan. Moreover, the American people around me always eat a lot. If I eat that much like my friends, I am going to get fatter and fatter. The food in the U.S. is totally different from Japan.
Second, the people in the U.S. are much kinder and gentler than I tought. One teacher of mine told me that the American people do not care other people and I thought it is true. However, the coordinaters take care of me very gently, my roommate teachs me everything I do not know and answer every question and the students in the dormitory explain me anything I want to know. My teacher is completely misunderstanding.
From these two points, the U.S. is different from Japan and what I thought and I surprised at food and people. This is what I felt before and after coming to the U.S.
Hi Yui,
DeleteYour first points it too true. Americans eat BIG portion sizes! The problem with the U.S. diet isn't so much that Americans eat too much unhealthy but rather that Americans just eat too much in general. However, just because you live in the U.S. doesn't mean you have to eat "American"-sized meals.
On grammar:
Your grammar in this reponse is pretty good; I had to think about it for a second before finding something to comment on. I did find one thing to talk about: commas.
First, make sure you add a comma between two independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, yet, etc.).
Ex: Paragraph 1, Sentence #2
-->This is the first time for me to stay in the U.S., and I was mainly surprised at two points.
Also, it helps to add commas to lists of three or more, especially when there is already an "and" in that list.
Ex: Paragraph 3, Sentence #3
However,......gently, my rommate teaches me everything I do not know and answers every questions, and the students......
Note: I add a comma after "questions."
Hope this helps.
There were a lot of feelings that I have before I came to the U.S. . First of all, the good feelings were that I was so exciting because I would visit a new country and study English language. Also, I was thrilling that I would see the snow and go to skating. However, I was crying many times when I thought that I would leave my family because it was my first time when I travel without them; I would be far away from them for a period of time. Moreover, I would miss my best friends because I have beautiful moments with them when I was in college. Also, I feared that I would meet a new people because I was not so outgoing. Finally, now after I live in U.S. more than year and half, I feel that I adapt with the place and become outgoing. Also, I have good English language that makes me to be more confident.
ReplyDeleteHi Aisha,
DeleteGoing abroad by yourself for the first time can be scary, and it's really easy to wonder whether it might be better to just stay in a place that you know with all the people you love. But, as you have found out after a year and a half here in the U.S., the initial challenges are soon overcome by the rewards of successfully adapting to the new environment, meeting new people, and acquiring important new skills. To be honest, the hardest thing for me about leaving the country is leaving my mother behind. This just gets harder and harder the older I get (and the older she gets).
On grammar:
When we described a person's feelings or interests, we always use the past participle form of the verb (-ed form), not the -ing form.
Ex: "I was thrilled." -->At that time, I felt thrilled.
Example 2: The experience was thrilling. (note: it's an experience, not a person).
Example 3:
He is fascinated with English grammar.(He is interested in it)
English grammar is fascinating.
He is a fascinating person. (permanent characteristic, not feeling or interest)
Hope this helps.
Before I came here, I thought that there were a lot of things to buy, like daily necessities and foods in Montana, the U.S. because I could go shopping when I went to Boston. However, that was wrong. Although here is the most rural place I have ever visited, the nature is very beautiful, and I can see squirrels in this campus every day; in addition, people can take a walk with their dogs in this campus, to my surprised. In Japan, we can’t this in any universities. Last year, I have lived in Edinburgh, Scotland for three month, and you know, I’m from Tokyo, Japan. These two cities are very similar such as the service of transportation. These two cities have very good transportation service, but main transportation is only buses instead of this, buses frequently run in Edinburgh. On the contrary, the U.S. is so different from these two countries especially about transportation service. It has been over one month have passed since I came here; moreover, I still mind poor transportation service.
ReplyDeleteHi Kate,
DeleteIt's true that small cities in the U.S. do not have great public transportation. The good thing about Missoula is that when it's warm, you can pretty much ride your bike anywhere. Plus, there are free buses that go from campus to downtown all night long Wed.-Saturday. Still, if you are a shopper or if you crave Japanese/Korean/Thai/other ethnic food products, Missoula is not the place to be. In fact, whenever I go to Nebraska, I always buy a huge thing of kimchi and Korean spicy red pepper paste because I cannot find these things in Missoula.
On grammar:
Quick note on use of the present perfect in your writing...
First, when an action occurred at a specific time, use the simple past.
Ex: Last year (specific time), I LIVED in Edinburgh.
Second, you got the right idea in your last sentence, but here is how you can say it more accurately:
-->It has been over one month since I came here,.....
OR
One month has passed since I came here....
Hope this helps.
By the way, feel free to continue contributing to the class blog when you are back in Japan.
Have a safe trip!
Before I came to us, I was thinking a lot how it will be. Also, I was afraid that I can live her or not? Also, I heard that people are unfriendly and criminal people. So, I was very worried about my studying. Also, I was very sad that I will leave my family in the first time for me in this age. However, I was very exciting to see us and to study English language. Also, I never thought that I will learn English language. Then, when I live her, I really enjoy Missoula. Also, I like the people her. I like the nature.
ReplyDeleteHi Ayidah,
DeleteI'm glad that you appreciate Missoula's people and nature. I feel exactly the same way. I'd say that you are doing quite well with the English language. Like I said above, it's always really hard for me to leave my mother when I go abroad.
On grammar:
1. See my comments to Aisha above on using past participles as adjectives:
-->I was excited (not exciting).
2. When we use that-clauses to describe past thoughts, feelings, or utterances (what someone said), we change "will" to "would."
Example: I was very sad that I would leave my family.
Hope this helps.
They are totally different between China and The US. Before I came to the US, I alway think about that people live in the other side of the earth leading what kind of life. I thought people live in The US are rich, smart, kind and brave, but when I came here, I know I'm wrong because people live in The US just same to China. Everyone is different, people need to work hard to earn money; some people losing job, so they became to poor people. It isn't the US in my mind, but it is true. However, the most important is I can study something true at here. For example, in China, most of the universities are found by government, so the universities just follow the government but not follow the truth. So I feel comfortable here, because I don't worry about which is correct and which is fake by government.
ReplyDeleteHi Bohan,
DeleteInteresting comments here. I have to agree with you: when you get past superficial (surface) differences, people are more alike than different all around the world. It is also true that U.S. universities are places where people want to know, discuss, and find out what is true. The main focus is this: what is the best information based on evidence, experience, and logic?
On grammar:
This is a little difficult to explain, but I'll try. Let's look at your second sentence.
Correction: "I always think about people living on the other side of the earth and what kind of life they lead."
Point 1: delete "that"--"think about something/someone;" "think that..S...V" ("think about" is different from "think about").
Point 2: "live"-->"living" ("people who live"-->reduction: "people living"
Point 3: Noun-clause! When you "think about" something, you may be thinking about a question. In this case, the question is "What kind of life do they lead?" When you put that into a sentence (not a question), you follow the rules of noun-clauses that we are discussing in class right now (delete question word).
Hope this helps.
I read your comments guys I don't think you should compare or contrast your countries with U.S. I little bit confused I think the question wants just our feeling before and after coming to U.S., so here is my answer or how I felt before and after coming to U.S. To be honest when I was in Tajikistan I used to watch a lot of Hollywood movies and I thought U.S. is amazing like wow. Why I thought like that because in every movies when they were in colleges or Universities they had freestyle wrestling team, and they had a very good instructors. I thought when I will be in U.S. the very first thing which I will do it is to be on the freestyle wrestling team on that University which I am gonna study, but unfortunately I was wrong. I was disappointed when I came to U.S. to University of Montana and couldn't find any freestyle wrestling team. I felt very bad without training freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestling, because back home I always used to train one of these two type of wrestling. Living in U.S. without training one of these wrestling I hated myself. In spite of this I hoped that one day I will find some type of wrestling, and hopefully after one month I heard that there is Judo club and Judo team in the University. I was so happy when I heard this even I didn't like Judo, because Judo is totally different type of wrestling compare to Greco-Roman or freestyle wrestling, I was very happy. Now I feel great because I used to Judo and I like it.
ReplyDeleteHi Oyatullokhi,
DeleteIt is a little strange that UM doesn't have a wrestling team. I'm glad that you found a Judo team to work with. Did you know any Judo before you came here? Does your team compete against other universities or just within the club?
On grammar:
Be careful when using past participles as adjectives.
Ex: I am disappointed.
Note the form: be + past participle (-ed form of the verb).
Correct the following sentences:
"I little bit confused...."
"I used to Judo...."
Hope this helps.
Josh
I had no worries before I came to the US. I was just excited to go there for the first time. When I arrived in Montana, I thought landscape is beautiful, but, on the other hand, I’m wondering how my life in Missoula will be going except study. Needless to say, first idea occurred to me is to play sports. I like to play various sports since I was child, so I want to try to sports, especially kayak because I have never experienced. In conclusion, I haven’t special feelings before and after coming to the US.
ReplyDeleteHi Yuki,
DeleteYou have come to the right place to learn how to kayak. The Recreation Center offers classes on a regular basis, and there are plenty of places in Missoula where you can rent or buy kayaking equipment. There is even a kayak park downtown on the river; it's called Brennan's Wave.
On grammar:
See my comment to Ayidah above on changing "will" to "would" in past tense noun clauses.
-->"I was wondering how my life in Missoula WOULD be....."
Also review my comment to Kate above on the present perfect:
-->"I HAVE liked to play various sports since I was a child."
Hope this helps.
First of all people in the U,S. are very expressive. For example, when I watch a movie, Americans often laugh aloud and talk. I was confuse and could not concentrate on the movie at the first time because most Japanese do not laugh and talk during watching a movie excepting comedy movies in a cinema. However now, I also laugh while I watch a movie without notice.
ReplyDeleteThe other instance is my neighbor. My neighbor often shouts; I heard her shouted voice some time. One day, she was arguing against her boy friend (may be) on the call, she got very angry. She cried loudly and said “I love you!!” After the call, she threw something all over the room and shouted, shouted, shouted... Actually my dorm’s wall is very tiny, so I hear noises from the next room. However, I think she is emotional and very expressive.
Generally speaking, Japanese are shyer than American. Japanese culture makes Japanese people rational. We have learned that reasonable (not expressive) is a kind of kindness. For instance, when people get angry, it is bad to take it out on the other people. Therefore, they often suppress their feelings. It might be depending on time, but sometime I want to express my feeling, happiness, sadness and anger, more expressive such as American people. Also I think emotionalism and expressionist are better than killing my feelings. American looks free and powerful because of these characteristics.
There are some feelings I felt after I came to the U.S. However, if I wrote about it, it would be too long. I would not write about it today; I am going to write about culture shock in the class news paper, Steps!
On grammar:
DeleteLet's talk about how we can use "during."
1. During + period of time phrase.
"During the summer vacation..." (3 months)
"during spring break..." (1 week)
"during the week" (1 week)
"during the day" (24 hours)
"during the lunch break" (1 hour)
"**during 3 pm (incorrect)
2. During + an activity (but not "doing" an activity)
"during the movie" (not "during watching the movie"
"during class"
"during the game"
3. During + the time when....
"During the time when I was in Spain, I met many interesting people."
That's all I can think of right now; there are probably more!
Hope this helps.
I did the grammar comment first and then accidentally hit "publish." Here's my comment on your response:
DeleteI have to admit that Americans can be obnoxiously loud. I didn't really feel this way about Japanese people when I was in Japan. I agree that it is better to wait before expressing one's emotions; however, as you pointed out, holding in one's feelings for too long can be unhealthy. Generally speaking, I like the saying "think before you speak; if you are angry, think AND wait before you speak."
Before I came to America, I thought America is horrible country, so I worried about my life in America.
ReplyDeleteAfter I lived here for a week, I find that the life in America is comfortable for me.
I’m going to try new thing here as much as I can.
Hi Hideki,
DeleteWhat did you think was so horrible about the U.S.? Horrible is a very strong word!
Trying new things is one of best ways to make the most out of a new experience and place.
On grammar:
Your grammar in this response is quite good, so I'd like to comment on your writing style:
When using "Before" and "After," it is very common (and it sounds good!) to reduce these clauses to phrases IF THE SUBJECT IN EACH CLAUSE IS THE SAME.
Example: Before I came to America...
-->Before coming to America.....
Example: After I lived here for a week....
-->After living here for a week.
Note: After the girl left, her friend cooked dinner. -->This sentence CANNOT be reduced because the subjects in each clause are not the same (S1: the girl; S2: her friend).
In writing, it often sounds better to reduce "after" and "before" clauses to phrases.
Before I came to America, I thought America is horrible country, so I worried about my life in America.
ReplyDeleteAfter I lived here for a week, I find that the life in America is comfortable for me.
I’m going to try new thing here as much as I can.
1- Sara was excited because she lost 8 pounds.
ReplyDelete2- Jack is a generousing man.