Hi!
To those of you who answered last week's questions: thanks! I really enjoyed reading about the cultural issues you deal with on a daily basis here in the U.S. At the same time, having lived in Ecuador and S. Korea, I can relate to some of the various cultural challenges that you have encountered (and may continue to encounter) during your stay in the U.S. If you have any questions about these issues that you'd like to ask me, please feel free to do so. At that, I'll leave you with a quote that Madoka said (and that I think works pretty well wherever you are in the world): "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
For this week's question, we're going to go to the opposite side of the cultural challenges spectrum:
You are all living and studying here in the U.S. Therefore, you are all (to some extent) forced to eat American food, listen to American music, interact with Americans, watch American TV shows/movies, etc. I'm sure a few of you may very well enjoy eating American food and listening to American music on a regular basis, but it is probably also true that a number of you miss your home country's food, music, social interactions, and so on.
Which part of American culture do you enjoy/appreciate the most? Why?
I look forward to reading your responses!
Josh
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Week 4 Question
Hi,
Thanks for "thinking hard" for last week's question. Your responses were thoughtful and at times insightful.
This week's question is a prelude to our first essay, which will be a compare-contrast essay. For this week's question, think about the differences between U.S. culture and your own culture. What is the one difference that you have the most difficulty dealing with. In other words, which difference is still difficult for you to understand, experience, deal with, etc. Please explain your answer in detail You could write about body language, food, music, the way people drive, anything!
As a follow-up, you could also write about what you have done to try to overcome this difference or what you plan to do to deal with it.
I'm sure you'll all have some really interseting observations, so don't forget to read what other students have written.
Josh
Thanks for "thinking hard" for last week's question. Your responses were thoughtful and at times insightful.
This week's question is a prelude to our first essay, which will be a compare-contrast essay. For this week's question, think about the differences between U.S. culture and your own culture. What is the one difference that you have the most difficulty dealing with. In other words, which difference is still difficult for you to understand, experience, deal with, etc. Please explain your answer in detail You could write about body language, food, music, the way people drive, anything!
As a follow-up, you could also write about what you have done to try to overcome this difference or what you plan to do to deal with it.
I'm sure you'll all have some really interseting observations, so don't forget to read what other students have written.
Josh
Friday, September 10, 2010
Week 3 Question
Hi,
I agree with all of the ideas you suggested for the week 2 question. Every activity you mentioned is exciting and a part of why Missoula is a unique place to live. However, there is one glaring omission: nobody mentioned fishing! If there is one activity I'd recommend doing in while living in Missoula, it's fishing. There are so many beautiful rivers and creeks around Missoula. There's no better way to connect with the wonder and mystery of these "living" streams than by delicately casting a fly into the current with the hope of catching a beautiful native trout.
This week's question is a little more serious than last week's question; however, it is just as interesting and will help us get started on thinking about our next paper. For week 3, I'd like you to think about "change," and I don't mean the type of change that jingles in your pocket! I'm talking about change in our lives. These changes might have to do with where we live, our jobs, our families, school, friends, etc.
More specifically, what types of changes in your life are most difficult? Why? Please give details to support your answer.
To get you started, I'll give you a personal example. For me, it's really hard to leave behind a life that I've established in a given place. What I mean is once I've settled in a new place, worked there for awhile, made friends, learned about the cool places to visit and fun things to do and so on, it's really hard for me to leave that place. Something about the idea of having to leave behind everything I've worked so hard and long to learn just isn't easy for me. To illustrate, it was hard for me to leave Ecuador in 2004 after living there for 9 months; leaving Missoula in 2007 to go to Korea was really difficult. Then, when it was time to move back to Missoula from Korea, I didn't want to leave Korea! It seems that I come to enjoy my life wherever I settle, and uprooting myself from that place is one change that is always hard to deal with.
Good luck!
Josh
I agree with all of the ideas you suggested for the week 2 question. Every activity you mentioned is exciting and a part of why Missoula is a unique place to live. However, there is one glaring omission: nobody mentioned fishing! If there is one activity I'd recommend doing in while living in Missoula, it's fishing. There are so many beautiful rivers and creeks around Missoula. There's no better way to connect with the wonder and mystery of these "living" streams than by delicately casting a fly into the current with the hope of catching a beautiful native trout.
This week's question is a little more serious than last week's question; however, it is just as interesting and will help us get started on thinking about our next paper. For week 3, I'd like you to think about "change," and I don't mean the type of change that jingles in your pocket! I'm talking about change in our lives. These changes might have to do with where we live, our jobs, our families, school, friends, etc.
More specifically, what types of changes in your life are most difficult? Why? Please give details to support your answer.
To get you started, I'll give you a personal example. For me, it's really hard to leave behind a life that I've established in a given place. What I mean is once I've settled in a new place, worked there for awhile, made friends, learned about the cool places to visit and fun things to do and so on, it's really hard for me to leave that place. Something about the idea of having to leave behind everything I've worked so hard and long to learn just isn't easy for me. To illustrate, it was hard for me to leave Ecuador in 2004 after living there for 9 months; leaving Missoula in 2007 to go to Korea was really difficult. Then, when it was time to move back to Missoula from Korea, I didn't want to leave Korea! It seems that I come to enjoy my life wherever I settle, and uprooting myself from that place is one change that is always hard to deal with.
Good luck!
Josh
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Week 2 Question
Hi!
Your responses to the week 2 warm-up were interesting and insightful. Thanks for doing such a nice job. All of your goals are important AND attainable. I'll do my best to help you achieve these goals.
This week's question has been inspired by today's weather. To be exact, as I'm sitting here writing the next question, my mind is wandering outdoors into the beautiful, warm sun. I'm thinking about what I would be doing outside if I weren't still at work. So what does this have to do with the question? Here goes:
What activities (outdoor or indoor) do you think every foreign student should do while living here in Missoula? Why?
As a follow-up, what activities have you done so far that you recommend other students try? What activities would you like to do that you haven't done yet?
I look forward to reading your responses.
Your responses to the week 2 warm-up were interesting and insightful. Thanks for doing such a nice job. All of your goals are important AND attainable. I'll do my best to help you achieve these goals.
This week's question has been inspired by today's weather. To be exact, as I'm sitting here writing the next question, my mind is wandering outdoors into the beautiful, warm sun. I'm thinking about what I would be doing outside if I weren't still at work. So what does this have to do with the question? Here goes:
What activities (outdoor or indoor) do you think every foreign student should do while living here in Missoula? Why?
As a follow-up, what activities have you done so far that you recommend other students try? What activities would you like to do that you haven't done yet?
I look forward to reading your responses.
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