I grew up in a culture where respect and good manners are among the most important values that a student should learn. I learnt the appropriate body language in front of my teacher, how to behave in and out of…
Category: English
All available articles in English.
Finding My Voice in a Philosophy Classroom
Before coming to the United States, I often heard that American classrooms encourage discussion and participation. However, I did not fully understand what that really meant. In my previous learning experiences, classes were usually centered on the professor explaining the…
Studying in Different Educational Systems
I come from China and I am now a freshman studying in the United States. After coming here to study, I realized that the American educational system has many differences from the Chinese educational system, but there are also some…
From a Stranger to a Returnee
When I heard the lyrics of the folk song *Shenandoah* at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, “Away, I‘m bound away, across the wide Missouri,” my thoughts were instantly carried back to the days I spent studying…
Canada to US
When I moved into my freshman dorm, I expected a roommate from a different state, perhaps someone with a slightly different accent or a preference for “pop” over “soda.” Instead, I met Maya. She was from Toronto, and while we…
From Cyprus to the U.S.
I had a very clear idea of what American culture and college life would be like before I moved from Cyprus to the U.S. to attend Lafayette College. Movies, social media, and stories I heard when I was a kid.…
A Life Away From Home: Experiencing College Life in the U.S as an International Student
Many young people in Africa dream of getting an opportunity/scholarship to come and study abroad, and when they are granted that opportunity it feels like a really huge fulfillment for them- interestingly, this was the case for me. I’m thousands…
La scuola Italiana
Three years ago, I decided to take a leap of faith and study abroad in a small medieval town just North of Rome called Viterbo. I stayed with a family in the village, who spoke no English and had…
Defining Freedom
Defining Freedom When I was a child, I loved visiting my uncle’s house in the countryside. He raised sheep, and I enjoyed watching them. They lived a simple, unassuming life, and even though I visited them every day, they were…
My View of Chinese Examinations
When I was very young, adults told me that every student in China would face two major exams: the high school and university entrance examinations. These two examinations are the most important entrance exams in China, respectively determining the chances…