Share an experience you had before coming to California that has affected who you are today. First describe the experience, and then tell us how it has affected who you are now.
I'll go first. =) I will always remember the 4 months I spent studying in Granada, Spain. I went there my second year of college, so I was only 19. I was already living in the dorms at college, so it wasn't my first time living away from home, but it was my first time living in another country. I experienced many different emotions in those 4 months, ranging from joyous wonder at my new surroundings, to the sadness of homesickness. However, this trip forever changed the way I viewed the world. Through this trip, and others like it, I have learned to respect other cultures, because I have experienced being away from my own. Though I understand the American mindset, I also know that it is not the only way of thinking or interacting, and I know that there are many other ways of going about life. Finally, ever since I lived in Spain, I have known myself better, since I experienced life outside my home, my family, and my culture.
To me a life-changing experience should be my first job. Right after graduated from college I got my first job working as a SAP specialist for Adidas, but the job is in Hong Kong which means I have to leave my hometown Shanghai for the very first time and this time, I have to deal with everything on my own. The first month was a complete disaster, I have to learn every basic stuff from scratch such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, buying grocery etc, I got sick for like 3 times during the first month and I had to deal with it without taking absence from work cause as we all know, you have to be perfect for you new job specially during the first 3 months if you want to keep it. At some point I really hoped that my mum could be here so she can take care of everything and I can finally catch a break. But hey, you can't be a mama's boy forever right? So despite the fact that I was working like a dog in the office, I started to organize myself in a self-designed system and every piece of life started to get back on track, which means a lot to me at that time. You can't really learn something unless you're in the situation, for me, the first job in Hong Kong taught me a lot, not just some basic survival skills, I learned to have faith for myself, even it's a really desperate condition, be brave, think about it, and solve it on your own, and then it will become your treasure.
I can never forget this summer, which I believe will change my whole life. As a student just graduated from high school, the most important thing for me is Gaokao, a nationwide test which could decide all Chinese students' life. Getting a good grade in Gaokao is the aim for almost all Chinese students' 12-year-effort. To get a great grade in Gaokao, all students study day and night. Many classmates of me sigh with emotion that they will no longer have a time in which they have ever so industriously fought for. However, I gave up such a glorious time on my own. This is because my scare. I'm afraid of such a pressure and I try my best to avoid it. At last, I achieve my dream. I choose to study abroad. I was even getting the visa in Beijing on the day of Gaokao. Many roads are banned for the Gaokao students. The moment I was grateful for my success of avoiding Gaokao is the moment I realized my fault. I regretted that I had not spent the last high school days with my friends; I regretted I had never had a feeling of concentrating all my heart on something just because of my fear and laziness. I waste the most important year in my teenager tears! Now, each time I think of this summer, I feel upset and disappointing. What if I took the Gaokao this summer? I can never imagine, but it must be the best choice. If I took it, I will learn what doing my best is; I will learn what I'm aim for; I will be brave enough to change my life by my own effort. However, now, I have nothing. I'm still a child who just tries to avoid all difficulties I'm facing with. There is no doubt that I didn't get a great consequence on Gaokao, but it is not the end. I will find another opportunity to make myself grow up as a responsible adult, I believe.
Gaokao gives Chinese students much more pressure than TOEFL and SAT do, for that it can be taken only once a year while we can have several opportunities to take TOEFL tests. Besides, Gaokao is a comprehensive test, which means students have to study 6 major projects for the test but not only for English. The most difficult thing is that there are only 10% Chinese students have ability to go the top100 universities in China per year. However, there are over 10 millions students take Gaokao each year. All of these give the Chinese students a great pressure.
Well! Since i came to California, i have tried to know about American culture. So, now i am more comfortable with the culture than before. I have tried to get to know my neighbor. Subsecuently, i have known many of neighbors. I have made many friends from the town. I have been more independent since i arrived here. Albeit, I am completely independent which makes me take care of myself in everything. I have thought about various thoughts and numerous ideas in the life. So, the way i think of things has been changed a little bit. I have sat alone more than i used to. It helps me to rethink of many things. I have seen and met many people from different prespectives, religions cultures and backgrounds. It makes me believe more in plurlism and diversity.
Your last words make me think about the experience all of us are getting in here. It is a difficult think to do, but knowing something different from ourselves could make us feel afraid or even upset. I found you a very sociable person, I am sure that that characteristic would open more doors in your way, wherever it is.
Getting my first car is the most significant experience that has been effecting my life. I remember when I was 16 years old, I asked my father to buy me a car; he said " wait time is not coming yet to give a car." I had been dreaming to drive my car all over my country with my friends such as what they were doing at that time. After I finished my first year in hight school, my father bought me a car and he gave me the responsibility for the house. Since that time, he has been traveling a lot for his work with not much thinking about the house responsibility. I was doing all my house needs, taking my brothers and sisters to schools, buying all the stuff to my house and hanging out with my family and friends.By doing that I have become more mature and independent. As soon as I got in to the US, I have seen that in my personality moreover it helps me to do many thing here and of course if I do not have the responsibility I could not be in the US.
When I first read the assignment, I thought that I could write a whole book on that subject. Being a Psychologist has molded who I am as a person, and working with people has been modeling who I am as a Psychologist.
Let me explain myself: a few years ago, when I started working as a Clinical Psychologist, I had the opportunity to met people that have really suffered. Not just physical pain, but had emotional and mental turmoils that made them outcasts in their own families. They did not have anything, not even Themselves. They dwelt in a world inhabited by dark threatening creatures which, no matter what they do, never go away. Sometimes those creatures were part of themselves, but they they could not face it either.
Then I worked in the public health system, I learned -first handed- that people who were displaced by violence have found, sometimes, the way to reborn from their own ashes. Shamefully they still have some burns, but they do not ever think about them. They have continued with their lives and struggle everyday to give their children what they have lost.
I realized that most of my fears looked really silly, even absurd, when compared to the suffering of others. I did not want to have the newest Ipod anymore. I wanted to help those people, in a professional way, so I pushed myself to look for a scholarship which eventually came, and that is the reason that I am in here.
Now, I enjoy singing while walking, listening to music while traveling. I found pleasure in the usual things you can find in your every day life, and of course helping others. This is my purpose in my life.
The reasons impressed me very much. It seems not easy to solve emotional problem because even the person who has turmoil can’t do anything. So I hope psychologists like you will increase and I want them to help people:-)
I agree with the reasons you have mentioned about the importance of English in the modern life globally. English is now considered as the most expanded language as a second language for non-native. However, I think if you visit Shanghai these days, you would not have the same problem that made you angry! :)
I totally agree with you. English is the most important quality in global world and that’s why I’m here. Let’s study hard and at the end of quarter we can speak in English fluently. :D
Sorry about your bad experience in shanghai but at least the city is great right? Well as I can tell the education system in shanghai is treating this English learning thing much more seriously than most other cities in china specially there are a lot of global company located their Asia headquarters in shanghai. At this part I have to say that learning English is necessary for our generation. Have fun with it Carlos and the next time if you decide to go to shanghai again, drop me an email and I will give you some personal tips:)
I worked at Korea Food Reserch Institute which belongs to government last year. It was my first time to work as a researcher, although I was an assistant researcher. I learned how to set up experiment, skills to deal experiment tools, and communication skills with various people. I had wanted to be an researcher but after practical excercise in KFRI as an assistance, I relized that researcher is not a job what I thought before. I thought that researcher is passive that means just doing their experiment in chair. But It needs creative and critical thinking, persistance and analytic skills to find out and develop new theory and techniques. I was impressed by the high caliber of the researchers and analysts. It was an important experience in my life because I could decide to change my dream and find out another one which is suited for me. I don't know exactly what I can do well yet. But I'm doing my best to take every opportunity for my life.
That is a very humble statement, I liked it. I think that speaking about our uncertainties is way more difficult than we measure our strengths. The good news is that you are still looking, and as I have read recently "If you are not growing, you are dying".
I think that there are different lives from graduate student to college student. I got my master degree in my country. In that time, we do the things like researchers do. But in college, we just followed professors' direction, took some course. In my life as a graduate student, we are trained to think independently and logically. I think it is most important if you're ready for your master degree.
Many events have affected my life in a way or another, but the one that has impacted me the most before I came to California was leaving my family to study abroad in 2010. Even though I had been planning for long time for my study in The U.S. before that moment, it was not easy at all to realize that I will leave the family I had lived with for 22 years. It took me 3 days to arrive to my new small town in Massachusetts, Andover, as I had to stop in Washington D.C. for two days.
In Andover was my first American school experiment where I have learned a lot, since then, about the American culture regarding the importance of the first personal impression. However, I only spent 3 months in the Northeast before I moved in to Texas where I have improved many personal aspects, made great friendships, and fallen in love with the beautiful city of Austin.
East coast is my fantasy land(not saying that I don't like California), that part I really envy you that you had been there! Well leaving hometown and come to a strange new land can be both scared and exciting, trust me man I knew it. I hope you can fulfill your goal here in the U.S. and enjoy your stay here!
It seemed like that you have been a lot of place of the US. This is my first time to the US. Do you think which state you like most? I also agree with that the first personal impression is important. However if we know people only by first impression, it might make you lose someone who you really match.
It was a significant impact for me to live away from my parents. I started when I became a university student. I had decided about my single life since long time ago. I had thought I was totally ok and I was really looking forward to starting new life. However, new life was completely different from what I had imagined. At the beginning of the life, I felt lonely and I missed my family every day even if I made new friends. If I wanted to go home to visit my family, I could visit because it took just 4 hours by bus to go. However, unless I have long-term vacation, I couldn’t go home. Instead of not going, I talked on the phone with my mother once or twice a week for a few hours. Then, as the time passed, I was used to living away from my family. While I had a hard time, I learned a lot of things. Especially I understood well the importance of expressing my appreciation. Every time I went back to home, I always helped my parents and took care of my siblings to express gratitude. When I go back to Japan this December, my life restarts and there will be some difficulties. However, I will keep having a grateful heart to everything anytime. If I do that, I think I can overcome anything.
Arisa, this reminds me very much of when I first moved away from home and went to UCLA. Like the old saying goes, "you don't know what you have 'till it's gone" =) I also missed my family quite a lot, even though whenI had been living with them they drove me crazy ! =) But I agree, living away from my family made me much more grateful for them.
The thing which impacted me most before I've been in Davis was that I met my best friends in my senior high. I have to say that friends affect me a lot, no matter in which parts. I have to say I was totally rebellious when I was young, maybe I still am today. :-P Usually, people who have such a personality like that are easily affected by friends, because they don’t listen to their parents or teachers. Fortunately, I had good friends then. As Chinese saying goes, “People are like a mirror, and we can see our advantages and disadvantages through them.” When I was wrong, my friends told me; When I was in trouble, my friends helped me; When I felt in deep sorrow, my friends accompanied me. I really appreciate it until now. It’s hard to describe an explicit thing that influenced me a lot before, because they are too much. So if I have to say it, I will say my friends are who impact me a lot and also who help me a lot.
You are so lucky that you can meet one of your best friends in an alien country. Though I knew my classmate has come here for university, I haven't met her till now. I hope you can cherish the time with your friend and do some interesting things before going back to Taiwan.
I'll go first. =)
ReplyDeleteI will always remember the 4 months I spent studying in Granada, Spain. I went there my second year of college, so I was only 19. I was already living in the dorms at college, so it wasn't my first time living away from home, but it was my first time living in another country. I experienced many different emotions in those 4 months, ranging from joyous wonder at my new surroundings, to the sadness of homesickness. However, this trip forever changed the way I viewed the world. Through this trip, and others like it, I have learned to respect other cultures, because I have experienced being away from my own. Though I understand the American mindset, I also know that it is not the only way of thinking or interacting, and I know that there are many other ways of going about life. Finally, ever since I lived in Spain, I have known myself better, since I experienced life outside my home, my family, and my culture.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree completely Carlos! However, I hope you don't find me arrogant, even though I am an American. ;-)
Deletefollow in Whitney's steps.
ReplyDeleteTo me a life-changing experience should be my first job. Right after graduated from college I got my first job working as a SAP specialist for Adidas, but the job is in Hong Kong which means I have to leave my hometown Shanghai for the very first time and this time, I have to deal with everything on my own. The first month was a complete disaster, I have to learn every basic stuff from scratch such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, buying grocery etc, I got sick for like 3 times during the first month and I had to deal with it without taking absence from work cause as we all know, you have to be perfect for you new job specially during the first 3 months if you want to keep it. At some point I really hoped that my mum could be here so she can take care of everything and I can finally catch a break. But hey, you can't be a mama's boy forever right? So despite the fact that I was working like a dog in the office, I started to organize myself in a self-designed system and every piece of life started to get back on track, which means a lot to me at that time. You can't really learn something unless you're in the situation, for me, the first job in Hong Kong taught me a lot, not just some basic survival skills, I learned to have faith for myself, even it's a really desperate condition, be brave, think about it, and solve it on your own, and then it will become your treasure.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI can never forget this summer, which I believe will change my whole life. As a student just graduated from high school, the most important thing for me is Gaokao, a nationwide test which could decide all Chinese students' life. Getting a good grade in Gaokao is the aim for almost all Chinese students' 12-year-effort. To get a great grade in Gaokao, all students study day and night. Many classmates of me sigh with emotion that they will no longer have a time in which they have ever so industriously fought for. However, I gave up such a glorious time on my own. This is because my scare. I'm afraid of such a pressure and I try my best to avoid it. At last, I achieve my dream. I choose to study abroad. I was even getting the visa in Beijing on the day of Gaokao. Many roads are banned for the Gaokao students. The moment I was grateful for my success of avoiding Gaokao is the moment I realized my fault. I regretted that I had not spent the last high school days with my friends; I regretted I had never had a feeling of concentrating all my heart on something just because of my fear and laziness. I waste the most important year in my teenager tears! Now, each time I think of this summer, I feel upset and disappointing. What if I took the Gaokao this summer? I can never imagine, but it must be the best choice. If I took it, I will learn what doing my best is; I will learn what I'm aim for; I will be brave enough to change my life by my own effort. However, now, I have nothing. I'm still a child who just tries to avoid all difficulties I'm facing with. There is no doubt that I didn't get a great consequence on Gaokao, but it is not the end. I will find another opportunity to make myself grow up as a responsible adult, I believe.
ReplyDeleteOpportunities are always there, and Gaokao is not the end for sure. I wish you the success in your study in the U.S.
DeleteBut your fear of Gaokao has led me to wander; is it similar to The Toefl or The GRE?
Gaokao gives Chinese students much more pressure than TOEFL and SAT do, for that it can be taken only once a year while we can have several opportunities to take TOEFL tests. Besides, Gaokao is a comprehensive test, which means students have to study 6 major projects for the test but not only for English. The most difficult thing is that there are only 10% Chinese students have ability to go the top100 universities in China per year. However, there are over 10 millions students take Gaokao each year. All of these give the Chinese students a great pressure.
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteWell! Since i came to California, i have tried to know about American culture. So, now i am more comfortable with the culture than before. I have tried to get to know my neighbor. Subsecuently, i have known many of neighbors. I have made many friends from the town. I have been more independent since i arrived here. Albeit, I am completely independent which makes me take care of myself in everything. I have thought about various thoughts and numerous ideas in the life. So, the way i think of things has been changed a little bit. I have sat alone more than i used to. It helps me to rethink of many things. I have seen and met many people from different prespectives, religions cultures and backgrounds. It makes me believe more in plurlism and diversity.
Your last words make me think about the experience all of us are getting in here. It is a difficult think to do, but knowing something different from ourselves could make us feel afraid or even upset. I found you a very sociable person, I am sure that that characteristic would open more doors in your way, wherever it is.
DeleteWilson
Getting my first car is the most significant experience that has been effecting my life. I remember when I was 16 years old, I asked my father to buy me a car; he said " wait time is not coming yet to give a car." I had been dreaming to drive my car all over my country with my friends such as what they were doing at that time. After I finished my first year in hight school, my father bought me a car and he gave me the responsibility for the house. Since that time, he has been traveling a lot for his work with not much thinking about the house responsibility. I was doing all my house needs, taking my brothers and sisters to schools, buying all the stuff to my house and hanging out with my family and friends.By doing that I have become more mature and independent. As soon as I got in to the US, I have seen that in my personality moreover it helps me to do many thing here and of course if I do not have the responsibility I could not be in the US.
ReplyDeleteI think your father had a good idea :-)
DeleteAnd you seem to get not only a car but also something more important.
When I first read the assignment, I thought that I could write a whole book on that subject. Being a Psychologist has molded who I am as a person, and working with people has been modeling who I am as a Psychologist.
ReplyDeleteLet me explain myself: a few years ago, when I started working as a Clinical Psychologist, I had the opportunity to met people that have really suffered. Not just physical pain, but had emotional and mental turmoils that made them outcasts in their own families. They did not have anything, not even Themselves. They dwelt in a world inhabited by dark threatening creatures which, no matter what they do, never go away. Sometimes those creatures were part of themselves, but they they could not face it either.
Then I worked in the public health system, I learned -first handed- that people who were displaced by violence have found, sometimes, the way to reborn from their own ashes. Shamefully they still have some burns, but they do not ever think about them. They have continued with their lives and struggle everyday to give their children what they have lost.
I realized that most of my fears looked really silly, even absurd, when compared to the suffering of others. I did not want to have the newest Ipod anymore. I wanted to help those people, in a professional way, so I pushed myself to look for a scholarship which eventually came, and that is the reason that I am in here.
Now, I enjoy singing while walking, listening to music while traveling. I found pleasure in the usual things you can find in your every day life, and of course helping others. This is my purpose in my life.
The reasons impressed me very much.
DeleteIt seems not easy to solve emotional problem because even the person who has turmoil can’t do anything. So I hope psychologists like you will increase and I want them to help people:-)
I think you are good at listening and taking care of people, and that's why you are a good clinical phychologist.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the reasons you have mentioned about the importance of English in the modern life globally. English is now considered as the most expanded language as a second language for non-native.
DeleteHowever, I think if you visit Shanghai these days, you would not have the same problem that made you angry! :)
I totally agree with you. English is the most important quality in global world and that’s why I’m here. Let’s study hard and at the end of quarter we can speak in English fluently. :D
DeleteSorry about your bad experience in shanghai but at least the city is great right? Well as I can tell the education system in shanghai is treating this English learning thing much more seriously than most other cities in china specially there are a lot of global company located their Asia headquarters in shanghai. At this part I have to say that learning English is necessary for our generation. Have fun with it Carlos and the next time if you decide to go to shanghai again, drop me an email and I will give you some personal tips:)
DeleteI worked at Korea Food Reserch Institute which belongs to government last year. It was my first time to work as a researcher, although I was an assistant researcher. I learned how to set up experiment, skills to deal experiment tools, and communication skills with various people.
ReplyDeleteI had wanted to be an researcher but after practical excercise in KFRI as an assistance, I relized that researcher is not a job what I thought before. I thought that researcher is passive that means just doing their experiment in chair. But It needs creative and critical thinking, persistance and analytic skills to find out and develop new theory and techniques. I was impressed by the high caliber of the researchers and analysts.
It was an important experience in my life because I could decide to change my dream and find out another one which is suited for me. I don't know exactly what I can do well yet. But I'm doing my best to take every opportunity for my life.
That is a very humble statement, I liked it. I think that speaking about our uncertainties is way more difficult than we measure our strengths. The good news is that you are still looking, and as I have read recently "If you are not growing, you are dying".
DeleteWilson
I think that there are different lives from graduate student to college student. I got my master degree in my country. In that time, we do the things like researchers do. But in college, we just followed professors' direction, took some course. In my life as a graduate student, we are trained to think independently and logically. I think it is most important if you're ready for your master degree.
DeleteMany events have affected my life in a way or another, but the one that has impacted me the most before I came to California was leaving my family to study abroad in 2010. Even though I had been planning for long time for my study in The U.S. before that moment, it was not easy at all to realize that I will leave the family I had lived with for 22 years. It took me 3 days to arrive to my new small town in Massachusetts, Andover, as
ReplyDeleteI had to stop in Washington D.C. for two days.
In Andover was my first American school experiment where I have learned a lot, since then, about the American culture regarding the importance of the first personal impression. However, I only spent 3 months in the Northeast before I moved in to Texas where I have improved many personal aspects, made great friendships, and fallen in love with the beautiful city of Austin.
East coast is my fantasy land(not saying that I don't like California), that part I really envy you that you had been there! Well leaving hometown and come to a strange new land can be both scared and exciting, trust me man I knew it. I hope you can fulfill your goal here in the U.S. and enjoy your stay here!
DeleteIt seemed like that you have been a lot of place of the US. This is my first time to the US. Do you think which state you like most? I also agree with that the first personal impression is important. However if we know people only by first impression, it might make you lose someone who you really match.
DeleteIt was a significant impact for me to live away from my parents. I started when I became a university student. I had decided about my single life since long time ago. I had thought I was totally ok and I was really looking forward to starting new life. However, new life was completely different from what I had imagined. At the beginning of the life, I felt lonely and I missed my family every day even if I made new friends. If I wanted to go home to visit my family, I could visit because it took just 4 hours by bus to go. However, unless I have long-term vacation, I couldn’t go home. Instead of not going, I talked on the phone with my mother once or twice a week for a few hours. Then, as the time passed, I was used to living away from my family.
ReplyDeleteWhile I had a hard time, I learned a lot of things. Especially I understood well the importance of expressing my appreciation. Every time I went back to home, I always helped my parents and took care of my siblings to express gratitude. When I go back to Japan this December, my life restarts and there will be some difficulties. However, I will keep having a grateful heart to everything anytime. If I do that, I think I can overcome anything.
Arisa! Thats amazing! It IS a significant impact
DeleteArisa, this reminds me very much of when I first moved away from home and went to UCLA. Like the old saying goes, "you don't know what you have 'till it's gone" =) I also missed my family quite a lot, even though whenI had been living with them they drove me crazy ! =) But I agree, living away from my family made me much more grateful for them.
DeleteThe thing which impacted me most before I've been in Davis was that I met my best friends in my senior high. I have to say that friends affect me a lot, no matter in which parts. I have to say I was totally rebellious when I was young, maybe I still am today. :-P Usually, people who have such a personality like that are easily affected by friends, because they don’t listen to their parents or teachers. Fortunately, I had good friends then. As Chinese saying goes, “People are like a mirror, and we can see our advantages and disadvantages through them.” When I was wrong, my friends told me; When I was in trouble, my friends helped me; When I felt in deep sorrow, my friends accompanied me. I really appreciate it until now. It’s hard to describe an explicit thing that influenced me a lot before, because they are too much. So if I have to say it, I will say my friends are who impact me a lot and also who help me a lot.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky that you can meet one of your best friends in an alien country. Though I knew my classmate has come here for university, I haven't met her till now. I hope you can cherish the time with your friend and do some interesting things before going back to Taiwan.
DeleteYUeyang ma! yes! It is kind of luck
Delete