Claire in USA

journal#20 unacceptable behavior

2008-05-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

In Taiwanese culture, there are some unacceptable things. For example, we don't like use numbers that is 4 and 10 in any situation, because 4 and 10 sounds like die in Chinese. So there is no 4 floor in hospital in Taiwan. People sometime want to change there ID number just because of 4 include it. I think it is a strange thing to foreigners. The other unacceptable behavior in Taiwan, you will never give your friends or family a clock. The sound of clock in Chinese mean if someone dead, you will go to his or her funerals. So it is really unlucky meaning to people in Taiwan. On the other hand, I heard from someone who told me, never ask American about age, salary, weight,...etc. Because they are Americana's privacy. I never ask about these to people in here. So most of time, I just talk about hobbies and favorite food to Americans. Because of culture different, I have experienced an uncomfortable situation from mainstream American culture. Two weeks ago, I went out with my neighbor who is American. We talked a lot and had a good time. After dinner, we said goodbye to each other, my neighbor suddenly hugged me. I was shocked and told him that I don't like it. I knew he didn't do it purposely, but I still feel uncomfortable. In Asian culture, we don't touch each other especially between men and women. Finally, my neighbor knew what I said and apologized for his manner. I think we should do anything to someone who is not the same country with you carefully or it would be easy to make misunderstanding

Journal #19 My favorite leisure time activity

2008-04-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

I like to do gym exercise when I have leisure time. I do it three or four times a week. There are some reasons tell why I like it. First, I like do gym exercise because I don't like outdoor activity. Girls prefer to have white skin in Taiwan. So it is really different from American. There is no UV rays problem if I exercises at gym. Second, exercises make me feel relax. I like listen to the music and running. It is a no-brain activity. I will keep my mind empty and do not think about anything. I think it is much better than being a couch potato at home. My body fill of energy after doing exercises. Third, exercising make me more healthy than before. Since I do it every week, I am not easy to catch a cold. One years ago, I was usually go to see a doctor. This is the main wherefore that I start to do exercises. At the beginning, I felt really hard to keep going and wanted to give up. My health became better than before after I did it for one month. I made it be my good life routine.Until now, I keep doing exercises at gym in America. The last reason that I like gym exercises, because it has variety sports. For example, jogging, yoga, dance, etc...I won't feel bored there. Finally, I suggest everybody should think about doing anything that make you relax, because it is a good way to keep your mind peace and never feel too stressful. I prefer to doing exercise at gym, how about you?

I READ BING AND ERIC'S JOURNAL

journal#18

2008-04-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

I planed to go to Seattle during this spring break, but before the day that I planed to go. I found, that I made a big mistake for my plane ticket.Three weeks before spring break. I registered a special round-trip plane ticket to Seattle that totally cost $186 on Internet. I was happy about it. It said that I don't have to paid any holding fee to registered it, so I just think that I might pay the money when I check-in at the airport. When I want to make sure my time schedule to Seattle, I read a little letters on my registered mail. It showed that I need to purchase the ticket before March 28Th. Oh my god, it was two weeks ago and my ticket was already canceled. I started to look for another tickets to go there, but all of them are cost more than $420. I want to go there, but I can't. I felt deeply sad and called my cousin that I can't go this time. Next time, I won't make the same mistake. I believer that I will visit there someday.

Journal#17 My trip to Las vegas

2008-04-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

During the spring break, I went to Las Vegas with my friend for two days. This was my third time to there, but it was my first time do gambling in Las Vegas. Because the first and second time, I was not legal age to do gambling there. I was so excited that I can do more different activities this time. We got up early and drove there by ourselves. I found that the road in USA is really straight and wide. It really different from Taiwan. It was much easier drive here, but this kind of road also felt asleep soon. So during the way to Las Vegas, I kept talking with my friend. we drove there about 4 hours. When we arrived there it almost three o'clock. Although we felt a little bit tired, but some of my friends couldn't wait to do gambling. I went to looked around the city, especially some special hotels in new area of Las Vegas. I took a lot of pictures and ate buffet there. I felt really happy. I didn't do much gambling, even I want to do it long time ago, because I think that I was not good at gambling and it might waste a lot of money. Finally, I thought my scruple is right, my friends lose lots of money there. If I get chance to go there again, I will go. Next time, I would like to see a nice show there.

journal#16 How to keep-up my practice

2008-03-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

The list of strategies I can do to keep-up my language practice during the spring break

1. Watching American television everyday.

2. Memorizing 5 vocabularies per day.

3. Writing a diary in English.

4. Doing homework that every ALP teacher gave me.

5. Talking to American everyday.

These are my strategies. First one, I think watching TV is an interesting way to learn English. it can prove my listening and speaking. Because I will try to understand what they say and learn some common sentences for my speaking. Second, I will prepare index cards and write down some words that I want to remember. I can bring them to anywhere. For example, if I wait for my plane for a long time, I will take it out and remember those word as many as I can. I won't waste my time during the break. Third idea, I write a diary everyday, so I can change my diary to English. Although my grammar may be incorrect. I can keep thinking of something in English. It will help me a lot. forth, I have a lot of homeworks during the spring break. I will divide into three or four parts and finish it separately for everyday. It also help me thinking English everyday. Final one is talking to American everyday. For example, my American friends, neighbors or even a supermarket stuff. I think speak to others is the best way to prove my English skills. Those are my strategies to keep-up my English practice. I will try my best to do these during my spring break.

journal#15 My spring break

2008-03-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

This is my first break in USA. I plan to do two things. First, I will take a paper test at DMV in Fullerton. During school time, it is not easy to have time to take a paper test at DMV, so that is why I want to take it during my spring break. I heard from other people, if I want to take a test without waiting for a long time. you need to go there at the begging of opening time. So I will go there at 8:30 in the morning. Before I came here, I have no idea how wide here is. After three weeks, I know car is important here. This is the main reason that I want to get a driver's license as soon as possible. Second thing that I will go to Seattle. I already planed this trip one week ago. I contacted with my niece and looked for a cheap plane ticket. I will go there for four days. I am going to see around in Seattle. For example,Smith Tower,Pike Place Market,Space Needle,Woodland Park Zoo and the most important things that I have to see- the first shop of Starbucks. I love drink coffee and I love Starbucks. I am excited for my spring break right now. I hope that I will have a good spring break. On the other hand, I will continue my study during this break. Or I afraid of my English will be worst than before.

Journal#14- Cultural Identity

2008-03-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

Taiwan has a variety of cultures. Because of different of group came to Taiwan and live about one hundred years ago. So we have about five main cultures in this small island. They are Abriginal culture, Fukien Province culture, Hakka culture, Emigrant group culture, Southeast Asia culture. Those cultures influence Taiwanese a lot. For this reason, you can see different culture activities and manners.What makes me unique? How do I display your cultural identity. First, In my family, our culture is Fukien Province culture. So I could speak both in Chinese and Fukien language. We afraid of ghost and god, so we have to sacrifices to god and ghost. I remembered since I was a little girl, my parents always take me to temple many times per year. Second, our culture is conservative and we bear hardships and hard work. So my parents always teach me by this kind of cultural identity. I do everything on my best and finish everything as soon as possible.On the other hand, Fukien Province culture is not the only one that makes me unique. I was influenced a lot form my background. I was born in a small family. There are my parents, older brother and me. So I am not like the other one in a big family. They can ask help from many people, but I can't. So I learned independent when I was a little girl. We are not rich but normal level. My father usually tell me it is not easy to make money, so we need to consider before we spend money. Because of it, I don't lose me mind for spending money.Third, in Taiwan, people usually kind and friendly. we are enthusiasm for both people and things. This is the way I used to be. I would like to help people when someone ask me help. I am very proud of it. Finally, different mix cultures influenced people in Taiwan a lot. So did I. Those makes me unique and do everything in the display of my culture identity.

journal#13 my life in Japan

2008-03-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

I have been to Japan for studying about three years. Before I went to Japan, I can't understand Japanese. So I remembered my first day in Japan. I wanted to ask direction to my living place, but I only asked in English. Most of Japanese are afraid of speaking in English, so when they heard that I speak in English, many people just ran away from me. I spent more than three hours from Narita Airport to my living place. I never forget how tired I was on that day. After studying Japanese more than three months, I started to speak in a little Japanese. I decided to have a part time job for practicing my Japanese speaking. Because of my broken Japanese, I was blamed by some customers and my boss. I sometimes felt angry and sad, but I thought I can't give up it. After doing my part time job for two months. I found my Japanese became better than before. One year later, I transfer my school from language school to cooking school. It is important decision to me in Japan, because I learnt a lot of Japanese culture and hard-working attitude. All of my classmates are Japanese, so I also learned their common speaking style. I could not learn it at language school. Finally, I graduated form Musashino cooking college and got a chef licence there. Living in Japan is one of my special experience of my life. I will never forget it.

Journal#12 My favorite movie

2008-03-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Since I was a little girl, I like to see many movies. My favorite movie is Forrest Gump in 1994. The main role was played by Tom Hanks. He is one of my favorite actors and have good performance ability. The movie tells a story about a man whose IQ is only 75 and narrate his variety life experience. Why I like Forrest Gump so much? Because I learned a lot from this movie.

First, the beginning of the movie, Forrest is sitting at a bus stop and tells a woman " My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get." This sentence influenced me a lot, I started to expect every experience in my life, whatever it is bad for me. Second, this movie also taught me when you face something dangerous, you don't have to pretend to be brave, you may run away like Forrest. Running way from something doesn't mean that you are coward. Sometime it lead you to other way. Finally, it changed my mind, destiny was controlled by yourself. If you do everything very hard, you will get success of everything in your life. Forrest Gump is great movie and it won't waste your time to see it.