Interesting observations about studying in the USA

A tame llama comes to college to reduce student stress during the session. Photo from the archive of the author

СHowl new profession after moving to the USA I chose in the spirit of “I’m already 32 of the year, but I still don’t know who I will be when I grow up,” writes Olga Khristoforova in her Holaolly blog.

I had several options. I rejected the specialty of a programmer so demanded in the USA, remembering that even with my computer, it can be difficult to find a common language. I also rejected the well-paid profession of a medical worker, having learned that they have to get up before dawn. The alternative of re-studying for a manager-economist was too obvious to me, because, as Jacques Yves Cousteau said: “If a person has the opportunity to lead an unusual life, he has no right to refuse it.” And who knows where such reasoning would have led me (I had already recalled my childhood fantasies, such as the profession of glassblower and the position of director of the zoo), if I hadn’t suddenly remembered how many years ago, as a student of economics, I envied architects and designers with large portfolios at the ready. And as I liked to consider their projects, hung on the walls of the university. So, without thinking twice, I decided to go study with a graphic designer.

Indian totem in the building of the educational building. Photo author

In order to get into the main graphic design program, I had to go through preparatory courses in drawing, public speaking, typography and the basics of working on mackintosh.

It is curious that the first lesson in almost any subject always began with the teacher talking not only about his career achievements, but also about such details of his personal life as a glass eye prosthesis or the adoption of a girl in the Philippines. There are no secrets from students - it is very conducive to trust and sympathy.

The drawing course made the greatest impression on me, because it helped me to believe that I can draw, although I had never had a penchant for drawing, and I always considered myself a person who could not draw. With the hope that at least something will come of this, I went to classes and tried to depict at least something. Once, when I came to another lesson, I noticed an unfamiliar elderly man in an emerald silk robe, high heels, put on on bare hairy legs, and with beautiful chandelier earrings. The teacher introduced him as our model for drawing. And since it is much easier for novice students to draw a naked body than the folds on their clothes, he posed for us in these brilliant earrings. It was even more entertaining to draw a young yoga teacher, who did not hesitate to demonstrate the most intricate asanas on the podium, and we, flushing a little, tried to depict all the details of his muscular body as precisely as possible.

One of my first graphic design projects was done by hand, without a computer. Photo author

My work for the drawing class. Photo author

In terms of studying local customs and attitudes, the lessons of public speaking were especially informative. I did not register for these lessons of my own free will - they were on the list of requirements for entering not only my specialty, but also for everyone else. Even future firefighters can’t do without public speaking skills. In addition, oratory can be useful while participating in lawsuits that are so popular in America.

It was interesting to learn that the majority of my classmates answered in the affirmative when they received a driver's license to the question of whether they agree in case of sudden death to donate their organs to the needy patients. Almost everyone has a small mark on their driving license of their consent to become an organ donor.

Because of the frequent shooting among civilians in America, disputes about the right to bear arms do not fade. One of my classmates told me about how he was pleased to be able to use the permission of the college to carry personal weapons into the territory of the educational buildings. “It was probably worth reading my student contract to the end,” I thought, and the hair on my nape began to stir a little when I realized that at least one of my classmates was carrying a gun.

Since students can choose topics for speeches at their discretion, I learned every lesson for myself something new from what the American youth lives and breathes. African Americans are sure to talk about their favorite hip-hop music, which helped them to accept their “blackness” or the problem of racism, which seems to be relevant in the USA for a long time. Hippie classmates insisted on abandoning cars and other charms of urbanization, or called for permission to use meat from wild animals that died under the wheels of cars.

Nothing special, just someone's chicken named Hazel Mosel has not appeared at home for a long time, and the owners are experiencing. Photo author

On the next street, someone's dream of a tree house became a reality. Photo author

The opportunity to learn about how Americans are learning Russian, I fell out when my friend Scott signed up for classes. It was impossible for me to explain to him the rules and especially the exceptions of the “great and mighty”. Once, when I tried to convince Scott how the plural is formed in Russian, he was horrified that he needed to memorize different endings for different nouns in the plural. In the familiar English, Spanish, and French languages, the plural is formed by appending the word “s” to the end. Therefore, our “2 kitten, but 2 dogs; or 5 of the DAYS, but 5 HOMES ”made him completely confused.

Road to school. St.Johns Bridge in Portland. Photo author

The teacher of the Russian language was an American named Kristin Shmakov. She got the Russian last name from her husband, whom she met during her visit to Russia. And since it is not customary in the USA to add letters to the spouse's surname, Shmakov was not destined to become. An even greater incident came out with the patronymic of their common son, who was named Alexander Ergeevich Shmakov. Each time, arriving in Russia, parents have to explain to the border guard that there is no mistake in the middle name of their son, that they specifically removed the first letter “S”, because they did not want their son, living in the USA, to suffer all his life with the initials ASS.

Scott's first essay in Russian. Photo author

Classes In Russian Scott began with the study of the alphabet, with special attention paid to capital letters. It is not allowed to use printed letters in written assignments. And every time Scott, doing his homework, asks me for something like how to hook up the letter “y” and “x” in a letter, I get completely at a loss as I have long forgotten how to write in words and replace some capital letters with printed. In addition to the “correct” hooks and tails, Kristin coolly wages war with Scott и with his letter “K” proudly raskoryachivsheysya, because, according to Christine, Russian Cyrillic does not need any individuality. I myself like this letter very much, like everything else that Scott writes and speaks in Russian. Any statement in Russian either makes me have a fit of laughter, such as his “Frenchwoman”, or a pride attack, when he gives a whole sentence without making a single mistake in cases and inclinations.

Read also on ForumDaily:

What Americans think about Russia

What are all the immigrants silently silent about

Personal experience: kindergarten in New York

Personal experience: how we bought our car in the USA

How to achieve success in life: 5 valuable lessons from Ukrainians in the United States

How to rent an apartment in New York: instructions for newcomers

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.