My Unforgettable Experience in America

　　1. Who I went to Ameica with

　　My Mom was a visiting scholar of MIT, so I went to America with my mom in 2007 and studied for one whole year. It was an unforgettable experience for me.

　　2. The first glimpse of the city of Boston

　　First, let me talk about my first glismpse of the city of Boston.

　　I flew to America in August of 2007. When I first landed on the world’s famous city—Boston, I thought it was very beautiful: blue sky, white clouds, grass and trees. The streets also seemed very quiet with few people and no car horns. When we crossed the street, all the drivers would stop to let us cross. I felt very secure and happy. I loved America at my first sight.

　　3. The one-month visit around America

　　Next, I’d like to talk about my one-month visit around America.

　　The school life in America began in September. So I had one whole month to travel. My mom and I visited a lot of places in America. We went to Disneyland in Alanto. We played in Magic Kingdom, Escort and Disney-MGM Studio. We played in Sea world. All of them were exciting and interesting. I love them very much. We went to Washington and New York. We visited all kinds of museums and learned a lot. We traveled from the great Niagara Fall in the east to Yellow Stone Park in the west. With my boyish mind, I felt excited and curious about what was in front of me. Everything was different from that of China. If I had to uate it, I thought the two words—big and novel.

　　4. Difficulties in American school life

　　The first day I went to Bulter Elementary school, I met my greatest difficulty. I couldn’t speak English and I couldn’t understand what the teachers and students said. When I was in China, I was a boy without any care. I had good friends; good teachers and I could make friends with everyone easily. But everything changed when I was in Bulter School. I had no friends. I felt very lonely and depressed in this new city. Fortunately I made a new friend Michael. He was a Chinese. And he had a sister Lingling. We often played together after school. Michael helped me a lot to adapt to the new school. When I couldn’t understand what other students said, he translated it into Chinese. And he taught me how to play “four square battles”. Then I could play with other students. Once I made new friends, I felt comfortable and had confidence. I am a boy without any care again. (What subjects did you like most?)

　　5. Comparison of Family Education in China and America

　　My mom always told that family education was very important to the children. I was arranged with assorted extracurricular classes where they are taught to learn piano, drawing, singing, etc., partly because parents wish children to develop in an all-round way and have a head-start in studies than other children. She tries to do nearly everything for me in my childhood, like helping me with dressing, having meals, bathing, etc... And because of the heated competition of the current society, they also hope that their children will have the high level of the education.

　　 She Chinese parents do always however, on the contrary, and much to my surprise, American parents are liable to inject the idea of independence to their children since their childhood, mainly because of which American children might have learned that they should be self-dependent and self-reliant at a very early age, and strive to handle things themselves.

　　6. What I liked the most about America

　　I love America’s public libraries and museums most. I could borrow many books and DVD what I like. I could request books and DVD through the internet. On weekend my mom and I went to all kinds of museums, such as Boston Science Museum, Harvard Natural History Museum, MIT Museum. I learned a lot through reading books and visiting museums. (Which libraries and museums in Beijing have you been to?)

　　7. What I learned from the experience

　　I think the year experience in America is always unforgettable. First of all, it provided me a new insight that I have to face difficulties squarely. It’s no use crying over spilt milk. Before going to America, I thought I was a little boy so that I have the right to depend on adults—mum, dad and so on. But what if adults are not near you? So I think we should be brave and strong-minded.

　　And then it is also important for us to ask for help. I mean when I have something difficult to deal with, I will ask to friends or teachers or Mum or Dad for advices.

　　Everything is a small cake and I could cope with it. That is an unforgettable experience to give me.

　　American parents are liable to inject the idea of independence to their children since their childhood, mainly because of which American children might have learned that they should be self-dependent and self-reliant at a very early age, and strive to handle things themselves.