Reflection of My First Year Teaching in the USA
I’m excited for my second year working and living in the US. Everyday was tons of learning in the first year.
The biggest challenge for me is to understand and keep up with conversations in a group. When a group of people are talking really fast, for me it’s like watching CNN, and NBC, ABC, TLC, all at the same time, while several topics are going on among different groups. I really wish I could have a headset, and I can turn up the volume here and pause there to look up the key words. Sometimes when I finally figure out what’s being discussed, people already move on to another topic. It can be frustrated. I feel like living an 80% of life. I understand 80% of what’s going on around me, and I am only able to express 80% of myself.
Sometimes it’s not always language barrier. It’s a whole new environment for me. I don’t know the students or teachers being mentioned. I have never heard about such a title or position in the school. I don’t know which movie you’re quoting. I didn’t grow up here. I just don’t have the same cultural reference.
When I was at St. Louis 4 years ago, I felt uncomfortable every time when people greeted me with “How are you?” I knew nobody really wanted to get a long answer about your inner world, and I knew it’s just a way to start a conversation. Just like to start a conversation in Chinese culture, we like to ask “Have you eaten?” or “Are you going to class?” these type of questions which we don’t care about the answers. Strangely, as though I knew these facts, I still couldn’t help myself feeling awkward and couldn’t hop on the conversation flow naturally. Fortunately time helps, after 4 years, I think I have conquered that uneasy feeling after maybe practice of a thousand times. But still there are so many differences in having conversations with English speakers and Chinese speakers. I wonder how long it will take me to get used to.
But I have to say that I am so blessed to have met lots of people who are so friendly and treat me with Hoosier hospitality. You know what? It’s because of your open-mindedness to accept some “exotic” creatures who don’t always follow the rules you’re used to, that the world has become a bit more peaceful, I guess.
My goal for the second year is to push this 80% life to at least 90%. Wish me luck!
The biggest challenge for me is to understand and keep up with conversations in a group. When a group of people are talking really fast, for me it’s like watching CNN, and NBC, ABC, TLC, all at the same time, while several topics are going on among different groups. I really wish I could have a headset, and I can turn up the volume here and pause there to look up the key words. Sometimes when I finally figure out what’s being discussed, people already move on to another topic. It can be frustrated. I feel like living an 80% of life. I understand 80% of what’s going on around me, and I am only able to express 80% of myself.
Sometimes it’s not always language barrier. It’s a whole new environment for me. I don’t know the students or teachers being mentioned. I have never heard about such a title or position in the school. I don’t know which movie you’re quoting. I didn’t grow up here. I just don’t have the same cultural reference.
When I was at St. Louis 4 years ago, I felt uncomfortable every time when people greeted me with “How are you?” I knew nobody really wanted to get a long answer about your inner world, and I knew it’s just a way to start a conversation. Just like to start a conversation in Chinese culture, we like to ask “Have you eaten?” or “Are you going to class?” these type of questions which we don’t care about the answers. Strangely, as though I knew these facts, I still couldn’t help myself feeling awkward and couldn’t hop on the conversation flow naturally. Fortunately time helps, after 4 years, I think I have conquered that uneasy feeling after maybe practice of a thousand times. But still there are so many differences in having conversations with English speakers and Chinese speakers. I wonder how long it will take me to get used to.
But I have to say that I am so blessed to have met lots of people who are so friendly and treat me with Hoosier hospitality. You know what? It’s because of your open-mindedness to accept some “exotic” creatures who don’t always follow the rules you’re used to, that the world has become a bit more peaceful, I guess.
My goal for the second year is to push this 80% life to at least 90%. Wish me luck!
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