write an essay in which you describe an experience – or a set of related experiences
You will write an essay in which you describe an experience – or a set of related experiences – that has led you to a new insight or a point of view about yourself and your culture when you were confronted with the OTHER (other cultures, other customs).
Living in another country can be a disconcerting experience. At once you “confront the OTHER” – that is, people who speak differently than you, move differently than you, behave differently, think differently. These OTHERS can be surprising or shocking compared to the people you know in your culture. In this way, you have a unique perspective into this different world. You can begin to observe what is unique about these new people, this new culture. Perhaps, in some ways, you begin to see YOURSELF and YOUR culture differently when confronted with this new “mirror” of the Other. You begin to have insights into who you are and what has made you who you are. You may begin to notice that what you thought may be “natural” to you is actually tied to the ways of your people, culture, and country.
However, at times perhaps YOU become the Other. Cultural, physical, ethnic, religious differences may make you feel “alienated” (literally, to become an alien, an outsider). Perhaps you notice people (especially strangers) looking at you with suspicion, fear, disdain, or curiosity. Perhaps subtle changes shift across faces when you begin to speak in a noticeable accent. Perhaps you begin to feel a strange pressure as you become THE representative Chinese person, German person, French person. You confront stereotypes Americans (or other nationalities) have of you. Perhaps these assumptions or stereotypes feel demeaning or objectifying (that is, they make you into more of an object than a fully actualized person).
I want you to take these experiences and use them as your source of inspiration for this first essay.
The most successful Essays from Experience are ones that are FOCUSED. Below are a few suggestions:
Focus on ONE major theme/observation/insight
For example, a student from Venezuela examined the MAIN DIFFERENCE he observed between his country and the U.S.A.: mainly disorganized chaos versus rule-based consistency. He began with observations concerning road rules. In Venezuela, he wrote, very few drivers follow any legal driving laws. Stoplights and signs are ignored, traffic is loud and congested, and pedestrians need to be savvy and quick. Here, he noticed that Americans follow the rules, carefully and calmly. He began to see how this general difference (chaos vs. order) applied to other aspects of society; how people behave while waiting in lines, how people related to strangers, etc. Ironically (and interestingly to me), he found the relative peace and quiet of Missouri boring, tiresome, and difficult. He missed the chaos and danger of his country.
Focus on an EXTENDED METAPHOR
The essay by Rolando Niella “Barriers” (Guidelines pages 13-15) is an example of a student essay that focuses on ONE major theme (in this case, communication difficulties). To make his observations more compelling and to give them FOCUS and INTEREST, Niella compares the hardships he faces communicating in a foreign language to the hardships he experiences playing tennis. The FOCUS is on communication difficulties, but only the ones that relate to playing tennis.
If you chose to use an extended metaphor, make sure the metaphor can be sustained throughout the essay. These metaphors work best if the writer spends a great deal of time and care showing the specific ways the 2 disparate items relate.
For example, a student from Germany began to question how much her personality was derived from her German culture; if she were raised in another country, would she still be “herself”? Would she be more or less outgoing, more or less driven to succeed, more or less judgmental of others? In her essay, she began to examine a number of ideas about culture’s influence on self-identity . She developed paragraphs to examine the following questions: As a German living in the U.S.A., as she adapts and changes to the cultural norms here, is she changing just at a surface level, or is she becoming a different person altogether? She began to compare culture to clothing. Can one simply change one’s culture as one changes clothing? Does one simply change one’s outerwear, but the essential person stays the same? Or does clothing/culture change the way one feels about oneself, one’s confidence, one’s self- image? Do we choose our outfits because we want to express our individual tastes, or to fit in and conform to societal standards (or the standards of a certain group)? In the same way, can one simply “chose” culture, and does these choices reflect just surface changes in behavior, or do they go deeper, and affect one’s identity and personality?
3. Focus on a SPECIFIC EVENT
• For example, another student from France focused on one particular event she had recently experienced in the United States. She had been in a number of theater productions in her country, and tried out for a play at Lindenwood. At first, she felt incredibly foreign, an outsider. She couldn’t follow the conversations or instructions in English. The references to American popular culture were lost on her. She felt isolated and alone. However, when the director asked the actors to try mimed improvisation (acting without words or dialogue), she found that the actors, both the others and herself, could communicate at meaningful level without language. They were able to have fun, laugh, and enjoy the scene. She discovered that there were more ways than just speaking to communicate, and that her French identity didn’t need to disappear entirely in order to feel like she belonged.
Successful essays, again, are ones that have some focus. The essays that are NOT effective are the ones that have NO focus. These essays tend to simply list the details of a day or week in another country, never focusing on one particular event or insight. An example of an ineffective essay goes like this: I landed in St. Louis on a Monday. Then I took a cab to Lindenwood University. Then I got to my room. I didn’t like it. I met my roommate. He seemed a bit standoffish, but later I learned he was a really nice person…..etc. etc. etc.
Another example of an ineffective essay is one that merely lists several differences. For example, There are many differences between my country and the U.S.A.. One is weather. (Here the student would discuss the differences in weather). Another difference is food. (Here the student would discuss differences in food). Another difference is clothing. (Again, the student would discuss clothing differences). However, these topics are not very deep, and frankly, not very interesting. I DO NOT WANT THIS ESSAY TO SOUND LIKE A RESPONSE TO A TOEFL TEST!!!!!!
I have essay assignment 1000 words and about topic that i will attach in a file, and i already wrote outline about it and you will see it in another pdf document, so i want to you read the question and read my outline and write about my outline make thesis statement from it. I need it in a basic words pleas because i’ m international student.
…………………….Answer preview………………….
Culture usually happens to people when they leave one place for another. This is usually takes place when a person leaves his or her country for another country that has a relatively different culture to the one she is used to. In such cases, a person is forced to adjust to the new culture, as it becomes relatively difficult for him or her survive in the culture……………………………..
APA
1068 words
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