Saying Tamara Blackmore experienced

Saying Tamara Blackmore experienced culture shock when she arrived here last September is an understatement. It was more like culture trauma (extreme form of “culture shock”) for this adventurous student who left Melbourne’s Monash University to spend her junior year at Boston College (BC). Bkackmore, 20, was joined at BC by 50 other exchange students from around the world. Like the thousands of exchange students who enroll in American colleges each year, Blackmore discovered firsthand (learned by directly seeing or experiencing) there is a sea of difference (very big difference) between reading about and experiencing America firsthand. She felt the difference as soon as she stepped off the plane.
As soon as she landed in Boston, Blackmore could feel the tension in the air.
She was about to taste (to experience) a lifestyle far more hectic (very busy) than the one she left. “Driving in Boston is crazy,” says Blackmore. “It took me a while to get used to the roads and the driving style here. I was always afraid someone was going to hit me. It was particularly tricky since the steering wheel was on the wrong side of the car. In Australia, it’s on the right side.” Beyond the cars and traffic jams, Blackmore said it took a while to get used to so many people in one place, all of whom seemed like they were moving at warp speed (traveling very, very quickly).
“There are only 18 million people in Australia spread out over an entire country,” she says, “compared to more than six million people in the state of Massachusetts alone. We don’t have the kind of congestion you have in Boston. There is a whole different perception of space”.
The pressing problem for Blackmore was making a quick adjustment to the American lifestyle that felt like it was run by a stopwatch (a watch which can be started and stopped by pressing a button). For this easygoing Australian, Americans seemed like perpetual – motion machines (machines that never stop moving). “Americans are very time-oriented,” Blackmore says.
“Everything is done according to a schedule. They are always busy, which made me feel guilty about wanting to just sit around and occasionally watch television. Australians, on the other hand, value their leisure time. The pace there is a lot slower because we don’t feel the need to always be busy. It’s not that Australians are lazy; it’s just that they have a different concept of how time should be spent. Back home, I used to spend a lot more time just talking to my friends”.
It didn’t take long for Blackmore to adjust to Americans rhythms (get used to American lifestyles). “I felt the pressure to work harder and did more because everyone was running around doing so much”, she says. When BC students weren’t huddled over books, Blackmore found it odd that they were compulsively jogging, running, biking, or doing aerobics in order to be thin. “Compared to home, the girls here are very skinny”, she says. “Before I got here, I heard a lot of stories about pressure to be thin and that many young American women have eating disorders. I’ll go out with a friend and just tuck into a good meal (enjoy a meal) and have a good time, whereas an American girl would just pick at her food (eat only a small amount of food)”.
When it comes to drinking, Blackmore says, Americans have a lot more freedom. “We are more casual about drinking at home”, she says, ”whereas there are many rules and regulations attached to when and where you can drink in the United States, not to mention a legal drinking age of 21 compared with Australia’s legal age of 18”.
But it’s BC’s laid back (relaxed) and friendly learning environment that sets it apart from her Melbourne college experience. “Generally speaking, learning facilities are a lot better in Boston”, she says. “In Australia, students and teachers have little contact outside the classroom. It’s a formal and depersonalized relationship. College is a place you go for a few hours every day and then go home. Your social life and school life are separate”.
It’s just the opposite at BC, according to Blackmore. “BC students and faculty (the teaching staff of a university) are like one big happy family”, she says. “There is a real sense of team spirit. It’s like we are all in this together. Going to school here is a lifestyle, whereas at home we are just a number. We attend school to get a degree so we can graduate, get a job, and get on with our lives (move ahead in our lives)”.
Another pleasant shocker was the close and open relationships American students enjoy with their teachers. It’s a sharp contrast to Australia, where college students keep a discreet but respectful distance from their teachers.
“I was surprised when I learned students go out to dinner with their lecturers”, she says. “We just don’t do that back home. Professors deal with hundreds of students and you are lucky if they remember your name”.
When Blackmore returns to Australia at the end of the school year, she’ll have plenty of memories, most of them good ones. BC, like most American colleges, has gone out of its way to create a memorable experience for Blackmore and its other exchange students.
(By Bob Weinstein, from “The Boston Globe”)
After You Read

A. For each item below, circle the two answers that best complete each statement.

1. The purpose of the reading is to .

a) demonstrate that Americans study hard and experience a lot
b) show one student’s thoughts on cultural differences between Australia and the United States
c) point out some ways in which foreigners experience culture shock in the United States
d) argue that everyone should spend a year as a foreign exchange student

2. Tamara Blackmore says that in Australia.

a) students and teachers sometimes become good friends
b) students make a clear separation between their academic and social lives
c) professors often do not know their students’ names
d) universities are not as good

3. Blackmore says that American professors their students.

a) have dinner with
b) enjoy warm relationships with
c) jog, run, and bike with
d) are smarter than

4. When it comes to drinking alcohol, Blackmore feels that .

a) there are stricter rules in America
b) the drinking age in Australia is too low
c) Americans drink more than Australians
d) Australians are more relaxed about alcohol than Americans

5. Blackmore would probably agree that .

a) Americans are better drivers than Australians
b) American professors take a greater interest in their students than Australian professors
c) Australians are more relaxed than Americans
d) American women enjoy good food more than Australian women

6. The overall tone of the reading is and .

a) humorous
b) thoughtful
c) upsetting
d) informative

B. Work with a partner to answer the questions below.

1. Tell your partner about three differences Tamara sees between life in Australia and the United States.
(e.g. “Tamara says that the drivers in Boston are crazy. She says that there is more traffic congestion in Boston than in Australia. Also, Tamara mentions that the steering wheel is on the right side of the car in Australia, but on the wrong side in the United States. She means that the steering wheel is on the left side in American cars.”
2. Tamara noticed many cultural differences between Australia and the United States. Which cultural differences do you think were relatively easy for Tamara to get used to? Which ones do you think were difficult? Why?
3. From what Tamara says, do you think that university life in your country is more similar to university life in Australia or in the United States? Why?

C. Topics for discussion and writing.
1. Based on Tamara Blackmore’s comments in the reading, would you rather study for a year in Australia or in the United States? Why?
2. Imagine that Tamara was coming to your country to study for a year. What advice would you give her? What would you tell her about the food, the students, the professors, and other aspects of university life in your country?
3. Have you ever experienced culture shock? Describe your experience. Which country were you in? How long were you there? What are your most positive and negative memories of the experience?
4. Think of a country where you would like to study or work for six months to a year. What would you do to prepare for living in this country? Make a list of five questions you have about life in this country and research the answers to these questions.

Text 2: Customs in Different Countries

A. Read this advice about customs in different countries. Can you guess where these customs are from? Match the advice with the countries in the box.

Switzerland
Japan
Singapore
The USA
Saudi Arabia
1. Eat with your fork only. You should first cut up your food, then place your knife on your plate (you shouldn’t rest it on the table), transfer the fork to your right hand and begin to eat.
2. You oughtn’t to phone someone at their home after 9 o’clock in the evening unless it’s someone you know very well and are sure they won’t mind. You also ought to be on time for appointments as people are very punctual here.

Results (Russian) 1:

Говорят, что Тамара Блэкмор испытал культурный шок, когда она приехала сюда в сентябре прошлого является занижение. Это было больше похоже культуры травма (крайняя форма «культурный шок») для этого приключений студента, который покинул Университет Монаша в Мельбурне, провести ее младший год в Бостон колледж (BC). Bkackmore, 20 присоединился в BC 50 других обмен студентов со всего мира. Как и тысячи обмена студентов, которые поступают в американских колледжей ежегодно, Блэкмор обнаружили, из первых рук (узнал, видя, непосредственно или испытывают), есть море разница (очень большая разница) между чтением о и переживает из первых рук Америки. Она почувствовала разницу, как только она вышла из самолета.Как только она приземлилась в Бостоне, Блэкмор мог чувствовать напряжение в воздухе.Она была по вкусу (опыт) образ жизни гораздо более суете (очень занят) чем она ушла. «Вождение в Бостоне сумасшедший,», говорит Блэкмор. «Мне потребовалось некоторое время, чтобы привыкнуть к дорогам и стиль вождения здесь. Я был всегда боялся, что кто-то ударил меня. Это было особенно сложно, поскольку рулевое колесо на неправильной стороне автомобиля. В Австралии он находится на правой стороне.» Помимо автомобилей и пробки Блэкмор говорит, что потребовалось время, чтобы привыкнуть к так много людей в одном месте, все из которых, казалось, как они шли на скорости деформации (путешествия, очень быстро).«Есть только 18 миллионов человек в Австралии разбросаны по всей стране,» она говорит: «по сравнению с более чем 6 миллионов человек в штате Массачусетс. У нас нет рода заторов, у вас в Бостоне. Существует совершенно иное восприятие пространства».Насущной проблемой для Блэкмор делает быстрой адаптации к американской жизни, что чувствовал, как она была запущена секундомер (часы, которые может быть запущен и остановлен нажатием кнопки). Для этого доброжелательного австралийских, американцы, казалось, как вечный – движения машины (машины, которые никогда не перестают двигаться). «Американцы очень ориентированной на время,» Блэкмор говорит.«Все сделано по расписанию. Они всегда заняты, который заставил меня чувствовать себя виноватым о желании просто сидеть и иногда смотреть телевизор. Австралийцы, с другой стороны, ценят свое свободное время. Темп, есть много медленнее, потому что мы не чувствуем необходимости всегда быть занят. Это не то, что австралийцы ленивы; Это просто, что они имеют различные концепции как время должно быть потрачено. Вернувшись домой, я использовал потратить гораздо больше времени, просто говорить с друзьями».It didn’t take long for Blackmore to adjust to Americans rhythms (get used to American lifestyles). “I felt the pressure to work harder and did more because everyone was running around doing so much”, she says. When BC students weren’t huddled over books, Blackmore found it odd that they were compulsively jogging, running, biking, or doing aerobics in order to be thin. “Compared to home, the girls here are very skinny”, she says. “Before I got here, I heard a lot of stories about pressure to be thin and that many young American women have eating disorders. I’ll go out with a friend and just tuck into a good meal (enjoy a meal) and have a good time, whereas an American girl would just pick at her food (eat only a small amount of food)”.When it comes to drinking, Blackmore says, Americans have a lot more freedom. “We are more casual about drinking at home”, she says, ”whereas there are many rules and regulations attached to when and where you can drink in the United States, not to mention a legal drinking age of 21 compared with Australia’s legal age of 18”.But it’s BC’s laid back (relaxed) and friendly learning environment that sets it apart from her Melbourne college experience. “Generally speaking, learning facilities are a lot better in Boston”, she says. “In Australia, students and teachers have little contact outside the classroom. It’s a formal and depersonalized relationship. College is a place you go for a few hours every day and then go home. Your social life and school life are separate”.It’s just the opposite at BC, according to Blackmore. “BC students and faculty (the teaching staff of a university) are like one big happy family”, she says. “There is a real sense of team spirit. It’s like we are all in this together. Going to school here is a lifestyle, whereas at home we are just a number. We attend school to get a degree so we can graduate, get a job, and get on with our lives (move ahead in our lives)”.Another pleasant shocker was the close and open relationships American students enjoy with their teachers. It’s a sharp contrast to Australia, where college students keep a discreet but respectful distance from their teachers. “I was surprised when I learned students go out to dinner with their lecturers”, she says. “We just don’t do that back home. Professors deal with hundreds of students and you are lucky if they remember your name”.When Blackmore returns to Australia at the end of the school year, she’ll have plenty of memories, most of them good ones. BC, like most American colleges, has gone out of its way to create a memorable experience for Blackmore and its other exchange students.(By Bob Weinstein, from “The Boston Globe”)After You Read A. For each item below, circle the two answers that best complete each statement. 1. The purpose of the reading is to . a) demonstrate that Americans study hard and experience a lotb) show one student’s thoughts on cultural differences between Australia and the United Statesc) point out some ways in which foreigners experience culture shock in the United Statesd) argue that everyone should spend a year as a foreign exchange student 2. Tamara Blackmore says that in Australia. a) students and teachers sometimes become good friendsb) students make a clear separation between their academic and social livesc) professors often do not know their students’ namesd) universities are not as good 3. Blackmore says that American professors their students. a) have dinner withb) enjoy warm relationships withc) jog, run, and bike withd) are smarter than 4. When it comes to drinking alcohol, Blackmore feels that . a) there are stricter rules in Americab) the drinking age in Australia is too lowc) Americans drink more than Australiansd) Australians are more relaxed about alcohol than Americans 5. Blackmore would probably agree that . a) Americans are better drivers than Australiansb) American professors take a greater interest in their students than Australian professorsc) Australians are more relaxed than Americansd) American women enjoy good food more than Australian women 6. The overall tone of the reading is and . a) humorousb) thoughtfulc) upsettingd) informative B. Work with a partner to answer the questions below. 1. Tell your partner about three differences Tamara sees between life in Australia and the United States.(e.g. “Tamara says that the drivers in Boston are crazy. She says that there is more traffic congestion in Boston than in Australia. Also, Tamara mentions that the steering wheel is on the right side of the car in Australia, but on the wrong side in the United States. She means that the steering wheel is on the left side in American cars.”2. Tamara noticed many cultural differences between Australia and the United States. Which cultural differences do you think were relatively easy for Tamara to get used to? Which ones do you think were difficult? Why?
3. From what Tamara says, do you think that university life in your country is more similar to university life in Australia or in the United States? Why?

C. Topics for discussion and writing.
1. Based on Tamara Blackmore’s comments in the reading, would you rather study for a year in Australia or in the United States? Why?
2. Imagine that Tamara was coming to your country to study for a year. What advice would you give her? What would you tell her about the food, the students, the professors, and other aspects of university life in your country?
3. Have you ever experienced culture shock? Describe your experience. Which country were you in? How long were you there? What are your most positive and negative memories of the experience?
4. Think of a country where you would like to study or work for six months to a year. What would you do to prepare for living in this country? Make a list of five questions you have about life in this country and research the answers to these questions.

Text 2: Customs in Different Countries

A. Read this advice about customs in different countries. Can you guess where these customs are from? Match the advice with the countries in the box.

Switzerland
Japan
Singapore
The USA
Saudi Arabia
1. Eat with your fork only. You should first cut up your food, then place your knife on your plate (you shouldn’t rest it on the table), transfer the fork to your right hand and begin to eat.
2. You oughtn’t to phone someone at their home after 9 o’clock in the evening unless it’s someone you know very well and are sure they won’t mind. You also ought to be on time for appointments as people are very punctual here.

Results (Russian) 3:

говорит тамара блэкмор испытывают культурный шок, когда она прибыла сюда в сентябре прошлого года - это преуменьшение.это было больше похоже на культуру травмы (крайняя форма "культурный шок") для этого приключения студента, который ушел в мельбурне монаш тратить ее на второй год бостонского колледжа (до н.э.).bkackmore, 20, вошел в год до н. э. в 50 других обмен студентов со всего мира.как и тысячи обмен студентов, учебу в американских колледжах каждый год, блэкмор обнаружили непосредственно (узнали непосредственно увидеть или испытывают) существует громадное влияние (очень большая разница между чтения и испытывают) из америки.она считает, что различие, как только она вышла из самолета.как только она приземлилась в бостоне, блэкмор чувствовал напряжение в воздухе.она была на вкус (опыт), образ жизни, гораздо более напряженный (очень занят), чем тот, она ушла."ехал в бостон сумасшедший", - говорит блэкмор."мне потребовалось время, чтобы привыкнуть к дорогам и стиль вождения здесь.я всегда боялась, что кто - то собирается ударить меня.это было особенно сложно, поскольку рулевое колесо было на той машине.в австралии, - ладно. "за автомобили и пробки на дорогах, блэкмор говорит, потребовалось время, чтобы привыкнуть к столь многих людей в одном месте, все из которых, похоже, они движутся на варп - скорости (путешествия очень, очень быстро)."есть только 18 миллионов человек в австралии, разбросанных по всей стране", - говорит она, "по сравнению с более шести миллионов человек в штате массачусетс.у нас нет такого затора тебя в бостон.существует целая различного восприятия пространства ".насущной проблемой для блэкмор делает быстрый корректировка американского образа жизни, которые, казалось, руководил секундомер (часы, которые можно запустить и остановить нажав кнопку).это легкое австралии, американцы, похоже, вечное – движение машин (машины, которые никогда не двигаться)."американцы - очень времени на" блэкмор говорит."все идет в соответствии с графиком.они всегда заняты, который заставил меня чувствовать себя виноватой за то, что хотят просто сидеть тут и время от времени смотреть телевизор.австралийцы, с другой стороны, стоимость их досуга.темпы намного медленнее, потому что мы не чувствуем необходимость всегда быть занят.дело не в том, что австралийцы ленивы; просто они имеют разные представления о том, как раз должны быть потрачены.вернувшись домой, я проводил много времени, чтобы просто поговорить с друзьями ".это не заняло много времени, чтобы адаптироваться к американцам ритмы блэкмор (привыкнуть к американскому образу жизни)."я чувствовал давление, больше работать и больше, потому что все бегали вокруг этого много", - говорит она.когда студенты не собиралась за книги до, блэкмор считает странным, что они были, как бег трусцой, бегать, кататься на велосипеде или заниматься аэробикой, чтобы похудеть."по сравнению с домой, девочки здесь очень тонкие", - говорит она."перед тем, как я попал сюда, я слышал много историй о давлении на тонких и многие молодые американские женщины имеют расстройства пищевого поведения.я буду ходить с другом и просто засунуть в хорошей еды (поесть и развлечься, а американская девушка просто забрать ее на питание (есть только небольшое количество продуктов питания) ".когда дело доходит до выпивки, блэкмор говорит, американцы имеют гораздо больше свободы."мы все больше случайных пьянства дома", - говорит она, "если есть много правил и правил, прилагаемых к, когда и где вы можете выпить в сша, не говоря уже о правовой питьевой 21 - летнего возраста по сравнению с австралийской правовой 18 лет".но это год до н. э. это laid back (расслабленным) и дружественные условия обучения, что отличает его от нее в мельбурне опыт колледжа."в целом, обучения гораздо лучше в бостоне, - говорит она."в австралии, студентов и преподавателей мало контактов вне школы.это официальный и обезличенной отношения.колледж - это место, ты пойдешь на несколько часов в день, а потом пойду домой.вашей социальной жизни и школьной жизни отдельно ".как раз наоборот в год до н. э., по словам блэкмор."год до н. э. студенты и преподаватели (преподавателей университета) как одна большая семья", - говорит она."существует реальное чувство коллективизма.это, как мы все вместе в этом.ходить в школу здесь, это стиль жизни, в то время как дома, мы всего лишь число.мы посещали школу, чтобы получить степень, так что мы можем выпускник, работать и жить (продвинуться вперед в нашей жизни) ".еще одна приятная новость была близка и открытые взаимоотношения американские студенты пользуются со своими учителями.это отличие от австралии, где студенты колледжа ведет малозаметную, но почтительном расстоянии от своих учителей."я был удивлен, когда узнал студентов пойти на ужин с их преподавателей", - говорит она."мы просто не делай этого дома.преподаватели занимаются сотни студентов, и вам повезет, если они помню ваше имя