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 (Javanese) 1:

Matur Tamara Blackmore budaya experienced kejut nalika dheweke teka kene pungkasan September iku sawijining understatement. Iku luwih kaya trauma budaya (wangun nemen "budaya kejut") kanggo mahasiswa adventurous iki sing kiwa Melbourne Monash University nglampahi taun junior dheweke ing Boston College (SM). Bkackmore, 20, iki gabungan ing BC 50 siswa exchange saka sak donya. Kaya ewu siswa exchange sing ndhaftar ing colleges Amérika saben taun, Blackmore katutup firsthand (sinau dening langsung ningali utawa ngalami) ana segara prabédan (prabédan amba banget) antarane maca babagan lan ngalami Amerika firsthand. Dheweke felt prabédan sanalika dheweke jumangkah mati bidang.
Sanalika dheweke ndharat ing Boston, Blackmore bisa aran tension ing udhara.
Deweke babagan rasa (kanggo nemu) gaya urip adoh luwih ramai (banget sibuk) saka siji dheweke kiwa. "Driving in Boston edan," ngandika Blackmore. "Sampeyan njupuk kula nalika kanggo njaluk digunakake kanggo dalan lan gaya driving kene. Aku tansah wedi wong iki arep kanggo mencet kula. Iku utamané angel wiwit setir ana ing sisih salah mobil. Ing Australia, iku ing sisih tengen. "Ngluwihi montor lan jams lalu lintas, Blackmore ngandika iku nalika njupuk kanggo njaluk digunakake kanggo supaya akeh wong ing panggonan siji, kabeh kang ketoke kaya padha obah ing kacepetan saklapan (lelungan banget, banget cepet).
"Ana mung 18 yuta wong ing Australia nyebar metu liwat kabeh negara," dheweke ngandika, "dibandhingake luwih saka enem yuta wong ing negara Massachusetts piyambak. Kita padha ora duwe jenis rame sing duwe di Boston. Ana pemahaman kabèh beda papan ".
Ing mencet masalah kanggo Blackmore iki nggawe imbuhan cepet kanggo gaya urip Amérika sing felt kaya iku mbukak dening stopwatch (watch kang bisa diwiwiti lan mandegake kanthi mencet tombol). Kanggo Australia easygoing iki, Amerika ketoke kaya terusan - mesin gerakan (mesin sing tau mungkasi obah). "Amerika banget wektu-oriented," ngandika Blackmore.
"Kabèh wis rampung miturut jadwal a. Padha tansah sibuk, kang digawe kula aran guilty babagan kepingin mung njagong ngubengi lan sok-sok nonton televisi. Australia, ing tangan liyane, Value wektu luang. Jangkah ana akèh alon amarga kita padha ora aran perlu tansah sibuk. Iku ora Australia wis keset; iku mung sing padha duwe konsep sing beda-beda saka carane wektu kudu ngginakaken. Mulih, Aku digunakake kanggo nglampahi kathah liyane wektu mung ngomong sandi kanca ".
Nanging durung njupuk dawa kanggo Blackmore kanggo nyetel kanggo Amerika iromo (njaluk digunakake kanggo lifestyle American). "Aku felt meksa bisa harder lan iya luwih amarga wong iki mlaku watara mengkono akeh", dheweke ngandika. Nalika mahasiswa BC padha ora huddled liwat buku, Blackmore ketemu aneh sing padha compulsively jogging, mlaku, biking, utawa mengkono aerobics supaya dadi lancip. "Dibandhingake ngarep, bocah-bocah wadon kene banget ceking", dheweke ngandika. "Sadurunge aku tak kene, aku krungu akèh crita bab meksa kanggo dadi lancip lan sing akeh wanita enom Amérika wis mangan kelainan. Aku bakal metu karo kanca lan mung nylempitake menyang kulawarga apik (seneng kulawarga) lan duwe wektu apik, déné sing cah wadon Amérika bakal mung Pick ing pangan dheweke (mung mangan jumlah cilik saka pangan) ".
Nalika nerangake kanggo ngombé, Blackmore ngandika, Amerika duwe akèh luwih bebas. "We are liyane sembrono bab ngombe ing ngarep", dheweke ngandika, "déné ana akeh aturan lan peraturan ditempelake nalika lan ing ngendi sampeyan bisa ngombe ing Amerika Serikat, ora kanggo sebutno yuswa ngombé legal 21 dibandhingake karo umur legal Australia kang 18 ".
Nanging bali (anteng) lan loropaken lingkungan learning BC kang glethakaken sing mranata iku loro saka pengalaman College Melbourne dheweke. "Umumé ngandika, fasilitas learning kathah luwih apik ing Boston", dheweke ngandika. "Ing Australia, siswa lan guru duwe sethitik kontak njaba kelas. Iku hubungan formal lan depersonalized. College Panggonan sampeyan pindhah kanggo sawetara jam saben dina lan banjur mulih. Urip lan sekolah gesang sosial sing kapisah ".
Iku mung ngelawan ing BC, miturut Blackmore. "Siswa SM lan fakultas (Staff memulang sawijining universitas) kaya siji kulawarga seneng amba", dheweke ngandika. "Wonten raos sejati tim roh. Iku kaya kita kabeh ing iki bebarengan. Arep sekolah punika gaya urip, déné ing ngarep kita mung nomer. Kita sekolah kanggo njaluk jurusan supaya kita bisa lulus, njaluk proyek, lan njaluk karo gesang kita (mindhah ahead ing gesang kita) ".
shocker Liyane penake ana cedhak lan mbukak sesambetan siswa Amérika seneng karo guru. Iku cetha kontras menyang Australia, ngendi College tetep kadohan wicaksana nanging kae saka guru.
"Aku kaget nalika aku sinau siswa metu kanggo nedha bengi karo dosen sing", dheweke ngandika. "Kita mung ora ngerti mulih. Profesor menehi hasil karo atusan siswa lan sampeyan ana begja yen padha elinga jeneng ".
Nalika Blackmore ngasilake Australia ing pungkasan taun sekolah, dheweke bakal duwe kathah pengeling-eling, paling mau gedhe-gedhe apik. BC, kaya paling colleges Amérika, wis musna metu saka sawijining cara kanggo nggawe pengalaman berkesan kanggo Blackmore lan siswa exchange sawijining.
(Miturut Bob Weinstein, saking "Boston Globe")
Sawise Sampeyan Baca A. Kanggo saben item ing ngisor iki, bunder loro jawaban sing paling lengkap saben statement. 1. Tujuan maca punika. a) nduduhake sing Amerika sinau hard lan nemu akèh b) nuduhake siji pikirane mahasiswa ing budaya sing beda antarane Australia lan Amerika Serikat c) nggawa metu sawetara cara kang manca pengalaman budaya kejut ing Amerika Serikat d) argue sing everyone kudu nglampahi taun minangka ijol-ijolan mahasiswa manca 2. Tamara Blackmore sing ngandika ing Australia. a) Siswa lan guru kadhangkala dadi kanca apik b) mahasiswa nggawe misahake cetha antarane urip akademisi lan sosial sing c) profesor kerep ora ngerti jeneng mahasiswa sing ' d) universities sing ora apik 3. Blackmore ngandika sing profesor Amérika mahasiswa. a) duwe nedha bengi karo b) seneng sesambetan anget karo c) jog, mbukak, lan mancal karo d) sing pinter saka 4. Nalika nerangake kanggo ngombé alkohol, Blackmore sing ngrasa. a) ana aturan stricter ing Amerika b) yuswa ngombé ing Australia banget kurang c) Amerika ngombe luwih saka Australia d) Australia luwih anteng bab alkohol saka Amerika 5. Blackmore mbokmenawa bakal setuju sing. a) Amerika pembalap luwih saka Australia b) profesor Amérika njupuk kapentingan luwih ing mahasiswa saka profesor Australia c) Australia luwih anteng tinimbang Amerika d) Amérika wanita seneng apik pangan luwih saka wanita Australia 6. Muni sakabèhé saka maca lan. a) guyonan b) pemikir c) upsetting d) informatif B. Bisa karo partner kanggo njawab pitakonan ing ngisor iki. 1. Marang partner bab telung beda Tamara sumerep antarane urip ing Australia lan Amerika Serikat. (eg "says Tamara sing pembalap ing Boston sing edan. Dheweke ngandika yen ana rame lalu lintas ing Boston saka ing Australia. Uga, Tamara nyebataken sing setir ing sisih tengen mobil ing Australia, nanging ing sisih salah ing Amerika Serikat. Dheweke tegese rodha ing sisih kiwa ing mobil Amérika. " 2. Tamara ngeweruhi akeh budaya sing beda antarane Australia lan Amerika Serikat. Kang beda budaya kowe mikir padha relatif gampang kanggo Tamara kanggo njaluk digunakake kanggo? Kang gedhe-gedhe sampeyan mikir padha angel? Apa? 3. Saka apa says Tamara, kowe mikir sing urip universitas ing negara iku luwih padha universitas urip ing Australia utawa ing Amerika Serikat? Apa? C. Topik kanggo diskusi lan nulis. 1. Adhedhasar komentar Tamara Blackmore ing wacan, badhe rodo sinau kanggo taun ing Australia utawa ing Amerika Serikat? Apa? 2. Mbayangno sing Tamara iki teka kanggo negara kanggo sinau kanggo taun. Apa saran bakal menehi dheweke? Apa bakal sampeyan marang dheweke bab pangan, siswa, ing profesor, lan aspèk gesang universitas ing negara? 3. Wis tau ngalami kejut budaya? Njlèntrèhaké pengalaman. Negara kang padha ing? Suwene padha ana? Apa sing pengeling-eling paling positif lan negatif saka pengalaman? 4. Mikir saka negara ngendi sing seneng sinau utawa bisa kanggo nem sasi taun. Apa bakal apa kanggo nyiapake kanggo urip ing negara iki? Nggawe dhaptar limang pitakonan sing duwe babagan gesang ing negara iki lan riset jawaban kanggo pitakonan iki. Tèks 2: Customs ing Negara Beda A. Maca iki saran bab adat ing negara. Sampeyan bisa guess ngendi khusus iki saka? Cocog saran karo negara ing kothak. Swiss Japan Singapore Ing USA Saudi Arabia 1. Mangan karo garpu mung. Sampeyan kudu Cut pangan, banjur nyeleh piso ing piring (ora kudu ngaso ing meja), mindhah garpu kanggo tangan tengen lan wiwiti mangan. 2. Sampeyan oughtn't kanggo telpon wong ing ngarep sawise jam 9 ing wayah sore kajaba iku wong sing ngerti banget lan uga manawa padha ora pikiran. Sampeyan uga kudu dadi ing wektu kanggo janjian minangka wong-wong banget punctual kene.