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A Stimulating Encounter

Today, the extension students went to Washington State University and had a wonderful opportunity with IALC (Intensive American Language Center) students.They are students who study English to prepare for successful study at Washington State University or other universities and colleges in the United States. During my time there I enjoyed getting to know the students and learning about the WSU international program.

My Stunning International Friends
First, I had a good time talking with a Chinese man and a Saudi Arabian man in my group. They were very talkative and friendly. I asked them about their class and their way of studying English. There are 16 students in their class and they basically speak English always in the class because the class has people come from various countries. They said that when they get some new vocabulary in the class, they try to use the word in their conversation. I realized that I was satisfied only to write my new vocabulary in my notebook. It was good for me to realize it. I also learned about the difference of culture and our sense of values from today's conversation. Saudi Arabian man said to me that Japanese commodity prices are very high and language is absolutely complex and difficult. It was really interesting and surprising to me because I had never heard the image of Japan foreigner have. A campus tour by the students was also really fun and I was impressed by the huge area of campus.

Next, we received some information about IALC program and the Washington State University international students. To my surprise, there are a huge number of Chinese, more than 770 and a lot of Saudi Arabians on the campus. I had just learned about English mania in China from TED talk, and I felt deeply that true Chinese people need English. I was also interested in the reception of students from foreign countries in American universities because In Japan, That is not so common like it is in other countries. learning this informations give me an opportunity to think about my future after graduating.

In conclusion, I really took a delight in the WSU visit. All of the time was very exciting and a good opportunity to learn about America.


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