April 2021 – Transpositions

2021-04-302021-04-30

Amazing Things that I Have Seen in Texas

Amazing Things that I Have Seen in Texas.

For ten years, my family and I came to the U.S. one or two times a year to take vacations. We visited many states and cities in this country. However, I noticed many interesting things in Texas.
When I started to live in Texas there were many things that caught my attention. For example, Texans are people who really have a sense of identity and are proud of their state. You can see it in houses, cars ,clothing, and businesses; it is the flag of Texas, the lonestar or some symbol that shows their pride not only for their country but also especially for Texas. Another thing I noticed was the tea. I have tasted sweet tea in other places but in Texas, they really SWEET tea. I was also thinking that Texas was a desert, and I was nicely surprised when I noticed how much vegetation and rivers there were here in Austin and the surrounding cities. Another thing that surprised me was the chicken fried steak; it is not chicken!! OMG you can imagine my surprise when I ordered it and tasted beef!! I said, “ what!?” Why call it chicken if it doesn’t have chicken? Well, nobody has answered me yet. But, the BBQ is really “The BBQ.” It is one of the most delicious things that I have ever eaten in my life. It’s really good. However I have to say that I have one deception about Texas, I did not see authentic cowboys around. I was hoping to see some Clint Eastwood type cowboys (when he was 30-40 years of course). Well, I hope to stay here many years more to discover more interesting things about Texas and maybe some lucky day, I’ll find some handsome cowboy.

Lorena Guzman

2021-04-192021-04-23

This Country Surprised Me – by Jazmin Echavarria Monsalve

Could being surprised be synonymous with being reborn? Being surprised is a sign that you are feeling, seeing, or perceiving a new experience. It is something that you had not experienced before or something that takes you out of your comfort zone and calls you to feel alive. This is a phrase that I have been repeating frequently since I left my country, Colombia, and arrived in the United States. My arrival in this country was undoubtedly synonymous with joy and excitement, but at the same time, it was synonymous with a surprising cultural shock that would be evident in three main contexts of my life: communication, food, and weather.

In the first place, the culture shock that I felt was evident. I can define it in five words: I was starting life over. I felt as though I was being born again because of my communication skills. Somehow, this situation made me feel frustrated for different reasons. For example, at that time, I would have wanted to be able to write, communicate and understand what the people around me were saying, and to read and comprehend the newspaper, but my brain did not recognize this new communication code. I will never forget an occasion in a store where a person wrote something on a piece of paper in English, and I could not understand his message. That definitely made me feel like a little girl who was just beginning the process of exploring and understanding the world.

Moreover, I began to live experiences very different from those that I was used to having in my country. For example, the experience of adapting my palate to new food flavors was, without a doubt, a great shock. That will sound incredible, but the flavors of the fruits and vegetables were not the same as the flavors of the ones that I consumed in Colombia. In addition, the climate was a surprising change, too.

My whole life, I had lived in the famous City of Eternal Spring in Medellín, where the climate does not exceed 77° Fahrenheit, and where there are no seasons. The whole year is always spring. I do not deny that it has been beautiful to be able to see each season go by in Austin; however, at first, the high temperatures gave me a headache, and the low temperatures gave me allergies. I could be sure that it was a new world full of challenges, but at the same time, a new place that I was beginning to enjoy with all its changes.

Starting to live in the United States has been a surprise for me because the communication, food, and climate was a big challenge that gave me the opportunity to be reborn and grow personally.

2021-04-192021-05-12

The Life of College Students in Two Different Countries

How is the life of a college student in one country similar or different to other countries? Students from Venezuela feel fortunate to live in an incredible environment that is one of the 17 most biodiverse countries on the planet. That is something different from Bangladeshi students, who must take precautions at home due to the environmental degradation that the country is experiencing. Venezuelan and Bangladeshi college students may appear to have the same type of college life, but their experiences are different in aspects like living near the university, spending free-time, and having formal relationships with professors.

Studying at a university in Venezuela is a very important experience for students because they begin to live for themselves and fulfill their goals. Depending on where the students in Venezuela go to college, they either live at home or rent an apartment in the city with other students or rent a room in a family’s house near to the university. For example, when they rent a room in a family’s house, they are required to follow many rules like getting home early. It is uncommon that they can invite friends or classmates. In addition, parents are responsible for paying expenses, and it is unusual for students to work while studying. Venezuelan students know how to enjoy their free time.

They are almost on the beach every weekend. After classes they like to exercise in the park, go biking, or go hiking in the mountains with friends. Students also like to go to the mall or go to the cinema to enjoy watching movies that are in season with their friends or family. At universities, students have formal relationships with their professors. While students spend time on campus, they keep in close communication with their professors to discuss assignments or participate in programs that are conducted at the university under the supervision and motivation of the professors. Overall, Venezuelan students enjoy their colleges, accumulating experiences before beginning their professional life.

In contrast, universities in Bangladesh are an important opportunity for students in which they can achieve experiences and dreams. In Bangladesh, students move to the city for a better education. They also live close to the university just like the students from Venezuela. While they study, the government pays for their accommodation or housing. Unlike Venezuelan students, Bangladeshi students and their families do not have to worry about rent. In addition, Bangladeshi students who receive government help are more focused on completing their education and do not need to work. Students normally spend their free time with friends. Because Bangladesh has a different environment compared to Venezuela’s, Bangladeshi students only do indoor activities like movies and gatherings. They also like to study together at the library after school due to the fact that there they are more focused on their education and because of their environmental limitations at home. The relationship between students and professors is very formal. They only communicate with professors for class work and are not socially similar to Venezuelans. Bangladeshi students are more dominated by their teachers. Unlike Venezuelan teachers, they are strict but teach their students autonomy.

In conclusion, Venezuelans and Bangladeshis during their lives as students seem to have a similar university lifestyle, but when the environment is compared with the activities of the student’s daily life, everything changes regarding their interests in how they use their free time. Between where the students live and how they make relationships with professors, their day to day lives are very different. Although when you look at the details, they all have one thing in common. All of the students are trying to better themselves and get an education to succeed in a diverse world.