Regarding C.E.S.L. Visit

I met two very interesting people from China during our visit to the C.E.S.L. building on Wednesday. I don't remember either of their names, but I enjoyed talking to both of them about their experiences in the U.S., which were similar in certain ways, but also different in other ways. I learned that, in China, it is a requirement for students to learn English fluently before college. I also learned that there is a long and difficult test for graduating high school seniors to pass in order to be admitted into a college.

On a separate note, I was also somewhat inspired by the vibe in the classroom. It seemed as though the students were all very comfortable with one another, and (at least the two people that I talked to) enjoyed the United States more than they expected that they would before moving here. It is interesting to me to see that I have taken some things for granted, or at least never noticed them, because they have always been there; for example, according to one student I talked to, Americans are very kind and warm-hearted. This somewhat contradicts my experiences throughout my life, but it is still interesting to hear someone say it to whom this country is a new experience.

In regards to relating my experience with the reading, I found that the students I talked to were much more interested in the cultural assimilation than the girl in the reading. In the reading, she seemed kind of put off by both Mexican and American cultures, while the students who I talked to were interested (or at least didn't actively dislike) their own original culture, and were also interested the the American culture.