Hi! My name is Zhandos Orazalin. Today, I’m going to tell you about my first experience with skateboarding. I’m from Kazakhstan, which is a fascinating country located between Europe and Asia.  It’s a size of whole of the Western Europe, it has stable government and it’s becoming a very attractive place for investments.

[Watch Zhandos Orazalin talk about his experience at ASU & learning to skateboard]

The President of our country has established a scholarship named “Bolashak” which allows the best students from Kazakhstan to study in any country of the world with the objective to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to build a democratic and prosperous society.

Currently, I have a great honor to study at AECP, American English and Culture Program, in Arizona State University. AECP is the best place to learn English and it has a great deal of what to do in order to become a successful student in any university of the United States of America.

I came to Arizona this year, 2009, on March. It’s my first time here in the United States. I came here from the overseas, and, as it happens, I’ve had a cultural shock. The first thought that came to my mind was that I’m in American college movie. It was something absolutely new to me – being in American University’s campus. Thanks to the AECP that helped me a lot to adjust to the new environment.

Khazakh student Zhandos Orazalin learning to skateboard & learning english at Arizona State University

I was placed to live in real American College dormitory, and I had classes in different buildings around the biggest university campus at ASU. However, I had a big problem with transportation; I didn’t know how to get from my one class to another because of the big distances.

I’ve seen that a great number of American students are using skateboards in purpose of transportation. For that time, for me, it was just a piece of wood with wheels. I had absolutely no idea how they are doing this – skateboarding.

I’ve never used skateboard in my country, maybe because I’m now a graduate student, and, as I thought, I was too old for that. By the way, I’m going to study Civil Engineering in the graduate school next year. Currently, I’m studying English at AECP and preparing for the standardized tests and application for the top notch graduate schools. Time is absolutely crucial for me, and I don’t want to waste my precious time on transportation.

In addition, I didn’t want to use car or bicycle, because these types of transportation were all about maintenance and parking issues. These types of transportation weren’t mobile and easy to carry everywhere with me. Thus, I decided to buy a skateboard and use it as my super mobile “car”.

One of my friends from Kazakhstan said that it wasn’t a good idea for me to waste my money on skateboard because as he said, “You will never learn skateboarding! It is only for American Students who use skateboards since their childhood! Observing American students on skateboards you may think that it is just a piece of cake, but skateboarding is very-very difficult. You should give up with an idea that you will use skateboard someday…” Then I said to myself – “Well, I’ve got to learn this!”

I bought a board and went to the campus. The first day on skateboard was just horrible! I couldn’t even stand on this tiny piece of wood. I’ve been falling every 10 seconds for the first days. I thought that maybe my friend was right, and I won’t learn skateboarding in my life… However, I didn’t give up. I just got my skateboard and said to myself, “Well, man, your next class in different building, you should be on the other side of the campus in the next 5 minutes. There is no way to do it by walking.” In other words, I was just forced to use skateboard in order to achieve my goals. It was my great motivation for the success.

To sum up, as you see – I’ve learned to skateboard, and I’m doing it everyday. It helps me to save my time on transportation, gives me an opportunity to get to know more American culture, and it is good for my health.

I’m very grateful for the AECP program at ASU, and I encourage every student who wants to be successful in American College environment to attend American English and Culture Program at Arizona State University.

For more information on the ASU American English and Culture Program contact

ASU American English and Culture Program
Ph: (480) 965-2376 • Fax: (480) 965-8529
Email: aecp@asu.edu
Web: www.asu.edu/aecp

ASU International Undergraduate Admissions
Ph: (480) 965-2688
Email: asuinternational@asu.edu
Web: www.students.asu.edu/international-admission

ASU Graduate College
Ph: (480) 965-6113
Web: www.graduate.asu.edu/

College life may look different today, with Uggs, sweatpants, and phones glued to everyone’s ears, but at the end its still about education, friendships, networks, and more than just classes.

Enjoy!

http://portraitoftheuniversity.com/

Students at Duke - 1960 (photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dukeyearlook/)

University of Alabama 1970 via GoogleBooks

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1965 [via The Trad, Ivy League Look

The Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT with CD-ROM, Third Edition

Cracking the TOEFL iBT with CD, 2010 Edition (Test Preparation)

Kaplan TOEFL iBT with CD-ROM

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When most students prepare to go to college, they think about things like the major they will choose, the profession they will seek, and the kind of income they will one day earn to support themselves and their lifestyle.  To be sure, education plays a major role in students’ achieving all of these things.  Yet academics alone should not be a student’s only concern, according to some college admissions professionals.

“When you choose a college, you need to think about life beyond the classroom, as well as what you learn inside the classroom,” says Thomas Schaefer, Ph.D., associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of admissions at La Roche College in the North Hills.  “When we interview students for admission, we look at what they’ve done academically, and we also look at what activities they’ve been part of, too.  We want to attract well-rounded students, and we encourage them to expand their interests at college.”

In fact, getting involved in activities at college can be key to a student’s positive experience, Dr. Schaefer says.  As students delve into a new world of independence, he notes, it can be comforting to be part of a group activity in which they share interests with others.  Sports programs are a great example of how students meet new people and continue to develop skills they’ve acquired in high school.

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At large colleges and universities, heading into intramurals may be the way to go because the level of athletic ability may be more conducive to the “casual” college athlete, according to La Roche’s Director of Athletics Jim Tinkey.  He said that some ranked colleges and universities have rigid guidelines regarding how students qualify for any given team.  Be sure to ask about programs you’re interested in when you’re doing your college search, he advises.

“If you have an athletic interest and ability, let the school’s coaching staff or admissions team know that,” Tinkey says.

At smaller institutions, students may find it easier to become part of the school’s rostered athletic programs.  “Often, at smaller schools, everyone has a chance to make the team,” Tinkey notes, “but it depends on level of skill.  At La Roche, we can’t automatically guarantee that every athlete will make the team, but we do meet with students who have a genuine interest and ability to play.”

La Roche fields 11 intercollegiate athletic teams competing in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) of the NCAA Division III.

In addition, for students who are looking for activities outside the realm of athletics, the college supports more than 30 student organizations, including a student newspaper, the Student Government Association, the Writers’ Center, and academic and social clubs.

“It’s important for you to find your niche in college, just as it was in high school,” Dr. Schaefer says.  “It may be academics, it may be athletics – and it may just be a little of both.  Explore until you find the right fit.”

This article was written by La Roche College. Read the complete article in our current issue of Al Jamiat Magazine.

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A friend of mine recently started going to a large four-year university, after having attended our local community college. While at the community college, she refused to join Facebook. It only took three weeks to go by at the university and suddenly she was an active Facebook user, like so many others I know.

Social networking sites, specifically Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace are now a part of the culture at American Universities. Their names have become verbs. You can now “facebook” someone, as easily as you can call someone. Their impact on a student’s social life can be helpful, but also devastating. Fights can start over a message posted online or an argument can become inflamed and continue through these mediums.

College users often are so wrapped up in their own Facebook worlds that they forget about the bigger picture. An occasional photo of you and your friends having a beer at the local bar shouldn’t devastate your bright and shining future. Picture after picture of standing next to a beer keg and all your drunk buddies, just might. With the downturn of the world economy, the job market has become even more competitive.

So how do you keep that embarrassing picture from being viewed by potential employers? Simple, don’t post it. Don’t put things on Facebook that you aren’t willing to share with a complete stranger. Security measures are nice, but they aren’t fool proof, and people aren’t perfect. If you want to share the picture of you and your friends drinking a whole keg, then email them the pictures. Don’t post them to a website millions of people can access.

cc license, abbyladybug

Also, remember to self-check your online image. Go to your favorite search engine, type your name in and see what comes up. I assure you, that any computer savvy employer will do the same. Make sure that a simple internet search doesn’t turn up that picture you had forgotten about with your friends goofing off. Knowing your online reputation is comparable to knowing what your former employers will say about you.

Lastly, and perhaps the easiest thing to do is not do stupid things in the first place. In college, my favorite thing to do Monday morning was to pick up a copy of the school newspaper and read the police blotter. This is a log of select police incidents, which happened over the weekend. I was told by my boss on the first day of my job that if I was ever in the blotter, I would no longer have a job. School officials do check things like this and it isn’t hard for a company to find the newspaper of your school and search for your name.

These warnings are not meant to make you paranoid. I enjoy using social media and the web as much as anyone. I love spending time on Facebook and posting pictures of my friends. The internet can be an amazing social tool, but remember to keep your future in mind when sharing information. What you post on the net can be seen by anyone including that potential future employer.

Elissa Yonkers is a recent graduate from Bowling Green State University, with a Bachelors of Science of Journalism with a focus on Public Relations, and a very strong minor in German. With several internship experiences under her belt, she is looking to widen her experience and knowledge with a job in corporate communications, public affairs, or work in a public relations agency. Connect with her here: http://sites.google.com/site/elissay/

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I spent my first holiday, away from my parents and siblings, with my German exchange students family. It was lonely, despite being welcomed with open arms by his family. The traditions seemed odd, despite the hours of study and discussion I’d had over the years about German culture and tradition during the holiday season. It was depressing, despite all of the fun I had hanging out with my exchange brother, his family, and friends. Overall, it was a very odd holiday season.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannaka, Kwanza, New Years are all holidays where the importance of family, home, and being close to family and friends. It’s hard to get in the holiday spirit, when you have no family to go “home” to, and don’t want to spend your semester break recovering from jet lag or in busy crowded airport lines.

cc license, Rennett Stowe

To add to the lack of close family and friends, traditions in America will assuredly be different than those you might be used to. It could be a simple difference, such as not having a Christmas market downtown, or as drastic as normally not celebrating Christmas or understanding the customs around you. Going home with an American friend, while a great experience and a lot of fun, isn’t the same as being home with your family and friends, in settings you grew up around.

Like regular homesickness, there is no fix-all cure for holiday-homesickness. Even if you don’t celebrate the same holidays, it could be a lonely time. Most school dorms shut down for the two to four week semester break, and almost everyone goes home.  Plan what you are going to do ahead of time, so like your American-classmates, you have plans to look forward too. Share your customs with your friends, and they might be open to incorporating some of them in with their own.

Overall, though, enjoy the experience of being abroad during the holidays. While it can feel alienating and lonely, it’s an experience most people don’t get the chance to experience. Take in the differences, understand them, and relish the time you have abroad.

Elissa Yonkers is a recent graduate from Bowling Green State University, with a Bachelors of Science of Journalism with a focus on Public Relations, and a very strong minor in German. With several internship experiences under her belt, she is looking to widen her experience and knowledge with a job in corporate communications, public affairs, or work in a public relations agency. Connect with her here: http://sites.google.com/site/elissay/

Ryan is ready for dinner.

I’ve never had a bad Thanksgiving dinner. The food is always amazing whether you are preparing a meal at home or spending it with family and friends somewhere else. I look forward to mashed potatoes, cornbread and of course turkey each November.  Many families have traditions in the foods they serve at dinner. Maybe grandma always makes the best sweet potatoes or Aunt Jody will definitely be showing up with her casserole recipe. When I studied abroad last fall semester I wasn’t sure what to except for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I had spent the holiday away from my family. I wondered if anyone would bother organizing a dinner. Should we just go out to eat or perhaps skip Thanksgiving this year?

Everyone hanging out in the appartment.

Luckily my friends are awesome and all wanted us all to plan Thanksgiving together. We created a sign-up sheet and divided dishes for people to prepare. I loved how everyone in the group was excited to make something different. Eric kept talking about a stuffing recipe from home and Nicole skyped her mom for instructions on their green bean casserole dish. I emailed my own house to ask how many potatoes I would need for a group of twenty-five (I’m clueless when it comes to cooking). We went grocery shopping and weren’t sure if they would have everything we would need, but we found most of it with a few substitutions. The funniest purchase was the turkey. They had the local butcher to prepare and cook it for us. It was probably the most expensive turkey any of us ever ate, but was worth the tradition.

A picture for Jeremy's mom.

There wasn’t a big space where we could host dinner so we met at our friend’s apartment. We fit about twenty-five people into a tiny two-bedroom apartment. Their table had four seats, so yes, it was a bit crammed. Even more crammed was the tiny kitchen. Dinner was served about three hours later than scheduled but it worked out because we were extra hungry by then. Jeremy brought over party poppers. He said they are a tradition at his house for Thanksgiving. They are paper tubes with little prizes, fortunes and a paper crown inside. We took pictures for his mom to send home.

My Thanksgiving abroad was very memorable and I’m glad I got spend it with friends. Do you have a study abroad Thanksgiving story to share?

Hannah DeMilta is a senior at Otterbein College studying Public Relations with a minor in Deaf Culture and Language (ASL). She has studied abroad in Australia and loves traveling whenever possible. She has held several internships in the PR & communications field and hopes to work in the non-profit sector one day. She also loves speaking with students interested in studying abroad, so please feel free to start a conversation: http://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahdemilta

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Orientation

As a first year student you are most probably going to be required to come earlier than the upperclassmen for orientation. This is may be one of the most entertaining times of your university life and you should take full advantage of it. The couple of days of orientation are going to be a busy time and there will be little time for you sit down and think about your family and friends back home. I would advise you to meet as many people as possible. You may not be able to remember all of their names, but once school starts you will at least remember their faces.

Culture Shock

Moving into a new and vastly different culture than yours can be very daunting. The transition will vary from person to person; some people adjust to changes easier than others. Try to be open and understanding of the “new” culture that you are experiencing. You will find many things that are considered “normal” in the U.S. are unacceptable in your culture. Try not to be judging of the American culture because that could distance you and make it more difficult for you to make friends. Part of your university experience is about learning about the culture.

Academics

cc license, Colin Purrington

The U.S. universities are very unique and different than any other university system in the world. Usually, your professors will require you to complete any reading assignment before the lecture. This way you will stay on top of your material and be able to get better grades during the exams. In most cases your grade will not depend only upon a single final exam. Usually it will involve classroom participation, homework assignments, mid-terms and final exams. University level work is very intense and demanding. If you have already developed good study skills during high school you should be fine.

Extracurricular Activities

There are numerous organizations that exist on university campuses throughout the U.S. If you find that there are not enough clubs on your campus, then you can start your own club. Learning in U.S. colleges is not focused only in the classroom; rather you will learn much more about yourself and grow as a person outside of the classroom. The skills and experiences that you gain as a club member will help your future in the job place and the community where you live. It is very important that you stay involved on campus and do activities outside of the classroom. These will increase your chances of securing an internships and jobs. Being involved will demonstrate to the employer that you are able to handle multiple tasks efficiently. In addition to that, through your involvement on campus your can show off your variety of your skills and talents.

cc license, williamscollege

Money and Documents

Once you come in the U.S. you will most probably open a bank account. I would strongly advise you that you check your online bank status regularly. Identity theft can be very dangerous, so make sure that once you obtain your Social Security number you keep it in a safe and secure location. Also, make sure you make copies of your passport and visa and other important documents that you receive prior to coming. Without identification at the airport or in a foreign country, things can be very complicated.

Coming to the U.S. is a new experience for you. Make sure that you take full advantage of all resources that are available on campus. Be happy and proud of your success. Also, be sure to enjoy the rest of the summer with your family and friends before you leave!

Stefan Ivanovski was born in Belgrade, Serbia but spent most of his life in Macedonia. He studied at an international school from 8^th – 10^th grades in the Netherlands. After graduating from high school in Macedonia with an International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma he applied to study in the United States. Currently he is studying at Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania majoring in International Relations and Spanish.

To read the complete article, please see our current issue of Al Jamiat Magazine.

With permission, EmilyShuki

American college students love dressing up for Halloween. You will find costume parties on university campuses all across the country in the month of October. The outfit choices range from strange, scary, hilarious or risqué.

Ohio University in Athens, Ohio is known for its history of wild Halloween parties. According to the Athens County CVB, attendance estimates are anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 each year for the party and the number fluctuates depending on the weather. Many come out of town to join the celebration.

Emily Shuki, a senior at Ohio University says that the party could easily be compared to Mardi Gras, but with lots of weird costumes and in Ohio. “It’s a big block party uptown where everyone goes to listen to the music being played on sound stages at either side of the street and where everyone is dressed in costume.”

cc license, rbatina

When in Athens you have to be especially creative in coming up with a costume. “I always appreciate the costumes that require some thought or are depictions of pop culture events or persons,” said Emily. “I saw a guy dressed as balloon boy this year, and lots of Lady GaGas.”

Group costumes are also a popular idea to make a statement. How would you like to see 101 people dressed as the 101 Dalmatians, or a group of five people dressed as pieces from Tetris?

While most people in attendance are just there to have a good time, things do get out of hand at times. Emily said that someone set a couch on fire this year and every Halloween there are student and non-student arrests. “I think celebrations at any other school are probably similar to ours, it’s just the number of visitors we get here that make it such a crazy weekend,” said Emily.

Although Halloween this year and come past, it’s not too late to start thinking about your costume ideas for next year. “I think everyone looks forward to it, at least a little. It’s the opportunity to be someone other than you,” said Emily. “…college is one of the last times you can live it up without making a complete fool of yourself.”

Hannah DeMilta is a senior at Otterbein College studying Public Relations with a minor in Deaf Culture and Language (ASL). She has studied abroad in Australia and loves traveling whenever possible. She has held several internships in the PR & communications field and hopes to work in the non-profit sector one day. She also loves speaking with students interested in studying abroad, so please feel free to start a conversation: http://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahdemilta

Editing your Paper, Photo by Nic's events

MLA, APA, Chicago, Research papers, and YOU!

Research papers in your own language are one thing. While they may not be your favorite thing in the world to write, it probably doesn’t intimidate or scare you. A teacher or professor says write a paper, you write it and forget it. Papers in a foreign language are scary enough to boggle most people’s minds.

I wrote a couple papers in German, while I was in Austria, and even more once I came back to the States. Included in these was a ten page research paper about a German author and his writing, which I refer to lovingly, and for various reasons, as “The Paper from Hell.”

Below are 6 steps, which will break down writing a research paper in a foreign language, into easy and less intimidating steps.  I mentally go through each of these, when I sit down to write anything in German or English, because in either language, papers can be daunting tasks.

1. The first thing is to, after doing the research and preparation (an outline is highly recommended, even if the professor doesn’t require it), is too simply sit down and write the paper. Kick your  friends out of your dorm room or apartment, maybe turn on some music, log-off Facebook, MySpace and everything else, and simply start pounding the keys.
2. Staying focused is half the battle, and once that half is won, the second half becomes easier. It will surprise you, how easily words will flow from your brain, to your fingers, and onto the screen. Don’t worry too much about punctuation, spelling, and grammar. If you don’t know a word in English write the word in parenthesis() and move on. If it’s a research paper, don’t worry about formatting in-text citations correctly. Put the information you need to find the paraphrase, quote or statistic again in parenthesis, and move on. I usually label my sources A, B, C and so on, and use those as a quick reference.  First drafts are meant to be messy, and always will need editing. When you’ve finished the majority of the paper (everything except for maybe the introduction and conclusion) print it out. Editing on paper is much more effective than depending on your computer screen.




3. Go through the paper copy and highlight the words you put in parenthesis. Write the English word above it, crossing the other word out with a bright colored pen. The highlight is so you can easily find and ID the words you need to look up, while the pen mark reminds you to take the word out, once you put the English one in. Print another copy. (Eco-conscious users should use recycled paper).
4. Analyze each sentence for grammar mistakes. Pretend in your mind, this is English homework assigned by your teacher, and that each English sentence is a problem. Read it out loud to yourself if you are unsure. After being in the U.S. awhile, you will have a good sense of what sounds grammatically wrong and right, even if you can’t say why. Print another copy.
5. Give another copy to a friend who is an English major foreign language major, or wanted to be one at one point in their life, and ask them if they will critically edit your paper for you. These are the people best suited to edit papers. Other students may be willing to edit the paper for you, but they might not know grammar well enough to catch the smaller issues.If you don’t have a friend who is an English major, or wished they were one, ask your professor or other students in your class if there is a writing center. Most colleges have a center, which will help students edit their papers. These centers are generally free of charge, and can also be helpful when trying to figure out how to best structure a paper. They can also help with in-text citation formatting.
6. Once your paper is fully edited, it’s time to put together the works cited/ bibliography page. Your professor will let you know what style they want. There are a variety of terms you might hear used. MLA(Modern Language Association), Chicago, APA(American Psychology Association). It just depends on the class. If a professor doesn’t tell you, ask them.

If you have online sources, make sure you know how to access them again, so you can have the information you need to cite it correctly. Then go to: http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/index.php. Find the type of source you need, provide all the information you can, and hit submit. Copy and paste the citation it gives into the citation page, and voila! You have complete works-cited page.

My first roommate, in Salzburg, Austria, was a French girl, who spoke better English than I did. She was pretty cool, and very nice. A bit of a neat-freak, but we got along ok. I kept my mess hidden in a corner between my bed, the wall, and my desk and she didn’t say anything when it sometimes snuck out of its corner. Left alone, we would have been great roommates the entire year.

New Roommate - Photo by okarol CC License

The only problem  I had with my French-Roommate was her Austrian boy-friend. It wasn’t even that he spent the night every other night, and every weekend. I learned to live with that, and accept it, if not like it. It was his attitude towards me, which drove me to the point of hatred and beyond..

Herr Sauberraum, which means Mr. Clean Room in German (my nickname for him, since I never really learned his real one) was in the room visiting with his girl friend. I wasn’t feeling great, so I had a friend over to help me out with cooking. We were talking on my side of the room, and they were at her desk. Herr Sauberraum looked over at us. The four of us begin to talk with one another, and my friend demonstrates some of the moves she had learned in karate. As the conversation winds down, and we slowly break back into two groups of two people, Herr Sauberraum opens his mouth. “You know,” he said, “if this was my room, and it was this messy, my mother would kick my butt. And then clean it.”

It was a statement none of my multi-cultural training could have prepared me for. Cultural differences of men and women rolls aside, even with cleanliness aside, what was he talking about? My roommate, being the good roommate and girlfriend she was, made an effort to keep her boyfriend out of the room after that. This eventually led to her moving out of the room after semester break.

After returning to the U.S., my last three years in college landed me with 2 good roommates, and one bad. The first good roommate I had, was a girl I had never met until I moved in. Over the first couple weeks, we got to know each other. We shared stories, and carried on rather random conversations. She wasn’t my closest confidant, but we were friends enough that living together was enjoyable and not an imposition on each other.

Good roommate relations takes a couple things: patience, tolerance, and consideration. You don’t have to love your roommate, or even be friends with them, as long as you have these three things.

Patience for a roommate is remember that, like you, your roommate is only human and will forget to do something sometimes. Maybe they had an unsually busy week and forgot to take out their trash. Maybe they left something out, or didn’t realize you were in bed when they came in late. Be patient with them the first time something like that happens, and approach them kindly after the second time.

Tolerance. Remember, you may not have class until noon the next day, but your roommate might have an 8 am class, and might need to wake up very early. In the winter, most parts of the country is still dark until 730 or 8, and so they may need to turn on a light.  Tolerate a little noise, remembering your roommate is living their own life on their own schedule.  Consideration. Think of your roommate, before blaring your music or television. Ask if you will be doing something that might annoy them, before actually doing it.

Most dormitories have some sort of roommate contract filled out, where it states when the roommates agree to and not to do things. If you live in an apartment off campus, you might want to look online and find one. Although, rarely actually needed, the contract does bring up issues (such as noise, appropriate times for things, and ways to settle a disagreement) that might not be brought up otherwise.

Elissa Yonkers is a recent graduate from Bowling Green State University, with a Bachelors of Science of Journalism with a focus on Public Relations, and a very strong minor in German. With several internship experiences under her belt, she is looking to widen her experience and knowledge with a job in corporate communications, public affairs, or work in a public relations agency. Connect with her here: http://sites.google.com/site/elissay/