My First Trip To America

National pride often can be beneficial to our society; in fact, numerous citizens in every country take pride on their country, ethnicity, culture, religion, and even sometimes their current status of wealth. Therefore, having patriotic ideas and feelings are not terrible; actually, it gives us as citizens to have an image and it defines us who we are. Nevertheless, there are problems in some major parts in our society that ends up take an advantage of pride against other ethnic groups. In other words judging and comparing others through stereotypes and in the extreme way people tend passively become racist or simply racist. We see it in TVs, movies, music, social media, in our political environment, and in our daily lives. Thus, we agree and
realize that racism still exists today, because of our naïve behaviors, poor perspectives, and opinions that we easily judge our diversity. Speaking about diversity, in a country that has the most diverse people group in the world also known as the United States, I remember an encounter with an American ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher that enlightened me and changes my perspective towards American people.
Before I met my teacher in America, it all started when I was an elementary student in South Korea learning English for the first time. In the beginning, I was convinced from many adults’ advises me that to be successful in the future career, English must be mastered, for it is a global, valuable and useful language. However, English for me was a language barrier and was my least favorite class. Every time when we had an English class at school, I end up being confused and discouraged from learning. I would look up to the teacher and try to write everything that the teacher was writing on the board and listening to the audio conversations that were played through a CD machine in class. Nevertheless, nothing was done and accomplished. I remember a time watching a movie, Home Alone, in English at my friend’s house. Although, the movie was innocent and fun, from different scenes like the main character, Kevin, defending his home from two home-invading villains was quite violated at that time. As for me, watching the movie was adopting ideas of stereotypes about American kids are crazy, violent and disrespectful towards their families. Moreover, I remember a time during 5th grade when my friends told me about facts misrepresenting the United States of how Americans can carry guns. Also, assuming bad stereotypes about black African Americans that most of them are dangerous criminals that some of them are part of a gang member. Furthermore, I considered that hip pop was a gang music that made me fear black people. As a result, I determined that I’ll never live in the United State. Ironically, my first visit to America was the year of 2006 due to my parents who wanted to be in America.
At first, I hesitated to not go because of my perspective about Americans and also, it was a hard to say good-bye and leaving behind friends, family, and my house. Nevertheless, my parents urged me and again lecturing me Korean education of considering English to be valuable and useful and the best way to learn it is to be there. I had no choice to obey my parents and together go to America. Arriving in America was a shift for me. Everything was different; for example, the houses, language, the people, and grasses everywhere. For the first time, I attended to an American elementary school and unlike a Korean school, in my opinion, I felt that there was more free will at school. However, it was not easy, for I could not understand what was going on. Moreover, I had no knowledge about other kids and even the teacher. It was almost a nightmare for me. I remember every school day that our teacher was trying talk to me about homework though I could not understand about the
homework.
It was a culture shock for me when comparing to Korean teachers are stricter and most teachers that I knew were scary like your parents and sometimes teach may spank from a bad grade or bad attitude. However, our American teacher was inviting always taught us in a way that the student could understand. It made me question “is this the America that I heard about?”
One day at school, I met an ESL teacher, and the first time I had a one on one discussion about school and the English; I nervous that I would get punished for not speaking English or doing the assignment correctly.
Nevertheless, everything was nice about her, even more, comparing to my current class teacher. I remembered that I was treated with American beverages like Halloween candy and apple pie. Moreover, she and I were playing language games that she brought. It was a lot of fun. Every time that I met her during school changed my perspectives little by little. The stereotypes that I was expected were not there; in fact, I was the crazy racist one who doubted everybody was crazy and dangerous. From that encounter with my ESL teacher struck my feelings and misjudging thoughts towards Americans. Also, I was glad to my ESL teacher was the first person to change my fear of learning English. It was a totally enlightening experience after being in America. At that point, I started to understand one step at a time about the American Culture as I grew up. Unlike Korean culture, I felt that American Culture was welcoming and inviting because it is built in a mixture of the different culture around the world which I was able to relate and adapt
easily.
In conclusion, I think that growing up in the United State is an honor to live and the easiest place to learn English. It was experience meeting my ESL teach who facilitated me to change my closed minded into changing my viewpoints.