Канікули у США
Bright Colours of Life
I had a dream of going to the USA, and last summer it came true! I spent my holidays in the US camp working with children as a counsellor and running arts and crafts. I did not even expect that pedagogical practice could be so interesting and exciting, and would give me good experience and the brightest days of my life! Except working with children and having everyday's language practice, I had a lot of fun- I had a good opportunity to visit such activities as blacksmithing, canoeing, football, volleyball, basketball, riding a horse, swimming in the lake, shooting, archery and climbing during my day-off. The time spent in the camp was so amazing that in the middle of August I could not even believe that summer days had gone by and I had to leave my camp, say good bye to my friends, collegues and campers, and go to the largest city in the USA for two weeks, for me it was very difficult! But my new friend from Russia and I could not even imagine at that very moment that we would be so impressed by the beauty of New York City!
Living there I realized why it was called Big Apple. Every time my
friend and I were crossing the city by subway, we met people of
different nationalities, most of them spoke the Russian language, and we
had a feeling as if we had not been in America, but in Russia or
Ukraine. We missed English for our having talked to Americans, watched
films and listened to songs only in English for three months.And I will remember for ever the very day when I went on the excursion to Staten Island to see the Statue of Liberty! I lack words to express the feelings I had! It was something unbelievable and cannot be described just at once. Its grace, delicacy and charm...
Five days before my return flight to Ukraine I was lucky to see Washington D.C. and Niagara Falls. Tha capital of the USA is the very place where I felt the history of the country and democracy flying in the air while visiting the Capitol, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Museums od Art and History.
This summer presented me with many new friends not only from Ukraine and Russia, but also from the USA, Great Britain, Australia and Poland. And now I am sure that dreams come true if a person takes efforts to realize them in life!
Махновська Аліна, 402 підгрупа
The Best Summer
I am a fourth-year student and I would like to share my thoughts about my wonderful life at the University and the summer of 2010.The teaching staff has given me a lot during my study. Here I have understood how fascinating the English language is! And only a few months ago life presented me with an opportunity to go to an English-speaking country – the USA.
I
spent last summer at Camp Hugh Taylor Birch which is in Ohio. It is a
Boy Scout camp. Working as a counselor I experienced all the differences
between the two countries, cultures, traditions, mentalities and
everything that was connected with children. The most difficult time was
the first two weeks but then everybody became so close and helpful!
They accepted me as a simple Ukrainian girl and we made real and true
friends. That was the most important point to me.Having fun with my new American friends was an entertainment. There were lots of activities: swimming, diving, canoeing, boating, climbing, arts and crafts and COPE (Controlled Outdoor Personal Experience).Twice a week there was a concert which was called “Camp Fire”. The counselors sang songs, made performances, declared poems and presented the campers with gifts.
In the USA I experienced a lot of new things: I visited the Ohio Caves, American Roller Coasters “Kings Island”, my friend and I went bowling.
During our last evening there all the counselors arranged “Camp Fire” especially for me, they presented me with a T-shirt, signed by everybody. It was awesome!
As my return flight was from New York City, I decided to stay there for a week. Going from a small camp to NYC, I felt all the advantages of Big Apple. I lived in a fashionable hotel in Manhattan. Everything that I did there was visiting places of interest. I went for a walk in Central Park and Times Square, crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, sailed near the Statue of Liberty, visited The American Museum of Natural History, walked across Chinatown and Little Italy and so on and so forth. At the hotel I got acquainted with the girls from Chile with whom I made true friends.
Hot Ukrainian weather with 45 degrees above zero met me at the airport in Boryspil on the seventh of August, I was at home!
If life gives you an opportunity to go to some other county, then go! And enjoy your life, it is fantastic!