大三出國、全英語課程 - 國際視野 : 淡江大學大三出國通報及學分採認系統

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2023大三出國輔導通報系統 - 留學心得報告[編輯]

英文 410810369 　林敬程　　留學學校：維諾納州立大學

(一)基本資料

winona, US, 2023 8 to 2024 5/3 study abroad (5字)

(二)課程學習

【照片說明：spanish class】

One of the best classes I’ve taken this year has definitely been Spanish. I was fortunate to have an excellent teacher and hardworking classmates, all of whom were truly dedicated to learning Spanish. Although the pace of the class was faster compared to how it's taught in Taiwan, it never felt overwhelming because the teacher was so skilled. To put it simply, unlike the rigid and rote-learning style of education in Taiwan, where you're mostly passively absorbing information and the only form of review is through homework, this class offered a very different experience. In Taiwan, even if you study a language, there's often little opportunity to actually use it. This lack of practice not only kills the enthusiasm for learning, but it also makes it hard to keep up with the material. In contrast, even though the pace in the U.S. was fast, the teacher here knew how to balance class time and assignments effectively. After teaching a new grammar point, we were immediately given relevant topics to discuss and practice with our neighbors. Every few weeks, there were also larger oral exams to assess our progress. As long as you put in the effort, you could pass without too much difficulty. This approach made learning both engaging and practical, and it’s one of the reasons I would highly recommend this course. It was a genuinely fun and rewarding experience!(234字)

(三)生活環境

【照片說明：the picture of Winona lake】

Due to the school's location in Minnesota, which has a higher latitude and is close to Canada, it starts to snow in Winona as soon as winter arrives. Therefore, it's important to be well-prepared for the cold. Regarding the dormitories, the temperature difference between summer and winter is quite significant. There are various types of dorms, and each building has its own characteristics. In the dorm I lived, the basic layout is a room for four people, which includes two bedrooms. This means each bedroom that allow to accommodate two people, but share toilet and bathroom in four people. The school does offer single room, but it has to reserve quickly for secure it. Due to the school's location in Minnesota, which has a higher latitude and is close to Canada, it starts to snow in Winona as soon as winter arrives. Therefore, it's important to be well-prepared for the cold. Regarding the dormitories, the temperature difference between summer and winter is quite significant. There are various types of dorms, and each building has its own characteristics. In the dorm I lived, the basic layout is a room for four people, which includes two bedrooms. This means each bedroom that allow to accommodate two people, but share toilet and bathroom in four people. The school does offer single room, but it has to reserve quickly for secure it. (228字)

(四)自我成長

【照片說明：the best pasta I've ever eaten】

When I first arrived in the United States, I thought it would be difficult to adapt to life here. The reasons included things like food, clothing, housing, transportation, and also money management, and even how to make local phone calls. I encountered many challenges, and I’ll share them with you in detail. To start, when I first arrived in the U.S., I was with two friends and another person who’s not that important to this story. We spent the night together because our flight landed late at night. Since we were unfamiliar with local transportation, we figured our only option was to take a taxi. However, it was already very late, so we decided to stay at a nearby Airbnb for the night. The next morning, we set off for the school, where we would also be staying. The journey took about two hours, and we were delayed because one of the people in our group threw a tantrum, wasting a lot of our time. Once we arrived, we checked in at the front desk, though the same person who had been throwing fits continued to make a fuss. After registering, we settled into our room, and our stay officially began. We then headed to a nearby Walmart to buy essential supplies like toilet paper, water, bed sheets, and so on. As for food, the school has a cafeteria, so the only issue is that the food may not suit my taste, but I’ve learned to choose the main dishes I can eat. Another challenge is trying not to be disliked by others. I have a roommate who managed to make everyone in the house hate him; even talking to him is unpleasant. Every time I see him, I remind myself not to become someone like him, disliked by everyone. Finally, there's the academic side of things. Honestly, the teachers here are great. They won’t give up on you just because your English isn’t perfect. The key is to be brave and just speak up. (341字)

(五)大三出國建議

Speaking of advice for going abroad, I have to mention several useful things that I didn’t know existed in the U.S. at first. The first one is Groome Transportation. It’s a long-distance transportation service in the U.S. It’s a good idea to plan how to get to your school when you’re booking your flight, and that’s when this service comes in handy. Groome is a shuttle bus service that can take you directly to your school, provided you set your destination. Since there are four routes and only one of them goes to Winona, make sure to choose the right one. The second tip is that you can work part-time, as long as you work on campus, which doesn’t violate the rules set by Tamkang University. I believe working part-time is a great way to learn new skills, like how to cook burger patties, wash dishes, or wipe tables. It teaches you a lot of basic life skills and helps increase your practical knowledge. The third tip is about course selection. I recommend choosing courses like geography, which are relatively easy and don’t require much time. The teacher is really nice, and the exams are simple. Basically, both of the classes focus on testing your knowledge of world maps. The material is not difficult—aside from the African map, most of it is what we’ve already learned in middle and high school. On top of that, the professor often shares personal experiences. While they may not always be directly applicable, they’re fun to listen to as stories. I highly recommend taking these two courses. (275字)