420W Journal #5

Finishing in this last journal, to look back the experience, I found this process of learning how to write good essays in English is difficult but amazing. Furthermore, I learned a lot, achieved a lot.

Many years ago, during once journey, one of my friends said to me, it isn’t important for where you are, but it is important for whom you are with. Like a trip, the teacher and the classmates let me take it easy in this class. For instance, when I focus on something, I get use to frown, which makes other people feel confused. But in this class, everyone can accept my strange appearance. Thanks for our teacher’s tolerance, she always make some jokes to let me to relax myself like the teachers who taught me in my home country. Althrough I am in the abroad now, when I access the classroom, I don’t feel intensity. I can feel a kind of familiar ambience like I am in China. I am not adept to express my feel by language, but what my feeling is clear, which is satisfied and free.

In the 420W class, I learn how to write the different types of the essays. At the begging, it is very difficult for me to adept this new language skill, because of the different habits, different thinking patterns and different cultural background. But through the study, at least I know the basic structures and the regulations of them. Besides, from the daily practices, English became more interesting and more charming. What is the most valuable aspect is a kind of diverse study method for me. It is quite different in writing class between in China and there. In China, every writing class, the teacher gives a topic, and we start to write in by ourselves. In the next class, the teacher marks our practices and reads the good articles for us. In writing class, I didn’t use to have discusses with my classmates and write more, but here, we cooperated by each others. It is very interesting.

The textbook is useful. The structure of it is very clear and it is very easy to follow. I found it is a effective handbook to help me to check my essays. From the textbook and the reference material, printed by our teacher, I can easily master some grammars and rules what I need.

So far, the 420W course will be over. Studying in UBC is a fantastic experience. This camper is so beautiful that I always forget the other things that I concerned. Studying in 420 writing class is my best memory of studying in ELI. One day, when I have to say goodbye to this camper, this city and this country, I also will remember the happiness in the beginning of autumn of 2008, it is the gift from the god to me.