University of Hawaii - Manoa

Global Environmental Issues

Overall experience

An American Study Dream

I was surprised by many things during my entire study visit in the United States of America. Just to name a few, I was shocked by the American cultures and their lifestyles. The way that Americans eat only with a fork and knife was really something new to me. It was not easy for me to adapt to the situation where I was still new in a foreign land. There are many varieties of food available in the United States of America, yet I am not used to it, as most of it is not served with rice. The typical foods in the United States include pizzas, salads, sandwiches and steaks. Believe it or not, the Asians could not live without the grains of rice! I always have the preconceptions that Americans speak good English and I might face difficulty in communicating with them. And surprisingly, it turned out to be the other way around; most Americans speak typical English, like we do in Malaysia. In fact, the daily English used in communication and interaction are much simpler. Instead of long sentences, Americans practice the KISS concept - Keeping it Short, Simple and Sweet. Hence, I found no serious communication barrier between American English and Malaysian English. In short, everything that I observed and learned in the United States is priceless. I find real study experiences deeply impactful. My knowledge about environmental studies in United States increased, and sharing this knowledge that I gained is absolutely invaluable.

I was surprised by many things during my entire study visit in the United States of America. Just to name a few, I was shocked by the American cultures and their lifestyles. The way that Americans eat only with a fork and knife was really something new to me. It was not easy for me to adapt to the situation where I was still new in a foreign land. There are many varieties of food available in the United States of America, yet I am not used to it, as most of it is not served with rice. The typical foods in the United States include pizzas, salads, sandwiches and steaks. Believe it or not, the Asians could not live without the grains of rice! I always have the preconceptions that Americans speak good English and I might face difficulty in communicating with them. And surprisingly, it turned out to be the other way around; most Americans speak typical English, like we do in Malaysia. In fact, the daily English used in communication and interaction are much simpler. Instead of long sentences, Americans practice the KISS concept - Keeping it Short, Simple and Sweet. Hence, I found no serious communication barrier between American English and Malaysian English. In short, everything that I observed and learned in the United States is priceless. I find real study experiences deeply impactful. My knowledge about environmental studies in United States increased, and sharing this knowledge that I gained is absolutely invaluable.