Nga Nguyen (Eric)

INTG 100

Third draft

A New Life

When I lived in Vietnam, I had a choice to go to France, Italy, Germany, The U.S., or Singapore to seek a better life. These are some of the big and popular countries in the world where young Vietnamese students want to go to study. Every country has its own unique education. In my point of view, I think the US has a better education and more opportunities for me to develop myself. I am sure most of the immigrants in the US agree with me. I decided to come to the US when I was in high school. After a few weeks attending at the US high school, I realized how different the schools are between Vietnam and US about language, school, and my daily routine… and it called as the disadvantages and advantages as an immigrants.              

Most of all my classmates were Americans and others were from different countries but English was the only language that we used to communicate with others in school. At that time, I had just been in the US for about a month, and I was not able to speak English. There were a few Vietnamese people in school, but not in my class. I could not talk to anyone in class at all. Sometimes, in class I was thinking that this is not what I had imagined before I came here. How can I learn something when I cannot even understand what the teachers or my classmates are talking about? I was so depressed and sad. I used to sit by myself, without friends, unlike how it was in Vietnam. In my old class, we would gather up in a group, and I used to made jokes that made everybody laugh. In Chicago, I could not. My classmates couldn’t understand what I was saying. This either made me feel like this country did not belong to me or I should go back to Vietnam. 

Besides the disadvantage that I could not communicate with people, my school in Chicago has good supplies and a lot of modern technology for students to running some tests that some classes are required to. They do not have those in my old school in Vietnam, my classmate and I in Vietnam would just watch them online or use some old technology. We don’t have any of the newest materials like in the US because my old school could not afford them. The technology in my old school did not give the students the exact results that supposed to get. Moreover, another good advantage was my new school in US is that they were providing meals and food for students for every breakfast and every lunch for free. This is amazing because in Vietnam, we never had this; students had to go outside of school and buy food with their own money. Otherwise, students have to go back home which is 30 minutes away and spend another 30 minutes to get back to school so that was a waste of time. Some people brought their own food to school but until lunch, the food was not good anymore. They did not have a microwave in my old school either. According to what I said before, here, America has more opportunities and chances for me to succeed and have a better education.

 

Furthermore, there is also one of the big disadvantages to me was the time I had spent doing homework. English is my second language, so I had a lot of trouble while learning English as a new language which is completely different with Vietnamese. I had to learn pronunciation, spelling, and grammar. Everything was different which made me so exhausted at the first and even still now. My classmates and I were same age, but I had to study two or three times harder than them to keep up in class. They spent only two hours finishing all their homework, but I needed at least four to 5 hours because I need to use translate and then switch the whole sentence to Vietnamese, which would waste my time. On the other hand, in Vietnam, I didn’t have to worry about any of these, I was just taking time, having fun with my friends, and did it later at night. In Chicago, my two places I spend the most of my time is school and home, everything has change; my daily routine, and my hobbies.

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to live in a whole new different country but sometimes I just have to accept my new life, and try harder. Studying in the U.S. will help me achieve my goals, which would make it be easier for me to do that what I had planned. Since the day I came here, I knew it would not be easy to live in another country that had a completely different cultures, so I had to be prepared. I am ready to challenge myself and be better. Everything has two sides, one good and one bad. I am willing to do whatever it takes. As a result, I think the US definitely is the place that I want to take the opportunities to develop myself.

Street Food

LOAN DOAN

ESL100

Feb 27 2019

Lost in Translation Essay

 

Street food 

Street food, ready-to-eat food or drink sold by a hawker or a vendor in a street is a significant part of culture in some regions, especially in Asia. Vietnam street foods have been well-known across the world in recent years due to popular TV food critics. Pho, Vietnamese beef or chicken broth with rice noodle, and Banh Mi, Vietnamese baguette sandwich, have been admitted into Oxford English Dictionary since February 2011. Banh Mi was also added to the American Heritage Dictionary in 2014 (Britt Peterson – Globe Correspondent). People eat street food like Pho or Banh Mi for a number of reasons, such as its convenience, price, and ethnic cuisine curiosity or for nostalgia. Having lived in Chicago for more than two years, I can still find this city’s typical street-food, such as hot dogs and tacos from food trucks parking around some corners in the loop as a novelty and exciting, yet compared to my hometown, I cannot find the feeling of authentic or adventurous, by sitting on a low plastic stool at small kiosk lost in crowded noisy street to enjoy hot and freshly cooked snack served by vendors. I miss Vietnam cuisine so much and I am beginning to think that I will never truly find authentic Vietnamese cuisine in any of the fifty states.

Xien Que Nuong - BBQ on sidewalk 

Although street food varies somewhat across Vietnam’s regions and cities, in general, it is considered as an authentic local way to have meals. The people who run these street food stalls put hard work into their food, and spend hours creating the different components of the dishes, from sauces to toppings. They are proud of their food because the recipes they have accumulated over the years are solely their creations. Moreover, their recipes were only passed from generation to generation within their family. Pho is the most popular dish that can be found in every corner across the entire country of Vietnam. Pho in the North may have a different taste compared to recipes from the South, but in general, people will be able to describe Pho as a rice noodle bowl filled up with hot beef or chicken stock cooked for few hours with traditional spices. In my own experience, this is a typical breakfast meal that can be found easily in very early morning like 5:00 AM. Some people believe that Pho has a better taste found in local street food stalls compared to five-star restaurants, because of the precious family recipes. In Chicago near the Argyle Redline Station, there are a whole bunch of Vietnamese food stores and restaurants. However, among the Pho shops I have been tried, I cannot find a hot bowl of beef rice noodle soup having exactly genuine taste like Vietnam. In the US, I believe that finding an authentic bowl of Pho is like trying to look for a needle in a haystack.

Pho
Com Tam
Banh Mi

Street food in Vietnam offers various selection of ready-to-eat meals, snacks, fruits and drinks. But most importantly, it is absolutely delicious and a great value. First, Vietnamese street food is fresh. Vendors can get fresh ingredients every day from local market with affordable prices, and they only cook a sufficient portion for a single day’s sale. Thus, food always tastes enjoyable fresh. Second, street food in Vietnam is incredibly cheap. According to Vespa Adventure blog, Vietnamese street food as a must-try thing which exemplifies the phrase ‘bang for your buck’. Buyers only have to pay the range from $1 to $3 for a singular dish, and each dish is usually a decent portion size. Com Tam, $1.5 for each plate of grilled pork chop rice with two fried eggs and few slides of cucumber and tomatoes served with signature fish sauce, can be a filling meal for either breakfast, lunch or dinner. Of course, it tastes much better than a $5 meal from the most famous fast food chain in the world - McDonalds. Besides, Vietnamese street food vendors rarely accept tips, even when they have done a customized favor. They consider tips as an annoyance because of small change, which is odd to American culture.

Bui Vien Street - Saigon

In conclusion, Vietnamese street food is a good way for food adventures to spend on a great experience and save money in the process. According to most Vietnamese people, most of the best dining in the country is still done on the streets. Dining in Vietnam is communal, hands-on and can take place over a couple hours with a cold beer in hand. People call this type of party is as ‘nhau’ which could be seen easily on open-air sidewalk where food stalls exist. There are many shared dishes that have become national treasures, be able to bring even the most hardened northerners and southerners to the same table. And enjoying fresh cooked together, people feel free to cheer up, even bottom up a beer as having a good time.

             

Essay 1

Larry TCHOGNINOU

ESL 100

February 26, 2019

The Stadium of Friendship

Three days after moving to a new country, newcomers may feel empty. They miss their home country. I know that situation. When I came to Chicago from Benin, I was really depressed. All things here made me sad, and I needed to go back to my country. Thus, I forgot how to enjoy life. However something saved me in that moment of depression: remembering “Stade de l’Amitié”. In fact, it is a big stadium in Cotonou, Benin. That place has a plaza, a lot of soccer fields, basketball courts and restaurants. That stadium was certainly the most important place of my life in Benin. I spent many of afternoons there with my friends. Chicago is different and not easy for me, but thinking about my favorite stadium helps me.

Foremost, playing soccer in Stade de l’Amitié was one of the best experiences of my life. There a lot of field and people to play with. My friends and I loved that sport. In Chicago, young people prefer basketball and football, which are very different. Sometimes Chicagoans play soccer but not how I like it to play. In addition, in Benin the fields are not synthetic grass. My friends and I played on the sand, without shoes. That feeling was incredible. I felt the ground, the ball and all the elements of the place. My body became one with the stadium. It was like a symbiosis. In addition, the game became more interesting when it started raining. We felt the water on our bodies. The heat of the long days disappeared with the rain. My friends and I stayed there until the end of the rain. We have a relationship with the nature. In Chicago, when it starts raining during the game, people start to go home. I never understand why. Maybe they was scared of getting wet.

After playing, friends and I were sometimes hungry my. As a result, we bought food in the stadium. In my country, there is not many fast food. In a big city like Chicago, people need to go to find a place to eat like a worker going to take his salary. In Benin, the food comes to you. Women called “Noussato” sold food. They had a big basket on their head. We called them, and said we need some Adowè. It was a delicious food from Benin. They made it with black beans and we ate it with bread. The bread is crispy, the beans juicy and the tomato sauce tasty. It is one of my favorite food. People could find Adowè everywhere in Cotonou. However, the Adowè of the stadium was really different. I preferred that Adowè than my Mom’s. It is also organic and fresh food. People made it with safe and durable ingredients. It is different of Americans fast-food Burger’s with GMO. I think that miss the found of the stadium.

Lastly, Stade de l’amitié was the place where all friendships began. The first day of new semester, when everybody was shy, an afternoon in stade de l’amitié helped each person of my classroom become friends. People felt better there. They played soccer, talked, told stories and became friends for life. There, I met Levis, Lewis, Lerys, Jerry and bunch of people. They are my best friends, and we are still friends today. The stadium had a mysterious capacity to connect people like a colony of bugs turning around a light. We all formed a community of young kids that loved sports and joking. In Chicago, I think it is hard to have sincere friend without school. I can go to a bar or clubs.  However I don’t really like it. Some people are in their box. In fact I need to do a big effort to approach them. As a result, I just stay at home and live my life alone.

In conclusion, I can say that since I came in Chicago my life really has changed. I walk alone, take bus alone and play alone. When I am really depressed, I think about the amazing afternoons in Stade de l’Amitié and that gives me a smile. I am dreaming about going back to Benin for vacation. That will make me happy. If I go back in Benin, I will go to search for  my friends in Stade de l’Amitié, and I am sure that I will feel better. I will figure out my roots and all the things that make the person that I am today. That is what I need.

Frozen - “Don’t Let it Go”

      

“What is the current temperature?”, I sigh deeply.  Since I started a new life in Chicago, I keep tracking the local temperature and forecast all the time during the winter. It sounds a little paranoid, but Chicago’s winter is very tough. I believe I will never get used to the urban Eskimo life although I have to survive here. The cold weather knocks me out of my memories in Tokyo. The city has four seasons as well as in Chicago, but winter is not extremely cold like the Midwest. I lived most of my life in Tokyo. Therefore, I haven’t explored other places or countries until I moved here. Then and now, I recognize that a cold day reminds me of my hometown suddenly. I miss that loving winter fashion, enjoying delicious healthy winter cuisine, and taking short trips to hot springs. However, If I didn’t live in a different country, I would never learn that the climate affects human life. The winter outfits, food, and activities all help me to stay positive in the bone-chilling winter although the Chicago winter is totally out of control for me.

Initially, I prioritized keeping warm with my clothes, rather than being fashionable during in winter. I totally forgot how to dress up nicely in cold weather.  In fact, I do not care anymore about fashion trends like celebrities and influencers. I only pay attention how to dress warmly enough today because if I do not, I will freeze outside. In addition, I will get a cold or some illness. Accordingly, I am armed with a heavy jacket, and I layer on several tops. Sometimes I add more shirts. Also, I wear a pair of thick socks and heavy snow boots. Wearing a scarf, a hat, and gloves are unavoidable.  When I wear all clothes and shoes, I feel weight down, and I am unable to move freely. Those heavy winter clothes may cause some shoulder and back pain. I feel really old and sad. Then, I immerse myself in my memories naturally. I enjoyed the winter fashion in Tokyo because the coldness is milder than Chicago. I collected some warm and stylish coats, leather boots, puffy and colorful scarves. Those outfits were pretty and encouraged me to have fun winter days. I shout out in my mind, “don’t let it go!”   

In Winter, Tokyo

 Secondly, as a matter of course, on a cold day, most people crave delicious food to keep their body warm and maintain their health. However, the cold winter makes me lazy, and I tend to lose energy to do anything. Therefore, healthy and fresh meals are beneficial. I regret eating junk food instead of having good nutrition. American fast food is easy on the stomach, but sometimes my stomach cannot digest fast and my stomach gets upset after I finish eating. In contrast, my diet was very healthy when I was in Japan because my mother always fed me fresh homemade meals. Then suddenly, I became hungry for a hot pot cuisine Nabe which my mother cooks for her family in winter. Nabe is a hot pot dishe, and it is usually cooked and eaten at the table. A hot pot is perfect to eat on a cold day with family members or close friends. All varieties of ingredients will be added to hot soup in Nabe, including, meats or fishes, Tofu, mushrooms, and a lot of vegetables. For some reason, Nabe is very delicious and healthy. I try it like my mother, but it is not easy to find all the ingredients. Then suddenly, I miss my family and hometown. I scream in my mind, “don’t let it go!”

Shabu-shabu Nabe

Lastly, I especially enjoy summertime in Chicago, but in winter, I cannot find some fun activities even though I want to try to stay warm and healthy. On a cold day, I prefer to stay and relax at home. Sometimes I spend my time crafting decorations, reading books, and using a computer. Those are good hobbies although I feel a lack of exercise, and my metabolism has slowed down. I need something refreshing and relaxing to take away stress. Visiting hot springs or saunas would help to boost my metabolism. Basically, I prefer to keep my body warm and refreshed. In Japan, many people enjoy visiting Onsen - hot springs baths. Similarly, there are many salon spas which have saunas and bedrock bath. Taking a bath will help to keep body warm and healthy during in winter. I heard that there are many beautiful hot springs in the Southwest. If I want to visit there, I have to travel, so it will be challenging for me to try. I am afraid for a new adventure. Consequently, I have not tried yet. I wonder myself but I am not as brave in the U.S as I was in Japan. I shriek in mind, “don’t let it go!”

View of Mt. Fuji from Onsen

The truth is cold weather is not welcome for me, but I have to survive my life in Chicago. I recognized that I am getting stronger although I still miss living in Tokyo through my past life, such as winter wardrobes, meals, and relaxation. It is difficult to live a different country, especially, cold weather places, but I should accept the new life including positive and negative aspects. I realized that I should not lament my negative thoughts odiously on a cold day anymore. It’s time to have an echoe in front of snow, “let it go!”

Chicago River 

Playful Woman

I am a playful woman. For me, weekends are the most expecting days in the week. I just can’t wait to go outside to relax after working for five days. On weekends, I love getting my friends together to have some fun. We usually ride the subway to a shopping mall. Then we do nothing but hang out and take a seat in a milk tea shop, and we usually end our day by having dinner together in a fantastic Chinese restaurant. However, since I moved to Chicago, I have lost the joy for the weekend.

My best friend and me

In China, when I had an appointment on the weekend, I used to ride the subway to meet my friends. It’s really convenient and comfortable to ride the subway anywhere in China. The indoor subways in China are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Moreover, the underground subways in China are not only still and fast but also cheap. The first time I rode the CTA in Chicago, I felt disappointed. I paid twenty dollars to obtain a three-dollar card because the machine didn’t give change. When I went upstairs, I found that the CTA was outdoors, so it was freezing cold. I ended up shaking with the CTA to attend classes listlessly.

Subway in Guangzhou

Besides the subway, I usually went to a milk tea shop with my friends on weekends. We chatted while drinking a cup of milk tea. In China, Milk tea shops are like KFC and MACDONALDS in the United States. They are on every corner. In addition, drinking a cup of milk tea has become a lifestyle in China. When my friends and I felt tired hanging out, we could buy a cup of milk tea in reachable milk tea shops. We felt relaxed with a mouthful milk tea. However, in Chicago, I can barely find a milk tea shop, or I have to drive a long time to get one. That is to say, I’ve lost the way to refresh myself with a cup of milk tea after an exhausted day of shopping. 

My favorite milk tea

Finally, my friends and I used to have dinner at the end of the weekend. Since China has eight different cuisines, we just chose one from diverse Chinese restaurants to enjoy our meal. However, there are many Chinese restaurants in Chicago, and most of them exist in Chinatown because there are more Chinese people that gather in Chinatown. Worst of all, the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown are horrible. I have tried about ten famous Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, but they are all too terrible to eat compared to the restaurants in China. For example, the Sichuan hotpot is not hot at all, and there are no traditional hot sauces in Chinatown. The dim sum lacks diverse spices and are not as delicate as they are in China. The Chinese food in Chicago has lost its attraction for me. 

Dinner with my friends

What looked common on weekends in China is nearly impossible in Chicago. I can no longer ride a still and warm subway to do some shopping. I can no longer pull myself together with a cup of milk tea. I can no longer enjoy traditional Chinese dishes with my friends. I am no longer a playful woman since the weekends is just as long but not enjoyable anymore. To live a better life, I think I should try local food and get used to the café scene in Chicago. Then maybe I will feel more enjoyable.

Sichuan food

Lost in the Crowd

Jose Dasso

February 3, 2019

2nd Draft

Lost in the Crowd  

There are 2.7 million people living in the city of Chicago, so sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the number of people around me. Every week I need to take the train to go to the college and almost every morning it is full. It is hard to feel special when I have so many people living in my city. I come from the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo which is a much smaller city and I felt more important there. I knew a lot of people, and there were not so many different things to do. I never felt overwhelmed in Maracaibo. In Chicago, I have lost my ability to be part of the community, to socialize, and to entertain. In Maracaibo I was a fun and interesting person, but in Chicago I do not feel so special.

Venezuelans are proud of their food, and food is a big part of the family and my community. I never ate alone when I lived in Maracaibo. My favorite memories are going to a place called La Marina, a seafood restaurant by the lake. I would meet my friends there for caldo de pollo (chicken soup) and the best fish I ever had.  Of course, there are good restaurants in Chicago, but they do not have the same atmosphere. The restaurants here want more for the people to hurry up. Even the Venezuelan restaurant here, Bien Me Sabe, doesn’t have the same fun. At La Marina I could spend all afternoon sitting and talking with my friends and the owners would never make us leave. I felt part of the community in my city. 

In Maracaibo, one of my favorite places was El Club Náutico because it made me feel like a celebrity. This was like the typical American club style. It was more like a huge private resort where wealthy people went to socialize. I used to go to the Club Náutico to relax under the sun at one of the pools and play soccer with my friends. In Chicago, I’m not as wealthy as I used to be in Venezuela. Private clubs are more expensive here. Furthermore, I haven’t seen a place like Club Nautico on the Chicago lakefront. In fact, there is no place that has all the activities in one location. I considered joining a soccer league here in Chicago, but I would be playing with strangers and the conditions will not be the best. At Club Náutico, I never had to worry because the soccer field was always perfect, and I had my friends to keep me company. Without my favorite private club, I cannot be the socialite I was back home.

            I used to be the life of the party in Maracaibo. Every Friday night I would go to a place called Rollertec.  There weren’t many places like this in Maracaibo. It was a nightclub that had a roller-skating area. It was a very popular place for night life in my city, so a lot of people liked to go there. I knew a lot of people because I was a singer and I danced a lot at Rollertec. I enjoy making my friends laugh. In Chicago, I have become boring. I don’t sing or dance anymore like before. The city is too big for me and I don’t feel comfortable singing or dancing with strangers. Many clubs here do not play Latin music anyway. The environment just feels different for me. At RollerTec, I was the life of the party, but in Chicago I am just a number.

                                   

            After I came to Chicago, I feel like I have become a boring person. I’m not funny or interesting as I used to be in Maracaibo. Now, I’m just a student and a worker, so it’s been hard to be part of the community. I don’t have the money to afford a private club here in Chicago, so instead I prefer to go to public pools when I can.  Even though there are more places in Chicago to go out, the environment is not the same. Even if I feel lost in the crowd in Chicago, I will work harder to be special.

Mitzi Jaime

ESL 100

January 22, 2019

Paragraph 1- 2nd draft

Not Special

When I was twelve years old, I asked my mother what was the meaning of my name, and
she did not have an answer for me. She just told me that my father gave me that name and
she liked it so they decided to use it. I wasn’t satisfied with her answer, so I started asking
to my father’s family, but they didn’t know either.At that time I guessed my father just
gave me that name because it was simple and easy to pronounce.
I went to Google to search the meaning of my name and I found a lot of meaning,
but my name did not make sense to me so I just ignored. After two years, I found out
that my father died with a big secret which was that he has another family while he
was with me and my mother. His daughter's name was Maria and my name is German
origin and in Spanish it means Maria. I decided that my name was not as special like used
to think, my name is just like his other daughter but different origin. My mother catched me
crying after finding out my father and she did not know what was happening. She asked
me what was wrong with me and I told her what I found out and I even told her about
my name. she looked at me with a big smile and she said that she did not know what
exactly Mitzi means for Google or other social media, but she knew what it means for her,
it means the whole world, the galaxy, and she knew for a fact that Mitzi means strong women,
happiness, beauty, she also said that I do not need to worry what Google says. I started
crying and I knew that my name was unique not for everybody, but for my mother.

Kwun Lok, Yuen 

ESL 100

January 17, 2019

Happiness

            My parents gave me a special name, but it is not in English. It means my life will always be joyful and full of happiness. I also have an English name. It sounds better than the original name that my parents gave me. It means the person who will always defeat any enemy and become successful. I have used my new name to introduce myself to others as I want to be a winner. However, recently I have been used my original name to introduce myself as I want my life is full of joy and happiness instead of just being successful.  My name is Kwun Lok, Yuen and I am happy with my name so far. 

            Kwun (貫)in English is mean full of something and Lok (樂) is mean happiness. They think happiness is the most important thing in the world. As long as a person is happy, nothing is impossible. I love the name that they gave me, and I will always use it. 

My Famous Name

            I do not know what my name means. When I was born, my name was Gabriel, but my father changed my name with my older brother, who was five years old. In Brazil, legislation allows the fathers to register the child in the first fifteen days of birth without the presence of the mother, provided that witnesses are present, which was not difficult for my father, since he was the owner of a bar at that time. The change of my name was a big surprise to my mother and, at the same time, a great shock. My mother refused to accept the fact that my father simply modified my name without her knowledge and kept calling me Gabriel for the first three months of birth, but time beat her. She could not do anything about it, since my father was protected by Brazilian law.

            In fact, my father chose that name for me because my name is a big joke among people playing soccer player, in Brazil, and he realized that this joke would transfer into my life. My father's father was correct. I continue to listen to the famous phrase that the soccer narrator said to the most famous goalkeeper of the Brazilian soccer team in his moments of glory on the pitch: “vai que é sua Taffarel”. That means “Go! the ball is yours, Taffarel”, in English. This is why my name is Taffarel. Everyone who knows about football and knows about this joke wants to play with me, including here in the USA.

            Although this situation of having to listen to the same joke every moment of my life can be boring, I like my name. I am an open person and I make this arrangement a pleasant way, so I use this joke to make new friends. The funny part of my name is the pronunciation, and especially with people from other cultures who want to pronounce my name. Another funny thing about my name is how to spell it correctly. Many people spell it incorrectly. It is not easy to pronounce my name in my native language. Can you imagine for other people of different cultures? When people get embarrassed by my name, I try to explain my story in a fun way to make them smile and then we can make it as if it were a great joke, so we can start a new friendship.

            In conclusion, having a weird name can often put people in embarrassing situations. On the other hand, when we learn to deal with unpleasant situations with good humor and in a funny way, we can use this in our favor to make happy people, since they will smile together with you, and at the same time we will make new friendships. In addition, having a different name can help someone become an uninhibited person, which can also help in a good network for a possible job or business proposal. Just be yourself and be happy.