A new world in my new city.
 I like living in New Orleans and the cultural opportunity  this city show me day after day. This city is very welcoming and also a cradle of music.    Everyday I fell is good because I learn about new cultures, discover new friends, new people, new places a more beautiful every day, New opportunity in a new city, people with more education, more respect for other people, new horizons and a new search, I liked the  new flavors and new foods, all this makes me happy, so I live today and wonderful.      My first impression was better, people are very creative and especially funny, with a lot of energy in their work, a big city with many tourists and many stories to learn about this place. It has a strong economy guided by the tourism and hospitality industry in general, I had a remarkable experience because I met a taxi driver who, without knowing us and without charging anything else, showed us most of the city sights.  This  never happens in Brazil. For me it is an  important characteristici for a touristic city.   Today I see there are many diferences. My first impression was good, In New Orleans there are many  problems, things I could not see at the begining of my stay in new Orleans, unemployment, alcoholism, problems with drugs, I found nervous drivers wanting to pass all costs, but for me it is normal because in my country there are many problems too.

       My best experience is cultural because I know it is very difficult to experience the culture of another nation, learn a new language, learn to respect our differences and understand, other cultures it was exciting, today I think in back soon for new and better opportunities not only in America but in other countries and other living realities, in reality I liked looking at the world with a different mind and a different behaviors.

        Almost six months ago I went to the city park, went to the zoo, Museum of World War II, knew where he began music history in New Orleans and  for me this local is more especial to me because went  where it all began.

   Today I tell to all my friends, if you get a chance come visit a historic town and a thousand charms.  I love  very much New Orleans.

      

When dreams come true

                                                            When dreams come true

          There are some moments in my life I cannot find enough words to explain. Nothing that I can say is able to express their greatness.To try explaining it I would say:it is so wonderful when dreams come true, when it happens I feel my energies renew.

            My dream came true when I arrived in the United States on August 24^th, 2013. Charlotte was the first American city that I saw. An employee of one flight company was the first American person that I talked to. And my first meal still at the airport was a piece of pizza. I was really impressed. The airport looked like a big comfortable building. There were carpets at all section and upholstered chairs where the people were sitting. 

            Secondly, I was going to New Orleans looking for my host institution, Dillard University. It was already night when I arrived at my new house. It looked like a small room, but with all things that I needed. At the first moment I didn't like the idea that windows never to be opened and air conditioner to be always working. But after all, I understand the reason behind  this. The weather in New Orleans is so hot in the fall.

            My biggest surprise was when I went to the cafeteria. I could not believe that there were spicy bean and sweet meat.It was extremely weird to me, but to Americans it is a special kind of food that they like. There were people wearing different styles of clothes. Some boys were wearing a suit while the others were wearing a sport jacket. Some people were wearing a long dress while the others were wearing a little skirt.

            Lastly, but no less important I have seen how people from another culture act in front of hard situations and how they overcome it. I also have seen what they do to enjoy themselves.  In short, I have seen how some American people live. 
                                                                                                                                              Simone Zulpo

The Invention of Preservatives

I choose to write about this invention because most people guess that it is a recent invention. It could be, but it is not.  The preservative is an old invention.  But this invention went through many modifications to become what we know as a preservative today. I believe that it may have happened to many other inventions, because to make something really good and useful, it needs to go through numerous steps, including testing, review and improvement. As I said, the preservative is an old invention and was modified many times. So I will explain a little bit about it.

Around 1300 BC the Egyptians used a kind of preservative made of vegetable materials. We may realize that the people already worried about some diseases in the past. In the second century BC the Romans begin to use another kind of preservative made of lamb intestines and goat bladders to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases. The Romans believe these diseases were punishments sent by Venus, the God of love. Years after her name was given to these diseases, and nowadays they are called “venereal diseases”. Many centuries later in 1564, the Italian Gabriel Fallopius invented a wrap made of linen bag which was placed over the penis to protect against diseases. Gabriel found great success with this invention, because besides the protection against diseases, the linen bag also prevented pregnancy. This event became well known and the linen bag began to be very used, probably solving some social problems in that period. After Gabriel’s invention, it was made possible to have birth control in specific places. Around 1685, in England, the wrap was made of lamb intestine and lubricated with almond oil, and named Condom. Since the year 1700, this invention began to be enhanced, in order to make it thinner and less cumbersome. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, London opened the first shop of preservatives. It was made of sheep intestine or lamb with floral flavoring, it was sold in a customized way. In 1834, the preservatives began to be made of rubber by Hancock and Goodyear. Those preservatives were irregular and expensive. Because it was so expensive, people were using the same preservative more than one time. In 1960, with the invention of the Birth Control Pill, the preservative was no longer used. But in 1990, due to fear caused by the AIDS epidemic, it began to be used again.

Nowadays, the preservative is an item of extreme importance. It not only protects people of many kinds of diseases, but also enables us to control our own bodies. In other words, we can choose when to have children and how many kids we want to have. But, as I said before, to prevent unwanted pregnancy, we have other kinds of  contraceptives, such as Birth Control Pills, the Morning after-pill, some devices to put inside of a woman's body and surgical interventions.

In my opinion, nowadays the preservative is extremely necessary because it is the only contraceptive that may protect us from sexually transmitted diseases. And as we realized throughout history, this is an old problem.  In many countries, the government spends millions with campaigns to spread awareness about the use of preservatives. And also, many manufacturers everyday are looking for new ways to attract customers.

Going to New Orleans

    Before I came to the United States, I knew a little bit about a government mobility program for Brazilian students. I saw on television many commercials about this great opportunity, and in my university, I saw some guys going to other countries with the goal of studying there. I was interested in enrolling into this program, but how I could begin to study in another country? Because I did not know anything about another language, I could not to read, to write or just listen to something in another language, it was so hard to me.

    To go to a country with English speakers was all that I wanted, but I did not know anything about English. Then, I had decided to enroll myself for Portugal. There is a good place too, and I could see more people speaking in English than in Brazil. Sometime later, I received great news that I would change my destination. It was good for me, because the Brazilian government will give me a language course in the country that I chose. Then I could accomplish my wish to come to the United States and begin to learn English. I had many challenges before I arrived here, so I needed to fill out many documents and send them to my new university here, all of them were written in English. My family was happy because I got what I wanted, but at the same time they were sad with my departure.

    When I arrived in New Orleans, I could already see great differences from Brazil. The first thing that I saw was a kind of racial segregation. There are neighborhoods just with black people and neighborhoods with white, and each one with your traditions and customs. Of similarly way, I could see universities for black and white people. My university here is a historically black college and it is hard to see white guys studying here. I have never seen this before. In Brazil I do not know universities alike here, we do not have colleges or universities especially for black or white. There universities are frequented by both.

    Each day I saw how much I would need to learn English. In my first months, I was not able to talk with native people. I tried to start a small conversation, but I knew only to ask your names, after that I stopped the conversation. In the first week, my friends from Brazil and I were enchanted with the streets, the cars, houses, people, food and mainly with the culture and custom here. The streets, the lifestyle and clothes are really equals to the movie’s streets. Gradually I was improving my English and I saw how polite people are here, however at the same time I saw how Brazilian people are more capable to express emotion.

Jeremias Serafim

Experience in New Orleans

    To know another country, another language, and a new culture is surely a memorable experience that everyone who has the opportunity should enjoy. All of my experiences and life changes began before I arrived to the United States. First of all, I had the opportunity to change the enrollment from Portugal to another country, in which the government offered immersion course in the local language.

    My anxiety increased every day that passed until I had received the confirmation notifying me that New Orleans would be the city where I would spend the next sixteen months. My expectation was wide at every email received and each new piece of information about the city. I was very afraid. After all, the idea to of leaving my home, to go far away from my family and friends, live in another country where I knew less than the basics of the language, is frightening. Many people criticized and thought that I was crazy, but at the same time, other people admired my courage. I listened at them. 

    My curiosity and the feeling that I could do it was bigger than my fear. The great day came. The farewell was one of mixed feelings. Although the sadness, the happiness, the fear, the anxiety were with me all during the trip, everything went right. The city was more beautiful in front of my eyes than I imagined.

    My first impression when I arrived was that I was in a movie or a dream. The city was so beautiful and friendly. The same occurred to me at the university. The people were very polite and receptive. I felt better so my fear decreased. Now I can see that the people are not as welcoming as I imagined. The people here are closed. After all, here the people are not so sentimental as is in Brazil. This is a different culture.

    The place is beautiful for me still. At each field trip around the city, I could see just how rich the culture is here. Walking in the town hearing the jazz and around the parks it is very pleasurable. The culture here was very interesting for me, but at the same time it was one challenge. The spicy or sweet food is really different that I used to eat. The fact that people are closed was hard to handle. Because we had to take care not to touch the people. We could not to relate with them with the same way Brazilians relate.

    However the necessity of to hug, kiss, laugh, cry, demonstrate what you feel, was easily supplemented with friends. Everybody was in the same situation, with the same mix of feelings. Each one quickly found friends. These friends are like a family. These are who give you a shoulder to cry and laugh and who share all the experiences and are with you always when you need it. Friends who will stay together here this little time, but I am sure that they are for the whole life. They are who make this experience so special.

                                                                                                                                 Édina Liara Schons

The challenge of being an ESL student

The challenge of being an ESL student

When a person decides to be an ESL student he/she begins a big and challenging journey. First of all the biggest challenge is inside of yourself. You need to know what you really want and you need have full conviction of your goals, because you will have to live far away from your family, your friends and your country.

Second challenge is you unveil new unknown things. The biggest barrier is difficulty communicating in a new language and a new culture. Weather and food can be extremely different from your country. So if you are ready and disposed to move forward let it start. It also has great things for you to enjoy.

My journey began when I left my life in Brazil and arrived in Louisiana, United States. I am currently studying at Dillard University. In my Cultural Enrichment class, I got to know some places in New Orleans. The first place I visited was Louis Armstrong Park. Professor Ivan told us a little history about Congo Square. After I walked on Bourbon Street, visited St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. Also I went to the Port, in the margins of Mississippi River. I ate beignets and drank hot chocolate in the Cafe Du Monde, a pretty famous café in this city. It was a wonderful tour. I enjoyed it very much. Another place that I visited was the World War II Museum. It was especially interesting to me. We watched movie about history of World War II. It was amazing.  In the same day, we also visited the Superdome, the biggest indoor stadium in the world. It was wonderful. I watched my first American football game. It was very confused to me, but I liked Tulane’s music band and team leaders. I had a good time. I also appreciated the awesome Thanksgiving celebration. On the other hand some things in New Orleans surprised me. What impressed me most was Bourbon Street and also seeing the famous Halloween.

In conclusion I am enjoying living in the United States. It is being pretty gratifying, because I am acquiring new knowledge and getting maturity. Like me you can be surprised or at the beginning maybe you will be scared, but at the end of every challenge has a reward. If you are ready, you will appreciate it.

Name: Debora Brito                                                                                              

Professor: Hannah Griggs

Class Name: Level 2 Reading and Writing

Date: 02/07/2014

Wondernola.

Wondernola

I would like to talk a little bit about the wonderful time I have had in New Orleans since I arrived. This is an attractive, enigmatic, mysterious, gorgeous, welcoming, one of kind city, with its  festivals, with its pretty architecture and singular natural beauty. What makes New Orleans wonderful to me is the cultural mix, the historic baggage, and in the end, and most importantly, the power of change over age which can please the whole world.  

The first touristic place I have been as soon as I could was the French Quarter. I was looking forward to staying there. I knew the French Quarter from famous movies and knew about its historic importance to New Orleans and to United States. There was a lot of information. The first which got my total attention was the architecture. It is amazing  in detail, the material that was used to make the buildings and obviously how people lived during this time. Hold with my tour I look at the bar which now staying there, I saw many kind of people dancing, drinking and having fun. Also, I heard a great song. It was the jazz the soul that city, that song has a power to make the people happy.

Near the French Quarter I saw the natural beauty in the Armstrong Park. There was powerfully  green grass I saw the little squirrels playing, many big Oak trees and a lake with a pretty fountain in the middle.

 I went a couple of the festivals. My favorite was called Jazz in the Park. It was quite fun also. I tried the typical New Orleans food like a craw fish, shrimp, and some baked goods. I went with some friends but there we met some kind tourists and talked with them. The workers and natives of the city were rather respectful and friendly too. The sound was amazing and I could learn more about that style of great music.

 In short, my experience in New Orleans so far had been awesome. I really enjoyed the culture, beauty and traditions in that singular, lovely city, New Orleans.  

Felipe Bruschi.

Living a dream in New Orleans

It has been five months since my life has completely changed. I am in New Orleans with an Exchange Program. I am having the best experience ever. It is amazing know different culture, habits and people. This is an important and unique opportunity in my life.

Before I got to New Orleans I knew a little about the city, like the jazz, Mardi Gras, vampires, voodoo, hurricane and happy people, because I saw on movies, news and internet. I cannot lie that I was scared when I found out that I would come here. It is difficult leave your home, family and friends. It is also difficult leave your normal life to live in another place with another language that you do not know well. I was very excited to get here to meet new people and learn English. I did not have any expectations about how would be it, I just thought it would be wonderful and unique.

New Orleans welcomed me well and became my second home. It is good to live in a city with such rich culture. I am really learning about the story of this city. Last semester I have visited many important places to this city and its story, in a class called Cultural Enrichment. I went to Louis Armstrong Park, French Quarter, Audubon Park, City Park, Sculpture Garden, NOMA, Lake Terrace Park, and WWII Museum.

I think the most important thing in life is who you have for share all moments. Then I made some great friends on this journey in New Orleans; with them I had happy moments, we met good places and we ate good foods. We went to Canal Street, Bourbon Street, The Boot, Audubon Zoo, Superdome, Cafe du Monde, PoBoy Festival, and we had the best first Halloween.

When I arrived in this city, I thought I would have some problem with the food because I researched about it before. The food, especially in the southern US, is heavy and spicy, very different of my country. I miss too many things from there, but the food has been what I miss more than other things. Of course, my family is what I miss more than anything.

            I can see how I have grown up in so little time and how many things I can do. Each moment here has been my best experience, I cannot choose only one. It has been good even when I am sad and homesick because I know it will make me strong. I like living in New Orleans. I am especially enjoying of this city.

I am living a dream. I am a dreamer and Nola is hosting my dreams so far. 

Camila Duarte

What is it like to live in New Orleans?

            Who knows how one change can transform our lives? Especially if it means to live in another country where you have never been before.   Since August 17^th my life has changed. I came to New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States to study. When I arrived in this city I was very excited but I was also really scared. I realized that I was extremely far away from home then I understood that I needed be strong and work hard to achieve my goal.

            During the time that I was on the way from the airport to the Dillard University I saw for the first time an American city and I thought about how my life would be different after that day. When I got to the University I didn't understand anything because I didn't speak English, and moreover the people in New Orleans speak too fast.

            Despite all difficulties of the different language  my first week here was incredible, but at the same time was a little sad because I missed my family very much. Subsequently my first class was an adventure I could not understand  the professor and neither could my classmates. In the first time that I went to the French Quarter with one professor I loved it. Everything was beautiful and had history. The weather was warm and there was music everywhere. The people were on all streets and they were dancing and singing with the guys that were playing instruments.

            After all now I can see how this experience changed myself, how I grew up. When I arrived here I was extremely dependent on my family and now I can live by myself. Of course I need them but now I can make my own decisions and be responsible for all the consequences and this is what I needed. Likewise now I can see the world with other eyes which means that I learned more about the world that I live.           

            I don't know how to choose what was my best experience here because most of them I never had before in my life, but I can talk about some that I loved. First I would have liked to attend an American church. It was important to me because I love go to church and when I came to here I was worried about where I could congregate. Then I went to the church and the people were really nice to me and I felt like everything was good because I had a place to praise the Lord. Second thing that I liked was the World War II Museum. It was so amazing: the history, the love the people have for the country, I don't know how explain this but I think this was really nice. Not to mention the technology in the movie that we watched about the World War II Museum I never saw anything like that before in my country. Finally the last best experience that I will share is my first time on a stage. When I went to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for a Tulane game and It was my first time on stage and it was awesome, all the people and the size of that place I really had fun there.

            In conclusion my time here has been a big learning experience and I am extremely happy about this.