As a final project in my Pre-Intermediate Write Now elective, students were asked to write about their experiences in Boston. They were asked to incorporate some of the things we learned in our class and focus on the present perfect. I’ve copied these essays below for you to read. Everyone did such a great job and the stories are great! I encourage you guys to read all of them! I’m very proud of my students and their essays! GREAT JOB!! 🙂
Below are some highlights from each essay:
- The teachers have taught a lot of grammar and some vocabulary
- The most surprising thing is the shrimp that is too plump and delicious
- Boston is a beautiful city, some people are very kind, some of them are impolite, but this is life. You can’t ask everything to be perfect, but you can try. I’m very glad that I am here.
- Now, I’m very glad to stay in Boston, but at first, I was too sad and I wanted to go back to my country.
- I have never seen such good teachers in school since studying English, so you can learn many English skills from them.
- I think it’s been a good experience because I have had opportunities to know and speak with people that have different points of view about life.
- I’ve been learning so many things while I’ve been walking on Boston’s streets, such as, the people and how they respect each other and how the employees deal with the customers.
- I live in a lovely host family that makes me feel I am a member of their family. Although this is my first time to celebrate my birthday without my real family and live in a different country, I still can feel a lot of sweet things like I got some gifts, wishes, handmade birthday cards, and videos.
My First Travel to Boston!
When I first arrived to Boston, I was very nervous because it was my first travel experience outside my country. Besides, I knew that I would not understand what the American people tell me very well. However, when I arrived to the airport, I did not speak with anyone, I just got out and felt too cold. I had to wait for my friends because they went to accompany me to the house.
When I was in the friends’ car, I was looking at the city and admiring its organization. After that, I arrived to my host house and then I talked with my mother about my travel. The next day, I went to EC and I saw a lot of people from different countries, it was wonderful!
I think it was a good experience because I have had opportunities to know and speak with people that have different points of view about life. Now, I have been studying English, I hope I can improve this language!
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When the plane was landing, I was so excited but tired at the same time. I have met my cousin in the airplane and he was so happy because of me and immediately we went to a restaurant called Five Guys, because I was so hungry and I didn’t like the food that they served to me on the plane, so that was my first day in Boston and it was short because I arrived at 7:30 p.m. However, in my opinion, I think my experience is really wonderful because this is my first time I have traveled alone and I’ve never tried that feeling before. On the other hand, when I went to EC Boston, I’ve met a lot of foreigners from around the world, and that was a really great time because I had used a lot of my little English on that day and that was awesome for me. However, if I want to talk about the tourist places in Boston and where I have been, I’ll abbreviate that in some words.
I would say that Boston is one of the most amazing cities that I’ve ever been to because I’ve visited so many places in Boston. For example, I’ve visited the Museum of Science where I could watch the structures of the animals and the models of the chemical compounds, etc. About the restaurants, I couldn’t forget the restaurant that is called The Cheesecake Factory because on the day that I went there, I ate at the restaurant for an hour and thirty minutes and that was really funny because we were just my cousin and I. At the end, we paid a very expensive amount, but we enjoyed it there.
On the other hand, I’ve been learning so many things while I’ve been walking on Boston’s streets. Such as, the people how they respect each other and how the employees deal with the customers. Overall, I’m really proud because I’ve learned many things from Boston City and EC Boston has taught me a lot of English and I’m very happy for that and that is the school where I learn English. Finally, I hope you Shelly like my final project and I wish everything good for you.
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Improve English in EC
Let’s talk about my experience in Boston. One day, when I was young, and I finished my career, I decided to come to Boston to improve my skills of English.
At my first time, it was difficult to choose which country I would want to study, but one day, I thought about what country is close than mine. So I decided to study in the United States. And I think that is the best city to learn English in Boston, I’ve never been here, it was my first time, but when I arrived here, it was in October. The person who picked me up was working with EC so he showed me some places in Boston.
When I arrived to Boston, I could see that the leaves of the trees were different colors. It was so beautiful. Then I arrived to my host family, my host mother didn’t stay there, so a Brazilian guy opened the door and I began to speak with him about our English. He gave me one piece of cake and orange juice, he told me about his first week in EC and he wanted to show me the way to go to Boston. The next day, I arrived both of us went to Harvard knowing I have never been to that University.
My first time in EC was very funny because they started talking about my course. During my stay in Boston, I have learned English and I have met a lot of people around the world. The teachers have been teaching a lot of grammar and some vocabulary. For example, I had a teacher, her name was Shelly, she was beautiful and very nice person, she was the teacher who taught me to write and I have been learning much. I hope that she likes this letter. By the way, I have been taught by others this type of tense who use it daily in English.
When it was one month living in Wellesley, I decided to change my town because it was so expensive. So right now, I have been living in Newton Center for 1 month approximately. I have really missed the Mrs. that I lived with, she was very nice and funny.
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My Study Trip in Boston
I want to share some experiences in Boston to you if you decide to come here and want to have a studying trip. I remembered I came here it was very close to midnight. On the first day, I found the weather was really cold for me and I didn’t know anything at this strange place. At that moment, I spent such a long time to buy ticket and took subway to the student apartment. You should know everything would be difficult if your English is not good enough and you are in a different country. However, you still need to take it easy.
When you go to school, you will meet many students from different countries over the world. It’s very interesting and exciting to make friends with them. I have been studying English in EC for 2 months. I knew this vacation is not only studying but also traveling to me. So I have gone to many museums, delicious restaurants, and sightseeing activities with my classmates.
I think you will practice speaking/listening skills with those who you usually get along with during the school time. I have never seen such good teachers in school since studying English, so you can learn many English skills from them. Anyway, you will enjoy your school life!
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When I first arrived to Boston, I was so sad that it was the first parting with my family. So I cried all the time when I was coming to the U.S. I arrived in Boston and I felt nervous. Although Americans were very generous, I was very frightened. When I entered my homestay, they looked very busy. So I thought that they didn’t care about me. After then, I left my packages in my home and went around my house. The landscape of Boston was awesome because it was very peaceful, eco-friendly and wonderful. After walking, I went to my home and spent my first day in Melrose. The next day, I ate cheese sandwiches, which was my first food in the U.S. After breakfast, I went near EC Boston and I felt amazing when I stood in Quincy Market because I saw many visitors, so I felt that I was abroad. After then, I went to the Galleria Mall which is located in Lechmere. It was similar to Korea’s department, but I felt fantastic.
Now, I’m very glad to stay in Boston, but at first, I was too sad so I wanted to go back to my country. Anyway, if someone wants to come to the U.S., I will advise them to stay one more week and think about it again. Maybe their opinions will change.
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It’s a big city which is the oldest state in America. It is Boston which is the most important city in American history. It is like every big city in the world; people walk very fast, the traffic is a mess and lots of vagrants sit on the street. Here was the city where I was going to stay for six months.
The first place I arrived was my homestay where I would live. My host mother and housemate were wonderful. My second day in Boston, my housemate brought me to the Museum of Fine Arts. I’ve been to many different museums, but this was the biggest museum I’ve ever been to. There were many paintings from different countries. My housemate loved artwork so much he taught me lots of art knowledge.
The reason that I came to America was to improve my English for my next job. I chose to study in a language school; EC Boston. I was going to stay here only for six months, so I thought I couldn’t enter University. The school was above in a famous clothing brand, Abercrombie and Fitch. It’s like a cram school. Due to only ten to fifteen students in one class, teachers can handle every situation of students. I loved it very much. I’ve been here two months and I felt that my English skills have been improved. My writing was very weak, it was so hard to write an article for me, but now I could write down some stories in English. Some students I met always complained about school. If they look back at what did they do and how hard did try, sometimes they’ll find out the reason.
Boston is a beautiful city, some people are very kind, some of them are impolite, but this is life. You can’t ask everything to be perfect, but you can try. I’m very glad I’m here.
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I have been in Boston for two months. During these days, I had a lot of experiences. For example, I went to Salem where I can know the story about seven witches and I met lots of classmates who are from different countries. Especially, I live in a lovely host family that makes me feel I am a member of their family. Although this is my first time to celebrate my birthday without my really family and live in a different country, I still can feel a lot of sweet things, like I got some gifts, wishes, handmade birthday cards, and videos.
Actually, I also tried something I never tried. Before I went to the night club, I ate Colombian food and I never forgot that was my first time to see snowfall. It was so exciting and nice, I used my hand, shaped like a bowl, and all the snow landed on my hand. After that, I made snow balls. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel cold and I totally forgot I’m a girl who comes from the tropics and doesn’t like cold weather.
And lastly, I’m really glad I had this opportunity to come here, enjoy my life, and have lots of unforgettable experiences. And I have four more months to stay here, so I’ll create more experiences.
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When I arrived at the airport on November 3rd, I was embarrassed because my packages didn’t arrive at the airport. Fortunately, my packages delayed just one day, that was why my packages are too heavy.
When I went to EC, I was very excited and I was hopeful that I would meet new friends. I was meeting good friends, new friends, and almost every day I was walking around Boston. I have gone to Rockport and the villages of witches in Salem. I have had delicious seafood and have seen good sightseeing.
I have had a lot of time to go shopping at Back Bay, Newbury Street, and Prudential and Copley Center! When I arrived in Boston, I had just one carrier bag. However, I bought another big carrier bag. It was because I bought a lot of clothes. I am scheduled to move my house on December 24, so I worried about it. An amazing situation is that the carrier bag is not enough to put my packages. I may buy one more carrier bag.
I have lived in Boston for about 7 weeks. The most surprise is shrimp that is too plump and delicious. Whenever and wherever in Boston I eat shrimp, I think about it.
Long story in short, USA is the best place to shop and Boston is not only the best place to shop, but also to have the best shrimp!