The curse of the homonym: Words that sound alike and mean something different are called HOMONYMS, but they might as well be called “crazymakers”. They make it pretty hard to even find a small [...]

While both Veterans Day and Memorial Day are Federal holidays which honor those who have served the United States Armed Forces and prior to that in the Civil War, the American holiday known as [...]

The foods you ate in the US as an ESL student were part of your experience of American culture.  You were exposed to a whole new type of cuisine, both good and bad.  Food and culture are closely [...]

You’re home.  It’s bittersweet.  Your time as an ESL student abroad was filled with so many memories.  You learned English in the US, made friends with your American classmates, and travelled [...]

The first weeks, months, maybe YEARS of your study of the English language may have been filled with false laughter.  Yours.  As an ESL student studying in the US you probably sat comfortably [...]

ESL abroad was a surprising experience of another culture.  You learned that despite thinking you knew all about the US and Americans from what you’d heard and read your whole life, you were [...]

There are a lot of preconceptions of the US, American culture, and individual Americans.  Once you return home from ESL study in the US, you can share your personal experiences, and teach others [...]

Cross-cultural friendships can be a challenge to form.  Different values, beliefs, and religions mean you might have little in common at the start.  But, if you were able to overcome, or better [...]

America, and the culture of the US are so very different from your own country and it’s culture.  Different, especially America’s idea of different, can be pretty dazzling.  I’m sure you still [...]

Memorial Day is not just about barbecues, beaching and a little flag waving.  This American tradition has solemn and important origins.  It dates back to 1864 when women in Boalsburg, [...]