1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,780 Unit 15. Page 258. Exercise 8. Listening. 2 00:00:07,460 --> 00:00:10,780 So, Miriam, you're looking a bit stressed out. 3 00:00:11,300 --> 00:00:13,660 You're not having trouble with your classes, are you? 4 00:00:14,020 --> 00:00:17,620 I've looked at your midterm grade reports, all of which are strong. 5 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,060 No, things are going fine in my classes. 6 00:00:21,780 --> 00:00:24,160 It's my personal life that I'm not happy with. 7 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,480 You know, when I first got here from Tanzania, 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,840 I loved the university and the city. 9 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:30,900 It was exciting. 10 00:00:31,620 --> 00:00:33,280 Now everything seems boring. 11 00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:37,340 Sometimes I feel like I don't want to be here anymore. 12 00:00:37,860 --> 00:00:38,520 Oh, dear. 13 00:00:39,220 --> 00:00:41,360 Have you made some friends since you got here? 14 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:42,700 Let's see. 15 00:00:42,940 --> 00:00:45,420 You've been here three months now, right? 16 00:00:46,300 --> 00:00:50,340 Well, I just don't seem to have any good friends. 17 00:00:51,020 --> 00:00:54,440 I've met several girls in my dormitory who all seem nice, 18 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,980 but I can't seem to find anyone to do things with. 19 00:00:58,480 --> 00:00:59,980 I haven't really found anyone. 20 00:01:00,140 --> 00:01:01,800 I have something in common with. 21 00:01:02,380 --> 00:01:05,580 And sometimes I feel like people are laughing at me. 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,680 I feel like there's something wrong with me. 23 00:01:09,220 --> 00:01:12,320 No, Miriam, I don't think anything is wrong with you. 24 00:01:12,780 --> 00:01:15,720 I think you're just going through culture shock. 25 00:01:16,420 --> 00:01:17,260 Culture shock? 26 00:01:17,900 --> 00:01:18,660 What do you mean? 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,900 It's something that many foreign students experience. 28 00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:26,720 At first, they're exposed to a lot of new and interesting things, 29 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,020 most of which seem fascinating. 30 00:01:29,020 --> 00:01:33,040 After two or three months, though, they're not fascinating anymore. 31 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,300 Things begin to seem uninteresting and even annoying. 32 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:38,740 Hmm. 33 00:01:39,460 --> 00:01:44,400 If that's what I'm experiencing, what can I do to get through it? 34 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,800 Should I spend more time with people from my own culture? 35 00:01:48,460 --> 00:01:53,400 Should I call home more often or find other people from Tanzania on campus? 36 00:01:53,580 --> 00:01:59,000 Well, no, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to isolate yourself 37 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,420 with people you're already familiar with. 38 00:02:01,940 --> 00:02:04,580 That could make you feel even more homesick 39 00:02:04,580 --> 00:02:07,160 and delay your recovery from culture shock. 40 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,580 Instead, I think you should try to get to know more Americans. 41 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,660 But as I said, it's hard to make friends here. 42 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,960 Sometimes I don't know what to do or say when I'm with Americans. 43 00:02:20,380 --> 00:02:21,520 Don't worry about that. 44 00:02:21,820 --> 00:02:25,900 First of all, people won't dislike you just because you're different. 45 00:02:26,460 --> 00:02:28,740 And second, there are things you can do 46 00:02:28,740 --> 00:02:30,760 to make it easier to find friends. 47 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:33,880 Try to find out more about American culture 48 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,960 so that you know what to expect. 49 00:02:36,460 --> 00:02:39,340 And remember that it's okay to make mistakes. 50 00:02:40,020 --> 00:02:42,360 Try to maintain a sense of humor about them. 51 00:02:42,860 --> 00:02:46,940 If you laugh at yourself, other people will laugh with you, not at you. 52 00:02:47,660 --> 00:02:49,640 I guess all that makes sense. 53 00:02:50,260 --> 00:02:52,120 Above all, be patient. 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,040 Your feelings will pass. 55 00:02:54,500 --> 00:02:55,500 It just takes a while. 56 00:03:01,110 --> 00:03:02,970 More book content in English.