Journal #2

First impression at ALP

I had enrolled in ALP, Fullerton for 1 year. I still remembered how nice teachers were, even though in the first day I was very nervous about how to communicate with my teacher and my class mate before I went to study. After I had finished the primary class of this program, I was surprise that everything I assumed it was wrong. I felt the time pass so fast for me in the first day. I was comfortable to communicate with them because the way teachers teach us reducing my pressure and helping her student know each other. However in this semester, I see a lot of thing, changed after I enrolled. Some process is so weird. I think ALP is changed to look international for people who will enroll in the future, but it still looks complicated. The first semester I had enrolled ALP just have 6 level and they didn’t have specific name of each level. Now a day, we have a specific name of it, so when I asked some international friends what they are level they will answer the name. Then I have to compare what they are level in real ALP level. I don’t think it is a good idea to have a specific name because every international student still know where they are after that,even though it look nice and polite.

Journal #1

Introduct Myself

My name is Waraporn Mongkolcharoen. I know my name is a longer name for one person and very hard for international friends to pronunciation, so I have a very easy nickname for my friends to call me, Ann. I have some event about my name. The first time I had taken a TOEFL test in USA, the examiner asked me “Are you from Thailand” because he saw me try to write my name in application which don’t have enough space for my full name. I was very surprise why he knew I came from Thailand I had never met him before. He told that Thai people usually have a long last name so he could assume that I came from Thailand, and it is a truth. I have been here for one year and I live with my sister in Yorba Linda City. It is pretty close Cal State Fullerton.

My pursuit is I want to graduate Master’ Degree in USA. I really want to enroll in MBA program in Cal State Fullerton, but it is still hard for me to get through it. Basically, I have to pass the TOEFL test which Cal State Fullerton requires 570 points for international student. It is very high score for me. Even thought I can pass the TOEFL test in this step, I still have to take one big step, GMAT, before I can apply in this program. GMAT, required around 550 score, is the test for Business and Economic major. Hopefully, I will get through it in the future.

When I have a leisure time, I enjoy cooking, watching and sight seeing. Cooking is my favorite activity because it is the best way for me to escape from my stress moment into relaxes moment in the short period of days. During cooking time, I don’t have to think about my problem which I have to fix it, so I just concentrate and follow the cooking step. Moreover, I would like to try cooking some Thai dessert by researched the dessert recipe in website especially some kinds of Thai dessert I really want to eat but it is hard to find in USA. It is a good idea to cook it by myself. Even though it isn’t delicious like bakery in Thailand, it is better than do nothing.

Journal #20

shaking hand

After I came to The Unite Stated, I have a lot of culture shock experience between Thai culture and American culture. The one of my unacceptable behavior American cultures is shake hand. It is a polite way to begin communicating with another people in here, but Thai culture has never touched each other hands when we meet. We have a special way to show our culture by same purpose but different position of hands. We will put our hands together at our chest and bow our head a little bit to touch our hands. So when I have to meet new American person, I am really uncomfortable to communicate with them especially a guy. The first time, I have to shake my conversation partner hand who is a guy I feel so embarrassed.

Journal # 19

My favorite past time activity

Cooking is my favorite leisure activity. While I am cooking food, I really like to smell it. The smell of food is so sweet in pot where you put several sauces. This activity is the best relaxation for me because I just concentrate about the process of cooking only, so I can escape myself for thinking about my problem and my pressure and have a happy time to do it. Normally, I will begin to think what I am going to cook after I finfish to study my last class everyday. The process of my happy time begin during I am driving. It is a beginning of a perfect time for me to choose a menu to cooking everyday. The most important thing of my happy time, cooking, is when I cook for the persons, who I am love, and look at them enjoy with my food.

Journal # 18

My spring break pest very fast . The first time, I think I will collect my new vocabulary and finish my novel book. but I didn't have time to do because I always spend time outside or maybe chatting with my friend.

Journal #17

Thai Wedding Day

Thai wedding is special and magical tradition. The most special and interesting part in Thai wedding is the engagement ceremony called “Khan Mark” which take place prior to the wedding. Khan Mark is a ceremony that the groom’s family dances their way to the bride’s home. The groom’s parents has to bring “Sin Sod” to the bride’s parents as they demand such as ring, money, gold, jewelry along with two banana trees, two sugar-cane tree, meats and candy (for good luck). The groom has to pass through many gates that the bride’s family put together. Each gate is made from the gold or silver necklace ropes blocking between the doors. The groom has to make an attempt to pass each gate by bribing the keeper of the gate until gets to the bride. Then the groom will offer the bride’s ring and this considered the end of engagement ceremony. The wedding ceremony starts when the bride and groom receive a blessing from the monk. After the monks finish their blessing, the guests (start with elderly) will pour water on the hand of groom and bride and give them their blessing. In the evening, there will be a wedding reception celebration for the bride and groom. After the dinner reception, the bride and groom will be sent to the room by the elderly and finally the ceremony ends at this point.

Journal # 16

My good strategies

My lists of strategies to keep-up my language practice during the spring break are watching movies, shopping at the mall, and reading novel. There are relaxing activities for me, and I can learn how to practice my English language such as pronunciation, structure of sentence and new vocabulary. When I go to watch movies at theater, I actually interest this movie. So it is easy for me to concentrate on the story and learn how to pronunciation correctly during watching it. In addition, I can learn a new vocabulary and conversation while I am shopping at the mall. For example, when I want to buy a new product for my skin, I will go to cosmetic at the mall. The saleswomen will suggest their product very clearly and slowly, so I can listen, communicate and learn new vocabularies. Finally, I can keep up my language by reading novel. It is a good activity because I can remember a correct structure and new phrase because I want to understand the whole of story.