English, baby!

Come to America

Date: Jun 17 2004

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

As a student of English, it has no doubt crossed your mind to experience the language first-hand, to be immersed in the language and culture by visiting a country where it is spoken natively. I know that my experiences abroad helped to improve my language skills by leaps and bounds. If you are thinking of going abroad, you could do it in several ways: work, study or travel. Listen as I talk with Alejandra, a Costa Rican living in the United States, about her experience here:

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Stephanie

Alejandra

Stephanie: So tell me a little bit about yourself. What’s your name? Where are you from?

Alejandra: Well, my name is Alejandra. Um, I am from Costa Rica. This is a country in the south of, uh, Central America, close to Panama.

Stephanie: Great! How long have you been here in America?

Alejandra: I have been here for almost, uh, 4 months. I arrived in February.

Stephanie: Great and, um, are you working or going to school or are you traveling?

Alejandra: I’m working with a company here. Uh yeah, I’m [a] product engineer so we work with microprocessors and computers all the time.

Stephanie: That’s great! Are there a lot of people from Costa Rica where you work?

Alejandra: Oh yes… there are almost 20 people there.

Stephanie: Great. That’s cool. And um if you had the opportunity to come back would you come back?

Alejandra: Sure. Absolutely yes.

Stephanie: Ok, good. Well it was nice talking to you!

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Discussion

Have you ever seriously considered coming to America? If you decided to come, would you work, study or travel while you were over here? How long do you think someone needs to stay here to speak English really well?

Comments

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jef_maiko

Brazil

I have thought about going to America, but so far I didn’t have the opportunity. I have to wait the right time. If I had chance I would like to go to work. I think taht for me it would take between three to six months to speak English very well, of course because I already have a knowledge. So, let’s wait for the oppotunitty coming soon.

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Yeah, sure I thought about that.. concerning work I don’t really know, but I’m sure it would be a good destination for me to travel and study English or even study on a college mission to America…

I think it should takes a man about a year to be a good English speaker.. :)

Rehab92

Egypt

who dont want to travel to america dude !!
if i decided to come i think it will be for work
i think to be native in english it would take 2-3 years

Jhon Smith

Myanmar

Well, I have seriously considered coming to America and now I am still considering too. If I had the opportunity to go to America I would be there as a student to do my Ph.D in English literature or try to complete Master degree in English Language Teaching program.

I guess the third question depends on individual and one’s acquired English skills. Someone with a little bit of knowledge skill is going to take one year to have the required skill of English there . But people like me who has already accomplished Master Degree in English will even take some time to get close their common words and usages and slang they always use in their informal conversation.

Jhon Smith

Myanmar

I guess the third question depends on individual and one's acquired English skills. Someone with a little bit of knowledge skill is going to take one year to have the required skill of English there . But people like me who has already accomplished Master Degree in English will even take some time to get close their common words and usages and slang they always use in their informal conversation.

Dafi

Malaysia

i would to study over there..maybe around one or two years people need to stay …

Faraj

Yemen

I don't want to speack more to day

sidharth bhardwaj

India

this is nice.

sidharth bhardwaj

India

Sure, it would be a secret dream come true..trust me.

Irisha)

Russian Federation

I am going to the USA this summer. To be exactly, I am going to Massachusetts (Cape Cod). That's because I am a particapant of an exchange programm "Work and Travel", which gives a brilliant opportunity to students from all over the world, to visit the USA. Frankly speaking, I cann't wait. And now i am trying to improve my English to be capable to communicate with the locals and of course to work. I will work as a frontdesk. It's very responsible job, I suppose. But I will try my best =))

Faraj

Yemen

Hi how are you every body
if ther is any one heve problim at the hear english language connect in this websid www.radioEnglish.net it is good location to hear english

Faraj

Yemen

Hi how are you every body
if ther is any one heve problim at the hear english language connect in this websid www.radioEnglish.net it is good location to hear english

manoj narang

India

yes i like to see that beautiful country

parvana

Azerbaijan

hi everybody. come to usa is my dream. but i dont have any chance.

jeamy

France

hi traveling could be good to improve our english .

romondlau

China

I can’t hear the dialogue!I don’t know the reason.

Hari Krishan Bhatt

India

Ya definitely i would love to accept this offer to visit america but not for settle purpose. Particularly i would like to visit florida because i have some friends over there and ya definitely i would like to stay there till i become fluent in english.