holistic learning exprience during the semester.

Student’s name:
Professor’s name:
Course:
Date:
Holistic Learning Experience During the Semester
The idea of life in an entirely new country away from the norm of one’s life, the thought of different culture – language, people, food, dress and all in all interactions is scary for most people. Breaking away from the usual and getting used to a new routine requires breaking out of one’s shell and having to face fears head on. This requires open-mindedness and the will to interact with different people and learn from them. Learning a new language is one way to achieve all the above. It means developing the will to try something new, interact with new people, exchange ideas, learn from others and ultimately grow from the experience. That new language for me was English. In this essay, I will highlight the impact that is taking the English 1301 class has had on me; how it has influenced my thinking and all in all the growth it has spurred in me.
I would in a way, say that my parents would have been a stumbling block in my path.
The decision to study abroad, away from home was one that did not quite resonate with my parents. According to them, my country had good enough schools, most members of my family had studied in those very schools and were doing quite well for themselves. Furthermore, I was qualified enough to go to the best college in the entire country. I think they felt that they needed to protect me from the uncertainty that comes with moving away from home. I was going to have to make huge adjustments, and since English was not my first language, it would be difficult for me to communicate and figure out my way around.

Taking English 1301 has shown me just how glad I am that I managed to get them to let me go to college outside of my home. My interaction with people whose first language is English may have been a bit challenging, but it has no doubt been the best way to learn the language. A reading of various items of literature has shown me the evolution that the language has gone through – from Shakespearean English to what I can call modern English. Through poetry, I have learned the beauty of wordplay and I most certainly have a new appreciation for it.
I was always fearful that I might lose myself, being away from home and felt that I had to be close minded and remind myself constantly about my culture so as to not let externalities influence me. English 1301 has helped me to see the importance and necessity of difference in ideas, opinions and has broadened my thinking. To refuse to see the world through another’s or others’ eyes, I have come to learn, is to refuse to let oneself grow and understand that the most common thing across the board is diversity. In that regard, I have developed a deeper understanding of Cesar Chavez’ words; that the preservation of one’s culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.
Paul Coelho says that culture makes people know each other better in their soul. It is only through interaction with people that are different from us regarding ideology, opinion, and culture that Paul Coelho’s words come alive. Literature and its interpretation provide great lessons on not only history but the present as well as the future. Ideas advanced by Shakespeare for example, no doubt influence human interactions today. Shakespeare’s words in Julius Caesar that cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once has been most impactful on me this semester. I have learned to face my fears head on, to be more open-minded and that the greatest friends can be those that we deem unexpected. It has been wonderful to share a class with my classmates and pick their brains as well as the professors.