Writing Feedback / TOEFL independent essay: Would you maintain your customs if moving to another country? [3]

When people move to another country, some of them decide to follow the customs of the new country. Others prefer to keep their own customs. Compare these two choices. Which one do you prefer? Support your answer with specific details.

A common proverb in Italy says: country where you go, habits that you find. This simple sentence tell how important is the variety in customs and routines. Personally, I prefer to adapt to new customs, without forgetting the typical of my birth country. I feel this way for two reasons that I will discuss in the following essay.

First of all, you have to adapt to the overall context for a matter of socialization: people around you are used to eat at a different hour, spend their free time in other activities or going at work at a certain hour. My personal experience is a perfect example of this. I'm italian but I live in Spain and I had to get used to a different hour for have dinner, the practice of having breakfast with bread and tomato, to spend my sunday afternoon drinking something in a terrace. It's a simple question of adaptation and, right now, I don't miss my original customs.

Secondly, it's good to get used to habits of a new country for the main reason of discover diversity and what really makes a country different from the rest of the world. I believe that one of the best ways to enjoy a trip is identifying deeply with the surrounding environment, trying to do all the activities that locals retain part of their own culture. If I kept my habits, I would never discovered little pleasures of Spain, like spanish tortilla, watch flamenco's shows, being seduced by the great popular celebrations.

To summarize, there are two categories of people: who remains loyal to his own habits even if living outside, and who change everything. I'm in the second group, and living a situation so closed, I couldn't be happier.

Writing Feedback / Toefl - Do you believe that online courses should replace classroom learning? [2]

In the era of digitalization, online courses are gaining increasing importance, especially for employed people. This kind of courses offers the possibility to attend classes without missing your job and studying in the free time.

Nevertheless I'm still convinced that classroom learning is more effective. I feel this way for three reasons which I will discuss in the following essay.

First of all, I consider imprescindible the presence of a real professor. It's true that actually renowned professors are getting involved more and more in online courses, but I believe that the possibility of interaction and confrontation during a class it's one of the milestones of the learning process. My personal experience is a good example of this. A lot of times during my university career I obtained excellent marks thanks to notes taken during the classes, highlighting specific explanations of my professors.

Secondly, I think that the social dimension of the university has to be widely considered. Why not going to class and have the opportunity to share your point of view, your opinions and, sometimes, great part of your life, with people who have same interests and ambitions? I've known most of my actual friends during the period of university and, although I have changed city, I talk with them every time I could. Maybe one day you will change city and one of your former friends of the university is living there, certainly he could give you some good recommendation and help you in the integration process.

Furthermore, I believe that to attend an online course you should possess a great capability of concentration. Personally I've never succeed to study at home because there are a lot of distractions, like mobile, computer, television etc.. On the other hand, during a class you have to maintain your attention continuously, professors don't allow to use mobile and you could ask help to a colleague in case you have missed a passage.

In conclusion, even if online courses are a considerable option in terms of flexibility, especially for workers who want to extend their academic knowledge, I give more importance to the human aspect, both for the presence of the professor and the other students.