Prompt:The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice? (Most applicants are able to respond successfully in two to three double-spaced pages.)
"Wow!" I stood and stared at the scene outside of the airport window. After 16 hours of flight, I finally landed my feet on the ground. I am here in the Norfolk International Airport, looking out from the window just like what I do at every airport, but what I felt inside of me has never been so excited before. "It is so pretty here, there are trees everywhere and roads are so clean!" looking as far as I could, I whispered. Then I looked on the window and I saw this five feet tall Chinese girl standing by herself, with a dark handbag and a luggage that is almost as tall as she is. I took a long breath in, "I'm in another country now, alone!" I was 16 years old, came to the United States by myself as an exchange student. There was no fair on my face, instead, on my face there was a confident and jubilant smile. "I'm ready for this new journey, I'm ready for speaking English everyday, studying in new school and making new friends." I thought.
To explore a different culture by living in that culture is a gift which the majority of the world will never have the opportunity to do. With my host family, I have accomplished many "first time experiences", such as first time eating in an United States restaurant, first time having Chicken and Dumpling, first time visiting Williamsburg, first time being in a Christian church, and first time having a real Christmas holiday. I'm thankful to have experienced a totally different culture however, I'm more grateful to have discovered the possibility to live in harmony with people from different culture background. And that possibility will come true with the methods of sharing commons and learning the good differences.
First time coming to a different country, I have to admit that there are many culture shocks. Growing up in a full-fledged Chinese culture, I learned the manner to be humble. When someone tells a compliment about you, you should give a modest reply. Sometimes, even a depreciated or negative reply shows a better manner. However, a totally different custom developed in American culture. When someone tells a compliment about you, it is never right to disagree a compliment. Having seen the differences between the pieces of two cultures, I was able to compare and choose the better way and continue it in the future.
"You will find out there's some American customs that you like a lot and some that you don't like, but that is ok, because you can bring home the ones you like, and just leave the ones you don't like in the United States." My host mother told at the beginning of my exchange year. At the end of the year, I did, "bring home the ones that I like and leave the rest in United States." I brought with me a belief of freedom and human rights, a belief that I can make a change to the world, a more playful heart, and a more passionate greeting---hugging. However, there are something that I kept as my own culture, respect and modest towards elders and teacher, necessary modest, key of golden mean and the concept of "face". With the understanding of both cultures, I'm able combine them in the best radio to benefit my life. Learning a different culture broadened my knowledge of ways that different people see and solve a same problem. I believe the more culture I learn, the more options I will have for solving future problems.
Some people have asked me how I can adjust to a totally different culture so quickly and smoothly. "having a respectful and understanding mind" I answered. I believe every culture is established basing on a particular life condition. "Just like growing crops" I explained, "rice grows the best in water-abundant area and potato grows the best in dry soil. Both rice and potato feed millions of people, how can you judge one is better than another?" Only if you have a understanding mind, all culture are beautiful. Then you will be able to quickly adjust to different culture while keeping your own unique culture background. I believe having this unique culture experience in another country, I'm ready for another culture journey in college.
Any comment will be helpful. I'm an international students and has only writen long Enligsh essay like this not for long, so if there's any grammatical errors please point them out.
Thank you and I will try my best to return everyone's favor!~
Thank you
What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice?
I merely scanned over your essay because my eyes are about to give out, but I did not see you answer this part of the question directly. You talk about what unique perspective you have, but you do not directly mention how this perspective will contribute to the Rice community.
Other than that, the essay is nicely written and has a memorable ending.
Good luck, fellow competitor.
"There was no fair on my face" I suppose it should there was no fear on my face?
"However, there are somethings that I kept asfrom my own culture, respect and modest towards elders and teachers, necessary modest, key of golden mean and the concept of "face" " I don't really get the blue part to be honest. Do you mean that it's necessary to be modest? Then it should be "necessary modesty".
"Only if you have a understanding mind, all cultures are beautiful,Then (just a suggestion here I think it sounds better but your version goes too) you will be able to quickly adjust to different a culture while keeping your own unique culture background"
I think your using the word culture a bit too often in the part, other than that it's a good ending.
I'll be applying to rice too and will upload my essay in a couple of hours, would be cool if you could look over it too. And good luck to both of us
