During several months after I arrived in the USA, every day, I came back from school exhausted, so that I had to take a rest for a while, stretching myself on the bed.
             For all the time, I strained every nerve in order to understand what the people were saying and why they were laughing. Constantly dealing with language differences, unspoken rules, and new physical surroundings made me feel alienated and tense. However, language was my biggest challenge to overcome.
             I have studied English for years, but I still feel the language barrier. For instance, when I go to see an American movie I still can't understand the actors. That's probably because spoken English tends to include a lot of idioms. Such phrases rarely translate well into other languages. For example, "hang in there" means to persevere even when you're ready to give up and "open mind" - willing to consider other ideas that may not be similar to the ones that you're used to. The idiom has a definition other than its literal meaning. It is very annoying to pay so much attention to things that should be automatic and to give as much thought to almost every word I and other person are using.
             Moreover, exposed to so many unfamiliar rules, I easily lose the train of thought in my conversation. I feel that I am not being natural and start questioning the way I communicate and relate with people. I worry so much about the "how to" that conversation is not always as relaxing as it should be. For that reason, I would recommend having more discussions in class where students are able to talk about current events, express their opinions, or just tell funny stories.
             Leaving home and traveling to study in a new country can be a stressful experience. Even though it may be something you have planned and prepared for, the extent of the change and the effects it has on you may take you by surprise. Therefore, the best advice is to "hang in there and keep your mind open!"
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