Nathalia Lopez
I was born in Cali – Colombia on May 02, 1989. I just remember when I was 3 years old that I went for first time to the kinder garden. I really had a fun time there while I was growing. When I was 12 years old everything began to be harder, I just got to the high school and there was an Industrial School where the high percentage of students were men, like 30 men and 5 women per classroom. Despite of that, I met my best friends ever and I had unforgettable moments that I lived with them. When I got 15 years old (that’s the most important age for women in Colombian Culture) I been so happy because my parents gave me a wonderful gift, it was a trip around 3 most important beaches in Colombia: Cartagena, San Andres and Santa Marta. One year later my mom pass over and then my life change completely. I went to live with my sister and her husband, new house, new rules, new life…
Around 17 years old I decided to study Social Communication and Journalism and 2 semesters later I switched to Advertising, it was the best idea that I had taken. I got my degree 5 years later and stared looking for a job and I found a common request in different companies: “we are looking for bilingual person”. At that time I just realized that when I was studying in the university I always had had problems learning English but it never was enough for me. In fact, it was the reason that I decided to study English and one year later while I was studying I stared to plan my adventure to U.S.
“Living an American life” this is the new chapter in my life and I hope it will be the best moment in my life that I can imagine.
Around 17 years old I decided to study Social Communication and Journalism and 2 semesters later I switched to Advertising, it was the best idea that I had taken. I got my degree 5 years later and stared looking for a job and I found a common request in different companies: “we are looking for bilingual person”. At that time I just realized that when I was studying in the university I always had had problems learning English but it never was enough for me. In fact, it was the reason that I decided to study English and one year later while I was studying I stared to plan my adventure to U.S.
“Living an American life” this is the new chapter in my life and I hope it will be the best moment in my life that I can imagine.
AMERICANS STEREOTYPES
Before I came to United States, I had different American’s stereotypes, I really didn’t know about American costumes, just from movies that I was used to watch in my country, I had been creating stereotypes in my mind from movies, not from the real life.
One of those stereotypes was that the American people just eat fast food. Now, when I have been for almost 7 months, I can say that high percentages of people are still eating fast food than healthy food owing to different reasons that I have seen. For example, Americans don’t have time to cook at home. Healthy food (vegetables and fruits) are really expensive and also they can find different kinds of food everywhere that most of those are fast food with low prices.
The second one was the American’s are very patriotic. I´m still thinking that, I have seen that they have many patriotic holydays to celebrate during the year and also I can feel how much proud they are when talk about this country.
The third stereotype was that I thought that U.S. was the extremely safe place in the word, but I have noticed that this country is not too safe like I thought; owing to everyday I can watch different bad news that happen in the neighborhood, in the city, in the state, in the country…
Finally, I can say that we never can believe in social stereotypes that people just say about places without any experiences or we can´t create stereotypes just watching TV neither. We must have our own experiences and ideas.
One of those stereotypes was that the American people just eat fast food. Now, when I have been for almost 7 months, I can say that high percentages of people are still eating fast food than healthy food owing to different reasons that I have seen. For example, Americans don’t have time to cook at home. Healthy food (vegetables and fruits) are really expensive and also they can find different kinds of food everywhere that most of those are fast food with low prices.
The second one was the American’s are very patriotic. I´m still thinking that, I have seen that they have many patriotic holydays to celebrate during the year and also I can feel how much proud they are when talk about this country.
The third stereotype was that I thought that U.S. was the extremely safe place in the word, but I have noticed that this country is not too safe like I thought; owing to everyday I can watch different bad news that happen in the neighborhood, in the city, in the state, in the country…
Finally, I can say that we never can believe in social stereotypes that people just say about places without any experiences or we can´t create stereotypes just watching TV neither. We must have our own experiences and ideas.