The Greatest American Holiday

This weekend the Fourth of July will be observed all across the USA. This holiday which commemorates the founding of the United States of America is celebrated enthusiastically in every area of the country.

Planet College International has an extensive explanation of this holiday click here . Celebrations nationwide nearly always include a fireworks display.  Above is a preview of what you can expect.

Have a Happy Fourth of July!

June And The Celebrations Continue Part 2

As June rolls on you will notice two other celebrations in addition to Graduations. One is Father's Day which in the USA is  observed on the third Sunday of June. As the title clearly explains this is a day where Father's are honored. Traditionally this recognition is through gifts and meals. If you are not able to be with your own father perhaps some friends might invite you to join in their family celebration.  If this should happen it is not likely that you would be required to contribute a gift or a meal. Just your presence would be enough.

The second celebrations which have traditionally been observed as part of June are weddings. June has for some time been a month when many couples schedule their actual wedding ceremony. It is generally thought that this has evolved from the same conditions which caused Commencements to be scheduled in May and June. The weather is more likely to be pleasant and agreeable for an outdoor celebration. Also, many couples meet in college and June is a convenient time for them to marry after having graduated. Thus they begin their new life together.

With all this happening right on campus June can be a festive month for an International Student. Enjoy!

June And The Celebrations Continue

If graduation ceremonys were not completed on your campus during May those ceremonies will probably populate the early days of your June calendar.  On many USA campuses the actual ceremony where diplomas are awarded is called Commencement. 

This title could be confusing to an English Language Learner. Searching your English Dictionary ap you would learn the primary definition for commencement is ' to start'.  The second definition is ' ceremony for conferring diplomas' and degrees. 

Why would a ceremony which clearly signals the end of a long road for most students be designated with a word which means beginning?

The explanation lies in the origins of the USA's education traditions. Education in the USA is largely modeled after the traditions of Europe, particularly Northern Europe, specifically England and Germany.  Those countries experience long, grey, overcast winter months.  By the time the Spring months ocurr everyone is ready for a happy celebration usually outside in the sunshine. Because the granting of a degree to a student is considered a beginning, the beginning of their career and adult life, the actual outdoor ceremony is called Commencement signaling another beginning for the students.

May Finals Graduation and Parties!

As noted a year ago May on USA campuses is the month of finals. It is also the traditional month of graduation ceremonies. And definitely after the drugery and anxiety of finals and the joyous celebration of graduation it is time to party. Go here for all the exciting details.

Mastering English Knock Yourself Out

The purpose for most International Students to complete their education in the USA is often two fold. One, clearly, is to complete the requirements for their degree program and graduate. To this end many International students choose a major which will begin paying them back for their time money and effort promptly. This is probably why Business and Science particularly Computer Science are the top choices for International Students in the USA. That is for a major field of study.

There is one other subject that International Students study or at least practice daily, English. Or more exactly the American Brand of English.

Most International Students must necessarily study English for their education.  This form of English is strict and demanding as many students who have attempted the TOEFL can attest.

 Writing coherent English for school papers and reports is one form of English which most International Students master at least adequately.  There is another form of English which is equally challenging and ultimately equally critical to the International Student's eventual success. That is spoken English. Not the kind that candidates for public office use or even the kind that television and film performers use.
No.

The kind which is essential for communication in the global economy in which International graduates will be performing is termed ' colloquial'.  Colloquial English is the English you hear every day in class, at events, while shopping and when celebrating with your American friends.

More importantly colloquial English will be the English you will be speaking on the phone or in person to your American colleagues and American customers when you begin your career.

If you check the translation dictionary on your smart phone you'll find that 'colloquial' means ' common or everyday.' This means that the everyday speech, literally the 'common tongue' that you hear is the most used and therefore the most useful you will find in your USA experience.

By now you have probably heard phrases like ' Knock yourself out' and " No problem'.  Everyday English is laced with dozens of these terms.

There is one sure way to gain mastery of colloquial English.  Practice speaking with your native English speaking friends. They are the students who use these phrases constantly. Their everyday speech is largely made up of colloquial phrases.

This kind of real life practice is invaluable for gaining confidence in your English speaking ability. So next time you meet a native English speaker, " Knock yourself out.'  Pretty soon when someone asks you if you can speak English you will be able to say, " No problem."

St. Patrick The Easter Bunny Spring Break And You.

March in the USA has many opportunities for students to celebrate. You may have observed just about a week ago the numerous celebrations of St. Patrick's Day on or around your campus.

If that day was not explained it's origin is this.

During the 1840's there was a famine in the country of Ireland. Many Irish people emigrated to the United States. They brought with them their habits, customs and celebrations. Principle among these was St. Patrick's Day. In Ireland, largely a Catholic country, the day is dedicated to the man who brought Christianity to Ireland. Traditionally he is known as Patrick and St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday in Ireland.

Once here Irish Immigrants continued celebrating  this day and a great deal of alcohol use was associated with this celebration.  While alcohol is no longer an indispensable part of any St. Patrick's Day celebration you probably have noticed that many advertisers use the St. Patrick's Day theme , characterized by rich green coloring, to sell their products.

This practice by advertisers will continue for two additional celebrations which will occur this week.

First, Easter, a traditional observation of the beginning of Spring, always celebrated on Sunday, is just about here. Easter has become symbolized by a figure of a happy rabbit known as The Easter Bunny. Children in the USA are sometimes told if they are good they will awaken to find a basket full of candy from the Easter Bunny on Easter morning. Advertisers have adapted the Easter theme, a rainbow of colors and a figure of a large happy bunny to sell their products.

Finally, simultaneous with the arrival of Spring many American schools schedule a break from the regular class schedule, usually a week.  This break is known as Spring Break and again many advertisers adopt the theme of College Spring Break to sell travel packages, excursions and opportunities for students to getaway and party.  You have probably seen the posters on campus featuring fit, healthy, attractive students on a beach during the day and in a club at night and partying, partying, partying.

These holidays, as close together as they are, can add up to a kind of " March Madness" for International Students who have not fully experienced American Culture. To help you understand
Planet College International has provided these posts.

Please click through and learn more. Happy Easter.

Enjoy your break.

Term Holidays

This period of time on campus as winter becomes Spring contains several significant holidays and celebrations.
The 2015 Calendar for the USA shows these and list holidays which are celebrated as well as those which are observed. It is easy to tell which holidays are pending by the kind of advertising which is prominent directly before the holiday.

First of all this month was a holiday celebrating Love in many forms but particularly romantic love. The holiday name is Valentine's day and it is celebrated on February 14, every year. You probably noticed advertisements for jewelry, flowers and candy in fancy wrapping which are considered gifts for a sweetheart, wife or mother.

The next holiday of note was Presidents Day. This is a Federal Holiday which is set aside every year to honor two American Presidents, George Washington, who was the first President of the United States and Abraham Lincoln who was the president during the American civil war, 1860 to 1865. Because both of these Presidents' birthdays are in February the holiday is celebrated in February and it is always on a Monday.  You probably noticed that banks and schools were closed on this day. This is due to the fact that Presidents' Day is a Federal Holiday, one of eleven holidays set aside for employees of the government, which is why Federal offices, such as the post office are closed on those days. A holiday on Monday means a three day weekend for many workers. Often retail tire shops and matress stores take advantage of htis long weekend to entice buyers into their stores with special deals.

The next celebration which you may have witnessed is called Mardi Gras. This year it was on Tuesday, February 17.  Mardi Gras is celebrated in many places, particularly in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. This is a day dedicated to partying and revelry. This celebration was brought to the United States by immigrants from France.

The next holiday you may have observed was Thursday, February 19,  Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year. This holiday in the USA features fireworks and parades often featuring dancing dragon feature.

Next month, March, the beginning of Spring, presents many more opportunities to celebrate.

Enjoy your term!