田野， 女，西安科技大学学生，2006年8月赴美国东华盛顿大学金融专业，2009年5月返回西安科技大学，2009年获得中美双学士学位

我在美国的生活

从美国回来后大约一个月，我收到美国朋友给我寄的一些邮件，大家都不约而同的提起了很多我回国前在美国读书时发生的事情。看着这些电子邮件，我突然感到很感动，很多两年半之间发生的事情开始浮现在我的脑海中，并随着他们的话语开始由模糊变得极为清晰，甚至一些我以为早已经忘掉的小事。我叫田野，在2006年9月之前，我只是西安科技大学中众多普通大一新生中的一员，也和其他学生一样每天在一堆朋友和老妈老爸的爱护下没什么大烦恼的成长着，但一个月后，我在其他六个同样选择去美国东华盛顿大学学习的伙伴的陪同下飞过太平洋到达了美国这个陌生的国度，当时的自己没有任何畏惧和担忧，有着的只是自己的梦想。

我的大学第一年是在西安科技大学度过的，在这一年中我听说过1 +2 +1交流生项目，这个项目是为一些想要在大学期间去美国交换学习两年的学生提供的，参加这个项目的学生在两年美国学习和两年中国学习结束时可以得到中美两所学校的两个毕业证书。能出国留学对我来说一直是个梦想，所以我决定把1 +2 +1这个项目作为我的一个机会，一个提升自我能力、找到更好工作的机会。在与父母讨论过后，我决定参加这个项目去美国东华盛顿大学学习两年。因此，在2006年9月我带着超大的三个行李，离开了我的学校，我的朋友们，我19年正常的生活，和疼爱我的家人来到了太平洋的另一侧。

我的新学校的名字是东华盛顿大学。位于斯波坎，这是西雅图旁的一个小城市，我们的学校在斯波坎的一个叫Cheney的小镇上。刚到Cheney的第一个月对我来说很特别，周围的一切是新的，新朋友、新的室友和新的环境。对我来说，虽然两年并不是一段很长的时间，但我却在这两年中经历了很多以前从没经历过的事情，独自体验了关于生活的每个部分，而这些经验也让我变的更加成熟。在到达斯波坎之前，我对这个地方完全不了解，不知道任何人或任何有关这个我要去的新的地方的信息。这是一个挑战，一次冒险和一次对生活的体验。因此，为了能让更多的和我有相似经验的朋友们了解到美国的生活，我很愿意分享我认为比较有用的生活上的信息。其实还有很多很多有用的信息没办法全部写下来，我也只能写一些对我当时来说最重要的方面了，希望能对大家有点用。我把下面的信息分为了四个部分，它们是：住宿，饮食，学习和交通。

住宿：

对我们这些留学生来说，住宿是第一个需要加以解决的问题。在EWU学习的第一年中，我和朋友们都住在校内的宿舍中，并且都有美国人当我们的室友，我第一个室友很好，在我的英语学习上帮了很大的忙。在我们的学校，两个学生共用一个房间；每个楼层有两个或两个以上的卫生间和淋浴设施，卫生间和淋浴是各个楼层学生共同分享的。在宿舍的房间里配有床，书桌，衣橱和储藏室（柜）可以放置个人物品，这些陈设都很简单，但基本上都足够用了。住在学校宿舍的一个主要好处是，你可以很方便地到达学校的各个地方。你可以很方便的去图书馆，体育馆，以及计算机中心。一切都在步行（或至少骑自行车）的距离。住在宿舍的另一个好处是可以很方便地去学校食堂吃饭，在美国大多数学校提供膳食计划，我们学校也不例外，在宿舍住的学生可以获得自己的meal plan，并且只要用学生证就可以去吃饭了。由于EWU校园宿舍也提供有一些简易的厨房设备，学生可以自己做一些简单的食物。虽然住在宿舍有种种好处，但学校宿舍的费用要比在外面租房子贵一些，不过每个学校的情况不一样，主要取决于学校坐落在哪里。如果一所学校位于郊区，在外面租房也许是一个更好的省钱的主意。但如果学校坐落在一个繁华的大城市，你会发现，自己租房有可能会是一个既浪费钱又很麻烦的选择。

另一个校内宿舍的好处是安全保障高。大学校园里有每天24小时的巡逻，一般由学校自己的校内警察负责。一个人独自住在不熟悉的出租房有时候并不是最安全的选择。最后一个住在宿舍的好处是，你可以和很过美国的学生发展良好的关系，甚至成为朋友，这不单单只是你的室友，还有整个宿舍楼的美国人，这样你永远都不会觉得孤单，这也对尽快的融入美国社会有着很大的帮助。

如果您选择住在宿舍，如何与室友相处融洽是一个需要重点解决的问题。因为如果你有一个关系不错的室友，你会不自觉的受到他的很多帮助，不仅仅是英语方面，也会使你了解更多与美国相关的文化。与美国人交朋友可能需要比与中国人交朋友相比更多的努力，尤其是女生之间。你需要了解你的室友的生活习惯以便从一开始就能相处良好。你的室友可以成为你的朋友，相反也有可能你和你的室友基本没有花时间在一起，这一切都取决于你和你的室友的态度。从一开始就尊重你的室友的生活和隐私，并要求你的室友也同样这样对你。有些室友是非常值得信赖的，而也有些就完全没办法相处。如果你发现你的生活原则和你的室友的原则发生冲突，你可以选择换宿舍。如果你觉得宿舍不是很安静，没有办法学习，你可以选择去图书馆或计算机室。

作为1 +2 +1项目的学生，我们被要求头一年住在学校的宿舍里，以帮助我们更快的适应新的环境，但一年后，你可以自己决定选择是否仍生活在宿舍里。学校一般会有校外住房办公室和一些代理商，可以协助学生找到适当的地方居住。你可以到这些地方，他们会帮助你找到一个符合你要求的住所。居住校外能得到更多的私人空间，并且如果能找到一些朋友一起住就可以降底房费。你也会发现，在外面租房住在食品上的花销会比住宿舍小很多，因为租房住你就会尽量自己做饭，就能节省很多。然而自己租房住的学生确实也需要自己负责办理电费和本地电话服务等等一些很琐碎的事情。一般来说，租房子住可以有三种方式，他们是：寄住在别人家里、公寓和独立house。

家庭住房：

在美国，有许多家庭愿意租他们的房子的一部分给学生。住在这些家里的留学生就像是这个家庭中的一部分，他们经常与家庭中的人一起出去活动。住家庭住房的学生不必操心支付任何费用（除手机）。

公寓：

公寓一般会位于聚在一起的一片出租房地区。一些大型公寓区设备上就比较齐全，如洗衣机，停车场，网球场和游泳池。公寓通常分为有一，两个或三个卧室的不同格局，各自配有一个或两个浴室，另外还有一个厨房和客厅。Efficiency或叫Studio这类公寓一般来说相对便宜，比较适合一个人生活。这种公寓通常较小，是把活动区和睡眠区合并成一个房间。公寓离学校越近往往要比离学校远的花费更多的租金。

独立house：

独立house一般的租金比较昂贵，除非可以找到3、4个以上的人来分担费用，因为独立house比公寓要大很多。此外，与公寓一样，独立house越接近校园租金越高。

学习：

在美国学习与在中国学习有着很多不同。美国大学教育系统比较严格，学生每个学期都会获得当学期的成绩（有的学校是一个季度一个学期，如：EWU）。成绩会被严格的划分为A，B，C，D（相对应4.0，3.0等），或为“ P ”（pass）或“ F ”（failed） 。美国学校的成绩并不仅仅根据学生的期末考试，而是基于整个学期中所有的作业，小测试和一些小考试。很少有教授完全将期末考试视为最后成绩，因此在美国大学学习会比在国内压力大得多，为了获得好的成绩，必须不松懈的完成每个学期。不过，每位教授采用的打分系统稍微不同，如果教授没有解释他的大分系统，你应该讯问他。

在第一次课上，大多数教授给出了一个该课程的课程提纲，上面会列有这堂课的教学目的、评分标准和其他一些重要的信息，除了这些，课程提纲上一般还会提到上课需要的书籍、课堂上要做的企划，每次考试的日期等等。

通常情况下，每个学生需要独立的完成学习任务，但有时可能会要求学生组成小组来共同完成一个企划（project）。每个组员所付出的努力应当是平等的，企划最终的打分会根据小组其他成员对你的打分情况给出，有些教授会要求每个组对该组的其他组员进行不记名打分。如果在小组活动中你有任何不懂的地方都最好去询问教授或者同组的其他同学。

在大多数美国大学教堂中，教师鼓励积极发言和小声讨论。如果你有任何疑问，甚至有觉得老师说的不对的地方可以直接举手提出来，并不用感到害怕。有时会有些教授将学生的课堂参与情况作为一项成绩打分指标。这样做的主要目的是让教授了解学生是否有认真学习课上的知识。

如果你对语言或美国的课堂风格感到不适应，最好在课余时间向教授解释你的困难。不过，如果参与课堂讨论是作为成绩打分的一部分级，你最好能克服自己，学着在课堂上发言，因为发言的好坏并不重要哦，总要的是让教授知道你在努力。

在美国给教授送小礼物并不是很常见，也并不会对成绩有任何正面影响。你的成绩主要是根据你在课堂的表现给予的，跟你与教授的关系如何没有多大的关系。但是，在课程全部完成并已经收到了成绩后，你可以给老师一些从你所在国家或其他有意义的地方带来的小纪念品。

在谈到学习时，我想很多朋友想知道他们怎样才能取得好成绩，每天需要学习多久之类的问题。虽然我的成绩并不是很高，但鉴于其他很多在EWU学习的同学的经验，我认为学习的时间应该取决于你的课程负担（每周的上课时间）和你的专业，在美国学习你需要复出比以往更多的时间，特别是对于我们这样的英文不是母语的留学生。一般来说，一个小时的课程应当需要2.5到3个小时的学习时间。在学习过程中如果有任何问题，不要不好意思问，大部分的教授都很喜欢给学生解答问题，并能尽其所能为你提供帮助，除了教授，经常性的和其他国际学生进行交流也可以得到很大帮助，通过交流你可以了解他们在美国生活的经验，这样可以帮你尽快的找到正确的生活学习方向。

吃 ：

在Eastern Washington University附近，有几个大型杂货店出售食品，如Safeway。他们提供多种多样的食品，包括肉类、水果、蔬菜、罐头食品、盒装食品，冷冻食品等等。他们还出售非食品物品，如肥皂，清洁用品，浴室用品，面纸，宠物食品，等等。他们就像是国内的大型超市一样。每次去这些超市需要搭乘公车。

在学校里也有一个小商店，那里更方便，但东西只有很少的一些种类，并且价格通常较高。如果你想购买中国食物或其他亚洲食品，你就需要去市区，在市区有一家商店名为BAYMARKET，从那里你可以找到很多从中国、韩国、日本等亚洲国家运来的东西，并不仅仅是食品。我和朋友们最喜欢去那，经常买很多回来慢慢吃。

学校食堂的伙食并不是很好，许多外国学生都找不到对胃口的饭，所以如果你想改善伙食，这里有一些方法：去餐馆是第一种方法，美国的所有餐馆都接受现金、信用卡（credit card）和借记卡（debit card）。1 +2 +1学生一般都只能获得借记卡，因为信用卡办理需要社会保障号和长时间美国居住的信誉度。在美国，有一些很有人气的餐馆不接受预定，或着只接受很重要人士的预约，除此之外，大部分的餐馆都可以预约。美国很多餐馆都有销售酒的许可证，啤酒和葡萄酒基本都可以在餐馆里买到，但一些烈性酒（如伏特加或威士忌）需要去专门的酒吧才有提供。美国的喝酒限制很严格，只有在21周岁以上才能有喝酒的资格。如果你已经21岁，要和朋友去喝酒，最好带上你的身份证，因为他们会经常性的进行检查。

当你在餐馆吃完饭后，你需要给服务员留下一定得小费（自助餐可以不留）。通用的做法是留下等于用餐费用的10%的钱作为小费，如果服务员的服务很好你可以留下15%的小费，如果该服务员的服务态度很糟糕，你就可以少留点，约5%。Spokane市区有很多中国餐馆。

交通：

因为Spokane是个小城市，因此并没有大城市有的地铁。在那里人们通常使用汽车，公共汽车，出租车和自行车。

城市经营的公共汽车线路有很多，可以带你去任何地方，并且公共汽车有着很明确的到站时间，这样可以让乘客在等车上少花费时间。公车形式地图和时间表可在EWU的食堂和图书馆或公共汽车上找到。巴士只在白天运行，你可以在规定的巴士站上下。65和66路车是EWU学生用得最多的公车。这两辆公共汽车从EWU校园内始发，穿越整个Cheney镇，并在Spokane市区到终点站。车费可以用零钱、纸币，多次车票或月票支付。EWU的学生还可以用自己的学生证来付车费（除夏季学期季外），可以说在Spokane坐公车算是比较方便的方式。

出租车一般都会比较贵，在Spokane，出租车并不是很普遍，在街上也很少看到，因此，如果你想乘坐出租车，需要提前预先安排。

另一种方式是你可以购买属于自己的汽车。虽然有车是一件比较复杂的事，但它的确可以使生活变得很便利。如果你没有驾驶执照，最好参加驾驶学校，里面的老师会帮助学会怎么开车。或者，你也可以让会开车的朋友教你，这样可以免去学车费，但不管怎样，最终都需要参加一个考试，只有考过了才可以拿到执照。如果你选择买车，你还需要支付牌照，保险，维修，汽油，停车等很多其他费用。因此有很多学生觉得骑自行车或步行去上学会更便宜、更方便。

买车的时候，你可以找汽车经销商（企业销售新的或二手车）或愿意销售自己汽车的个人。购买前的汽车，你最好查些资料，了解市场价格，避免被骗。并且，你最好问问你的美国朋友看看谁熟悉购买汽车方面的知识，有这方面知识的朋友可以帮助找到合适的车，避免买到次等车，并且，他还可以帮你争取一个可以接受的价格。

在美国，所有州的法律都要求驾车人必须办理汽车保险。没有汽车保险会被开罚单，罚款，甚至是法院的聆讯。如果有汽车保险，保险公司会负责支付意外发生产生的赔偿金，或着如果你的车被损坏或被盗，只要联系保险公司也会得到应得的赔偿。要获得保险，您需要联系保险代理人去买一份合同（其中描述了金额保险公司将支付哪些类型的损害赔偿）。你需要定期的支付一定得保费（一般每月或每半年或一年一次）。

写到这里，我的美国生活总结就要结束了，在美国学习过程中，有很多朋友问我觉得去美国留学到底值不值得，或者有很多人问我在美国留学给我带来的大改变是什么。其实对我来说，这次的留学经验是宝贵的，或许不同的人对这一点有不同的看法，但对我来说两年多的留学生活让我的心态变得成熟很多，这是我在中国大学4年所达不到的，所以，美国的两年对我改变最大的是我的心态，这也是我觉得最为值得的部分，态度决定一切嘛！希望这篇文章能给相似经历的朋友带来一定的帮助，希望大家能尽自己最大的努力去是享受留学生活中的苦与乐，并且坚信生活永远是美好的。

田野

2009年5月于西安科技大学

随感——My life in US

After came back from US for about one month, I received several emails from my US friends. These emails really touched my heart, and recalled my memories during my student life in US. My name is Ye Tian. Before September 2006, I was just a common student in Xi’an University of Science and Technology like other students; however after that month, I became one of the students who choose to go abroad to US for studying and achieving their dream.

During the first year in my university in China, I heard about 1+2+1 exchange event. It is an event for students who want to study in US for two years during their four-year college, and after graduate these students can get both Chinese and American schools’ diploma. Studying abroad was always what I expect, so I treated 1+2+1 exchange event as a chance. After discussing with my parents, I decided to join this event to study in US. Therefore in September 2006 I came to America with three luggages, and left my school, my friends, my normal life in China and left my family to the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

My new school’s name was Eastern Washington University. It is located at Spokane which is a small city beside Seattle. The first month there was really special for me; everything is new, new friends, new roommate, and new environment. Although two years was not a very long time, I had experienced much about each part of life, these experiences I got really helped me to be more mature. Before I had arrived Spokane, I absolutely didn't know anyone or anything about this new place I was heading to. It was a challenge, an adventure and an experience of a lifetime. Therefore, I would like to give as much useful information as I can in this article to help other students who might have similar experience with me. I put following information into four parts, they are living, eating, studying and traveling.

Living:

For students like me, living is the first problem which needs to be settled. During my first year in EWU, my friends and I all lived on campus and had American roommate who helped our English a lot. In my school, two students share a room and each floor has two or more bathroom and shower facilities that will be shared by all students living on that floor. The room will have beds, desks, closets and storage compartments (drawers) for personal items. The furnishings will be plain but adequate. One major benefit of living on-campus is that you will have easy access to everything the school has to offer. You can go to the libraries, the sporting facilities, and computer centers at your convenience. All will be within walking (or at least cycling) distance. Another convenience is the school cafeteria. Most schools in US offer affordable meal plans to students who live on campus. Since EWU on-campus residences also have some kitchen facilities, students can sometimes cook simple food. On-campus housing is usually more expensive than living off-campus, but it also depending on where the school is situated. If a school is located in a suburban area, living off-campus might be a better idea for saving money. And if the school is located in a large city, you will find that it can be competitive and expensive to find any apartments off-campus at all.

Another benefit of on-campus housing is safety. College campuses are patrolled 24 hours a day by the schools’ own security forces. Living alone in an area with which you are not familiar may not always be the safest choice. A final benefit is the relationships you will develop by living closely with your fellow students. Not only will you most likely have a roommate, but you will also be surrounded by hundreds of other students. You will never be lonely, making the transition to a new country much easier.

If you choose to live on-campus, how to make a good relationship with roommates is one of the most important problems you need to work on. Because If you have a good relationship with your roommate, your roommate will help you a lot with not only improving English, but also understanding more about US culture. Making friends with American probably need more effort than making friends with Chinese, especially for girls. You will need to learn your roommate's schedule and activities in order to have a positive experience from the beginning. Your roommate may become your close friend or you may not spend much time together. It all depends on you and your roommate. Respect your roommate's possessions and privacy and ask your roommate to do the same for you. Some roommates are very trustworthy and some are not. If you discover that your schedule and your roommate's schedule conflict and you have little time to study or you think dormitories are not very quiet, you can go to the library or computer lab.

For 1+2+1 students, we were asked to live on-campus in the first year in order to help us to fit in with the new environment, but after one year, you can make your own decision to choose whether or not still living on-campus. Often there will be an off-campus housing office and agency to assist students in finding an appropriate place to live. You can go to these places, and they will help students find a compatible roommate to share expenses. Living off-campus can give people more privacy. And finding some friends to share rooms can lower a lot cost. You will also find that food costs may be lower, since you will be doing your own cooking. However living off-campus do need students paying their own transportation and utilities, such as electricity and local telephone service. There are three ways of living off-campus; they are family housing, apartment and house.

Family housing：

In US, there are many families would like to rent part of their house to Students. Students who live there just like living in family, they usually cook together and go out together. Students do not need to worry about paying all kinds of fees.

Apartments

Apartments may be together in a series of similar rental units. Some large apartment complexes (groups of apartment buildings) have features such as laundry machines, parking, tennis courts, group meeting areas, and swimming pools. Apartments often have one, two, or three bedrooms and one or two bathrooms, in addition to a kitchen and living room. "Efficiency" or "studio" apartments provide an inexpensive alternative if you want to live by yourself. They are usually small, with living and sleeping areas combined into one room. Apartments located near campus tend to cost more to rent than apartments farther from campus. Apartment management will limit the number of people permitted to live in each apartment.

House:

Houses are usually expensive to rent unless you share expenses with three or four other people, because is much bigger than apartment. Also, as with apartments, houses closer to campus cost more, and the number of people permitted to live in them may be limited.

Studying:

Studying in US is very different from studying in China. US college education system is stricter. Students there will receive one grade per class for each semester or quarter (the period of time which the class meets). This grade will either be a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F), a number grade (4.0, 3.0, and so forth), or a "P" or "F" (for pass-fail). Grades are usually based on not only final exam, but also based on assignments, quizzes, and several small tests given throughout the semester. Very rarely will your grade be based on just the final exam. Each professor uses a slightly different grading system. If the professor does not explain the grading system the first day of class, you should ask him or her to explain it to you.

During the first class, most professors give out a class syllabus listing the purposes of the class, the grade standard and other important information about the class. These syllabuses generally mention required books and projects, test dates and when projects must be completed, and the criteria for grading your performance.

Usually, each student is expected to do his or her own work, however sometimes students may be expected to work in groups on certain projects. Each group member working equally, the project grade usually based on how other member in your group think about you, some teacher ask student to grade their partner’s contribute. If you have questions about what is expected of you, ask questions of your professor or other students outside of the class meeting.

In most American classrooms, instructors encourage discussion. If you have a question or even wish to challenge something the instructor has said, don't be afraid to raise your hand and speak up when called upon by the professor. Sometimes a professor will base your grade partly on your participation in class discussions. The purpose is to show the professor that you have read and understand the material you are studying.

If you feel uncomfortable with the language or the American classroom style, approach the teacher outside of class to explain your difficulty. However, if participation in class discussions accounts for part of your grade you’d better learn how to speak in class, because making mistake is ok, just let professor know that you are trying hard to study.

In the United States it is not customary to give gifts to teachers, nor will the gifts have any effect on your grade. Your grade is based on your performance in the class, not on the kind of relationship you have with the teacher. However, after the class is finished and you have received your grade, you can then give the teacher a souvenir from your country or another sign of appreciation if you wish.

Talking about studying, I guess most friends want to know how they could get good grades, and how much they need to study every day. Although my grades are not very high, considering about other friends in my university, I think studying time is depending on your class load (the number of class hours you have per week) and your major, you may have to study more than you have in the past, especially if English is not your first language. A common rule to follow is to spend 2.5 to 3 hours in preparation for every hour of class time. If you have any question about your study, talk to your professor, and most of them will do what they can to help you. Talk with other international students regarding their habits can help you find the right way as quick as you can.

Eating

Around EWU, there are several types of grocery stores sell food, such as Safeway. They offer a wide variety of foods, including most meats, fruits and vegetables, canned foods, boxed foods, frozen foods, and so forth. They also sell nonfood items, such as soap, cleaning supplies, bathroom supplies, facial tissues, pet food, and so forth. They are just like supermarkets.

In school there is also a small shop for students, it is more convenient, but not enough category, and price is usually higher as well. If you want to buy Chinese food or other Asia food, you need to go downtown, there is a store called BAYMARKET where you can buy a lot food and article for use from Asia. My friends and I love to go there.

The food in school is not very good, and many foreign students do not like it very much, so there are some ways if you want to eat something good. Going to restaurant is one of the ways. All restaurants in America accept cash for payment, and most also accept credit and debit cards. As 1+2+1 students, mostly we can only have debit card. It is common to have to wait for a table at a popular restaurant. There are many popular restaurants that do not accept reservations, or will only accept reservations for large parties. Many restaurants in America have a license to serve alcohol. Beer and wine are always available, and at some restaurants hard liquor (such as vodka or whisky) is also available. But people cannot drink unless they are 21. If you are already 21, bring your ID with you in case they check it.

When you are eating in restaurants, it is expected that you should leave a tip for the server. Common practice is to leave a tip that is equal to 10% of the total bill for acceptable service, and about 15% for superior service. If the service was unusually poor, then you could leave a smaller tip, about 5%. There are also many Chinese restaurants in Spokane especially in downtown,.

Traveling

Since Spokane is a small city, there is no subway. People usually use car, bus, taxi and bicycle.

City-operated buses run on various routes (taking you to different places) and are designed to be at certain places at certain times. Maps and schedules are available in EWU pub and libraries or in the bus. Buses run only during the day. You can get on or off a bus at designated stops, usually located every few blocks along the route. Number 65 and 66 are what EWU student always take. These two buses begin from EWU campus, and finish at downtown Spokane. Fare is paid by exact change in coins, multiple-ride tickets, or monthly passes. EWU student can take any bus using EWU eagle card (except summer quarter), and it is very convenience.

Taxis are generally more expensive in the United States than in other countries. And in Spokane, taxi is not very prevalent, therefore if you want to take a taxi, you need to call to prearrange at first.

The other way is buy your own car. Although having a car can be complex, it can be very convenience. If you don’t have driving license, you’d better sign up for a driving school, in which a trained professional will help you learn to drive for a fee. Or you might ask a friend who has his or her license to assist you.

If you choose to buy a car, remember that you will also have to pay for license plates, insurance, repairs, gasoline, and parking. Many students find it cheaper and more convenient to live close to campus and ride a bicycle or walk to classes.

You may purchase one from a car dealer (a business that sells new or used cars) or individuals selling their own cars. Before purchasing a car, you may wish to consult a book that lists the suggested fair prices of new or used cars. The prices listed in these books are only market-value prices; they are not prices for which the cars must be sold. The actual price you pay may be lower because of damage, high mileage or higher because of demand (if many people want that type of car, it will sell at a higher price). When you are ready to purchase a car, you’d better ask your American friend who is familiar with buying a car; a knowledgeable friend can help you know what to look for in a car and help you bargain for an acceptable price.

In US, most states require car insurance by law. Failure to have car insurance may result in a ticket, fine, or even a court hearing. Insurance pays for damages if you have an accident or your car is damaged or stolen. To get insurance, you need to contact an insurance agent about buying a policy (a contract that describes what amount of money the insurance company will pay for what types of damages). You will pay premiums (a certain amount of money every month or every six months or once a year) based upon the policy coverage (what damages the policy will pay for and how much it will pay).

Generally, though, you will have to apply at a driver's license office, where you will be required to take a written test on the laws for driving in that state (a booklet of state laws is available at the office). You will also need to pass an eye test, so if you need glasses or contact lenses, make sure you wear them. In addition, you must pass an actual driving test. If you fail the written or driving tests, you can take them again on another date.

It is time to end my summary about my two-year US life. During the two years, many friends ask me if I think study abroad is worthy, also they ask me what the most important thing is during my US life. I believe that my US experience is very important for me, maybe different people have different feeling, however for me, this experience help me became much more mature. This is what I can’t get if I study in China for four years. For me, the biggest change during these two years is my mentality, and this is also the part I think is most worthy. I hope this article could help people who have similar experience and best wishes for you guys. Please believe that life will always be great.

Tian Ye

Student of Xi’an ‘University of Science and Technology

May 2009