Lesson 26: Study Abroad

Warm-Up
What advice would you give a foreign student who is studying
in your country?

Activity 1 – Pre-Learn Vocabulary

taken aback = surprised and confused by something unexpected
Ex) I was under the impression that Sally loved her job, so I was taken aback by
her sudden decision to quit.
take something in stride = accept something unpleasant calmly, without letting it
have a bad effect on you
Ex) Jim’s book was rejected by three different publishers, but he’s taking it in
stride and working to improve the text.
maple syrup (n.) = a thick, sweet liquid made from the sap of a tree. It is similar to
honey:

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gullible (adj.) = describes someone who is easily deceived, who believes anything
people tell them
Ex) I have a friend who is so gullible that she believes everything she reads on
the internet is true.
overprotective (adj.) = too protective, excessively worried about protecting
Ex) My overprotective father wouldn’t let me be alone with a boy at any time
until I was 18 years old.
adamant (adj.) = describes someone who is very firm in their opinion, and does not
change their mind even when other people try to convince them otherwise
Ex) I don’t think we should buy a house, but my husband is adamant that it’s a
good investment.

Activity 2 – Listen for General Ideas

Speaker: Shayna – American
Circle the FOUR topics Shayna talks about and number them in
order from 1 to 4:
 a difference of opinion
 daily routine in the house
 giving a gift
 going on a trip together
 learning from the family
 meeting for the first time
 the family's religious beliefs

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Activity 3 – Listen for Specific Details
1. Shayna's host family consisted of...
a. two people
b. three people
c. four people
2. Shayna was surprised when her host mother...
a. immediately gave her a hug and a kiss
b. commented on Shayna's body
c. criticized her lack of a boyfriend
3. What did the host family ask about the maple syrup?
a. How it is used
b. How it was made
c. How much it cost
4. The grandmother ate the maple syrup with...
a. bread
b. cake
c. milk
5. Shayna didn't want to accept the cookie because she...
a. doesn't like cookies
b. thought it might be a dog biscuit
c. was on a diet and couldn’t eat sweets
6. The only conflict between Shayna and her host family was when Shayna
wanted to go to...
a. another city
b. a nightclub
c. a soccer game
7. The host family really helped Shayna...
a. get to know the city
b. learn the language
c. understand the cultural differences

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Activity 4 – Listen for Specific Words
I studied abroad during my junior year in college, I _____________________ a
semester in Brazil. And part of the program was a homestay - living with a local host
family. My host family was a mother, a daughter who was about 12 years old at the
time, and a _____________________. And they also had a little white dog.

I remember a bit of culture shock when I first met my host family, because my host
mother _____________________ me on my legs and asked if my mother also had big,
beautiful legs like mine. I was a bit taken aback, because in the States people
probably wouldn't comment so _____________________ on part of someone's body
right upon meeting them - but I took it in stride - I thanked her for the compliment
and said that yes, my mother also has a _____________________ physique.

One of the things that the study abroad program _____________________ told us to
do beforehand was to bring a gift for our host families, something representative of
the _____________________ where we lived. And so I brought a jug of maple syrup,
which is typical of the _____________________ United States. The only problem was
that - when I gave it to them, they were very _____________________, but then they
asked me how exactly the syrup was used.

And I wasn't able to explain it to them, because in the U.S. we usually use maple
syrup as a topping on pancakes, waffles, or French toast, none of which are common
_____________________ foods in Brazil – and also I didn’t know the words for them
in Portuguese. I think I ended up saying that the syrup is very
_____________________, and you could eat it with bread or cake. Later I found out
that my host grandmother was actually _____________________ the maple syrup
into her milk to sweeten it, which is quite a _____________________ way to use it! So
I got a kick out of that.

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There was another kind of funny moment when they _____________________ me
some cookies from a jar in the kitchen. Now, I had never seen anyone from my host
family _____________________ these cookies, but I had seen them give these cookies
to the dog. So I wasn't sure if they were regular cookies that the dog happened to
like, or if the family was trying to _____________________ a little prank on me, you
know, get the gullible American girl to eat a dog biscuit. But I didn't want to be
_____________________ and so I accepted, and luckily my fears were unfounded – it
was just a _____________________ cookie.

Some of the students in my program had real problematic _____________________

with their host families, but I didn't have any major problems. The closest we came
to a conflict was when a bunch of us students were _____________________ to go
and see a soccer game in the local stadium, and this was something I really wanted
to do.

But my host mother wouldn't let me go because she said it was too dangerous - that
there were a lot of _____________________ in the stadium and it wasn't a good place
for a woman to be. And I remember thinking this was a bit sexist and that she was
being overprotective, and I _____________________ a little bit, but she was pretty
adamant that I shouldn’t go. So I _____________________ out on the game – but in
the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a big deal.

My host family definitely helped me a lot in _____________________ of learning

Portuguese. I had already studied it on my own before the program, so I knew the
basics, but they were very _____________________ in speaking in a way that I could
understand, and explaining new words and expressions that I wasn’t familiar with.
I’m very grateful that they _____________________ me into their home for a
semester, and although we’ve lost _____________________, I have fond memories of
my host family.

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© Shayna Oliveira 2014
Complete Transcript
I studied abroad during my junior year in college, I spent a semester in Brazil. And
part of the program was a homestay - living with a local host family. My host family
was a mother, a daughter who was about 12 years old at the time, and a
grandmother. And they also had a little white dog.

I remember a bit of culture shock when I first met my host family, because my host
mother complimented me on my legs and asked if my mother also had big,
beautiful legs like mine. I was a bit taken aback, because in the States people
probably wouldn't comment so openly on part of someone's body right upon
meeting them - but I took it in stride - I thanked her for the compliment and said
that yes, my mother also has a similar physique.

One of the things that the study abroad program leaders told us to do beforehand
was to bring a gift for our host families, something representative of the region
where we lived. And so I brought a jug of maple syrup, which is typical of the
northeastern United States. The only problem was that - when I gave it to them,
they were very appreciative, but then they asked me how exactly the syrup was
used.

And I wasn't able to explain it to them, because in the U.S. we usually use maple
syrup as a topping on pancakes, waffles, or French toast, none of which are common
breakfast foods in Brazil - nor did I know the words for them in Portuguese. I think
I ended up saying that the syrup is very sweet, and you could eat it with bread or
cake. Later I found out that my host grandmother was actually mixing the maple
syrup into her milk to sweeten it, which is quite a creative way to use it! I got a kick
out of that.

There was another kind of funny moment when they offered me some cookies from
a jar in the kitchen. Now, I had never seen anyone from my host family eating these

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cookies, but I had seen them give these cookies to the dog. So I wasn't sure if they
were regular cookies that the dog happened to like, or if the family was trying to
play a little prank on me, you know, get the gullible American girl to eat a dog
biscuit. But I didn't want to be rude and so I accepted, and luckily my fears were
unfounded – it was just a normal cookie.

Some of the students in my program had real problematic relationships with their
host families, but I didn't have any major problems. The closest we came to a conflict
was when a bunch of us students were planning to go see a soccer game in the local
stadium, and this was something I really wanted to do.

But my host mother wouldn't let me go because she said it was too dangerous - that
there were a lot of fights in the stadium and it wasn't a good place for a woman to
be. And I remember thinking this was a bit sexist and that she was being
overprotective, and I argued a little bit, but she was pretty adamant that I shouldn’t
go. So I missed out on the game – but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a big
deal.

My host family definitely helped me a lot in terms of learning Portuguese. I had

already studied it on my own before the program, so I knew the basics, but they
were very patient in speaking in a way that I could understand, and explaining new
words and expressions that I wasn’t familiar with. I’m very grateful that they
welcomed me into their home for a semester, and although we’ve lost touch, I have
fond memories of my host family.

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© Shayna Oliveira 2014
Extra Vocabulary
"yes, my mother also has a similar physique."

A person’s “physique” is the general size, shape, and proportion of their body

"pancakes, waffles, or French toast"

These are all breakfast foods eaten in the U.S.:

"I got a kick out of that."

To “get a kick out of” something means to find it amusing or enjoyable

"my fears were unfounded"

“Unfounded” means “without a basis in fact.”

“in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“In the grand scheme of things” is an idiomatic expression that means

“compared to more general, more important things.”

"although we’ve lost touch"

“Lost touch” means “lost contact” with each other.

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Activity 2 Answers

1. meeting for the first time

2. giving a gift
3. a difference of opinion
4. learning from the family

Activity 3 Answers

1. b
2. b
3. a
4. c
5. b
6. c
7. b

Image sources: Kanko from Nagasaki, Japan; Arnold Gatilao from Fremont, CA, USA; H Padleckas

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