From Colombia to the United States: How my Life Has Changed

Reinaldo Serrano, 701

Since I came to the United States from Colombia, my life has changed in many respects. The main differences are related to where I live and to the things that I now have to do by myself. In Colombia I lived with my parents, my sister, and my brother. There, my parents took care of living expenses. Also, my parents had a servant who cleaned the house and cooked. I never worried about food or housekeeping in Colombia. Here in the United States, things are different. I have to take care of everything. I'm living alone and everything depends on me. That means that I have to wash my clothes, go to the supermarket, clean my apartment, pay the rent, and cook my own food.

The physical environment here is really different from back home, starting with the simple fact that in my country there are no seasons. In other words, we have almost the same kind of weather all year long. The population of the city where I lived, Bogota, is approximately one hundred times that of Davis. Bogota is a city of six million people with a lot of activity and things to do. On the other hand, Davis is small, quiet and peaceful -- ideal for studying. Also, you can go anywhere easily by bike because it is flat and small. Moreover, it is a safe city.

Living in the USA has given me a good opportunity to learn English and understand a foreign culture. This is a nice experience that will help me in my future goals.