Carbondale

Favorite place

2009-07-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

My favorite place in Carbondale is Hunan Restaurant, because I can eat very tasty Chinese food there. After I came to Carbondale I didn't eat delicious food and I missed Chinese food very much. When I went to Hunan to eat Chinese food, the taste was wonderful, just like in China. It's as delicious as a Chinese restaurant and I think it's pretty much the same as a Chinese restaurant. The only thing different is it's a little bit sweet and it has a different language. It's suitable American style, so ti's a little sweeter than a Chinese restaurant. And the menu is English, even though there is a Chinese menu for Chinese people, but the main menu is English.

environment in Carbndale

2009-07-17T09:34:00.001-07:00

I have been in Carbondale over one year. When I first time saw the small town I thought that Carbondale is musing. The first impression of Carbondale is that Carbondale is very small, because I lived in a big city in my country. But I never saw a beautiful place like Carbondale. When I just arrived here it was raining. The lighting was scaring me, because I never saw lightning in my country before. There are a lot rees in the small town. I came in sunner, so the weather in summer looks like sunshine. Carbondale is also very quiet. There is no noise, becaus in the small town there aren't a lot of cars; the traffic is good. This is my first impression of Carbondale; at that time, I did not know anything about Carbondale. I just know about what I have seen here. I thought that Carbondale is a beautiful place; it is a good place tp live and study.

stressful in carbondale

2009-07-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Although Carbondale is a beautiful place, and it is a good place to study, sometimes people can feel Carbondale does not have a lot of fun for young people. When I arrived here a few months ago I felt Carbondale was really relaxed, but you can feel really bored after the first few months. First, Carbondale is very small; the bar is always open on friday every week; it will be closed on the other days. There are not a lot of Chinese restaurants in the small town, so, if I want to eat Chinese food I just can cook it by myself, but I really do not have enough time to put on my dinner or lunch; therefore, I also have stress on this point. Sometimes my friends can invite me to go to the church; it is fun, but my belief is not that, so I can not have passion with this activity. I might a little more seriously describe how stressful Carbondale is, but sometimes I thought that Carbondale is really suitable to live for the old people.

car is the best transportation for trip

2009-07-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

I would like to use a car as a transportation as tool when I traveling on the vacation. Because of the car is really convenient to take you to get anywhere, and also, car can save a lot of money for the people who during the trip for traveling. I think traveling by car is best because I had an experience when I was traveling on last winter vacation, my friends and I, when we were driving a car as transportation. As it was my experience that we saved a lot of money on the trip, we only spend $400 on the oil, however, we did not send any money on the transportation beside the 400 dollars. If we had chosen to an airplane, it would have cost us over a thousand dollars. On the other hand, we went to many places for this trip, we used GPS, we typed the specific address, and then we got many place. Even people who driving the car have a little tried, but with other kinds by transportation you can get there also. If people who have a chance to travel drive a car, I think it is really exciting, and also too have fun. I really suggest that people who travel can drive a car, because of it is really convenient, safe, and it is a lot of fun during the trip to drive car.

Carbondale City

2009-07-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is a small city. It is similar to my city in Saudi Arabia, so it is not hard for me to adjust and live in Carbondale. But there are some differences between the two cites. One of them is that my city is an industrial city, we have a lot of pollution, but Carbondale has no pollution, so you will be healthy in Carbondale. Another difference is that, in my city we do not have a big university like SIUC. The weather is also different between my city and Carbondale. In Carbondale the weather is often cold and rainy. Finally, in my city we don’t have rivers and lakes, but we have a beach.

Beautiful Carbondale

2009-07-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

When I came here to Carbondale I was surprised because it is really a small town. My city in Saudi Arabia is a little bit bigger, but I am used to it here in Carbondale. There is something that I like in Carbondale and that is that Carbondale is a university city. And Carbondale is full of international students. Also, people like this city because there is no crime in it. Well, I never heard anything bad in Carbondale. My city is the same, quiet, with no crime, and it is an island. I think I will never move to another university. I heard that many students transfer from other universities to come and study here in Carbondale. Carbondale is my second home "really."

My experience in Carbondale

2009-07-17T06:35:00.000-07:00

In my experience, I have been here almost a month and still is difficult for me to adjust to certain things. I really like the peace of the place. The people are so nice. They always want to help you; I think that they understand that we are far away from our homes and we miss our families. For my perspective it's a good change because this is what I want. I was living in a big city, and all day we had noise and cars everywhere, and it was really stressful. Here I can walk, because everything is near to where I live. However, people of my age don't have many things to do in this small town, so sometimes it's boring on weekends.

2009-07-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is kind of boring city, but there are some places to recommend to others. the first place i recommend is nearest from Carbondale, and called 'Giant City Park'. We can hike there and we can meat there. That place is accepted to cook. Another place where i recommend is the winery. Actually, there are various types of wineries such as European style and American style. You just can choose from them. Each winery has its own wine. You can also sleep there. You might have a new experience there. An other place which is a little far from Carbondale is called 'Little Grand Canyon'. If you have been there, you might be surprised, because there are lots of mountains formed of rock.

Carbondale City

2009-07-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

My life in Carbondale is stressful sometimes for many reasons. The first reason is that I am alone in Carbondale without my family, so I am very sad and stressful. Second reason, I live in a new area, in a new culture and with new people. Third, the time in Carbondale is different than my city’s time, so want to I won’t call my family I have to wake up at 4 am, so it makes me very stressful because I don’t sleep well. Fourth, I come to Carbondale in summer and most people travel to another city, so it is difficult to find friends around me. Finally, the weather is very hot in Carbondale in summer; I didn’t expect it would be very hot before I came to Carbondale. It makes me stressful sometimes especially after noon when it is very hot sometimes.

Fluency Exercise II

2009-07-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about Carbondale; it's a beautiful and quiet city. Also, it's a great city for study at the university. Sometime my life gets stressful in Carbondale because nobody is in the city in summers. For example, when my friends had a vacation, they went to their home. So, I became alone; that is because Carbondale is a small city. There is no one I can eat with or party with. And I have plenty of time to study, so I never get bored in Carbondale. People enjoy studying in Carbondale because it has a good reputation. Carbondale is the most beautiful city I've ever lived in.

Carbondale

2009-07-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

The most stress thing in Carbondale is the weather. I remember it was very cold when i first got here in March. Sometimes it turns very warm, so that I can put on thin clothes. But after several days it turns very cold suddenly. It is very different from China, I cannot stand it. And now, it is too hot and wet outside, but in the CESL office it is so cold that I need a cardigan or coat with me every day. I don't like wet weather because when I walk outside at night, my body turns wet, and makes me feel uncomfortable. It is always terrible to breathe hot and wet weather first when I go outside. I hate tornados every May each year, and Carbondale doesn't offer electricity for us. It's terrible to live in Carbondale without all electronic things.

Carbondale

2009-07-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

I got stress when I just arrived at Carbondale. At first in Carbondale, on of the most important reasons for getting stress is there are not many Korean restaurants. You can see many Chinese restaurants around Carbondale, but no Korean or Japanese. I know there is a Korean restaurant in Carbondale, but it offers fool food to customers. I've been there two times, but I just got disappointed every time about the taste of the good. Next thing is Carbondale is pretty far away from the city. If I try to go to another city for shopping, it might take me over 2 hours. Every time I go to another city, i felt tired even in Carbondale, though I live in the countryside. I have become adapted to these events. Nowadays it's not a bot stressful thing to me.

I like rock music

2009-07-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

Rock music is my favorite music. Rock music is always exciting. It always gives me passion to enjoy the boring life. Most rock music songs always tell us about the true things directly. However, there are things we don't talk about in life, but i can hear in the rock music songs. The rock music songs can express many kinds of mood. When you are sad or hopeless, rock music can make you brave to face your life. When you are happy, rock music can bring you more happiness. So I like rock music; I need more passion. Rock music is becoming a part of my life.

Carbondale City

2009-07-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

My first impression of Carbondale that it is very small and quiet city. There is not any activity. Acutely, it a bad city for some students. It has one of the best universities in the U.S, which is SIUC University, which has different department. It is good for students to live in Carbondale because the students have nothing to do except study, so they will have excellent grades. In Carbondale every thing is near, so the student can shop easily whiteout a car. For me I like Carbondale city, but some students do not like it, especially students who were living in a big city before. In conclusion, Carbondale is very good for students to live and study in SIUC University.

Carbondale

2009-07-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

It was my first time to touch the quiet place, Carbondale, in January this year. My first impression of Carbondale was that it was so quiet. The natural environment was beautiful. The air is fresh and clear. However, comparing with the city that i came from, it's so small and quiet. There is not many places for shopping and making fun. It's a little boring here. However, it's a good place to study and I will stay here for a long time. So i have to adapt to the city as soon as possible. I would like to enjoy studying here. It's the most important thing for me.

2009-07-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

The First impression of Carbondale is that there are not many buildings here. Actually i am disappointed with Carbondale, because Carbondale is too different from Seoul. I though that Carbondale is real countryside. Carbondale dies not have many paces to enjoy. That is why i felt bored in Carbondale. i think if i was a musician, it would be a good place to me. Carbondale also can be good place for students. I can see deer on the road. When i was in Korea, I've never seen deer on the read. I just can see it at zoo. I felt surprised at this event.

Carbondale

2009-07-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

I felt disappointed when I went to Carbondale. It's totally different from the city that I came from. There are not many buildings and not many people here, just countryside. I saw many squirrels around town; its surprised me. And I also heard people say I could see deer sometimes. In my country, it is very rare to see squirrels and deer in a city. In China, I can find markets anywhere, but here I cannot find a market easily. There are just few markets here; it also surprised me. It's clean because there are not many cars. And it's beautiful countryside because there are many flowers and trees.

Carbondale environment

2009-07-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

I think Carbondale is a very nice city. The people are very friendly. I feel like I’m in a fairy tale because I walk in the woods and I see so many animals like ducks, birds and deer. It’s very different from my home country. I live in a big city, and we got so much noise from cars and so many things. Everywhere here it’s so peaceful. I like it a lot. I am going to enjoy my stay here.

camping

2008-06-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

I went to the students’ voluntary service for rural communities during the summer vacation when I was in university. I helped farmers to work out in the fields and weed a rice paddy for three days. When my friend and I were working in a rice field, we got some problem with leeches. And the fierce sunshine tortured us. But we were having fun with working in a rural community, which we never had done before. And at night, we could see many stars in the sky, and we were having fun with a campfire. And we could talk to each other a lot, because the cell phone was not working so we had to spend our time with friends. It was a really good experience, because usually we spent our time with computer, MP3 player or sell phone. It made us closer than at any other moment. I recommend it for friendship.

The rules in Carbondale

2008-06-20T06:56:00.001-07:00

Carbondale is a small town in Southern Illinois. It’s a quiet place for people to live. Big cities have a lot of noise, and people who drive cars are very rude. But here, the first rule is different than other places; nobody honks, so it feels quiet. And I love this rule very much. The next rule is people more friendly than in a big city. Because it is too small, you may see each other a lot of times per day. So the second rule is you must be friendlier to other people. People in big cities must work and work; they need more money to pay for their daily lives. But Carbondale is different; here it is the South, so it costs less than in big cities. So most people feel leisurely and carefree. That it is because they do not care how much money they can make; they just think now I already have enough money for me. So I think these are Carbondale rules. But I love these rules.

Carbondale

2008-06-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

Person or car, which one is more important to you? Probably you can say that person is important rather than car. This rule is working in Carbondale, that for example a driver should be concerned about the walkers near the road. Sometimes the rule is not practiced in my country. It is a very sad thing for walkers, especially children. When the walkers try to cross the road, they should pay too much attention to traffic in my country. It is such a stressful thing for walkers because sometimes the walker didn’t catch a dangerous situation. Some selfish drivers make bad behavior that will be strain the sensibility of walkers. The driver should watch the road condition and consider the walker; there are very good rules for people. I like this traffic rule and I can be relieved during a stroll.

Lovely Carbondale

2008-06-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

I like Carbondale and I think I can live here forever. It is different from where I came from. Carbondale is a small and quiet city which is excellent for me. I come to the U.S. for education, so I believe Carbondale is the perfect place to study. Because I came from a big city, it is so crowded and noisy it is hard to study there. In Carbondale it is much better, since the life here is not fast. I have much time to finish my work. Also it is cheaper here; I do not spend the same amount of money that I spend in my city back home. In the big city it is so much fun but the costs a lot of money. However, staying in Carbondale is the best decision I ever made.

Fluency exercise #4

2008-06-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

If you want to travel to my country, Korea, I recommend two places to you. One is Seoul and he other is Kyong-ju.
The reason I recommend Seoul is that Seoul is the biggest city in Korea and there are a lot of things to enjoy. Seoul is crowded and complex like a maze, though. First of all, you have to go to In-sa dong. It is a kind of big market place where you can buy Korean traditional goods. And sometimes you can join the events like traditional weddings.
And then you have to go to Ab-gu-joung and Dae-hak-ro. They are the places where you can learn about the amusement culture in Korea. There are many theaters, beautiful cafes and art galleries.
Kyong-ju is totally different from Seoul. When you go to Kyong-ju, first of all, you can feel calm. It was the capital of the Shin-la Dynasty. You can see many relics there. And it has the biggest museum in Korea, The Museum of Korea History. You should go there.

Fluency exercise #1

2008-06-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

My favorite place where I have been is India, especially Calcutta. I went there during summer vacation in 2007. I was really surprised, because India is totally different from my country, Korea. First of all, India is hotter than Korea. Even though i like summer, the fierce hot weather made me exhausted. And India is full of the smell of spices. When i stepped out of the airport, I could immediately feel the smell of spice. And I was impressed with people and their unique culture. i think people in India have an easy attitude in their life. For example, when I took a taxi downtown, the taxi driver suddenly stopped the taxi. I surprised because the place where the taxi driver stopped was not my destination. And finally I learned the reason the driver stopped in the wanted to talk with his friend. Even though I could arrive at my destination after one hour, it recommend India to other travelers. If they visit India, they can learn the easy way in their lives.

Fluency exercise #2

2008-06-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

I prefer to travel by boat. When I went to India, I traveled by boat for the first time in my life, and I love to ride in a boat. Especially I like to travel at night because I could see twinkling stars. It was very exotic and beautiful. Another thing that I loved was the breeze. While the boat cruised the river I could feel fresh air and the smell of water. My favorite thing in traveling by boat was that I could see the beautiful scenery of India. Watching the trees, animals and people made me feel comfortable. Also. It was not too fast, so I could experience India enough. If someone asked me to choose one kind of ride, of course I would choose boat.

Fluency exercise #4

2008-06-09T07:22:00.002-07:00

If you want to travel to my country Korea, I recommend two places to you. One is Seoul and he other is Kyong-ju.
The reason I recommend Seoul is that Seoul is the biggest city in Korea and there are a lot of things to enjoy. Seoul is crowded and complex like a maze, though. First of all, you have to go to In-sa dong. It is a kind of big market place where you can buy Korean traditional stuffs. And sometimes you can join the events like traditional wedding. And then you have to go to Ab-gu-joung and Dae-hak-ro. They are the places where you can learn about the amusement culture in Korea. There are many theaters, beautiful cafes and art galleries.
Kyong-ju is totally different from Seoul. When you go to Kyong-ju, first of all, you can feel calm. It was the capital of the Shin-la Dynasty. You can see many relics in there. And there is the biggest museum in Korea, The Museum of Korea History. You should go there.

2008-06-09T07:22:00.001-07:00

fluency exercise #3

2008-06-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

If woman has a plan to go to India, she should be careful because in India, to expose her legs is a taboo. When I was traveling to India, I had to wear a long skirt or pants, even though it was extremely hot. Also when my friends and I took a bath in the public bath place, we had to wear our skirt. When one of my friends rolled her pants up, some guys came to her, pointed at her and shouted to her. So she had to pull down her pants immediately. I could not understand it because they allow exposing the bust. And they think that legs are more sexual than the bust. It is so different from Korea. In Korea a woman can wear short pants or skirt, but to expose one’s bust is not good. It was a very mysterious and weird experience, and I still cannot understand their thought.

Fluency exercise #3

2008-06-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Fluency Ex #3

2008-06-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

The Kaleidoscope Of The Weather In Carbondale

I think that Carbondale has the kaleidoscope of the weather. I passed through a varied experience about the weather of Carbondale. Especially, I would like to talk about hail warming. Last winter, there was a heavy snowfall and big hailstones in Carbondale. When I lived in my hometown, I never saw heavy snowfall or big hailstones. I was surprised that all business has been stopped for 4 weeks by a heavy snowfall and big hailstones because the road is frozen hard and a barrier to network. I also was surprised that a lot of people in Carbondale didn’t use tire snow chains, so this gave rise to accidents for some people. People in Carbondale didn’t take it easy about weather problems. If my country had the same situation, many kinds of people would be driven by impetuosity and they would want the government to make an effort to put the situation under control. I think that international people should learn Americans’ abilities, which meet the emergency.

Fluency ex. 2

2008-06-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

Compare Between Carbondale and My Hometown

I’m from South Korea and my hometown is Ulsan. Ulsan is an industrial town and my hometown is one of the principal cities, so my hometown has developed heavy industry such as a big automobile manufacturing, shipbuilding industry and chemical industry. Ulsan has gigantic Hyundai groups, so my hometown is called Hyundai city or “Motor town” because the main factory of Hyundai Motor lies in Ulsan and many cities in Ulsan are in the service of Hyundai Company. My hometown has a lot of movement of population and population influx. For the last 20 years, my hometown has had some serious environmental pollution, especially my hometown made air pollution and water pollution. However, people of today try to make many kinds of solutions about environmental problems, so all people in Ulsan have created clean rivers, clean air, and conservation of nature. My hometown’s river crosses the city and Ulsan’s areas are divided into 4 parts. Southern Ulsan has beautiful seaside area and tourist area, northern Ulsan has many kinds of mountainous areas and a lot of residential districts, eastern Ulsan has many kinds of open fields and many kinds of factories, and western Ulsan has many kinds of educational institutions and a lot of public gardens. My hometown is an active city and complicated city. On the other hand, Carbondale is a quiet town and a natural city. Carbondale has beautiful natural scenery and many kinds of wild animals. People in Carbondale seem quite satisfied and they enjoy their dilettante life in their free time. Carbondale has less pollution than my hometown and many kinds of farmlands. Finally, I think that Carbondale is a small town and Ulsan is a big town.

Carbondale vs. My hometown

2008-06-06T06:41:00.001-07:00

Carbondale is in southern Illinois; it is traditional countryside. Or we can say it is looks like a small town and has fewer people. But my hometown looks more like a big city and has a lot of people. So the population is different, and one is like countryside and the other one more looks like a big city like St.Louis. My hometown has a lot of factories and business. But here there is almost nothing there are, only a few small businesses. That’s why my hometown is more like big city that is developing very quickly. My hometown, Wuxi, is a very big city; driving a car from one side to another side requires a long time, but in Carbondale you just need like 10 minutes; it is very small and small. But the big city has a lot of problems like pollution and too many people; Carbondale is quieter than my hometown. But every city has its difference. I like both of them.

Carbondale

2008-06-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

Both Carbondale and my hometown are clean and have people who live well. It is very similar. But public transportation is insufficient in Carbondale. And I think it is the biggest difference from my hometown. When I was in my hometown, I always took a bus or subway, so I didn't need a car. In Carbondale, I can use Saluki Express, but it has a fixed time. So it is little inconvenient. Sometimes, I go to some place by foot. I like to walk but I don't want to walk on and extremely hot or cold day. So when I walked in hot or cold days, I often thought that if Carbondale has a subway or various buses, it would be comfortable to many people.

small businesses in Carbondale

2008-06-03T11:53:00.001-07:00

There are two of my friends who own gas stations in Carbondale. Also there are a lot of interesting things and difficult things if you work in or own a gas station. For example, one of the difficult things is that when I asked my friend about the job and how it is he said that he has to go to st. Louis a week, also to Chicago too. The other difficult thing is when the wirker does not know how to deal with people, because there are a lot of crazy people who like to fight. Also there are some interesting things, such as meeting different people from different countries and different cultures. Finally there are some funny things too, such as when people come ocer to the gas station door trying to get in and they think that the door is opened so they hit the door like dumb people.

Restaurant

2008-06-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

GilJae Yeo
EAP2-B WW
Fluency Exercise #3

One of my international friends and his brother have an operation as restaurant owners in Carbondale. This restaurant`s name is Thai Taste. Usually I want to go there because I like eating Thai food, and because some Thai food is similar to Korean food. I have interest in making Thai food; also I like to make Korean food. So, I try to make one dish of Thai food in my home. But, its taste is not good. I think that when they are making food, they should make it American because a lot of American people come to this restaurant. It is very difficult, because if you make that, you would forget its original taste. So, I think it is hard to make international food.

Beauty shop

2008-06-03T08:13:00.001-07:00

I know a person who has a beauty shop. She has run that beauty shop for 4 years. That job makes people a little bit free. They just do some count when customers buy something. If there are no customers in the shop, she can do something she wants to do. She can meet many different countries people. She can talk with them. But she should arrange her products. It might make her a little bit tired, and she should stand more often. I think meeting people is good thing, but standing a lot is very difficult to me.

Carbondale Restaurants

2008-06-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

When I arrived in Carbondale, I thought options are limited. And when I say options are few, then I mean places to go out with friends. Most of you guys will get restaurants in mind. If you have a car, then you are so lucky. You can visit different places every day. You can eat seafood on Sunday, steaks on Monday, Thai food on Tuesday, Italian food on Wednesday, Chinese food on Thursday, and definitely Arabic food on Friday. if you are planning to go to a restaurant which serves good food, then you have to keep in mind that you are going to pay at least double the price. In addition, you have to pay a good tip for the waiter or the waitress. The advantages of choosing a good restaurant are many; to list some, the place is colorful, there is good service and smiling faces, and some restaurants have big screen TVs having all sport games on them; that's why people go there to watch the games while enjoying drinks with their close friends. Did you decide where to go? Or are you still confused?

Korean restaurant

2008-06-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

I know Kaya’s owner, who was a student in S.I.U. Actually, I don’t know well about her. I just met her one time before I came to Carbondale. This is her first time to open the restaurant. The Kaya is a Korean and Japanese restaurant in Carbondale. The most difficult thing about opening a restaurant in foreign countries is whether to persevere with traditional taste or create a fusion taste. Mostly, Korean food’s taste is very spicy, so some foreigners can’t eat it fully. It is a big problem; if a restaurant adheres to traditional taste, that will not interest foreigners, and if they do the opposite that will not interest Koreans either. However, most interesting is the fact that a large number of Carbondale’s people like Korean food.

Carbondale

2008-06-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is a good place for people who want to start their own businesses. The reason people like to start their businesses in Carbondale, is that Carbondale is a small town, and a small town always needs many types of businesses to develop it. Carbondale needs to have new factories, more road services, new restaurants and education facilities for children. People can caret their own businesses, and succeed, and it is cheaper than in big cities. As we know, it is hard for any businessman to create a business in big cities, because he will not have a guarantee to make it succeed as well, and that is because of high a taxes, less income because of competitions’ companies and high level of good qualities that other businesses have that may be better than every business. Carbondale has the all-available opportunities that make the younger businessman be succeeding.

Carbondale Restaurant

2008-06-02T11:15:00.001-07:00

I know one person who has his own business in Carbondale. He has a restaurant and he is a car dealer. His job is a great job. He works with the people who work in his restaurant. I am interested in his job because he is the boss and he works with the workers. I asked him why he works with the workers and he said when he works with them he learns many new things. I went to his restaurant and I saw him when he worked and tried to learn some new things from him. He is a good cook. I learned from him how to cook Arabic food. I hope that one day I will be like him or be better than him.

Carbondale

2008-06-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is a small city located in southern Illinois. The city has one of the biggest universities in the United States of America. The university’s name is Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Carbondale is a quite peaceful place to live in. It has everything you can get in mind, hospitals, Walmart, fast food restaurants and chains, clubs and bars. The university’s student recreation center is one of the places you should go every day. You can find many people there practicing all kinds of sports including but not limited to swimming, body building, basketball, baseball, et cetera. Carbondale has a great lake; people hang out there and have barbeque parties on weekends. We are going to have one today, Friday; I suggest you should too.

Carbondale

2008-06-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

The living style is the biggest difference between Carbondale and Taiwan. Carbondale is a small, comfortable, and quiet town. People who live there have a regular living modes every day. They like to enjoy their holidays and never work overtime. We will see that many families arrange their children to go to entertainment parks, to join various activities, or organize a birthday party for them. Also, girls often go to gymnasiums to exercise. It is a very healthy and charming phenomenon. However, living in Taiwan, work is the only way to survive. People always immerse themselves in jobs for over 12 hours. They do not have enough time to take care of their children, so we can discover that many children take taxis to go to school. Moreover, women like to go on a diet to shape their body by controlling their eating. It is difficult to find females going jogging in a public park or gym. To live in Taiwan, furthermore, the convenience store is the best advantage. There are over six thousand convenience stores that are open 24 hours every day. In conclusion, following these different reasons, Carbondale and Taiwan have their own advantages and disadvantages in living styles.

big difference

2008-06-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

I have lived in Carbondale for 11 months. When I first came here, I just thought it was smaller than my country. Here, there is no place I can go to play. This town has many bars, but I cannot go to drink, because I am 19 years old. In my country, there are many things I can do, such as go to nightclubs, drinking, and go to some interesting bars. In my country, people can drink at 18 years old, so I can go to drinking. Here, the legal age is 21, so I just stay at home or go to my friends’ home, because I cannot buy alcohol. Carbondale is so boring. There is no place I can go to have fun in Carbondale. I think it is a big difference between Carbondale and my country.

carbondale

2008-05-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

I was surprised when I came to Carbondale for the first time, because there are big differences between it and my hometown. I came from Riyadh, which is the capital city of Saudi Arabia. It is a very big city and has a large population. The population is more than 4 million. It is a crowded city, with many people, and many cars. Usually I spent more time to arrive in another place. For example, every morning, I spent one hour to arrive at my school, which would have taken 15 minutes if it was not a crowded day. But in Carbondale, there are few people and few cars; we just stop in the second row in the signal if it is a crowded day, but in my is that hometown we can not see the signal because we usually stop far way from it. Another thing my hometown has a lot of high buildings, malls, hospitals, and restaurants. However, Carbondale is a small city with one hospital, one mall, and one university. I felt different the first time I came to Carbondale, but I adapted; right now I feel more comfortable in the quiet city.

carbondale

2008-05-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Different cities have different features. I was living in an industrial city, which is big but polluted. The air pollution is the most serious problem. People could not breathe clean air unless they woke up early in the morning and went to parks which are full of tress and grasslands. Certainly, usually we cannot see animals in the city except in wildlife refuges which are built by the government to protect them. One reason for this problem is that factories release polluted air or chemical air into the sky; also the air from the car makes the problem worse. The government could not control the industrial air release completely, so they have began to invent new resources, which are harmless to environment. However, Carbondale is a nice city, for the air is clean all the time. Also I can see some animals everywhere, such as squirrels and deer.

Carbondale

2008-05-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is a very nice town, and it is the quietest town that I have ever been in. When we talk about Carbondale we talk about nice people, nice town, and a nice place to meet friendly people. It is really a nice place that has a really nice green view of lands and trees. I think Carbondale is a nice place for people who want to take a rest and enjoy their lives, because it is cheap and not expensive, quiet and the people in Carbondale are very nice and friendly. Moreover, many people come from many different countries to go to school in Carbondale; they know that Carbondale is a good place to live and study. I feel Carbondale is like my second home.

Fe #2

2008-05-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

GilJae Yeo
EAP1-B WW
Fluency exercise #2

I think my hometown is bigger than Carbondale, because my hometown is a capital city. Carbondale is more silent than my hometown. In my hometown live a lot of people and they are used to cars. They make more noise. And, my hometown has a lot of restaurants. Moreover, we have public traffic, and we have a lot of bars. Usually, teenagers make violence toward other people. They usually fight with other people and sometimes they take money from other people. I think that Carbondale is more safe than my hometown. When I arrived in Carbondale, I felt more comfortable, because people are very kind, and they have interest in me. I like Carbondale.

The difference between Carbndale and my Hometown

2008-05-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of differences between Carbondale and my hometown. But the biggest two differences are the people's way of living and the weather. The people's way f living in my hometown is way different than Carbondale because of different cultures, which depend on the religion and the type of government. Also the other difference is the weather that we have had in Carbondale is unusual and it is way different from the weather in my country. The weather in my country in the summer is very hot but at night it is nice, and in Carbondale the weather in the summer is very nice, nicer than my country's weather. Also in the cold season it becomes very cold, but we don't have snow over there. But in Carbondale we got the very cold weather, and even the people who live in Carbondale say that they haven't had this much snow since 2000 or 2001. Also Carbondale has TORNADOES, but in my country we never saw a TORNADO over there. Moreover, here in Carbondale we have a lot of rain, but in my country has become last year and this year stronger and colder. Finally, I think in the future the weather will become stronger in Carbondale too.

Carbondale being my home

2008-05-23T07:28:00.001-07:00

Carbondale is a quiet place for people to live and study. Because this is a traditional southern place, there are fewer people here; there is a university, and there are no or few factories, so this place has no environment problem. But making this my home will cause other problems. This town is too small, so finding a good job for a family is very difficult; fewer people live here, so you have a small market and here there is only a university, so the education is not good for children; parents want their children to be able to have the best education, so they need to go to a big city to have education for their children’s future. And if you want to go to a big city to buy something, you need drive for a long time to get there and almost the whole day is gone, so Carbondale is too small for me to live, I want to stay here just for study, and after that I will go to a big city for my future and family.

Carbondale

2008-05-21T12:49:00.001-07:00

I do not like to have Carbondale as my home because of many things. The most important thing that makes me not like Carbondale is that it does not have any place for fun. It is just a place for study. It is hard to have it like home, because when you want to have home you have to think about your family and how they will live. Nobody needs to have a hard life for his or her children. The parent should think about their children’s lives before they bring them to the world. They have to find a good place to make their children happy. They have to think about the place which is nicer than Carbondale. Carbondale is a good place to study, so you could bring your children when they grow up to study here, but do not think about having a home here, because this will make your children sad. I thought Carbondale is a good place and it has many places to have fun, but when I came here I was surprised that it does not have any place to have fun and it is just a place to study. If you think about having a home in Carbondale please don’t think about that, if you want to have a good life for your children.

Interesting place

2008-05-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

People some time need to change their routine in vacation to be more comfortable. I traveled to different places and I was interested in many cities such as Chicago and Orlando because they have many interesting places. However, when I went to the Smoky Mountains I felt different. It was a great place. I was very happy there because it had what I wanted. It has great natural places and entertainment facilities at the same time. I lived in a cabin with a mountain view and river on the other side; it was an amazing view. In the morning, we were going to Gatlinburg Mountains and hiking, which is my favorite sport. Some days we changed our plans and went to the theme park or museums. At night, we were going home to our cabin, taking a hot tub in front of the mountains, and reading book. Finally, I found a place, which combined natural and entertainment; it is the best place.

My impression about Carbondale

2008-05-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Carbondale last year; I thought that it is a very peaceful country. People usually think about the US as having skyscrapers, crowds, and crime. However, Carbondale does not have these characteristics. Carbondale has lots of trees, lakes, and animals. The great natural beauty made me feel comfortable, relaxed, and peaceful. I always enjoy Carbondale's weather and scenery. The weather is similar to my country, Korea, which made my feeling friendlier. In addition, Carbondale's people have nice smiles and I like the smiles. I can smile more often than before. Carbondale is safe and is a wonderful city for me. I am happy because I study in SIUC.

CARBONDALE

2008-05-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is just a city which is suitable for people to live in. It is always quiet and the air is clean. Most people in Carbondale are students, so, to some extent, it is safer than other cities. This place is a little bit boring sometimes, because it does not have so many places for entertainment, while it is good for students to study absolutely. And it is not far away from bigger cities such as St. Louis and Chicago if you want to have fun on vacation. I was living in a noisy and crowded city which is famous for its industry in China, so the air pollution is really a serious problem. Contrasting with that, a good environment is the most important factor for me to choose a place to live in. In addition, the climate here is better than my hometown. It is warmer in winter and the sunshine is nicer in summer.

Carbondale & area

2008-05-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

I got my ID 3 month ago; I think drivers in Carbondale are more comfortable than in China. Carbondale is a small town and there are not many cars, so you will not meet traffic, but when you drive in China, you may spend one or one and half hours in traffic. It is very dangerous when you drive a car in China, because walkers always break rules. For example, some people will go though a road every time they want. It's dangerous both for drivers and walkers. Drivers cannot control emergency time. Walkers can easily get hurt by accidents. one difference between China and the USA for driving is we should pay a road use fee to the government on the high way. It is very strong that we pay tax for the government to build a high way, but we also need to pay money when we use it. The other difference is we do not need to buy insurance if we want to drive a car, but I should buy insurance in the USA. Most traffic patterns are the same. The difference is we use kilometers, but a American use feet.

peter

MY FEELING OF CARBENDALE

2008-05-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is a small town of Illinois. Although it’s near Chicago, it is not as developing as Chicago. SIUC is here, so it looks like a university town. There are not so many interesting places such as bar, showplace and shopping more. The population of Carbondale is 25597, so it always quiet on the streets. At the first month when I been here, I think every things are very funny, because this is my first time to go abroad. After three mouths, I think Carbondale is very boring. There are not so many delicious restaurants and also a little expressive. In Carbondale people are very kind, church support us free lunch and invite me come to celebrate Christmas. The most different between Carbondale and my hometown is I feel I live in natural because green trees, beautiful birds and a number of animals are around me. CESL teachers help me a lot, not only English study, but also life problems. I made so many international friends in CESL. I like live in Carbondale.

peter

Carbondale

2008-04-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is a small town in Southern Illinois. It looks like countryside, not like a city. SO it can be more fun to drive a car in and around Carbondale. When you drive your car, open the window and let fresh air come into your car; nice wind makes you feel great. In my hometown it is a big city; it looks like St.louis. So do you thinkdriving a car is good or bad? A lot of people and cars sometimes have traffic problem. SO it is not very fun. But in my city we have a big lake. But when you arrive there you will find it is very beautiful. It looks like Carbondale; the wind from lake is so nice. My hometown and Carbondale are different, my hometown has a lot of lakes and rivers, so driving a car is like driving a boat, and here it looks like countryside; it has a lot of farmers. Soif you drive a car, you will find a lot of differences, but both of them are fun.

Driving in Carbondale

2008-04-28T11:18:00.001-07:00

Carbondale is a small town. So, driving in Carbondale is very easy. There are many signs and it is clear. Carbondale does not have mountains and the roads are extended, so driving is not difficult. Since Carbondale lies in a forest, the driving around Carbondale is exciting. There are a lot of trees, lakes, and farms. Driving in Carbondale has a good advantage, which is that the roads have numbers, so it is easy for everyone to go anywhere. In my country, Jordan, driving is difficult in some ways. There is more traffic. My city is big. So driving there is not easy. The roads have names, but you cannot see that in the Internet like here. I am enjoying when I drive in Carbondale. Mr. Leverett said, “in Carbondale you know every car,” but in my city, you cannot know every car.

Be careful while driving!

2008-04-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

I am very impressed by USA traffic patterns because it’s very systematic and strict. India is never serious about traffic, although we are second in population. Traffic is a big problem now in India and we don’t have more space to build a road. Especially in my city, Ahmedabad, our city population is 12.5 million and people have a lot of vehicles, so our municipality decided to build an over bridge, which can help to solve the traffic problems. We have traffic signals the same as the USA, but people don’t care about pedestrians or handicapped people. We don’t have separate way for bikers and handicapped people. People are crazy about traffic manners. Mostly people break the traffic rules; they don’t even care if they are caught by traffic police, because police are also corrupt. People who have cars have to wear a seat belt and two wheelers have to wear helmets. I have the best video about my city’s traffic; it is “Crazy everyday driving in Ahmedabad, India” from You Tube. When I see this video I remember my flash and I realize this is the magic of Indian traffic that I don’t want to miss.

Carbondale & area

2008-04-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, as we know there are many bountiful places in the world, and some of them are nice and some of them amazing. Carbondale is of the nice places in the world; however, there are big differences between Carbondale and my hometown, Jeddah. My hometown is bigger than Carbondale, and it is on the ocean. In the rush-hour all the traffic becomes crowded, and that is because my hometown is the second biggest city in my country so we have high pollution. On the other hand, Carbondale is very different from my city in many ways like the environment, cars, restaurants and buildings. Therefore, in Jeddah we have very nice buildings that have many stairs, and we have many hotels and land parks. Finally, I do not feel that am far away from my hometown, because I feel Carbondale is like my second home.

Carbondale & area

2008-04-23T12:29:00.001-07:00

There are many differences between Riyadh, which it is my home city, and Carbondale. First, Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia, so it contains many highways from the east to west and from the north to the south. But the problem is there are at least five million people who live in it and almost 99% of them have cars. So, it is very crowded, especially on rush hours. Sometimes, when you want to move from one place to another, it takes you thirty minutes, but in Carbondale at the same distance it takes you five minutes. I don’t remember here in Carbondale that I ever waited one or two minutes at the traffic lights, but in Riyadh, sometimes maybe you wait seven to ten minutes. Second, in Carbondale you rarely hear horns, but in Riyadh it is normal to hear them at least twenty times or more a day.

Traffic patterns different

2008-04-23T12:08:00.001-07:00

Tell about driving in and around Carbondale. How is it different from driving in your country? How are traffic patterns different?

In Carbondale, there is special nature. When people go to Giant City Park, which is located in Makanda, they can meet special nature around a car; there are several trees and squirrels. People can meet original nature. Actually, in the United States, also including Carbondale, there are one-way road, but in Korea this road is not a common road. When Koreans drive in the United States, they said that first time was very confusing because of one-ways or stop signs. Some people have been in car accidents because they forgot the stop sign. Both Korea and US have similar traffic patterns, but the United States has more freedom to drive. Also I thought that the United States has wider roads than Korea. So some people say driving in the US is easier than driving in Korea

Red, Orange and Green

2008-04-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

I always heard about driving style in the USA. Many relatives from the USA, always tell about the driving in the USA. When I came first time in the USA, I loved the driving style in the Carbondale and all around. I love the big roads. The traffic system is very good in Carbondale. All people follow the traffic rules. There are strict traffic rules. All have to follow those rules and they do. The Policeman plays a big role in the traffic system to check and keep it in track. The traffic system is totally different from my country. There are not strict rules in my country. There are many rules but people do not follow them properly. I like one thing most in the USA, that if there is an accident that occurs or someone gets injured, there is always police and ambulance ready to help that person, but in my country nobody comes to help him or her. They will come after someone calls them, or they come after he or she died at the accident place. Here I like the traffic flow; everyone always drives in a line, parks in a row and at the traffic signal they always stop in line. I like the Zebra crossings, which are in front of the college and the shopping mall, where every car has to stop to let everyone cross the road. In my country, on many roads you can go in any directions and there is no traffic rule in many areas to follow. You need to have some tricks to drive there and everyone wants to go first there. I love to drive here in the USA. Traffic rules and systems are excellent in the USA.

Carbondale & Area

2008-04-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

When driving a car around Carbondale, I felt very comfortable, easy, and fun, because I like to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. I also can feast on a gallery of natural landscape and a charming sunset. I am really excited to drive on the broad road and to feel the freedom. There are fewer traffic lights and signs to interrupt my driving enjoyment. Moreover, when drivers meet pedestrians on the road, they will let walkers go first. It is a good educational culture. On the other hand, driving in Taiwan is like a boring job, because there are too many traffic lights and cars. Furthermore, it is not only difficult to find a parking space, but also expensive to park. People who drive in Taiwan need to pay more for insurance to protect their life. Following those reasons, driving a car in Carbondale is a wonderful amusement.

Driving in Carbondale

2008-04-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

I think the driving in Carbondale is a little bit dangerous, especially in the night. In my country, there are a lot of street lamps, even in the countryside. I think it is possible to build many street lamps, because our country is not that big. Anyway, when I drive in the night in Carbondale, I can't see forward well, and it's a problem that it is too dark. However, except for this one fact, I like driving in America and Carbondale. I do like the stop sign system in America; I think it's a very developed traffic system. In Korea, there are too many traffic signals and too many crossroads. It makes traffic jams. In Carbondale, there are no traffic jams, because there are not too many cars. It's one of the reasons, and I think the stop sign system is another one of the reasons.

Difference of driving

2008-04-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

When I arrived in Carbondale, the driving systems shocked me. First, the traffic lane is too small, and there are a lot of one-way roads. Second, most drivers make a concession for people. For example, if we are waiting at a crosswalk, most drivers stop the car in front of the crosswalk. Finally, when we want to cross a crosswalk, we should press a button. I still can not understand why an automatic system is not applied. In Korea, it is very hard to find one-way roads, and most traffic lanes are wider than 4 lanes. Also, if we are waiting at a crosswalk without a traffic signal, we may wait for a long time. Therefore, most crosswalks have a traffic signal, and it is applied with an automatic system. I think that these differences of driving system are affected by size of city.

Driving in Carbondale

2008-04-23T11:13:00.001-07:00

I had driven a car in Thailand for 10 years. It is a little bit difficult because I live in ChiangMai, the second capital of Thailand. There are a lot of cars in rush hour like 8-9 a.m. and 5-7 p.m. When I came to America, Carbondale, I thought driving in Carbondale was easier than driving in my hometown. There are not many cars like my hometown. Drivers in Carbondale are very polite. I have never heard somebody honk a horn. Drivers don’t drive too close to other cars. I especially like the traffic signals. Carbondale always has speed limit signs to tell me how fast I can drive. My country doesn’t have speed limit sign, because the government thinks everybody should know the speed limit when they take the driving test, but I think it would be good if they could remind drivers again. Moreover, I really like the stop signs in America. I think it can help the traffic flow quicker than using traffic lights as in my country. Only one reason that I think driving in America is more difficult than driving in my country, is I used to drive on the right hand side. I have to adjust myself to the left hand side. Now, I am used to driving on the left hand side. When I go back to Thailand, I will have to change it again.

Driving in Carbondale & Japan

2008-04-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

I do not have a driver’s license, so I cannot drive a car. But I am interested in driving a car. The traffic road in Japan is on the opposite side from driving here. Also, we drive on the left side. That is, it is difficult for Japanese to drive here. But I want to try to drive here too. I like seeing in and around Carbondale, and getting in a car. Especially now, there is a lot of nature even on campus. I can see various flowers, greens, trees, and so on. I also like feeling the wind, and opening a window.

Tell about driving in and around Carbondale.

2008-04-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is very different from my hometown’s traffic atmosphere. First, my hometown has lot of cars so driving is very hard. Also both taxis and buses are driving fast. So I think driving in my hometown makes you become more easily tired than driving in Carbondale. Second, my hometown has lot of intersections and signs, so when I want to drive even a short distance, it does take much times. Third, my hometown doesn’t have much scenery around the road because of lots of high buildings. So when I have driving time in my hometown, I felt stuffy all the time. But Carbondale has nice nature; also, I could see beautiful clouds with fresh air. I like driving in Carbondale. I never felt tired because of driving in Carbondale, except driving from Carbondale to Chicago. -Moon-

Driving in Carbondale and Taiwan

2008-04-23T06:51:00.001-07:00

In Taiwan, it is legal for us to get a driving license as 18-year-olds. Luckily, I got my driving license when I was 18. It is hard to get a driving license in Taiwan. I always remembered the day before the exam day, that I couldn’t sleep the whole night. It was such a huge test for me, since I just practiced for a month and I would be tested on all driving skills, especially the parking skill, because the parking space was quite small and almost the same as the car size. In the end, I passed my test, but actually I did not have many chances to drive in Taipei since it is a capital city with convenient transportation. Nevertheless, driving in Taiwan is totally opposite of driving in Carbondale. The only one thing that I was afraid of was my language problem, because it is like an English test and not a driving test for me. Luckily, I passed my driving test in Carbondale. I have driven in two countries. There is so much difference between the two countries. In Carbondale, we could see stop signs everywhere. When we see the stop sign, we have to stop even if there is no car. Another difference is parking lots. The parking area is quite big in Carbondale. We do not have to worry about hitting someone’s car. However, Carbondale is a small town, so there are not as many cars as in a city. Driving in Carbondale is easier than driving in Taiwan.

Carbonadale & area

2008-04-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

EAP2
Airi Murasaki
04/22/2008
Carbondale & area

Traffic in Carbondale is simple. Every body is driving a car. We can enjoy driving. The roads here are easy to look over and large. In Japan, our density of population is high. So roads are more narrow and it is sometimes difficult to look over. We often have a holdup everywhere. And then Carbondale has no train to get around this small town. So I feel sometimes it is inconvenient to go shopping. My country has a lot of trains. We use a train every day, especially for students and salary men. Traffic between Carbondale and my country are so different.

Carbondale

2008-04-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

What place is interesting in Carbondale? The media center is definitely the best answer. There are three reasons to illustrate my point. Firstly, it provides a comfortable environment and effective equipment to study. I can stay there to surf information on the Internet, to collect academic resources, and to watch YouTube. Also, the media center is filled with Apple computers which I have never seen in my country. I am interested in the brand and it has become a part of my life. Due to its charming appearance and workstation, I have immersed myself in the media center to enjoy the amazing products. The last reason is the printer. It always hold my attention, because I can print my homework to finish my work on time. If I go to another place, they will charge extra money. According to these factors, they are why I like the media center so much.

Carbondale...

2008-04-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

I believe that Carbondale, itself, is unusual. I think Carbondale is the good place to study. This is because there are few places to hang out with friends, so we can focus on learning. However, this is also big problem that every student feels. As I said, there are few places to make us fun. There are several bars here, but people who do not drink alcohol might not enjoy there. I was also surprised at that SIUC has a place to play bowling and billiards. In Japan, we do not have things like that. In addition, generally, universities are kind of located in the countryside, but we have more places to hang out with our friends in Japan than the U.S. has to improve here for students’ to be successful in life.

Unusual Place in Carbondale

2008-04-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

An unusual place for me in Carbondale is the bar. I have been to a bar in America two times, and both times were in Carbondale. When I was in my country, I usually went to the bar. But when I go to the bar here, I feel unusual. The first reason that makes me feel uncomfortable when I go to the bar is that I spend too much money. I have to pay an entering fee. In my country I have never had to pay for this. I also have to remind myself that the prices of all the drinks are more expensive than the prices in my country. The second reason is that when Americans dance, they dance with inappropriate actions that are related to sexual dancing. I think that because of my culture, Thai people can not do these actions in public areas. When I see the way they are dancing, I want to avoid them. Moreover, when some people are drunk, they usually do crazy things, such as yelling, and fighting. Even when they go back home, they drive their car very fast because they are drunk. It is easy to have an accident. These are the reasons that I tell you the bar always makes me uncomfortable when I go there.

Southern Hills

2008-04-02T12:27:00.001-07:00

I have lived in Southern Hills for a long time since I came to Carbondale. When I came to Southern Hills, first time, I thought it was a very beautiful place, because it is located in a forest. There is a beautiful entrance street with many trees. It is very unusual for me. However, there are more unusual things, indeed. I felt very strange when I saw a sign about deer. Then, one day, I came outside in the midnight to smoke. At that time, I discovered many deer in the street of Southern Hills. I was surprised by deer, because it’s really an unusual situation for me, and maybe it’s unusual for Korean. It’s unusual, but it’s a very beautiful spectacle. I could feel like I was really in America.

The First City I have been to

2008-04-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is the first city that I have been to study; also it is the first city that I have lived in without my family. Actually I thought Carbondale was going to be bigger than it is, but when I came here I found it is much smaller than my city that I lived in. Because I found that Carbondale is a small city, I felt that I want to go back home, because I wasn't used to living away from my family and my friends; also there are not a lot of places to go to and to have fun. I used to go out a lot in my country and have fun with my friends but here I stay a lot in my home, because there is nothing to do in Carbondale, but I am used to that. Moreover, I was happy to come to Carbondale because I heard that there are a lot of international people, so I thought that I am going to have conversations in English without being shy, because they came here too to study, but when I came here I found that I couldn't find a partner to speak with, so I chose American people to speak with, but the first time I had problems because I am shy. If I stayed in my country none of these would to happen to me. Finally, there are a lot of things that have happened to me in Carbondale, but I liked to show how things are different when people are traveling away from what people are used to.

Nature in Carbondale

2008-03-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is colder than my hometown. I had three days off because of ice. I have never experienced such a thing, so I was surprised and happy. However, I really don’t need three days off, and one day was enough for me. After the day off, my class was very hard and I had three presentations in a week. A thunderstorm and ice storm hit Carbondale, and it was scare for me. Next, I have felt that spring is coming, recently. Sometimes the wind is hard but sunlight is warm and bright. The sky is pretty blue, so I am in high spirits. Although I like spring in Carbondale, I like it in Japan more, because there are many cherry trees in Japan. I miss them, and I miss an event where that people enjoy eating and drinking under the cherry trees.

Carbondale

2008-03-31T11:51:00.001-07:00

There are many reasons that made me decide to live in Carbondale. One of them is the nature. When I was in my home country, I downloaded Google Earth program on my PC; then I found Carbondale. I saw trees, lakes and the green land. It was very nice to me. When I came here, I found that Carbondale was more beautiful than what I thought. It has the most beautiful waterfall I ever saw. Furthermore, I did not think that Carbondale has high trees. In addition, the weather is very nice to me, except on the snowing days. The only one I did not like in Carbondale is snowing days. I will not forget how much those days are difficult to me, especially in the morning, when I leave my home and spend at least half hour to remove the snow from my car.

Carbondale

2008-03-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

First of all, my family and I travel to Florida every year in the summer time, specifically to Orlando, and I do not have enough information about other places in United States. Finally I was planning to study in the USA and my friends recommended I should study in that town called Carbondale, a small college town which is nice, and when I arrived in this town I was surprised because it is really a small college town, it doesn't look like other places because it is a very quiet town with a nice view of many kinds of trees and beautiful weather, and it is very different from other places in United States. In the end I really appreciate it because it is cheaper than other places and people are friendly, because most of the people are students. After two months passed, this was my first impression of Carbondale.

Carbondale

2008-03-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

What makes me surprised in Carbondale is the weather. It changes a lot and quickly. Yesterday, it was very warm like spring. However, it is very cold today. We need a thick coat to go to class. Snow is also different. It is like sleet. For another example, if it is very nice weather in the morning, it starts raining suddenly in the afternoon. The weather may be one kind of extreme weather. I am from Japan. Japanese weather is not like that of Carbondale. Therefore, I am surprised at the weather here.

Carbondale

2008-03-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

In the past, when I came to Carbondale, I thought that it was small city and I did not like it very much, because it was smaller and calmer than what I expected. In addition, it seemed to me that it was an old city. Most of times, in the evening, it was hard for you to see somebody walk or drive a car. On the other hand, in Riyadh where I am from, it is the capital city of Saudi Arabia, a big city and crowded. That means, you can find people any time you want, even in the evening. So I am trying to change my life style. First, I have time for sleeping. Second, I am trying to not take a nap during a day. So it is difficult to deal with a small city, but I have to do it.

Carbondale

2008-03-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

EAP2
Airi Murasaki
3/20/2008

Carbondale
My first impression of Carbondale is nice for me, because I saw the entire atmosphere of this town for the first time. For example, a lot of nature is here, people are friendly, everyone is speaking English, and it is expansive. I remember that I was so excited to live here, although people said Carbondale is boring. I was growing up in the countryside in Japan. That is why I have no problem studying and enjoying Carbondale. However, I found that Carbondale is little inconvenient for us to go to wherever, because I don’t have a car and this place has no train like Japan. However, I like to find a lot of small fun. I think that Carbondale is more interesting for me now. I could have a lot of friends and know how people live, study, and have fun. I want to go hiking to in Giant City State Park, see a lot of lakes, and visit small stores. In conclusion, I am learning about different culture every moment. I will explore in Carbondale more. I like Carbondale.

My first impression of Carbondale

2008-03-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

When I arrived in Carbondale the first day, everything was strange for me, such as buildings, people, streets, and foods. Because of time change, I could not eat anything when the mealtime was coming. I felt I could not get used to living here. I kept asking myself why I came to Carbondale. I did not like to go out because the environment was not the one that I was used to being in. I really did not like this kind of feeling. I hoped this feeling could be gone as soon as possible. Thus, I tried to go out and meet some friends. They took me to go around Carbondale and introduce me to the difference between Carbondale and my hometown. After a week, I got used to living here. I liked this place because it was not as crowded as a big city and people were friendly to me.

Carbondale

2008-03-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

I arrived here on August, 2007. In my first impression, I thought that I have come to quiet countryside place. However, I longed for a foreign life. So, even though that was in the countryside, that was fine for me. I worried about life, such as foods, friends, or school. Now, I have lived here for about eight months already, and I leave here in May. I can not believe the fact that I have lived here for a long time. On weekends, I used to go to several bars or friends' houses. Specially, what I am impressed is Halloween. On Halloween, we all wore costumes, and we went to a bar. There were a lot of people who had costumes. It was a first time experience of Halloween for me, so I had a really great time. That is why I enjoyed Carbondale life. I met many people, and made many friends fortunately. After two months, I will miss Carbondale, fiends, teachers and all people who I met.

First impression of Carbondale

2008-03-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

The first thing is that Carbondale is dark in the evening and night. When I arrived in Carbondale, it was evening. Outside was pretty dark, so I couldn’t see anything in the car. I knew Carbondale was a small town but I surprised it didn't have many lights. I thought it could be dangerous when someone drove in the night. Actually, I came from Seoul which is the biggest city in Korea. Seoul has a bunch of neon signs and lights, so even at night, it’s not as dark as Carbondale.

Another is people are really friendly to foreign people. Many people who I met like to talk with me. They want to know about my culture. Moreover, I met good American roommate, friends and teachers. I heard SIU has many international students, so people have gotten used to meeting foreigners. And they want many international people to have a good experience in Carbondale. As they wish I’ve had great life in Carbondale. I really like this small town.

My first impression of Carbondale

2008-03-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

Carbondale is totally different from where I’m used to living. I was living in the second biggest city in Japan, so I never worried about transportation. However, I have to worry about that all the time in Carbondale, because shuttle buses come just once an hour. I couldn’t believe it at first. I thought Carbondale would be adequate to spend a rural life, but it wasn’t. There are many bars for university students, and there are many drunken people every weekend. There are many drunken people in my home country in Japan, especially on weekends, but not as here. I was surprised at first, but not anymore, and I enjoy it now. Usually people in Carbondale are kind, friendly, and helpful. My first impression was completely wrong, but I like Carbondale except for its transportation systems.

Carbondale

2008-03-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

What was your first impression of Carbondale?

“Amazing” is the only word to describe Carbondale, because it is equipped with a natural environment around the school. There is not only a charming landscape but also wild animals outside the school. I also can immerse myself to enjoy the fresh air-a key to unlock the door of study. Studying in Carbondale, therefore, will lay a significant foundation to sharpen my English, to fortify my health, and to broaden my horizon.

Following the gorgeous landscape, the teachers who teach in CESL are so kind and professional. They reveal many interesting characteristics to hold my attention in leash.To learn English in Carbondale stimulates my thinking and gives me more freedom than in Taiwan. It actually bridges the gap between test and practice. I will open a new chapter to learn English, to make International friends, and to apply for graduate school.

Carbondale

2008-03-20T12:08:00.002-07:00

Carbondale: first impression of Carbondale

I came from Kyoto in Japan. My hometown is a pretty big and traditional city in Japan. I live in the city. Many cars, taxi, buses, subways, public trains, big sightseeing buses, business buildings, and big hotels are very close to my home. I can go to these places by bicycle very easily. I have a driver's license, but I seldom drive in my hometown. I’m still scared to drive, because traffic and directions are very complicated in the city and people are very busy. Also, it’s hard to find a parking lot and it is expensive to park a car. On the other hand, Carbondale is part of the countryside to me. I have heard “Carbondale has nothing to do,” “Carbondale is very boring,” and “This is not America.” The bus is only a shuttle bus in this area, and the way to get to another farther place is Amtrak or Greyhound bus. Many students have their own car, and students and many teachers come to school by car. People in Carbondale drive anywhere. They don’t take transportation. I thought it was troublesome to me when I came here first, because I don’t have a car. I have to take train or plane when I go somewhere from here in the U.S. However, there are many natural sights here and you can go to places such as mountains, rivers, and waterfalls easily. This point is very nice and I like it. Also, people are friendly. They don’t seem busy.

Carbondale is good to a family with children

2008-03-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

When I came here I got the first impression that Carbondale was a very beautiful place and I thought the people were very nice and kind. Some people indicated that is such a small town, but I don't think so. Most of all, this is good for living with children for several reasons compared to the city I have lived in.
At first, this is safer than a big city. Second, there are so many good daycare centers and schools children can go to. Third, the cost of living is cheaper than in the city that I have lived in. Finally, although Carbondale is a small town we can experience various cultures if we want. For example, there are many people who came from other countries, and there are places to travel to near Carbondale. Because of these points, I think coming here is the best choice for me. Carbondale is attractive to a family with children.

Fluency Exercise

2008-03-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

EAP2 WW
Fluency Exercise #1
Thomas Leverett
Brice Danvide

Carbondale
1. What was your first impression of Carbondale? How is it different from what you’re used to?

My first impression when I’ve reached Carbondale was quite unsure. So when I started to know a little bit around and how things work, I said to myself that this place is boring. Carbondale is a quiet city where you can have peace all day long and concentrate on what you want to do. It is a good place for study and you can even concentrate yourself more than in other big cities. Carbondale compared to other big cities like Chicago or New York is too quiet, and the influence of drug dealers and bad influences are not the same, because Carbondale is very quiet and everybody in some other way knows each other. In some words, I will say now that Carbondale is different from where I used to live. My country Benin, is a small country where you can never be bored. I mean in Benin, there is always something to make you move and find friends to hang out with. Benin is a very good place like Carbondale but the difference is how the city works and when people are bored, they can have fun in some place in that city. From now going on, I can say that Carbondale is also a good place to study and even to have fun. When you meet new friends and have someone to talk to, then you can have fun on your own! The first impression was finally revealed to be true after two months passed in Carbondale.

Carbondale

2008-03-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

People who think about living in the U.S.A. usually imagine busy and crowded people like New York. I thought the same way as people usually think about America. When I was in Carbondale, however, it was wrong. The silence and the few people in the street made me change my image of the U.S.A. There are many people who pursue time to make their work in Korea, so most of them always feel unhappy in their life, because they always feel lack of time, but many people in Carbondale seem to be very comfortable in their life. No traffic is here, and no cutting in line is here. Everything is like peaceful in Carbondale. Very green trees and lakes give me refreshment. Furthermore, I may be able to fish in the lake. Sometimes I feel afraid of spending time here because if I am really used to living here, I will have to fit myself into Korea again. However, I am not going to forget life in Carbondale in my life, even though my life will change completely.

Carbondale

2008-03-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

CARBONDALE

The first time I came to Carbondale I was wondering how friendly people were and who my friends would be in class. I also wondered if my English was going to work in a real English situation. In my opinion, Carbondale is a very small city, quiet and friendly. As a student I feel very good because the city is not big and there are not a lot of cars and no noise, above all. Before coming to Carbondale I was looking for some information about Carbondale on the internet and my first impression was that the city was very small and most of its students came from Chicago, which is six hours by train. Many things have changed since I came to Carbondale. First, I don’t have many friends and have to spend all the time in my room after class. I consider making friends in very difficult to do. Nevertheless I am doing my best to get a long with my new life. Secondly, in my country after school, you normally visit some friends or they visit you. Then you spend a great deal of your time talking and sharing with people. Friends also like to go biking or jogging. By now my main goal is to improve my English skills and to beat the TOEFL test, and finally be accepted into a TESOL master’s program.

Student: Julio Roa

My First Impression of Carbondale

2008-03-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

The first time I came to Carbondale, I felt that it was very similar to my hometown, Chiang Mai. Carbondale is a small town and people are very kind like where I used to live before. It is especially true when I drive a car. People drive a car more politely than people do in my country. Drivers don’t drive too close to other cars. I haven’t seen an accident on the way to school. Carbondale also has a good environment that has a lot of trees everywhere. I don’t like to live in very big cites that have only tall buildings. I am always allergic when I am in the big city that has pollution, but I have never got sick here. Moreover, Carbondale has many Asian restaurants such as Kaya (Korean Restaurant) and Thai Taste (Thai restaurant). One of my problems is I can’t eat American food, so I really love to go to these restaurants more than eat American fast food. I don’t have to change myself a lot when I live here. I think Carbondale is pretty similar to the place that I used to live.

My First Impression of Carbondale

2008-03-20T11:37:00.001-07:00

When I arrived in Carbondale, I thought Carbondale was very American. There are many Americans, and it’s very clean; however, it’s very inconvenient if I don’t have a car. Everything is same as what I thought about America. However, I found out soon that Carbondale is very small and boring. It is a town just for its university. Every day there are the same things I can do. Some people say Carbondale is good for study because there are no temptations. That’s right, but something is not enough. I came to America to study English and culture. I have learned many things about American people in Carborndale, but I’m not sure it’s American culture. So I think I need to travel to another city in America.

Welcome to the new Carbondale page!

2008-03-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Things done below this picture were done in 2006.

GE/AE1 Students

2005-05-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Dear GE/AE1
I am so happy that everyone has completed this term and I am looking forward to seeing everyone in the up and coming term. I hope everyone will have a wonderful break and I am looking forward to hearing everyone's stories about what they did over break. I will see you next term!!

Sincerely,
Jodi Ludwig

Jodi's Carbondale

2005-05-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

Jodi Ludwig
Carbondale is a great place that has a lot of fun activities. Many people like Carbondale because it is small, has many local shops, and interesting activities. First, Carbondale is special because it is small, but it does not feel small. You can walk to any place in Carbondale under ten minutes. Next, Carbondale has many local shops. One shop, Longbranch is a coffee place where you can spend time with friends. Finally, there are many interesting activities that happen in Carbondale. One activity is the International Festival that the university holds each year. In conclusion, I like Carbondale because it has many different local places, fun activities and it does not feel too big.

Interview my classmate

2005-05-04T13:55:00.001-07:00

Miki Matsumoto
I interviewed my classmate Choi about his life. He is from South Korea. He is 19 years old. He came to Carbondale three weeks ago. First, Choi likes to listen to music. Also, he likes to eat Korean food, especially kimchi stew.† He thinks kimchi stew is the best out of all Korean food. However, he does not like to cook. Second, ChoiÉÜs favorite colors are blue and green. His favorite sport is soccer and Choi likes converse shoes. Third, Choi usually watches TV when he has a free time. Since coming to the USA, he likes American people. Sometimes he misses his parents and friends in South Korea. Finally, Choi is a good guy.

ROSE-My first day in Carbondale

2005-05-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

When I was in St. Louis, the airline lost my baggage. I was tired and sleepy. I had to wait a long time for a ride to Carbondale. In addition, it was Christmas Day. There had been a big storm, and everything was white and gray. When I arrived, all I wanted to do was take a hot shower and sleep. However, I went to see where I was going to live. I didn’t like it. It was small and ugly. I was scared by the cold weather. After all this, I finally got to take a shower and sleep. In conclusion, my first day in Carbondale was very long.

My great experience of Hokkaido

2005-05-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

Miki Matsumoto
I like Hokkaido for many reasons. I have been to Hokkaido several times. First, I am impressed with the beauty of the nature. There is a lot of large-scale nature such as, mountains, lakes, and waterfalls. Hokkaido has many natural reserves. Second, I am excited about a lot of snow in winter. The snow scene is wonderful. In addition, there is the snow festival. I can look at many statues of snow that are illuminated. Indeed, they are very beautiful. Third, I like to soak in a hot spring. When I went to Hokkaido with my friend, we visited a hot spring. While we soaked in a hot spring, we enjoyed talking. After that, we felt relaxed and refreshed. Finally, Hokkaido is a great place. In conclusion, I want to visit Hokkaido many times.

My last day in My home Country

2005-05-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Mario
My last day in Costa Rica was very difficult. At 7:00 a.m., I woke up, took a shower, and ate my breakfast. Also, I played with my niece for 15 minutes. At 8:30 a.m., I went to my job, I had to work so much, because I needed to finish my job. At midday, I ate my lunch and went to the supermarket. I needed to buy something for the trip. A 5:00 p.m., I had a meeting for work very far from my home and my job. I drove for one hour, before and after the meeting. Afterwards, 9:30 p.m., I saw my friends in a small party. At 11:00 p.m., when I got home, I checked my suitcase and papers for the last time. Finally, I went to bed. I was tired, but I could not sleep, because I was thinking about the next day. In conclusion, my last day in my home country was long, difficult, and very busy. Now, I hope, I will not have another day like this one.