Lost in Expectation

 Moving to a different country was a big challenge for me, and for everyone who has had a chance to experience it. I was studying in Uzbekistan for nine years, but since I moved to Chicago I realized that my courses were harder than in the U.S. My classmates and I studied hard, but we still had fun. In Uzbekistan, my classes varied each day, and in Chicago, I had the same classes five days a week. These changes were difficult for me to adapt, and I felt like I lost all my knowledge. The change in school environment my experience as a student has been lost since I began studying in the United States.

 In Uzbekistan, my favorite season was when all students left their houses to a little village for three months. All students were required to go there because the government said it helped the students and teenagers to respect every job people do. They believe there isn't an easy job. It also taught students how to be responsible away from their parents and home. Every spring, all students were sent to different villages to collect cotton from 6am to 6pm. It was fun because our classmates were friendly, and even though we did a hard job, we spent so much time together. Every time I remember it, I always miss it because it really was fun for us, even though in stories it seems like slave labor. When we were done picking cotton, we sat around the fire, told different stories, and had a beer because in Uzbekistan there is no age limit for drinking or smoking. When I moved to Chicago, I noticed students didn't do activities like camping or going places with classmates because they changed every classroom in which they have different students. So, they didn't interact with each other. In Chicago, teachers gave so many assignments, activities for homework or online work. During those years, I felt lonely in school because I had different expectations. It was totally different from reality and I missed my school in Uzbekistan.

 In fact, teaching style was different between Uzbekistan and Chicago and it made me confused. The way teachers taught their students completely different and it's still surprising how every teacher has their way to teach. In Uzbekistan, I had every class for forty-five minutes, and teachers explained so well I even didn't have to attend tutoring. Teachers gave more difficult assignments to do, but they also explained every detail in every problem depends in which class I was in. In Chicago, the courses were not challenging. When I was in high school, the subject students learned in their senior year, I had already learned that when I was fourth grade back home. of course, with this program, in three years I forgot everything I learned in my country for nine years because for me it was new to have the same classes for the entire year, and the next year have totally different classes. It took me a long time to get used to this program of learning.

 In Chicago, teachers were tolerant. They didn't put so much pressure on students. They didn't give challenging work that we needed to think about. That is why most students weren't interested in studying. For example, in math, most of the students used a calculator for every problem they had. In Uzbekistan, the teachers never let students use a calculator. Instead, they taught us how to solve the problem logically by ourselves. We always had some interesting challenging work to do, and from it, if we did an excellent job teachers helped us in finals. I felt incomplete with the education the Public School gave to me. Mostly I felt lethargic. I missed my teachers that gave me challenging work because every time they gave it, I felt excited.

 I have nostalgia for my school and teachers who taught me so well, not just in school lessons but also life lessons. Now I know how demanding work feels and how to be strong in every aspect of life. Teaching styles in every country will be always different but learning is better than nothing. At least, to have some knowledge is always good in life and having a chance to experience it and it will benefit my future. I prefer teaching style in Uzbekistan because it made me feel more anchored and interesting. In Chicago, I used to go every day to the same classes for the entire year, I got sick of it, and it made me feel weary to go to school. I perceive that I missed the severity.