What Can You Do If You Come to Vermont?

I have traveled to many states in the U.S. when I was in high school, but most places that I have been to are in southern parts of Massachusetts. Because Massachusetts is very cold during winter, I usually planned to go somewhere warm for my breaks. Before I decided to come to Vermont for college, the only thing I know about Vermont is this: Vermont is a very safe, quiet and cold place where many teenagers do not like live in.

I am originally from Tianjin (Tientsin), the fifth largest city with a population of 15 million people in China. For me, especially a kid growing up in an urban area, Vermont could be a boring place. During the summer before college started, I inadvertently looked at a book - 100 of the Most Beautiful Places around the World - that I bought when I was in middle school. When I was turning the pages, I was surprised that I saw a very familiar name on the catalog, and that name is Vermont. I did not realize that Vermont was considered as one of most beautiful places around the world until I saw its name in this book by accident. I did not pay attention to this name when I was young, because I did not even know where Vermont is.

Because Vermont is called “the Green Mountain” state, there are a lot of mountains which people can hike any time. The book used positive language and friendly evaluation to describe Vermont during the fall season. The book says that you do not know how gorgeous the fall season is if you do not come to Vermont. Vermont has the most beautiful autumn around the world - it is going to be a scene of “red sea” in late October. I have hiked a few times in Vermont, and this is the picture that I photographed during this summer. I am also going to hike again in October, so I will show you some pictures of late fall in Vermont in next blog.

After I studied in Vermont for two years, Vermont somehow changed my personal perspectives of living in a suburban area. I realized that I was wrong to describe Vermont is a boring for many teenagers. Actually, Vermont truly has a lot of exciting places for younger adults to explore after they come. For example, hiking different mountains, kayaking, skiing, swimming in rivers, cliff jumping and more! These are the outdoor activities that many American teenagers were doing when they were younger. I grew up in a city, where I did not even have a chance to do this. When I saw my American friends doing these activities, I was a little afraid to do because I did not have any experience.

As I mentioned in my last blog, I started to love Vermont because here are a lot of things that I could not often do in China. This is also a great opportunity for most urban kids to exercise themselves and have a different experience of living in the U.S. Most Chinese students who come to the U.S for studying mainly grew up in an urban place. If they still choose a big city for studying like New York, Chicago, Atlanta and etc, they might experience the same things that they experienced in China before, and they will not have as many as opportunities of outdoor activities that students have in Vermont. Having a unique experience is very important for students. As soon as they learned the skills, the students are going to benefit a lot in future.

Last but not least, if the Five Great Lakes are considered as the largest freshwater lake in the U.S, a giant lake located in Vermont, Lake Champlain, is the sixth largest freshwater lake in the country. Its catchment area is more than 8000 sq mi. Tons of people come to Vermont to visit because of this lake. People come to Vermont in summer for camping, fishing and many water activities. In fall, 99% of Vermonters would hike a mountain in Vermont for the “red sea.” During winter time, Vermont is probably the best area for American people to ski in Northeast in the U.S.; not even American people, Vermont also has a lot of international visitors coming here to ski from Europe. Vermont is a great place for Chinese student to study because the beauty of Vermont gives students a natural power. Most people who had been here usually said Vermont is the place where they mostly want to come back and visit again. In the movie, which won Academy Awards, Forrest Gump, Forrest ran from Atlantic to Pacific Ocean after he lost Jenny, and he ran through a small town with bright red leaves. Probably a lot of people did not know that scene was shot in Vermont. There is no place to catch a better sight of autumn than Vermont.

Why Do I Come to Saint Michael's College in Vermont?

“Where is Vermont?” “What kind of school are you attending?” These are the two most popular questions that I have been asked by my Chinese friends since I came to Saint Michael’s College. After I graduated from my high school in the U.S, I came to Vermont. A small state located in the northeastern part in the country, Vermont is one of six states in the New England area, and it is the only New England state that is not nearby the sea. Whenever I introduce my college to my friends, my parents’ friends and some relatives in China, few people know this place. I always forgive them because many Chinese employees who have been working in the U.S for more than 15 years do not even know where Vermont is. Many people like living in California and studying on campus that is nearby by Pacific. Nevertheless, a huge benefit of living in Vermont is skiing and other outdoor activities. Vermont has one of the best skiing mountains around the world, and there are a lot of European come to local resorts for vacation. I come from a place where skiing is not very popular, so I want to learn how to ski and do something that I could not usually do in China here in Vermont.

The biggest reason that I chose Saint Michael’s College is I AM HERE FOR STUDYING - not for partying or shopping in downtown Chicago or Boston twice a week. Even though we do not have many schools with “brand names” in Vermont, there are many excellent colleges. I keep telling myself. I do not want to make my parents disappointed in me while they spend a lot of money for my tuition. I want to push myself, not only in studying, but also in culturally adapting. The reason why I did not want to go to a big university is because I know I am not a student who can sit in a “stair classroom” with 300 classmates together for 3 hours. I prefer a small classroom and closer relationship with my professors. If I did not usually talk to my professors and ask them for help, I would feel lost in my classes.

I was not an “all A’s” student in high school because I was always doubting the proficiency of my English skills, and did not feel confident academically. Every day after school, my high school offered “conferences” for students. Conferences are more like “office hours.” Our teachers sit in their classrooms and wait for students who have questions to ask. I love this conference because it helps me a lot on my academic performance and know my teacher more. This is why I like a smaller liberal arts college, because the educational system of a liberal arts college like Saint Michael’s College is very supportive for Chinese students.

The second reason that I came to Saint Michael’s College is that there are much fewer Chinese students in a liberal arts college than a university. I have many friends who currently attend big universities. From my observation of them, the only times they speak English are either in classrooms or in shopping malls. They do not live on campus, but they rent a house or an apartment with friends who are from the same country. It seems that there is a bandwagon or pattern already made for the rest of Chinese international students. However, as one of 300,000 Chinese international students in the U.S, I honestly do not want to follow the general trend that most Chinese students already follow. Consequently, I know I would not challenge myself if I also go follow that “pattern” which would not make my life of study abroad meaningful and valuable. I believe the best way to adapt to a new culture is to try the traditional lifestyle locally, and living with other students from other countries like the U.S. helps me do this.

Now, I have lived in a dormitory for my first two years in college, and I moved to a suite for my junior year. Even though I might not be as independent as some Chinese international students living outside the school, I truly want to say it is such a wonderful experience living on campus. I have learned a lot of things from living with American students and other international students from different countries on the same floor.

In conclusion, before Chinese parents send their children to the U.S for studying, I hope Chinese parents could think carefully about making the smartest decision in going to college in the U.S. and what their expectations for their kids are. Is the purpose of studying abroad just to study, or to train their children for independence and enrich their insights?