Coming to a new country can be an exciting, challenging, and sometimes scary experience. Learning a new language can be all of those things too. I interviewed Gustavo Machado, a former newcomer to the U.S. from Venezuela, about his experiences as a new international student. I asked him how he overcame language barriers and became fluent in English, what helped him get acclimated to his new country the most, his homestay experiences with American families and what advice he would give international students today. Gus has now lived in the country for 23 years, has become an official U.S. citizen, works as a Public Relations Specialist for a large U.S. healthcare company and is an expert on all things about his second-home-town, Atlanta, GA!
MH: What is a moment or feeling that sticks out in your mind that you experienced when you first same to the U.S.?
Gus: When I came to study in 1991, it was about the third or fourth time that I had come to the US. The first time was in 1978, when my Dad took the family to Disney World. From that trip, one of the moments that sticks in my memory is flying over Miami, not long before landing at the airport; it seemed like every house below had a pool in its backyard! Wow!
A moment that sticks from my 1991 trip was sitting on the runway at JFK airport, on our way to Buffalo on a small commuter plane, waiting for our turn to take off. “Folks, this is going to take a while… we’re number 31 for takeoff,” said the captain.
Once we landed in Buffalo, I could not believe that it was 65 degrees (F) in the middle of summer! Unfortunately, that euphoria didn't last long, as I moved to Waco, Texas a month later, and I faced 98 degrees at midnight! Still, fall was just around the corner. They have four seasons in this country!
MH: What were the biggest challenges in learning English, and what tips can you give to learners of English as a second language?
Gus: The biggest challenge was to convert all that I had read and memorized into speech. I didn't feel secure enough at first when talking to others in English, so I usually apologized in advance for my poor language skills. People were always nice about it, though, made me feel comfortable from the start and gently corrected me where necessary. Always appreciated that.
Another challenge was listening to spoken English, especially from movies or TV with “regular speak” in them -- i.e., regional accents, mumbling, quick speed, etc. To this day, I still turn on the “Closed Captioning” option in TV shows or movies that I want to completely capture!
Here are some tips for learners of English:
1) Read, read, read, read some more. Your brain will capture expressions and memorize them without you noticing it.
2) Use online news magazines and newspapers as your primary reading sources, as their language by rule is very precise and straightforward.
3) Write, write, write some more. Your word processor will quickly capture the mistakes and help you along.
4) Get a hold of an English dictionary. Open a page at random and read what the words in it mean. Capture words that you cannot decipher in your reading and look them up in that dictionary.
5) Listen to English-language songs and try to capture the lyrics. Start with some classics -- Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby, for instance, two folks who clearly (and exquisitely) enunciated the lyrics they sang, are two great fountains of language.
6) Speak, speak, speak some more. Don’t worry about how it comes out at first. It’ll get better with time and practice.
7) Listen, listen, listen. Sports broadcasts and news shows, be it on radio or TV. The guys who do this “paint pictures with words,” so, besides enunciating well, they usually make good use of the language.
MH: What were some of the cultural differences you noticed?
Gus: One of the first things was realizing how preeminent “American football” was… both at a college and professional level. It was a little hard getting into all of it, but I feel I understand it better now (after about 20 years of ignoring it!).
Another thing that jarred me a bit at the beginning of my journey here was how insular this culture can get. Everything else in the world doesn't seem to matter here unless it affects the US in one way or another -- otherwise, it is ignored or only looked at as a curiosity. I believe this attitude of being sheltered from the rest of the world has lent itself to misunderstandings and misconceptions throughout history.
MH: Where did you live, and do you think that living with an American family would have helped you? (learn English, acted as a guide, support system, transportation, furnished housing, etc.)
Gus: I lived in Waco for about a year while completing a Masters degree, but before that I was briefly hosted by an American couple in Dallas. That short experience was very helpful, as they gave me useful information. After arriving in Waco, I was also briefly hosted by a professor at Baylor University while I found an apartment. In retrospect, I wish I had stayed longer with an American family before finding lodging on my own, as they would have continued to provide good insights into living in the US.
MH: What advice would you give to International Students coming to the U.S.?
Gus: Two things: Never lose sight of where you came from; and absorb as much as you can from this great culture. Over time, you should arrive at the same conclusion I did: People are the same, wherever you go. What changes are the ways of doing things. Everything else is similar.
Also, Americans are usually wonderful people when it comes to interacting with visiting foreigners, and especially in an academic environment. They are open, cheerful and friendly; they want to help, to inform, to advise you; they also want to learn more about where you come from. Ask them questions and give them information -- open their eyes as much as they are opening yours.
MH: What/Who helped you the most early on?
Gus: My elementary and high school offered a strong English language class. We used a British learning method called “Look, Listen and Learn!” that was very valuable. I made the most of it.
Also: Once I had access to it, I subscribed to TIME magazine and devoured every issue.
Finally, a satellite dish installed on top of my family’s apartment building in Caracas in 1987 was a huge help! It opened me the doors to a lot of American cable TV -- and major league baseball, which I already loved, but now watching them every night made me a lifelong Atlanta Braves fan!
Special thanks to Gustavo for doing this interview with us and for lending his experiential wisdom to international students in our community! Your story of cultural exchange is inspiring and a great example of how no matter what cultural differences may exist around us, we can achieve a great deal by taking the time to learn from each other and realize that at our core, we are the same.
