Our first full day in the U.S. sans pictures.

We forgot to bring our cameras to class to upload the pictures. We are planning to upload them later on, if possible. We'll share our journals today.


Bong:
I went to Grand Forks. There was an old car museum which had many cars. A technician, who managed the museum, looked so proud of his cars. The main purpose of the old fashioned cars was display. The most interesting thing was the bugs which stuck to the cars because in Minnesota there are many farms, also there are many insects.

Steve:
Today I had an English class and I met the teacher who will teach us for two weeks. Her name is Carol Simmons. I learned a little bit about American rodeo culture in class. It looked so dangerous but I want to try it. After class, we had lunch in the school cafeteria. The staff was so kind and generous. They gave me more food whenever I wanted. After lunch, I looked around the campus. It was so silent and peaceful. I am going to love this place.


Yuni:

 Today I had my first ESL class. We learned about rodeo culture as part of the U.S.A. culture. I was surprised. I wondered how to make horses that crazy!! When the calves were caught, they looked pitiful. But I could feel the dynamic atmosphere in the rodeo stadium. The songs were really good. This kind of music is just in the U.S.A. and it really represented one of the characteristics of the U.S.A.

After lunch we did a Crookston tour. We went to an antique shop, the candy shop, and a factory that rebuilt old cars. There were so many chocolates and candies which looked nice. I heard that the candy shop is a family business! The factory was really awesome. The cars looked very nice and it looked real. I took so many pictures. Before going there, I played golf a little bit. There is a large golf practice field. But I couldn't even hit the ball. I just made divots or air shots.

I felt really tired after dinner so I fell asleep in the car. I feel really tired but I expect the class tomorrow will be good and the Fargo tour will be fun!!

Nathan:

After our ESL class, we ate lunch at the school and then went golfing. It was my first time to go golfing and I was very worried about making a lot of air shots. However, to my surprise, I could hit quite well. After golfing, we all went to the candy shop and I grabbed some of the sweets that do not melt to give it to my brother back in Korea. The dinner was at Grizzly's and it was like the food that I was expecting and it tasted very nice. After getting back to the hotel, all of my roommates fell asleep but then woke up all together at midnight.  At midnight we all went to McDonald’s and Walmart but sadly the McDonald’s was closed. When we got back we watched some Korean shows.

Dave:

This was first day after I arrived in Crookston. First of all, I was amazed when I saw the size of University of Minnesota, Crookston and the facilities of Crookston campus. I thought, 'This is the United States... so amazing !!! ' After I looked around the Crookston campus, I ate breakfast. And then I studied with professor Carol in ESL class. I finished the class and I ate lunch. Next on the schedule was experiencing golf and visiting the car museum. The golfing and especially visiting the car museum were very interesting because I have been interested in cars for a long time.  I took a lot of pictures. After finishing the touring, I went to a dinner place that was family restaurant and came back to the dormitory. I felt so exhausted and fell asleep.

This is the rodeo video that we watched in class. The first song that is sung in the background is called Rodeo by Garth Brooks. The lyrics follow.

Garth Brooks - Rodeo lyrics
His eyes are cold and restless
His wounds have almost healed
And she'd give half of Texas
Just to change the way he feels
She knows his love's in Tulsa
She knows he's gonna go
Well it ain't no woman flesh and blood
It's that damned old rodeo
Well it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo

She does her best to hold him
When his love comes to call
But his need for it controls him
And her back's against the wall
And it's "So long girl, I'll see you."
When it's time for him to go
You know the woman wants her cowboy
Like he wants his rodeo

Well, it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in the knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo

It'll drive a cowboy crazy
It'll drive the man insane
And he'll sell off everything he owns
Just to pay to play her game
And a broken home and some broken bones
Is all he'll have to show
For all the years that he spent chasin'
This dream they call rodeo

Well, it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in them knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo
It's the broncs and the blood
It's the steers and the mud
And they call the thing rodeo

We also listened to another country music song by Garth Brooks called The Dance. We couldn't find the real music video on youtube, so we ignored the video part of this and just listened to the music.

 

Garth Brooks—The Dance

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I the king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance