Julie Panchenko
Russia
When my English teacher offered me to go to study in the ELI this summer, I couldn't believe my luck. Apparently, I didn't hesitate a single minute, as it was an incredible opportunity I was dreaming about for several years. It felt like I was rewarded for not giving up on my dream. Newark meant new place, new people, different cultures, and moreover thrilling experience, - just what I was looking for to shake the stress away. Everything about this journey was exciting - from studies to travelling around the US.
Taking classes was an amazing experience. Both my tutors encouraged me to improve, to learn something new and to share my knowledge and my enthusiasm with the rest of the students. Honestly, I could never imagine that taking history classes can be so fascinating, but finding out about the US history during the sixties - the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement, the hippies - was not boring at all! Dicussion groups helped me to develop my listening and speaking skills and to learn a lot about other countries, their culture and traditions.
What I value most about the time, spent in the ELI, is all the new people I met and all new friends I made. Staying that far from my home was not as difficult, as was expected, because ELI became like a family to me.
I am immensely grateful to everyone who made my stay at the ELI the most precious memory of summer 2009 for me.
