My Life in the United States

Introduction

• I lived and studied in York, Pennsylvania for one year
• My mom was a visiting scholar at a local university; I attended 3rd grade at a local American elementary school
• York is a quiet small city in central PA, close to Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. — I got to experience suburban life and visit East Coast cities on weekends and holidays

American School Life

• Discussion-based classes — teachers often ask "What do you think?" and encourage everyone to raise their hands
• Friendly teachers who remember everyone's name and are happy to chat and help after class
• Crafts, science activities, holiday parties, and school events — I quickly made friends and felt at home

Daily Life in York

• I lived in York city — single-family houses, lawns, and quiet streets. Autumn leaves and winter snow are common
• Warm community: neighbors wave hello and say hi
• Halloween was unforgettable — kids dressed up in costumes and went door-to-door saying "trick or treat"

Suburban house / Autumn in York

Places I Visited

• New York — Times Square, Manhattan skyline; a few hours by car or bus from York, totally different energy
• Washington D.C. — the White House, Tidal Basin cherry blossoms, Jefferson Memorial; spring cherry blossom season is beautiful
• Also visited the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls — America really is vast and diverse

New York / Washington D.C.

Unforgettable Things

• York gets a lot of snow — when it snows heavy, school gets cancelled. No school means snowman building and snowball fights with friends
• Cultural differences: Halloween candy, Thanksgiving turkey dinner, church activities, first time picking American candy at the store, Christmas with neighbors
• Suburban York — everyone has a car and a big yard — felt like another world compared to New York. This year broadened my perspective and showed me cultural diversity

American candy / York winter — school cancelled when it snows