Describe how an event(s) in your life has changed your view of life/culture and inspired you to work towards your educational and personal goals

The Most Important Event in My Life

2004 Foreword

This paper is devoted to the most important event in my life - my arrival to the USA . Besides offering new possibilities for my future career , my acquaintance with the American life considerably changed my views and attitudes concerning the nature of society and my responsibility for my own life and for the society as a whole

General discussion

The United States of America is a democratic society . I came from Ukraine , which is also a democratic society nowadays , but only for a

br little more than ten years , and the difference between the patterns of people 's behavior and interaction in the USA and Ukraine is very big What I see in America teaches me that democracy is not just some formal political procedures allowing all the citizens to take part in making the government and influence its politics . Democracy , first of all implies a society consisting of responsible and self-sufficient individuals , individuals that have high self-esteem , and , therefore fully respect self-esteem of others . Democracy means that these free and responsible individuals engage in collaborative work and solve common social problems , as long as they can it , without the aid of state . That is , democracy is also a proper collaboration between people

I came to America in January , 2003 , as an undergraduate student . My experience of the American life mainly has to do with the education college and campus life . Nevertheless , such places attract lots of young and active people and are supposed to provide them the skills and knowledge required for obtaining a decent life in the future . Therefore what can be observed in this environment is one of the best examples of the American system that a foreigner can learn from

My first great impression was the system of higher education adopted in the USA . In Ukraine , where I started my higher education , students can choose their faculty . Actually , that is the only freedom they are given in Ukrainian universities . Later , until the graduating , everything is scheduled for us by the faculty authorities and lecturers . We are not able to choose whether to study a particular course or not , even if we certainly do not need some of the courses . We are not able choose whether to attend lectures of a particular lecturer or not , even if the quality of his /her lectures is far from excellent . We are denied the self responsibility , which is the cornerstone of the American system of higher education . Here I can pick up my own schedule moreover , the greater emphasis is put on self-education instead of just consuming the information prepared by the lecturer . The results are twofold First , I have to think much harder and much more accurately in order to figure out what is really of primary importance for me . Second , I need to engage in active communication with other people , who can help me to decide , which choice is the best choice . Participation in campus and community activities is strongly needed...