Transcript

John: Hey, Mary. How’s school going? Haven’t seen you in awhile. What have you been up to?

Mary: John! Good to see you again! I’ve been really busy the last couple of weeks. I’m applying to study abroad next year.

John: Really? So am I! I think it will be a great experience to be able to study in another country. What country do you want to go to? At first, I wanted to study in Africa, but my parents really don’t want me to go there because they think it will be dangerous. So now I’m thinking about going to Spain, Italy, or Japan (Q1).

Mary: Actually, I think Africa would be a fascinating place. I would want to go there to visit. Maybe not to study, but definitely I would Want to go visit. For next year, I want to go to either China or Germany to study (Q2), but my parents can’t afford any European countries, so maybe

John: Why China or Germany?

Mary: Well, I want to go to China because I think it’s a really interesting country with a long history. Plus, it has been changing so much, and I think it is a great time to be there. I really want to improve my Chinese also, and I’ve been taking Mandarin courses the last two semesters (Q4). I would want to go to Germany because my mother is German and I want to learn more about my cultural background. How about you? Why the countries you chose?

John: Well, I want to go to a Spanish-speaking country. I took Spanish in high school (Q3), so I figure if I go to a Spanish-speaking country, I’ll be better off knowing some of the language already. But I have already been to Mexico many times, and South American countries don’t have classes for my major, except for Brazil, but they mostly speak Portuguese there. I would want to go to Italy because I want to do a study about ancient Roman civilisation. It has always been a dream of mine to go and see Pompeii and the volcanic ruins. Plus, my family has Italian roots (Q5), and I love Italian food. I want to go to Japan mainly because my girlfriend was born in Japan and always tells me all these fascinating stories about Japanese history and culture. I am a big fan of sumo wrestling also, so I’ve always wanted to see a sumo match in person. I really love sushi and almost all Japanese food. Recently, I have started to watch some Japanese baseball too! But of course, these are all secondary reasons. My main reason is of course my girlfriend and understanding her culture. I don’t speak any Japanese though, so that is my major drawback. I think it is much better to go to a country if you can speak the language.

Mary: That’s great. When do you have to decide by? I have to finish all my applications this week! I’m really stressed trying to finish everything, on top of all my schoolwork.

John: I’m almost done with my applications. I just have to finish the Italy application. I think my last choice is Italy, so I’m doing that one last. How long do you want to go for? I think I’m only going to go abroad for one semester, or else I won’t be able to graduate on time. I have many classes left until I can finish my degree, and I’m not sure if I will be able to take them studying out of the country. I think I might be able to study in Spain because my Spanish is fluent, but definitely not in Italy or Japan, unless they have classes offered in English.

Mary: I want to go for a year. I’ve heard that it’s better to go for a year, because you get a fuller experience and get a better grasp on the language. But I understand that most people can’t finish their degree in time. It was hard trying to decide which country I would rather go to, but I think my first choice is to go to China. I know Germany will be great also. Either way, I will be thrilled to have the opportunity to study there. What’s your first choice?

John: I really don’t have one. Actually, I think I am like you. Just being able to study in another country will be great. Either Japan or Spain will be awesome. Italy will be awesome too, but I’ve been there a bunch of times, so I think I prefer to go somewhere else.

Mary: Sounds exciting. Well, I have to go to class now. It was great talking to you again. See you around next time?

John: Yeah sure. See you around. Hope that everything goes well!