Livin' Local
Events in the River Falls
Home Coming
Have you ever been to Home Coming event? This is one of the traditional events in the U.S. Every end of September, UWRF holds a big festival in River Falls. This semester I joined the festival for the first time. I learned how American students enjoy the school event, also why people in River Falls are so kind and friendly. In the morning, I participated in the home coming parade with many UWRF’s club and organization. I joined the Global Programming Society group. Therefore, I wore a Japanese traditional cloth. We walked a long road in River Falls. A lot of local people waited to see us. We threw candies, many children got them. After the parade, we went to eat free lunch. There were a lot of students and their families. I ate a hamburger and some snacks which is common American school food. Other than that, there were face painting service, distribution of UWRF horse dolls, and a free movie in River Falls theater.
This event was so fun. During this event, I met my friends and teachers that I had not seen them for a long time. I feel I came back River Falls. I think this event is good chance to get to know each other between UWRF people and local people. In Japan, we do not have events like these, which welcomes parents and local people. Japanese university events are usually only for students which parents and local people do not have a chance to go so much. I thought it would be nice if there were such events in Japan.
Yuri Adachi
Ice skating
It was my first time to go ice skating at the Falcon Center with friends on November 4th. My hometown does not freeze in winter. so ice skating is not very popular there. However, I am very interested in ice skating. At UWRF we have a good opportunity to participate in this sport, because there is a big ice rink where many people skate happily. It is very cheap for students to skate at the Falcon Center because students just need to pay two dollars to rent a pair of ice skates. At home I usually roller-skate, so I know how to skate well. I like the feeling on the ice where I do not have to move my feet at all, and I like the feeling of moving forward fast. However, one of my friends could not skate, so she stumbled over herself as soon as she stepped onto the ice. Then we came towards her and taught her how to skate. After one hour, she could stand on the ice and move without holding our hands. Meanwhile, when I fell on the hard ice, my friends come help me. We all enjoyed ourselves. This experience not only let me know how it feels to skate on ice, but also I realized that helping others is good for the soul.
Lin Wang
Cowboys and their shows
I came to this school the second week we went to see a very American characteristics of the rodeo I and my classmates are very excited to participate in such activities. The activity started at six in the evening, I remember that day I was looking forward to the cowboy athletic feeling time is too slow to speed up. Over time it has been almost time for us to gather together in the school center ready to go to the beautiful scene. I can see the students are very excited. I would like to discuss this event. In the past we did not have the opportunity to participate in or even learn about such traditional American activities in China. Under the leadership of the teachers we arrived at the mysterious place.In my words is incredible I saw a cowboy riding directly up the other end seems to go crazy like the back of the horse. It is like a crazy twist and cowboy confrontation. Cowboys do not give the slightest opportunity to seize the reins. He succeeded! He conquered the horse is really a good showdown. Then we also saw the cowboy girls, they are moving fast in the venue. I seem to feel a gust of wind as they come to see how fast they are. I was there for three hours to read a lot of feeling very satisfied. This is a wonderful American style show!
Zixiong Zhou
Folk Music Concert
Last weekend I went with some of my friends to Martell, a small town near River Falls. Our professor took us to the Martell church, residents in Martell held a folk music concert, I never heard American folk music before, I was looking forward to the concert. They invited us to join the concert. I felt honored when I know them invited me. At Sunday afternoon, Professor picked us up in front of the children center, it’s took about a haft hour to the destination. It was a three hours long concert, I saw many performers, they were good at singing song. When we arrived here there many people had already prepared food. We felt sorry because we could have made some traditional Chinese food because we got up too late to make some food. In afternoon, it was time to star concert, I can still remember the women who have a loud and beautiful voice. She was so charming, and everybody got drunk in it. The audience were all most old man, but they were very interested in music. People song together with the performer. I am very touched when one of our university professor sang Bob Dlyan’s song, I felt powerful, when I heard “how many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man” this song was one of my favorite song in the concert. When I am old I want to be a old person like those man. It’s a unforgettable experience, I will miss it.
Yining Huang