Статья на английском языке "Сhristmas Present" для электронного журнала для подростков " Highlight"

                                          Christmas Present  

                                                                                                           Aizyatova Ilmira

                                                                                                  school 82

    Every person has a dream, as for me I never speak with people from English-speaking countries and I am glad that my dream has come true! Thanks to the Club of International Friendship ”Meridian” which was opened last year in our school 82,Ulyanovsk.In our club, with our teacher Tatiana Aleksandrovna Biryukova we organize exhibitions, send postcards and letters to our new friends all around the world, communicate with teens using e-mail, discuss world’s events. It’s so interesting for me to be a participant of an international project “Postcrossing”. I exchange postcards with people from different countries .Now I have friends from Great Britain, the USA, China, Japan, Finland and others.

     As a member of our International Club of Friendship  ,I would like to tell about an interesting event, a meeting with an American person! It was a real Christmas Present for me. Our teachers invited Susan, a 22 year old woman to our school. Frankly speaking we were very excited and prepared for the meeting in advance. Pupils made collages and posters about Russian and American friendship, found pictures with American cities, monuments, celebrities and, of course, the USA’s map. Susan was impressed of such preparations and decorations! Susan liked a video card about the USA, which our pupils presented her.

  In the beginning of the meeting Susan told us about herself.  She is an American college teacher who lives and works in New York. Susan was always interested in Russia  that’s why she came to our town to study the  Russian history. She teaches students in Ulyanovsk Polytechnical University. We have learnt  much about Susan’s family, relatives and friends. She showed us her personal pictures and pictures of American attractions. She told us how American people celebrate Thanksgiving Day and what traditional dishes they prepare for this holiday. They have a tradition to collect all the family in this day.

    After her story we had an opportunity to ask her questions we were interested in. Pupils asked Susan about education in the USA, school uniform, exams, holidays, teens’ problems and many others. We were full of emotions and excitement but nevertheless we were not afraid to make mistakes using English. Susan tried to get information about Ulyanovsk’s history, Russian cities we have visited, our hobby and traditions. Susan was very friendly and looked happy. She is a very positive and kind person and no wonder  we have no problems with communication. We understood her easily and were so proud of ourselves. Susan promised us to visit our school and Club of International Friendship in spring.

    In the end of the meeting we presented Susan a Christmas postcard and a candle in the form of a dragon, a symbol of  2012.  It was so unexpected for her. She smiled and thanked us. In her turn, she presented us several pictures with American cities and wrote Christmas wishes. Susan sent Christmas postcard for our Club of international Friendship from America when she went to visit her family for Christmas vocation.

     In conclusion I should say that such informal meetings are the best way to communicate and to practice English. I never forget this meeting and I think it was the best Christmas present for me in my life!