Conversaciones cotidianas: Comunidades en Estados Unidos [audio]

Seis estudiantes de distintos lugares del mundo se conocen. ¿Qué tienen en común? Todos son estudiantes de intercambio en una universidad de Estados Unidos durante un semestre. Durante este período aprenderán más inglés, conocerán mejor la cultura estadounidense y aprenderán más en sus campos de estudio.

Esta serie de “Conversaciones cotidianas” trata de seis estudiantes y sus experiencias durante un semestre académico en una universidad de Estados Unidos. Estas conversaciones son para niveles de inglés intermedio o más alto.

Las conversaciones cotidianas son una gran opción para mejorar tu inglés. Los estudiantes más avanzados pueden leer este artículo en la versión original en inglés.

Escucha el audio:

Tres estudiantes (Lucía, Akyinyi y Ajay) hablan sobre los muchos grupos diferentes que se han trasladado desde sus países de origen a Estados Unidos y de las diferentes culturas en Estados Unidos.

Lucía: Hey, Ajay. Akinyi and I are going to an event about diasporas at the Campus Center tonight at 8. Do you want to come with us?

Ajay: I was already planning to go, but let’s all go together. I have an assignment for one of my classes. I need to choose and write about a diaspora community in the U.S., and I think tonight’s event will give me good background information.

Akinyi: It definitely will. There are a lot of different diaspora communities in the U.S.

Lucía: Yeah, we’ve been studying this in one of my classes. The U.S. has more global diaspora members than any other country in the world.

Akinyi: I knew it was a multicultural country, but I had no idea just how multicultural until I got here.

Ajay: Well, which diaspora community do you think I should write about?

Akinyi: I think you should choose a diaspora community that is prominent in this city.

Ajay: Yeah, I could interview people in the community and talk to them about their experiences here in the U.S. and even see how their experiences are different from ours as exchange students. I really want to know what the community is like.

Lucía: You should talk with Kayla. She lives in our dorm. Her family is part of the Ethiopian diaspora, and they own a really popular restaurant downtown. We should all go there for dinner one night.

Revisemos ahora el vocabulario

A diaspora [diáspora, grupo exiliado] is a large group of people who have moved from their home country to live in other countries in the world. Often this move is not completely by choice but is because of war, political issues, famine, etc., in the people’s home country.

A diaspora community [comunidad en el exilio] is a large group of people who have moved from their homeland and live in a different country.

Multicultural [pluricultural]: relating to or including people who have many different customs and beliefs.

To have no idea [no tener ni idea] is an informal way to say one does not know. For example: “I have no idea where I’m going” means “I do not know where I’m going.”

Something that is prominent [prominente]: is well-known, important, easily seen.

When we use the phrase what something is like or the question What is something like, we want to know more about the place, object, event or person. [¿Cómo es….?]

For example:

Q: What is Florida like?

A: It’s hot and humid, but I like it.

Q: What is Maria like?

A: She’s thoughtful and friendly, and she’s an excellent student.

Dorm [forma abreviada de “dormitory”, que significa residencia de estudiantes]: is short for dormitory. A dormitory is a large building at a college or university where students live.

Downtown [el centro (de la ciudad)]: refers to the main or central part of a town or city.

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