Category Archives: Life in the United States

Today, Alaska is the U.S.’s largest state by area (in square miles). But did you know that before 1867, Alaska belonged to Russia? In 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia and it became our 49th state in 1959. But before 1800, Russia … Continue reading →

In no particular (special) order, here are 10 songs on the Music app of my phone: On a Sunday Afternoon by Lighter Shade of Brown – A student of mine introduced this rap song to me way back (all the … Continue reading →

This Thursday is Thanksgiving, and an American tradition on Thanksgiving is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (see Cultural English 60). Macy’s is a chain (business with many locations) of department stores in the U.S., selling anything from clothing and cosmetics to … Continue reading →

Today is the first game of this year’s Major League Baseball World Series. The best two baseball teams of 2017 play to determine the champion (winner) this year. My favorite team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is in the series for … Continue reading →

Here I am on Saturday afternoon enjoying my coffee. I’m not sitting outside of a cafe. I’m sitting at a parklet in Santa Monica. You know what a park is: it’s a green space with trees where people can go … Continue reading →

I feel bad for parents dealing with teething babies (babies with growing teeth). It seems nothing can soothe (calm and quiet) them when they have a toothache (pain in the tooth). But if you were a parent in the U.S. … Continue reading →

The Sunset Strip is a mile and a half stretch (length) of road located on Sunset Boulevard in the middle of Los Angeles, not too far from Beverly Hills. It is legendary (very famous) for its restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, but also … Continue reading →

A few weeks ago (in late May), I got a chance to visit a place I’ve wanted to go to for a long time: the Anasazi cliff dwellings. The Anasazi were a Native American tribe (group; people) that lived in the … Continue reading →

I heard an echo (something you hear again) from the past a few days ago. From my childhood, actually. When I was young, I remember hearing a story – first told, I believe, by a religious leader named Billy Graham … Continue reading →