American Holidays: what on earth is Groundhog Day?

happy Groundhog Day! whatever that means.

If you're new to the US, this may be one of the most random and perplexing holidays that you'll encounter. 

what is a groundhog? why on earth are we celebrating it? and who is this Punxsatawney Phil?

this my friends is a groundhog. it's a creature in the rodent family, and to me it kind of looks like a giant squirrel that's been hogging all the nuts.

Punxsatawney Phil is the most famous of all the groundhogs...quite a groundhog celebrity.

every february 2nd in Punxsatawney, Pennsylvania when he emerges from his hole there are thousands of people and new stations waiting for him.

because on february 2nd of each year he predicts the seasons...
if he pops out and sees his shadow, that means that there will be 6 more weeks of winter, and if he doesn't, then that means warmer weather is on the way.

make sense now? ok, not really. so what is the history behind this holiday? it kind of sounds like someone just made it up.

as a native born american, i actually had no idea of the origins of this day, so consulted my friend 'wikipedia', and his is what he had to say:

"The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.^[6] The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.^[7] It also bears similarities to the PaganImbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication.^[8] and to St. Swithun's Day in July." 

even more confused? me too.
but i think this really tells us about the fabric of America. the melting pot.

immigrants from so many countries have come here, and settled together, and lived among each other, that it's hard to know sometimes where an idea might have originated...because we've all embraced it.

but basically the groundhog and other animals with a tendency to hiberate during the colder months where used as a gauge by our forefathers to understand the climate and seasons...and some how along the way a fun tradition sprung from it all.

so happy Groundhog Day to you all!
how do you think your own culture has influenced the fabric of America?

From Dead Horses to Killed Cats. The Art of the American Idiom.

Have you ever heard an American say something you just didn’t understand? You may have heard every word correctly but the meaning was lost on you. Was the phrase I just used, “lost on you,” over your head? Was that phrase, “over your head” hard to understand too!?

Or maybe you’ve heard an American say, “curiosity killed the cat” or “I don’t have room to swing a cat in there,” and thought about how much violence surrounds cats in the U.S.

Let’s clear up some of these misconceptions, shall we? Idioms are common phrases anyone uses whose meanings are not defined by the words being used.

Get it? Good.

Below I’ve listed some of the hardest to understand and most often used idioms here in the U.S.

Feel free to add you own or ask any questions you have about them!



Cat Got Your Tongue – when you can’t find the right words to say.

Jump Down Someone’s Throat – To get angry and yell at someone.

Pull Someone’s Leg – To play a joke on someone or to trick them.

A Little Bird Told Me – Someone says this if they don't want you to know who told them what they just told you.

All Thumbs – To be clumsy and drop something.

A Dime A Dozen – Something that’s common.

A Leopard Can't Change His Spots - You can’t change who you are any easier than a leopard could change his spots.

A Piece Of Cake – An easily accomplished task.

A Taste Of Your Own Medicine – When you do something mean to someone then the same thing happens to you.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words – Doing something is better than talking about doing something.

All Bark And No Bite - When someone is aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.

An Arm And A Leg – Something is very expensive.

Apple Of My Eye - Someone who is treasured above everyone else. Example - My wife is the apple of my eye.

Back Seat Driver - Giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a car to the person driving.

Beat A Dead Horse – To keep discussing an issue that has already ended.

Bite Off More Than You Can Chew - To take a job that is way too big for you.

Break A Leg – Another way (albeit more violent way) to say “good luck”.

Crack Someone Up - To make someone laugh. (Mr. Bean does not crack me up. Can someone explain this humor to me?)

Curiosity Killed The Cat - Being curious can lead you into danger. (So did the fast car.)

Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch - Don't rely on something until your sure it’s going to happen.

Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth - When somebody gives you a gift, don't be unappreciative.

Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket – Don’t put all your resources into only one possibility.

Pardon My French – Someone says this to excuse them from using a curse word.

Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed - Someone who is grumpy in the morning.

Good Samaritan - Someone who helps others in need, without expecting anything in return.
(This comes from a Bible story!)

Graveyard Shift – Working at night when most other people are sleeping.

Hit The Books - To study for a test.

Hit The Hay/Sack – To go to bed. (So much hitting.)

Hold Your Horses – To be patient. (Don't beat them.)

Keep Your Chin Up - To remain happy in a tough situation.

Kick The Bucket – To die.

Lend Me Your Ear - To ask for someone's attention.

Like A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off - To act hysterically. Example - When April eats too much sugar she runs around like a chicken with its head cut off. :)

Don’t Bite The Hand That Feeds You - Don't hurt the person that helps you.

No Room To Swing A Cat – A small or cramped space. (I don't recomend you try this. Seriously...)

On The Fence – Undecided about something.

Over My Dead Body - When you will not allow something to happen.

Saved By The Bell - Saved at the last second from something. (Saved By the Bell is also a great American tv show from the early 1990's. Maybe you learned better English by watching this show?)

Riding Shotgun - Riding in passenger seat of a car. (In the wild west the person who sat next to the driver of a stage coach always had a shot gun to use on bandits!)

Southpaw - Someone who is left-handed. (I'm a southpaw! 3 Awesome Points for you if you are too!)

The Ball Is In Your Court – Your turn to make a decision.

The Whole Nine Yards - The whole thing or all of it.

Tie The Knot – To get married.

Steal Someone's Thunder - To take the credit for something that you didn’t do.

Under The Weather – To feel sick. (I wonder if you could say you feel over the weather if you feel healthy? Hmmm.)

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve - To be free with the way you express your emotions.

When Pigs Fly - Something that will NEVER happen.

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover –Don’t judge something until you have fully looked into it.

make yourself at home

so an american invites your to their home...what do you do next?!

this is where things get tricky. when to come? what to bring? what to wear?

so many questions follow...so let's take if from the top.

what time should i show up?

ok, so if you've experienced cultures different from your own, you realize that time is relative.
that means "come at 7pm" means a different in thing in america than it does in india or africa or germany.

americans are generally time conscious. so if you're invited over at 7pm, try to be on time, and don't be later than 7:15pm unless you have a good reason.

what to bring?

if you're invited for dinner or something, it's not expected that you bring anything, though it's always polite to ask if your host wants you to bring anything.

but of course, everyone love gifts! i love the eastern culture of never arriving empty handed, and so trust me, an american certainly won't be offended by your kind gesture.

what to wear?

americans culture is pretty casual compared to many cultures. unless it's specified, you can usually dress casual, though it's always good to ask your host, especially if it is for a party or something. but usually if they want you to dress more formally it will specify in the invitation.

and now what do i do?

so i can't get into full etiquette in this post, but there are a few good general things about americans to keep in mind.

first of all, though in many cultures it is only polite to refuse something when it is first offered to you...not to appear too greedy....but keep in mind that this courtesy sadly doesn't apply in the US.

if someone offers your something, that may be your last chance at it. so if you're thirtsy? don't suffer. take them up on that drink the first time. because they will take your answer seriously.

also, you're likely to hear a certain confusing little phrase...
"make yourself at home."

american hospitality is very casual. in the US, guests are loved and appreciated. but instead of treating guests like kings as in some cultures, here we treat guests more like family.

so to make yourself at home is to treat your friend's home as if it were your own.

this means, take as much food as you want, make yourself comfortable, get some dessert, put up your feet, etc...

as my grandma used to say 'if you can't make yourself at home, then you should go home!'
got to love the USA! :)

discover Dallas and Fort Worth: Which rail sites are worthwhile?

This site provides a little more info on the best DART stops and what you might expect if you venture to one of these locations.

Oh, and if you didn't know your SMU Transit pass is also good for the TRE. Catch the TRE to Fort Worth. There you'll be sure to see some home grown Cowboys!

discover dallas: DART to the Art

In follow up to our last post I wanted to provide a couple of free sight seeing options via the DART.

If you love Jazz or are simply willing to try a new cultural experience, every Thursday night the Dallas Museum of Art hosts a free Jazz Concert in their atrium. Visit the DMA website to find out a little bit more about the performers. The concerts begin at 6:00 and usually goes until 8:00. I've gone to several concerts there and they have always been fun. You can also purchase appetizers and they can be a little pricey, but purchases are not required.

While the Thursday Jazz nights are free at the DMA, I do not believe the admission to the museum itself is free. If you're wanting to go simply to see the exhibits I recommend checking out the DMA on the first Tuesday of the month as admission is FREE.

The Museum encourages visitors to use Dallas's DART rail system. Visitors can ride the DART train to the St. Paul Station and walk north to the Museum's Ross Avenue entrance. Click here to plan your visit to the Museum using DART.

Visit the DMA and then come back to this site and tell us what you thought!

discover dallas: how to have a life without having a car

yesterday we had a big welcome event for the new international students on our campus. we collected some comments and questions from them in the end, and i'm hoping to use this blog to address some of the things that they mentioned.

one question that stood out to me was 'how to you have a life here if you don't have a car?'

in texas...everyone has cars.
in fact, most people have huge gas guzzling trucks.

everything really is bigger in texas. we have a lot of land...so we spread out on it.
nothing is really close enough to walk to, and this time of year you can nearly have a heat stroke just trying to walk across campus!

so the first key to life without a car...

1. DART
that is, dallas area rapid transit. it's going to be your new best friend.
our public transportation system may be skimpy in comparison to the east coast, or european and asian countries...but for texas...it's pretty good!

and if you're a student at SMU it's extra convenient since you're located at the center of the rail system. they've recently been extending the railways across the metroplex, so there are a lot of new lines to take advantage of!
just go to www.dart.org and enter where you want to go, and it will tell you which train/bus you need to catch! also, the DART website usually lists popular entertainment attractions in the area and how to reach them, so you can even find out some fun local events on their site!
there will some more posts coming up soon as well that deal with specific dallas attractions, and reaching them by DART, so stay tuned!

2. make friends who have cars
a key to having a life in the US, is being involved in some kind of community where you can make friends. even if you have a car, if you don't have people to share your time with then you will still end up lonely.
so take advantage of all the opportunities you have to meet new people from new places!
and if you get to know a lot of people, then chances are that some of them will have cars to help give you a ride when you need it. ;)
as a part of chi alpha, we're always looking for chances to hang out with new friends from around the world and to help you find your home away from home here.
our local SMU website for chi alpha internationals is www.smuchialpha.com/internationals. we also are on facebook, so look us up.
if you're not in dallas, but you're looking for a group like this to connect to, chi alpha is a nationwide organization across hundreds of campuses, so see if there's one near you at www.chialpha.com.

3. know what's happening on campus
universities are usually the epicenter of a city. events, excitement, change, and culture pour out from the university campuses. this means that there is rarely a dull moment.
in fact, there are so many events happening from the arts, to conferences, organizations and clubs, free movie screenings, etc.. that you can find a ton of entertainment without even setting foot off campus. so be sure not to overlook what is right in front of you...because these events are also great places to make those new friends!

so get out there, make some friends, and enjoy having a life! :)

how to survive in the US

one of my friends put together a really amazing pamphlet about adjusting to life in the US as an international student...and it also happens to be available online!

check it out!
How to Survive in the US