12 Track 12

Unit 10

Growing up

Chapter 2

Firsts in Life

Page 131

Firsts in Life

In this month’s University Express, Lynn Zhou interviews students around the world about important firsts in their lives. Read their answers to the question:

What was an important first in life for you?

Miguel: For me, an important first was getting my driver’s license. I got it the moment I turned 18! Being able to drive my father’s car that summer gave me freedom, and made me feel like an adult.

For example, I’m from Madrid, and my girlfriend is from a suburb about 30 kilometers away. Driving made it easy for me to see her more frequently. Also, I was able to take weekend trips with friends to other cities. I really like being independent.

Marta: I went on my first date soon after my 16th birthday. It was with my best friend’s brother. He invited me to a movie, but we didn’t talk much. We were both very shy.

Two weeks later, I went to a high school dance with him, and we had a great time. After that, we spent most of the summer together, but then he and his family migrated to France. I guess you could say he was my first boyfriend.

Soo-Jin: An important first for me was traveling from Korea to Europe. When I was 18, I spent the summer with my cousin backpacking through Europe. It was my first time out of Korea so I was nervous and reluctant to talk to people.

Luckily, I overcame my fears and gradually started to open up. I learned to be more independent. I made friends with other travelers at the hostiles we stayed at, and I keep in touch with many of them even now.