Write About Jobs

In China, normally people at age eighteen, which is after they graduate from high school, begin to work. People usually retire at age sixty, but a lot of people retire early at fifty-five. It's important to have a job where you can make a lot of money, but it's more important that it is a job you are interested in and that you'll like.--Helen

All people want to get a job that earns a lot of money. In my country, most students are concerned about which job will be popular a few years later and which major they should choose so they will get a lot of money. That is the first reason for choosing a major, more than what talent or interest they have. In my country, very professional jobs are popular, such as doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, judge. For those sort of jobs you need to study hard for over a decade. However, dirty, difficult, dangerous jobs which are called 3D jobs are lower paid and you don't need to study hard for many years. It needs only a little skill. People look down on those kinds of jobs and respect those who are like doctors. I heard it's not the same in America. They have to treat them the same because one is dangerous and one needs to have a lot of money and time spent on it. If so, it is fair.--Eun-Suk

When I was a child, my dream was to be a doctor. This subject needed too much study and I am not too smart, so I specialized in Arabic literature. I taught for one year. It was hard. In my country there are still some jobs for men and not for women, like policeman, firefighter, but other jobs are equal. Usually people start to work in my country after they finish high school and stop when they retire. I work now in my café. It's fun and I make money plus tips. I think singers or actresses make more money than others.--Sania

Sorry! At this time I am retired, and I don't have a job. In my native country I had a good job. I worked in a research institute. My job was to research carbon black, and how to clean the granulate and build up from machines. In the end I had to write an article in a chemical magazine, write and receive a patent. I liked my job a lot, the same as Lauri likes her job. When I finished the university, I came to this institute and I worked in a laboratory. Then I got a promotion and I stayed as a lab manager. I think my job was very interesting. For me, it's more important to have a good job than make a lot of money on the worst job.--Iosif

In San Francisco, I don't have a job, but I am looking for a job now. I think in San Francisco it is hard to find a job because my English is not good. I can't speak very well, so first of all I want to improve my English. In my native country I was a jewelry salesperson. I liked my job because I like to talk to someone. I don't like to work in an office. It's so boring. In Hong Kong, the retirement age is about 65. Usually people start to work at 18. In Hong Kong so many families find a house helper. Most house helpers are women, because they need to take care of babies and do a lot of housework.--Cynthia

When I was a child, I hoped to become a doctor, but I've never been a doctor. In my native country I worked in an import and export trading company for more than ten years. I liked that job because it gave me a good chance to learn different things. When your business does better and better and you are successful, you feel so happy. I have been in San Francisco almost one year, but I can't look for the same job. I must speak English fluently and have a certificate. However, I'll study English first and then try my best to get a business certificate to prepare for the same job.--Emily

I wanted to be a judge when I was a child because I wanted to help other people who were poor. I still wanted to be a lawyer or judge when I saw poor people and they have big problems until I saw a TV program in the U.S.A. When I saw the TV program about a judge, I thought that job is so difficult and makes you tired. Many times the judge has been angry or felt bad. So, I changed my mind after that.--Giryun

In my native country, when I graduated from the university, I was sent to Peking to work for one and a half years. Later I was sent to the Yunan Province, Lane Gang County lead mine to work for twenty-three years. My job was as a secretary in an office. It was an order. I had to obey, but there was no choice. I was born in Kwangchow but the government didn't let me work in Kwangtung again for a long time. In 1979 they just let me go back to work in Kwantung Shin Kwan. In 1988 I enetered the U.S. and found a full-time job at Fong Brother's Printing Inc. I was a bindering worker for thirteen years. I worked hard every day so I could keep the job for a long time. After 9/11 events, the company's economics was no good and I was laid off with other workers. Now I still remember the past time while I worked hard all day. Thank God for letting me have a good life in America.--Tony

While I was a child, I had a dream to become a teacher. In my native city, I went to school every day and started to love school. The students studied hard and the teacher was patient teaching the students. The situation was glorious, so I loved school very much. Although I loved school, I knew I would grow up and leave the school to find a job. But I had a good idea so I wouldn't leave the school. If I became a teacher, I would work in a school and not leave the school. I would teach knowledge and live and play with my students and then I would be in school forever. So I wish to become a teacher when I grow up.--Ricky

I am lucky because I got a very good education in my country and it was absolutely free. I graduated from a commercial university named Academy of National Economy and I got a job I wanted. I was lucky twice because I had a job which made me a good salary and was interesting. Most of my life I worked for a jeweler's company. My experience was around thirty years. Many people had a good education and job before Perestroika. Nowadays it is very difficult to study because it costs a lot of money. There are no workers' places for people; many factories and plants are closed. I think it is the fault of our government.--Irina.

My first job was taking care of a lady, with my little English. In my country, I worked as a store manager in the shoe department. When I was a child I dreamed of becoming an ice cream seller. In my country, people start working from 25 until they retire at 55 to 60. For me, a boring job is when people are sitting and working all day. Now I am a cosmetologist and I work at a children's salon. I am very happy with my job.--Roza

In my country they used to have a difference between women's jobs and men's jobs, but nowadays, women can do men's jobs, like police officer or carpenter or other kinds of work. When I was a child I wanted to be a police officer, but that was when I was a child. I don't like it anymore. Nowadays I want to study how to give a haircut and maybe I would like to study computers because I always wanted to learn how to type fast on the computer. Also, it's useful to know how to use a computer, especially here in the United States.--Cristina
In my country I had a nice job. I was working as a salesclerk in the mall. I was working there for 12 years. It's where I met my husband. When I was a child, I always imagined someday I would like to become a teacher. My grandmother and my aunt are both teachers. When I saw them every day they were wearing their uniforms and holding books. I used to say that someday I should follow in their footsteps. But my wish didn't come true, because of our hardship. My parents could not afford to support us all in college. There were nine sisters in my family. Instead of going to school, I needed to go to work to help our parents. Now I'm here in San Francisco. I decided to go back to school to learn more English and widen my vocabulary. Maybe someday I can finish my ambition to become a teacher, and I will be proud of myself. Then my dreams will come true.--Maribeth

When I was a girl, I liked dancing and dreamed of becoming a famous ballet dancer. When I grew up, I changed my mind and decided to study literature and art at a university. I graduated from Leningrad University, but I couldn't find any job only because of my nationality (I'm Jewish.) It was a dismal time, with an outburst of anti-semitism. Fortunately, after Stalin's death, I began to work. I taught foreign literature and art at a college and liked my job and my students very much. In my opinion, it's more important and interesting for people to like their jobs than to make a lot of money. I always felt happy when my students won an award for their compositions. If I were young and rich, I'd open an art gallery in San Francisco and I'd teach students about European and American literature and art. In my country every man or woman can choose any occupation, they are equal. It depends on their talent and skills. According to the law, all men can retire at the age of 60, and all women at the age of 55, but they can keep working if they want to.--Berta

I always like traveling. I used to work at a travel agency when I lived in Russia. It was an interesting time and I'm happy that I could learn something new from different countries and cultures. Now, I don't work. In the near future I'd like to take the travel and tourism course at City College. When I come home I hope it will help me get a good job.--Julia