The moment

It's the student activities fair at a university in Chicago. Haruto, an exchange student from Osaka, stops at a sorority table where Grace is handing out flyers. He's been told Greek life is all parties, and he says so. Grace corrects him without getting annoyed, then his real worry comes out: the cost. Listen for how she handles the stereotype and how the money problem gets a practical answer.

The conversation

HarutoGrace
  1. Haruto
  2. Grace
  3. Haruto
  4. Grace
  5. Grace
  6. Haruto
  7. Grace
  8. Haruto
  9. Grace
  10. Haruto
  11. Grace
  12. Haruto
  13. Grace
  14. Grace
  15. Haruto

Words to know

slowly understanding how something works

a gathering anyone can attend, no commitment

careful with money because you don't have much

completely free

Check yourself

1How does Grace answer Haruto's idea that Greek life is "one long party"?
2What is Haruto's real worry?
3What does Haruto decide to do?

Practice · 3 min

Round one: repeat every line after you hear it. Round two: mute Haruto and ask his questions yourself, keeping "Could you tell me a bit about the dues, though?" soft and slow. Round three: mute Grace. Then answer out loud for yourself: would you join a fraternity, a sorority or a club, and why?

  1. HarutoHi, sorry, is this a fraternity table? I'm still figuring out how all this works.
  2. GraceIt's a sorority, actually, but we're doing an open event with a fraternity next week.
  3. HarutoMy roommate says Greek life is basically one long party. Is that true?
  4. GracePeople assume that a lot, but honestly, it depends on the chapter.
  5. GraceWe have study hours twice a week, and we're raising money for a kids' hospital.
  6. HarutoOh, I didn't know that. So what does a typical week look like?
  7. GraceA meeting on Monday, study hours, and usually one social event on the weekend.
  8. HarutoI can see the appeal. I've been here a month and I know almost nobody.
  9. GraceThat's why most of us joined. I made my closest friends in the house.
  10. HarutoCould you tell me a bit about the dues, though? I'm on an exchange budget.
  11. GraceThey're around five hundred dollars a semester here, and some chapters have payment plans.
  12. HarutoThat's more than I expected. I'm only here for one year.
  13. GraceThen come to the open event anyway. It's free, and you'll meet people from both groups.
  14. GraceAnd the international students' club meets Thursdays, which doesn't cost a thing.
  15. HarutoThat sounds good. I'll try both and decide after that.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.