CULTURAL DIFFERENCE

           Today, I went to GTLI and had a nice talk with Ruth who was my teacher in creative writing class. In our conversation, Ruth told me sometimes she did not understand me because I told her I took many classes, but when she asked me whether I was busy, my answer was no. At that time, I did not feel something wrong, but when I went home and thought of it, I felt it could be an interesting thing. I don’t think we have problem in expression and understanding, but we have different way of speaking and thinking because we have different culture. For example, few Chinese will say something is so easy even though they think it is. It is not because they don’t want to tell the truth, but it is because if they don’t do it well next time, they would be so humiliated. Therefore, Chinese is likely to express their humble in front of others. However, Americans will speak what they think directly. It lets me remember the time I just studied in GTLI. At that time, I was not used to be the way Americans speak. For instance, when two persons meet, one of them always asks the other  “ how are you doing?” The other answers “Good” every time. As I heard that, I was so confused because every day is similar, NOT GOOD, NOT BAD, JUST IS (from Ruth). Life is so wateriness. So at first I answered “SO SO.” But then I figured out it was just a way for Americans to speak. You don’t need spend long time to think your life is good or not. “Good” is just a fixed answer for this question. Maybe it contains good expectation, similar to “Have a good day.”

            I think GTLI is a really good place because there are so many students from different counties. The students have different cultures, backgrounds, religions, thoughts and personalities, but they could study together, make friends, share food, chat and understanding. How amazing! When different cultures, backgrounds, religions, thoughts and personalities crash each other, how powerful! Maybe that’s why the answer is “GOOD”.

Mid - Autumn Festival

September 12^th is a traditional Chinese festival ---- mid-Autumn Festival which originally derived from Zhou Dynasty. In Chinese Lunar Calendar, the festival is on August 15^th every year. At night of the day, the moon becomes fullest and roundest that means harvest and gathers. Therefore, famers celebrate their plenteous harvest and people will gather with their families at home in this day.

legend

A beautiful but sad legend is about mid – autumn festival.  An immortal couple, Houyi and Chang’e, forced to separate by Jade emperor. Houyi lives in the sun, but Chang’e lives in the moon. They are far from each other and cannot meet each other except August 15^th in Chinese lunar calendar. Only in this day, Jade emperor permits Houyi to visit Chang’e. Therefore, the moon becomes most beautiful and lightest in August 15^th.

Food

it is my favorite taste

Mooncake is one of most typical food in mid – autumn festival. It is like the moon and means union. Now we have different sorts and shapes of mooncakes, such as round, square, sweet, salty, etc. Moreover, we put different stuffing into mooncake, such as meat, egg, sweetened bean paste, ice cream and so on.

Taro boiling green soy bean is another typical food we eat in mid – autumn festival.

Duck is also typical food in mid – autumn festival. Duck soap or roast duck is a good choice for this festival. But be attention, it has to be whole duck. 

Activity

Praying , having dinner with family, watch moon at night….. all of them are traditional activities we could do.

In this special day, I miss my family more than any other time. Luckily, we still live under the same sky, watch the same moon and breathe the same air, and we are always together.

Hope everyone have a wonderful mid-autumn festival!!!

My new roommates

Last week I moved in my new apartment which has 3 bedrooms, so now I have 2 new roommates. They are completely different kind of persons. One is a young girl who is from Beijing, China and she can speak very standard mandarin. I like her optimistic personality so much because she is happy every day. It let me remember a sentence in the poem, which is, teenager doesn’t understand the feeling of sorrow. In addition, her behavior is similar to her personality. She decorated her bedroom so colorful, such as yellow pillow, red chair and desk, black wardrobe, pink sofa… The other is a faithful Christian. She goes to church and participants in related lecture every week. She has been in ATL for 5 years. During this period, she experienced so many difficulties. Luckily, she overcame them. Now when she meets problems, she would say it is a test from god.

It is so interesting for me to look for two strangers to be my roommates because 1 year ago I thought it was impossible for me to live with the person who I didn’t know.

Every day, we meet so many people. Someone brushed past us in the street, someone only say hello to us, someone could be our friend, and someone could be so close to us. Is it difficult to look for the “Someone” in millions of people? Not easy, but also not hard.

17 years

17 years ago, we entered into primary school, sitting in the same classroom, studying same knowledge and playing together. Looked around every naïve face around us, we became friends from stranger. At that time, we were all children who had plenty of remote dreams and longed to grow up. We’d like to suppose different possibilities of our future without worrying whether they will be come true. Sometimes, we bickered for niggling details, but we would become good only for a while. We were happy for achievement through our efforts and sad for the misfortune of one of our classmate whose apartment ruined by a great fire.

17 years later, we have grown up and never young any more. Most of us change a lot, but when we met, we still know who you were without more words. Nowadays, we have had different lives, someone becomes teacher, someone becomes doctor, and someone becomes financial analyst…, but we still remember our dreams in childhood. We chatted impressive events we went through together in the past, laughed the stupid things we did, and tried to look for someone who lost connection.

We knew each other 17 years ago, studied together for 5 years, and lose connection for 12 years. However, when we met again, we are still friends and close. 17 years, how many 17 years in our lives? How many people can meet their friends after 17 years? How precious!

A Simple Day

Bell rings. A new day is coming!

Open eyes. Prepare to face new challenges.

There is an old saying:"the most important time of a day is morning." Similarly , the most crucial meal of a day is breakfast.   Mantou and Coffeee are my breakfast today. Interestingly, Mantou(steamed bread) is traditional Chinese food and Coffee is typical western drink. It is an union between Eastern and Western culture. 

White T- shirt is my favorite cloth because it is simple and comfortable.  Moreover, white can combine any other colors.

The sport I like to do is walking these days. Walking along the street, reviewing the city I am familiar with.

 Undoubtedly, Bund is my favorite place. In 19th Century, Bund was called "Oriental Wall Street". 

Laptop is a good tool to record what I saw, heard, smelt, thought and  felt.

Sleeping is I spent most time with everyday. I don't think sleeping wastes time.  It  prepares for the better condition  of tomorrow. Have a good dream!

SEE YOU

Looking at these packed luggage, time seems to go back the first day I came to the United States. I still remembered that day so clearly because I experienced many “first time” in that day. It was the first time I left home to a remote country that is in the other side of the earth. It was the first time I came to such a strange environment. It was also the first time I became a foreigner. However, time passed away so fast, just like a moment of blinking eyes, even though I have stayed in the United States for almost 8 months. Now, I will leave the United States. At this moment, there are many images in my brain. The happy time study in GTLI, wonderful Halloween Party, and everyone I have met at here……….

To Ruth: You are the only person told me I was CREATIVE. I have never known that before. Even though I still don’t think so now, I was so happy when I heard that. You completely change the teachers’ image in my brain because I thought teachers are serious, but your laugh yoga really let me shocked. I am not sure I will do that because I am not an out- going person, but I will always remember it is a good way to release pressure. And I really like your drawing and the card you gave me. Wonderful!!!

To Lauren: I took your class three times. You are one of my most familiar teachers in LI. One time you let us give score to ourselves in the middle of session. My answer was I didn’t know because I did not analysis the article by myself, but now, I can tell you:”I know how to fish”.

To Murad: I am so curious about most articles you chose is about China. And every time you talked about China, you would look at me even I am not the only Chinese student in the class. The reason I don’t answer your question is not because I am shame to talk China, is because I am not care politics and I don’t think China plays an important role in the global issue, so I have nothing to say.

To YuChieh: I hope you can get a good score in your GRE test and enter the school you want. I still feel wired about the way you describe long lash person as camel’s lash. Hearing it, I feel so luck I don’t have long lash.

To Jenny: I spent good time in your apartment and ate hot pot together. It is like I am still in China.

To peter: Congratulations on your getting drive license and new car.

            I want to say more to my friends and now I have many words in my brain, but I know if I finish all words that I want to say, maybe one week is not enough. Thank you for all of you giving me amazing memories. I have hated to say goodbye, which let me feel sad. So now I will say: SEE YOU. SEE YOU USA! SEE YOU ATL! SEE YOU EVERYON I HAVE MET AT HERE!

Star's Conversation

Starry Night Over the Rhone (September 1888)
------------ by Vincent Van Gogh

After sunset, stars jump out. Yes. Night is coming.

A river lies under the sky.  The light from the star refracts into the river and forms an inverted image that is called reflection. The river, like a mirror and intermediary, provides chance to star meeting its reflection. They talk every night. Similar to any else peaceful night, the conversation is going on between the star and the reflection.

Reflection: star, do you feel lonely living in the vast sky.

Star: No. Night and other stars are my friends. They accompany with me. I am in a huge group that is full of the whole sky.

Reflection: Other stars are far from you.

Star: Yes. But we have same dreams and goals. When we feel tired and meet bottleneck, we encourage each other. It makes us close and related to each other.

Reflection: why do you come out every night without rest?

Star: Because I believe I can bring bright to who needs at the night. My light is different from the daylight. It is another kind of light, which can lightens the road for people who go back late, the direction for the captain to navigate the right way, and the hope for the lost people to persist their dreams.

Reflection: Do you have phobias?

Star: Of course. I am worried about light pollution. If the light pollution becomes more and more serious, I will disappear. At that time, I cannot talk to you anymore.

            Reflection: That’s terrible. I am sorry to hear that.

            Star: And I hope the night becomes longer. For me, it is too short to complete what I want to do. When the sun rises, I have to hide behind the cloud because the sunlight is significantly glary.

Reflection: We talk with each other every night. Can you share some secrets with me?

Star: Sure. Whatever day or night, I always stand at there and watch what I concern. I have never left this position.

Reflection: do you have some faults?

The star looks at the reflection and keeps silent. His fault is he creates the reflection but he cannot let reflection choose its life by himself. The reflection only can live in the water and appear at the night.

Reflection: hey, star. Can you hear me?

Star: Yes. My fault is I hide the beauty in the mirror although I look for excuses and lies to myself that’s the only way to keep the beauty and far from the ugly.

Reflection: what is the beauty?

Star: One day, you will know what I said.

Reflection: Star, why don’t you come out in the day time?

Star: Because the day does not understand the beauty of the dark night. It is time for you to go to bed.

Reflection: OK. Nice to talk to you, star.

The sun comes out and the star hides behind the cloud again.