Happy New Year!

I started this letter to you at 11:35pm at my home in Shenzhen, Dec 30, 2012.

My airplane from Beijing landed in Shenzhen Airport at 7:40pm and I came back home at about 9:30pm.

After suffering the so cold weather in Beijing, all my feelings at the time can be summarized by one word "Comfortable". With a big smile, I have made every thing in the normal situation. Then I can sit down to write the letter to you. :-)

I came back home ahead of my original plan because of two reasons:

-- The publishing house would like to publish my publication before I start a new international travel, they asked me to correct my writing part once more and complete the work within 10 days.

-- The natural gas outside has not been connected into our classrooms yet; the air-conditions inside do not support us to work; the temperature in my classroom is only 1 C degree. The school has offered all of the lessons this semester ahead and asked students leave for home as early as possible.

I wished to complete a big painting that I have started, however, I put down the job, left the lodging (even though I was punished the rent and the fee of internet because my deal should be expired in 40 days), bought an airplane ticket, flew back home as soon as I got the notice from the publishing house.

Anyway, as a book fan, before I started off, I bought 78 (not 7 or 8) new art books and sent 9 boxes of my existing art books back home, even though it was quite expensive to carry so many heavy books with me between Beijing and Shenzhen often, the transportation expenses has been more than the original price of some books already. : -) I must do my best to match the good support from the publishing house and I must work hard to return the good education from the school, to satisfy my own love to Chinese culture and arts – I have totally involved into what I am learning now, so that I took photos for the trees out of the car window on the roads to the airport, between the school and my home in Beijing, since I will not be able to see the trees there are no leaves in Shenzhen... I take the beautiful screenshots when I watch TV online, to save data for my future creating job… The art study in Beijing, has improve my eyes, helped me to find beauty everywhere. :- )

I was so touched in the last days before I started my travel.

-- The President of Jinan University Publishing Press Mr. Xu Yixiong, his assistants and editors have done their best to support me. They would like to let me have a new international travel with a formal publication with painting, music and articles.

-- The Executive Assistant Dean of Chinese Painting School at Chinese National Academy of Arts, Professor Man Weiqi checked my works and he promised to be my adviser Dec 24, 2012.

-- The former President of Securities Times Newspaper Office and my former boss Mr. Wu Fengyi and his wife came to my school to see me. As a good calligrapher, Mr. Wu gave me many good and so patient direction – even, he explained every word in the cursive hand by a Tang Dynasty (618- 907) calligrapher Mr Sun Guoting and suggested me to read his book Shu Pu Dec 28, 2012.

-- An American Chinese teacher in USA Mr. Zhou Yiran and his brother came to my school from the Beijing Airport as soon as they reached in China. Mr. Zhou promised to check my correction of my publication before I send it back to the publishing house within the coming 10 days.

-- An electrician Li Tie who is just 22 years old, helped me make a move from my dormitory to the classroom (to save my things into the cupboards) for two evenings in the heavy snow.

-- A photographer Ma Xiyou who is 24 years old and his wife sent me to the airport.

-- A strange taxi driver Wang Xiaoqing carried my 3 suitcases upstairs and sent them into my home.

-- During the Christmas Even and Christmas Day, I got more than 200 cell phone messages from my professors, bosses, classmates, doctors and friends, brought me so much care for and worm...

All of these make me feel luck. I could not help thinking that every one who lives in the world needs help and service from maybe more than hundreds every day, from water, electricity, eating, cleaning, to the education and so on...

Therefore, we should always remember those people who have helped us with a grateful heart and to return them and this world with our own study, work and service. With this idea, I will certainly cherish the good conditions at home and in Shenzhen (everywhere is green and never has any snow or a cold weather for whole of a year) in the winter, to do my best to complete my work.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share?

Note: The lady in the middle of the picture is wife of Mr. Wu Fengyi - my former boss and former president of Securities Times Newspaper Office, the gentleman is Mr. Wu.

I am just a student on Art of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Inter-Art & Cross - Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship Making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Dec 30, 2012(Beijing Time)