How are you? Have you had a good weekend? I do hope that you have and start a new week with a big smile.

Today is the 21st day that I am in the US; also it is the day that I attended my first closed examination with 84 questions in English for 4 hours.

It was the first time that I had no time to complete my last 2 answers when I was asked to hand in my paper in a test. I feel a pity that I did not pay more attention to listen to the question and answer between the students and the professor before the exam was started so that I did not realize the deadline time in the examination room. Anyway, it is a good lesson for me. At least, I should know the common sense to ask the deadline time in person.

Even though I did not do all of the things well, I am still happy for I had read whole of the first 6 chapters twice, summarized my class notes and re-listened to the class record within the short 21 days already. So, I felt easy to answer the first 75 questions ? the professor asked everyone to answer 70 of the 75 only, I completed all of them. Instead of caring for the marks, I wanted to know whether I had really mastered whole of the content that I should know. The happiest thing was that by the helping of two classmates and made practice for more than 10 times, finally, I have understood how to find a critical path of a project via drawing an AOA diagram, identify all of the paths and count their slacks. So, I was confident to deal with the similar or maybe more difficult questions in the test that I had done in my review.

Except the examination itself, the most excited thing is that I find my English reading speed has had a good improvement and I can read my textbook very fast. Can you imagine? I read 80 pages yesterday and I read 40 pages this morning. When I was in China, I could just read 20 pages one day. I feel very well for it and I am interested in what I am learning more and more. I have totally involved myself into my class while I feel my heart is getting calm and peaceful much more.

Now, the biggest problem in my studying is listening ability. I could not understand the professor 100% so that I often miss some important information. A funny lesson was that I had not realized that I should make a presentation with a Power Point file in the class discussion so that I had to complete it in the speech scene. In case there was the software in my computer and I worked very quickly, otherwise, I would be in the embarrassment on the public occasion. So, I am thinking to find a good way to improve my listening ability as soon as possible.

In my life, last week, I continued to be touched a lot. After knowing the public transport situation here, a friend would like to drive for 7 hours to send something I need, another friend wanted to send something to me directly via Internet… even though my nature does not allow me to trouble the others this way, I was touched with tears. So, I have started my new adventure to make a Solution of Shirley’s Life in the US as a joke. After checking online and maps, I went to the campus to find the places that can shop and to found my nearest life ring for 10 minutes. Then I went to an art store and two supermarkets to build my nearer and near life rings for 20 and for 35 minutes. Then I will found my Internet life ring for far away. Also, I have found the telephone for a Taxi and bus. It seems like the taxi would come from the other area out of the city. But, I will try. After trying every way, I will decide to buy a car or not.

Tuesday evening, when I came back from one of my adventures, I walked back from the supermarket on my life ring for 35 minutes in the rain, a car stopped by me and an American man opened his window and asked me that whether I needed to have a rise. To be honest, if the weather was good, I would not accept the help. But, it was dark and raining, I just saw 6 people during my walk for about 40 minutes, I did feel a little bit scaring, pulsed the little understanding about the friendly local people, I accepted the help and be sent back home by a strange American man. Right now, when I am recalling my adventure, I can not remember what the man looks like already and I do not think that I will meet him once more. But, I will remember the little white chrysanthemums in his car and his name “Calvin”. I would really like to member those common American people’s friendly and sincere help forever.

Another thing that has been touching me deeply and long time is still from one of my tutors . When I knew that she has adopted 3 sons, I was not surprised for many Chinese families do the same thing. Also I wanted to adopt an orphan when my motherland was suffering the earthquake this May . What made me shock and be touched deeply was that the 3 cute children of her had been suffering some very serious hurt in their brains. I could not get to sleep in the night when I knew the fact first time, I can not express my touched heart until now. As soon as I think of the 3 lovely children that I had seen, especially the view that how Jessie picked up the rubbish from the grassland and sent it into the rubbish box, I feel tears in my eyes. I wonder what kind of great love as a mother, what kind of social responsibility feelings made my tutor and her husband to adopt the 3 sick children, not only love them, help them, but also educate them growing up so well? I can not help thinking of something she had told me -- When our Christians help the others, we do not want to get a return and be paid, we just think that maybe some day I also need help… I am thinking, maybe this is just a kind of the American national spirits, maybe this is just a kind of Christian spirits to support my tutor, her husband and thousands and thousands Americans to offer their love to those people who need help, to work hard for their society and for this world? I have not found all of the answers; I am looking for it.

A piece of good news is that the college will drive our freshmen to go shopping tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I will be able to carry a new TV, a painter, a piece of music instrument or a vacuum back home?

How about you? How do you think of a national spirit? Do you think of Christianity is an important power to push the US and Western worlds forward?
I am just a learner on that art of painting, music English and Chinese language, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a little bit things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Culture Exchange, Language Learning & Friendship. To help the others while to improve myself.

I appreciate your understanding, directions and supports. I do hope to get your friendly help...

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Mon, October 20, 2008 From USA