How are you? Is everything well with you?

It is 11:51 pm in Missouri and 0:52 pm in Beijing. I have been in the US for 2.5 days. According to the schedule of the university, I will attend the first lesson in the classroom at 8:00 am tomorrow morning. Anyway, for me, I do feel that I have had my first lesson out of the classroom already. So, I wrote my America Traveling Diary last night and I would like to show you below:

Today is the second day that I have been in the US. After sleeping for 3 hours, I walked to the office of the College of Business Administration at 9:00 am.

It was the first time that I knew where I lived last night and what the environment looks like. My first feeling was "Peaceful, Harmonious & Pretty".

On the short distance for 10 minutes by walking, I saw a lot of cars and few people, and I got my first impression that cars were more than people here.

Suddenly, I saw a quarrel on the road. She was jumping with a pine cone in her mouth. I was excited to see it on the background of green grass, golden sunshine, blue sky and white clouds in the quiet morning so that I could not help thinking to take a photo for it. However, when I took my camera out, it has disappeared.

The lovely quarrel on the road in the US brought me a good emotion and also made me think of the birds among people in Australia. They have given me a new inspiration that the harmonious between people and nature maybe is one of the signatures of the developed countries and development economies?

As soon as being in the office, we were guided to fill tables, take photos and student cards, to pay the medicine insurance, to visit the library, to make health checking, to eat first meal in the campus, to open computer system and email accounts and so on...

Every thing was organized in perfect order, plus the information packets that they offered us at the airport, with the information of the University Bus, Campus, Liaison, Dining Hall, List of Required Textbooks and Bank... a freshman can study and live in the campus independently...

Near the evening, when I came back to my home, two workers and one manager came to my “home” to help me to do something for the TV and the Internet connecting. At about midnight, two assistants came to my apartment to carry something redundant from my apartment to help the other classmates who arrived just now…

A strong feeling is that I have been offered the first lesson before I enter the classroom already. That is to have a most excellent staff team, maybe is the precondition to manage a project or a career? Yes, the good management, the patient, responsible and considerate jobs of the leaders, managers and teachers, has offered me the first lesson that is out of the classroom in an American university already.

Now it is 1:07 pm in Missouri of the US and 2:07 pm in China. I am going to buy a local cell phone and to do something in the Bank. In stead of asking a help from my classmate, I would like to do those things according to the dictionary that the college has offered me and to see whether I can complete them well in the totally strange environment in English.

Later, I would like you know my new adventure. OK?


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, September 30, 2008