How are you? I do hope that you are well and have had an easy and relaxed weekend.

Last week, except daily work in my business time and weekend; I worked on my new research on Saturday morning and was one of judges in our mother company's Chinese New Year's Party, to vote in and list programs in it.

A new adventure in my free time was that the Beijing Foreign Language University has opened their English teaching platform for me ahead, before I have become a formal student in March, 2008 since they knew I would like to learn something new in my limited free time.

I am happy for I have found a best way to study English in the best foreign language university with individual and free styles finally. Now I have scanned all of their columns and I have learned the first three lessons of their Current Affairs English. I was attracted by it as soon as I touched it. Do you know why? They are something about Mass Media. What is mass media, how newspaper, magazines, the radio, television and the Internet works and so on. Ha, this is just the field that I am working in. There is not any hesitation. I will choose it as one of my lessons, not only for improving my English, but also for learning something new about the media running from another angle.

I felt so good when I was watching video, listening to recording, reading text, answering questions and checking my marks on the platform.

I started to touch English in the university in 1978. Then, China and the Chinese were so poor after we just went out of the tragedy of the Culture Revolution. As an elective and public lesson for 120 hours, about 110 people had an English lesson in a big classroom together. it was difficult to find an English tape and English books. So, I bought my English books with the money that I had prepared for my new shoes. Every day, I got up at about 4:30 am and read English and recited new words just relied on my limited knowledge of the International phonetic symbol in the classroom since 5:30 am. I worked hard, but my English pronunciation was poor. Then, my biggest wish was to have a recorder. Then I had it in the 80's and I became a correspondence student. Very often, I carried my son to attend some English training, but, it just offered 2 book's lessons, I could not find a place to continue to learn. How I wanted to find a place to continue my learning and to have a repeating machine.

Now, along with the world-shaking changing of China, we are getting rich and you can see English books, soft wares, tools, training classes everywhere with a very cheap price. English learning has become an enjoyment of language art of mine. The problem is not without a place to learn, to buy learning tools, but it is how to choose the best place, the best way, the best data and the best tool among the too many choices.

I feel so nice that our country, people and I have gone through the hard and happy times and we are facing a more beautiful new times together. So, I will catch the good opportunity to improve my English and to make one of my dreams: someday to write a book in English and Chinese to be true. I know it is not easy, I am confident of myself to face the new adventure with smile.
How about you? Have you had any new adventure last week? Do you enjoy it?
I am just a learner on that art of painting, music, calligraphy, languages and 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, Friendship and Language Learning. 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, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirleyz004@yahoo.com. You are welcomed to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Mon, Jan 21 2008