Today is the Thanksgiving Day in the USA. I would like to wish all the local American friends happy, lucky and have a fantastic Thanksgiving Day! Meanwhile, I would also like to borrow the Thanksgiving’s meaning to thank all friends who have gotten this letter for your good help in the past time and wish you have a blessed and nice day or night.

How time flies! I have come to the USA for 25 days.

During the time, the biggest thing I did was to finish the jobs on my 18 th book (the first 12 ones were on Chinese securities market and the last 6 ones were on American and Chinese cultures) and the second volume of my last series, which would be used as textbooks of my new course in the USA; handed in whole of the data on Nov 16, 2016 and Signed the contract which the publishing house had given me on Nov 21, 2016.

The best thing was Mrs. Kat Allie (she is on the first photo) -- the Chair of Fine Arts and Humanities Department and the Manager of Art Gallery of OTC met me in her office on the same day, Nov 21, 2016 . We had a good talking about the starting time and flat form of my course in her school in 2017.

The happiest news was she would like to “ hire ”me and hopefully, I will work on the course as one of the faculty after another training ...

Wow! What an unexpected and wonderful news it is! Because, just 5 or 6 hours ago, before I went to meet her, still I prepared to continue to work as a volunteer teacher / instructor as I had done in both of USA and in China in the past 8 years.

You cannot imagine how much endless gratitude in my heart these days.

As a student and a former instructor, editor and manager, I appreciate my Alma Maters, professors and tutors in Beijing and in the USA for their good education to me; I appreciate Missouri people and Kentucky people, for they have accepted me with their wide chests; I appreciate my former companies, my doctors and nurses for their good support; I appreciate my work partners, friends and family members for their accompanying … Especially, I appreciate Ozarks Technique Community College, their leaders, students, staff and faculty; I appreciate Dr. Jessica for it was she who recommended me; I most appreciate Mrs. Kat Allie for her insight, help, direction and everything she has done for me as a good supervisor and a true artist…

Anyway, I know I am just a candidate for my second Master degree in Fine Arts, I must work harder for my new course and for my students responsibly. So, as soon as I finished the book, I came back my Chinese painting and calligraphy study, to do everything which my supervisor – Prof. Mu Jiashan required. Meanwhile, I worked on improving my English.

So, since Nov 21, I have painted 3 paintings, wrote 3 calligraphy and also translated 2 articles on English grammar.

Maybe for I had worked too much with a highly tight emotion in the past several months? As soon as I am in a little relaxation, I have been suffering a strange and serious ache on my legs. Although the sharp ache made me want to cry, could not sit or sleep sometimes, still I kept working on my painting and the last one was just finished with the fighting with the terrible ache. Both of my supervisor and my friends thought I had done a good job. :- )

An interesting experience was that my good friend Mrs. Wanda Nava (she is on the third photo on the right) who was the former art teacher of Seymour R-II School picked up me to the local Art Museum to attend an art lecture and demonstration of an African artist on Nov 17, 2016. It has opened my eyes and brought me a lot of new knowledge about African arts and knew some new artist friends.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share? I am just a student on Arts of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do somethings with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Cross - Culture and Comprehensive Arts, Language & Friendship. To help the others and this world while improving myself and realizing my own value of life.

I would really 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.

Sincerely,

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Nov 25, 2016 (American Time)