How are you? Have you had a good weekend?

When you get this letter, I have become an art student of China Central Academy of Fine Art (CAFA) already. The long-term dream since my childhood has become true.

I had planned to go to this step after I retired. The result of bad health checks in August changed my mind. I had sent my application to the CAFA in August before I had to live in the hospital during tests to see if I had cancer. I was lucky that my application to the CAFA was accepted.

When my classmates enrolled in the CAFA Sep 10, 2010, I had just had my first surgery two days earlier. One of my friends enrolled for me and paid the tuition for one year. By this means, the opportunity to study in the CAFA was assured.

On Nov 25, 2010, the 15th day after my third surgery, after experiencing a very difficult time, I reached in Beijing and became an art student of the CAFA. I had got up at 5:00am and went to the airport at 6:30am. I still missed the airplane by just three minutes. I had to pay the penalty for overweight luggage. I could not walk as fast as usual. I had to take another airplane and go through the security checking again.

I am going to study here for 1 year (even though it has pasted for about 2.5 months), while to treat my sickness.

In the short several days in CAFA, I have seen so many things and so many people. I had so much touching and gain.

First of all, I have re- perceived myself and I would like to start my art learning from 0.

-- Before I came to CAFA, I thought that I was not too bad. On the first day I reached CAFA, when I looked at the paintings on the walls of the office building of Chinese Painting College in CAFA, I had a feeling that I was nothing.
-- Then, in the classroom, when I looked at the paintings of my classmates, I had the same feelings. I have seen a so big distance between them and me. I do think that every classmate can be my teacher on this or that field. :- )

Secondly, I am sure that I have made a right choice to come to CAFA. The gain I have gotten in CAFA for one day is more than 100 days I had at home. So, I will cherish my time and opportunity in Beijing, to learn as much as possible. If it is possible, I will have other studies in CAFA for another 1 or 2 years again.

Thirdly, it is full of the warm and delight in my heart in the cold winter of Beijing. I would really like to remember these actual supports and help from my professors, instructors, friends and classmates. I have tried to record it as a memory while to express my endless appreciation to them:

-- At 6:00am Nov 25, my Chinese art teacher Mr. Tao came to my home and sent me to the airport.
-- At 2:00pm, my former colleague Mr. Chang picked up me at Beijing Capital International Airport, sent me to CAFA to enroll, then to send me to the Yanjiao Campus of CAFA.
-- At 5:00pm, the teacher in Chinese Painting College of CAFA - Mr. Guo met me and enrolled for me.
-- At 6:30pm, Mr. Li Gang, the tutor of our class met me and arranged the schedule next day.

-- At 9:00am Nov 26, Mr. Li Gang offered me an orientation, arranged two monitors Ms. Tian Runqi and Mr. Yang Guangyin to help me to arrange my life in the campus. Meanwhile, Mr. Li itself would help me to make up one of the lessons that I had missed in person, to arrange me to catch the other 4 professors / instructors lessons some day.
-- At 9:30am, Mr. Yang introduced me to all of the classmates.
-- At 11:00am, Ms. Tian took me to take the meal card, then, she and Mr. Liang Lǜzhou helped me to look for and rent apartment. Also, they cooked lunch for me.
-- At 1:30pm, I had my first lesson in CAFA. I learned to paint my first sketch of figure. Mr. Yang Guanyin, Mr. Ma Jin, Mrs. Hao Caifeng did a lot of work to direct me.
-- At 7:30pm, Mrs. Wang Hui helped me to look for another apartment.
-- At 9:30pm, Mr. Zhang Jiangtian, sent me back the temporary inn.

-- From 9:00am to 7:00pm, Nov 27, Mrs. Wang Hui spent whole of her Saturday to accompany me to see an apartment, to negotiate with the landlord, to sign the deal in a real estate company, to buy commodity for my new apartment, to call some man classmates Mr. Qi Yanqing and Mr. Cui Jianhua to help me to move home. Knowing that I just had my last surgery for 16 days and came from the South of China, she did not allow me to carry anything heaven and often, she reminds me to ware more clothes…

-- From 7:30am to 7:30pm, Nov 28, Mrs. Wang Hui, Mr. Qi and Mr. Cui took me to have the first trip in Beijing, to visit a great Chinese artist ? Mr. Xing Youlao, who is the representative of Painting Group of Loudong and also the tutor of Mrs. Wang Hui. We were so luck to see some great art works in his painting group, got his books, signatures and directions in person. Then they took me to a famous art market and helped me to buy paper, Chinese ink, art books and everything that I need in the classroom…

-- Finding the ray of light in my apartment was too dark for painting, at about 10:00pm, Mrs. Wang Hui and Mr. Qi came to my room to exchange the lights for me…

As a student, I do know how they cherish their time, I can really feel the sincere and kind within what they have done for me. The appreciation in my heart cannot be expressed by language indeed.

With a grateful heart, I have recorded what I had experienced in the several days in CAFA. I would really like to cherish my luck and to return my professors, instructors, friends and classmates, with a strong willing, to fight with the sickness and to make an excellent studying achievement…

How about you? Do you have anything special in your life?


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
Sunday, Nov 28, 2010