How are you? I really hope everything is doing well with you and you are enjoying your new week...

Today is the 367th day that I have been in the US. And this is the last letter I will write to you in the U.S. this year.

After a hard studying in the College of Business Administration of Missouri State University, USA, I have gotten my Master Degree of Business Administration; held my personal art exhibition in Springfield, MO; offered 10 Chinese Painting Demonstrations in the 7 public schools, 2 universities and 7 Chinese Painting Workshopsfor the local people since Sep 11 to Sep 25.

On Sep 25, I got a Certificate of Recognition by Springfield Art Council. It said:

Springfield Regional Arts Council’s Certificate of Recognition is presented to Shirley Yiping Zhang

In appreciation for donating time and artistic expertise towards technical demonstrations at The Creamery Arts Center and Springfield Public Schools as well as presenting an outstanding exhibition and donating all proceeds from the exhibition to a local charity...

Besides, within the past 1 year, I have created 42 Chinese paintings, translated 22 Chinese folk songs and sang them in English and Chinese, written 61 American Traveling Diaries.

I will board my flight and start a long time flying from NYC to Hong Kong soon. Before leaving for China, I would like to write you the last massage from the U.S., to say thanks to all of the friendly and kind American friends, professors and the people of Springfield, MO. I would really like to thank you for your nice help, support and care for in the past one year. I will miss all of you and remember what you have done for me...

Even though I have gotten my master degree and had my personal art exhibition in the US, I will be a student forever. I will continuously work on my cross-culture art exchange dream, to explore and to find a best suitable way to help the friends who would like to learn Chinese culture via Painting, Music, Calligraphy, Language, Literature … while I am working on my professional field in China.

Since I am in the traveling, I cannot upload so many photos of my last 5 demonstrations and 3 painting workshops on the web site yet, I will do that as soon as I reach in China.

Instead of visiting the popular famous tourist sites in NYC, I spend almost whole of my time to visit art, history and nature museums. I have seen the paintings of Picasso, Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and many the other artists....

Especially, I went to find my favorite artist -- John Jameson Audubon's original paintings three times. Finally, I saw them and I have bought the biggest size book -- Audubon's Birds of America with his 435 pictures of birds, while I have bought his biographies and art notes.

Since I knew his name 6 years ago, I have been finding and collecting his works. I have learned all of his works via Internet and I have had 2 same books with small sizes, but they are all too small to see the details. So, as soon as I saw his birds in a big book, I did not want to leave from it again... I am so happy that I have gotten this cherish book.

I am so happy that I have taken photos for all of the paintings of my favorite French Artist Monet in another art museum, too. :-)

I am going back to China with a grateful heart and much warm recalling about the first city that I have lived in the U.S. for 1 year -- Springfield, MO. I will also appreciate and miss my work partners and friends in the last city that I have been in the U.S. -- NYC and the other cities I have visited during the year…

I will remember the warm, happy and meaningful one year in the U.S. It is changing and affecting whole of my rest of life with a very positive style…

I will remember all of you and cherish our friendship. The great friendship between American people and Chinese people will live forever…

Take care and thanks, I will write to you from China soon…


I am just a learner on 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 few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate your understanding, directions, supports and hope to get your friendly direction and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or Yiping007@MissouriState.edu, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Wed, September 30, 2009 From USA