How are you? Is everything good with you? I do hope that you are doing well and enjoy your weekend.

Today is the 234th day that I am in the US. I had spent a comparatively “easy” week for there was no any examination in the past 5 days. Meanwhile, I did have many new finds and new feelings.

It was the first time that I have felt the supernatural power of religion. Friday afternoon, with much confusion about something that I met first time in the total strange culture, a worried heart and stomachache, I went to a good friend, a reverend and a professor ? Mr. John L in a church to look for help. A surprised finding was that after telling him something confused and listened to some advices from him, especially something about God, my heart has recovered peaceful little by little. I could go back to my computer to work on my course in the evening. Instead of lying in the bed to suffer the stomachache, I wore in my tights to tighten my stomach, and then I completed my homework, singing, painting, writing and even I kept my morning running with a peaceful heart... :-)

I have not been a Christian even though I went to a church regularly when I was in China. I am getting interested in religion more and more. I am thinking if time allows me, I will go to the churches more often in the US..

Another good find is there are so many same or similar flowers, plants, birds and even battles between the two banks of the Ocean in the US and in China. Just by the short road for about 10 minutes by from classroom and my home, I have found at least 7 kinds of flowers and 5 kinds of birds, 2 kinds of squirrels, 1 kind of beetle. Many of them, especially about 4 plants I had seen in China. First time, I found that the phoenix tree in fact blooms a kind of so beautiful flowers with green and red color, then it is changed to be a fruit. There are many trees bloom at the first, then grow leaves later…These new finding made me realize that even though it is far away between China and the US, we are living on the same earth, every day, every minute, we are enjoying the contribution of the great nature mother and her children ? all of these little animals, flowers, birds, grass, beetles and so on. We do have the responsibility to protect them with much respect no matter how little they are. To protect the environment, is just to protect ourselves.

The thirdly find is that I saw my own art value during met a Chinese delegation last Saturday. This is the first time, I showed several my paintings in a public occasion. A local American Chinese professor wanted to buy two of my paintings. Even though I have not had time and energy to think of transforming my art learning to be a business, yet, some readers of my web site had had the same requirements. I was extremely happy for the responding from a scholar who is from the same culture as me. That really gave me a sign about my own art value.

The fourth and the most important find this week is about Dr. Edward Chang ? the professor of our new lesson -International Financial Management. He is really the professor whom I have met with the most ahead, serious, enthusiasm and best- designed instructor packet.

Can you imagine? About 2 or 3 weeks ago, Dr. Edward Chang uploaded his teaching data and assignments on the blackboard system and offered his connecting styles; ahead 2 or 3 days, instead of requiring students to register in the blackboard system; he did the jobs for all of the 32 students in person. Every weekend, Dr. Edward Chang sends one or two emails to remind us the schedule of next week, while he responds students’ email as he does in the business time.

As Dr. Greer and Dr. Rozell did, Dr. Edward Chang requires us to fill a student information table in his first lesson, to know our work and studying background, career goals, personal interesting and hobbies. Meanwhile, Dr. Edward Chang directs us to found our own web pages, to introduce ourselves, to comment every classmate, to share the information and to record our studying life in the US.

Every day, Dr. Edward Chang comes into the classroom ahead at lest for 15 minutes, prepares his teaching data, projector, writes today’s teaching points on the blackboard, starts his lesson not earlier one minute and not later one second.

At the first 2 or 3 minutes of every lesson, Dr. Edward Chang always organizes us to do something interesting, to improve our motivations of studying with some Western culture senses, aphorisms, economic humors and something with philosophy thinking ...

With the helping of a seat chart and required everyone to write our names on the blackboard, to be introduced by another classmate, Dr. Chen knew us quickly in his first lessons.

Except showing us some TVs, tables, charts to help his teaching, what have touchd me most is Dr. Edward Chang’s Instructor’s Packet. Wow! What a well-designed, detailed, thick teaching data, just like a book with some holes for convenient us to bookbinding. With his instructor’s packet that includes statements, questions, exercises and answers, plus the help of textbook and his lectures in the classroom, I do feel that the course that I had scared very much has changed like something I should be able to master…

One of the best things is that Dr. Edward Chang speaks in English and Chinese. That makes his lessons and our communicating more convenient and more efficiency.

Via knowing and learning from Dr. Edward Chang -- an American Chinese professor from Taiwan, I have seen some great characteristics of the multiculturalism culture of the US. Meanwhile, I have also seen a part of the roles of Asian people in the American culture.


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
Sun, May 24, 2009 From USA