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

Today is the 219th day that I am in the US. It is also my Waterloo in my second examination of Managerial Accounting lesson. Maybe for I was too scared and too nervous, I forgot something that I thought I had remembered already...

However, the past 7 months hard working and strict training in the US, have given me a stronger will and a more peaceful psychology. Instead of thinking of giving up or complaining myself, what I am thinking is to summary my job, find out the lesson and produce a solution.

I am thinking:

1. I must honestly admit the reality that I do not have a background of accounting and any work experience in a manufacturing company. So, I should catch the good opportunity to fill my knowledge blank.

2. I must work harder several times than the classmates who are working as accountants. As long as I have done my best, even though the result is not ideal, I will not have a pity.

3. I must reform my work style and improve my work efficiency since time is extremely tight for me. I will try to work on my homework and exercise by hand instead of computer; maybe it will help me to remember those budgeting formats or calculating formulas better than type on the computer?

Do you know? Last night, it was the earliest time that I went to sleep at 0:30 after I had worked all of the homework and calculated all of the exercises a few times. I thought that I had remembered those formats or formulas, I could not make sure when I should plus or reduce when I was in the examination room this morning.

4. I should follow my totor's requirement better -- he had arranged an extral lesson for me last Saturday, I worked alone until 11:30 pm and missed our lesson time...

5. The lesson today makes me realize where my weakness point is and where I should fill in my knowledge structure.

So, one hand, I am going to do my best to learn in the US, as soon as I send this letter to you, I will go back to my lesson and work on it for whole of the weekend.

I will confront the 3rd and the 4th examination next Wednesday and Friday. I want to do my best and try to find back the lose in the 2nd examination today...

The other hand, I will adjust my 8-year’s plan , to add a new content in it -- to attend some similar courses by an Australia or an England university in my city on the weekends for another 1 year. To strengthen what I have learned in the US, to learn English continuously, to write some papers -- their examination styles are papers, to help my career and company while to make a foundation for my own cross- art and cross-culture learning, exploring and creating...

Then, I will be able to smile and to say to the professors of us in the US “Now, I am a good student of yours.” At this time, I feel so sorry to my professor, my tutor, my bosses and my company in China...

Anyway, a comforted thing is that my son will get his bachelor degree in Australia soon. What he is major in, just Finance and Accounting -- something his mothers weakest.

How about you? Have you had any Waterloo in your studying and working process? What did you do when you faced the similar situation as I do now?

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
Friday, May 8, 2009 From USA