How are you? Have you had a good weekend? I do hope you have and start your new week with a big smile.

Today is the 34th day that I am in the US. I have experienced a very tight time this week. I attended my second closed-examination Wednesday, bought my car Thursday. Completed my paper and Project Management lesson and attended the second lesson -- Marketing Management Friday. Started and basically completed a work report for my company in China Saturday. Drove the first time in the US on Sunday. A big pity is that I did not go to a free English lesson that the college has arranged for us. I am too tired to keep again ? I worked for 23 hours on Thursday and went to sleep at 5:30 am. I handed in my paper at the last minute before the deadline. Then I worked on the work report on Saturday and I went to sleep at 3:30 am.

I knew the professor asked us to complete our paper with 5 pages, I wrote 16 pages. I wanted to summary the current project management in my company and in my past work instead of only complete a task. Also I wanted to complete my work report as well as possible to repay the support of my company in China.

The biggest adventure in my life this week is that I have bought my own car ? a bright red TOYOTA ? Solaro. It has been used by somebody else. It still seems like new, comfortable and beautiful.

After reading the Driver Guide and Map, with an excited and a little bit tight heart, I started my first driving adventure in the totally strange land of the US. The first thing was to fill my car. However, when I was in the nearest gas station, I just found that there was not anyone here to work as I had been used in China ? a driver just needs to stop his/her car close to a petrol pump, open the petrol tank, the other things belong to the clerks. So, when I was facing a petrol pump, with many English words on it, I did not really know where and how I should start. In this case there was a classmate in my car, she went to ask a girl for help. With a big smile, the girl stopped her car and came to teach us patiently, until she made sure that we have known how to do it, then she just left in her car.

With a grateful heart; I started my first driving to Walmart… Can you imagine what my heart was like on the road? It seemed like a bird who has just found back her lost wings. Also It seemed like a person who has just found back her lost legs. I felt my heart was singing with a big word “Freedom”… Yes, when I entered Walart, my first feeling was still “Freedom” -- I could choose anything I wanted relaxedly and I need not to account my time and worried whether I had delayed the other's time again.

Anyway, I lost my road when I drove back home. I was slowly to respond a light, so that I almost rushed a red light, because I have been used to drive according to arrowheads, instead of only according to lights… A good new finding is that here, when a driver needs to turn on left, there is a middle road between the quick roads and that really reduced the dangerous indeed...

Even though I am not familiar with my car, the local traffic rules and the road yet, I am confident about myself and I will be ok soon. Now, I have realized that driving is really a necessary condition to live here. The root reason of my former difficulties was just because of a car.

Now when my difficulty has been resolved, I would really like to thank someone: my two tutors ? Mr. Gong Xiaoou and Anna, my schoolfellow and her husband ? Ms. Li Xiaoming and Zheng zuo, the car Dealer ? Mr. Brake and the insurance agent Ms Andrea Korte. Just for all of their kind help, I can have a car and re-find my “legs” and “wings” finally.

I was so touched by Mr Gong. His wife just had a baby, he still spent most of whole of his Saturday and a half of Thursday (When he was sick that day) to help me to try cars, to direct me to do something in the university, to explain every thing carefully, to drive his own car to help me to pay tax, to register, to explain the insurance events, to teach me the local traffic rules patiently and even, after the dealer drove the car to my home for me, it was him to drive the dealer back his shop. From his wonderful work, I have seen something so excellent and I have felt much warm in the strange city that is far way from my motherland. I would really like to remember what Mr. Gong has done for me and I would really like to thank his wife and daughter’s support in their free time…

I was touched by another tutor Anna, too. Near the evening last Saturday, Mr. Gong had to deal with something else. I did not know how to make a talking with the dealer, because I could not understand what he was speaking at all. It was Anna, she drove for about half hour from her home in her weekend, to help me to make an appointment with the dealer, then to drive me back home. To ask the process how to buy insurance and how to take a local diver license… Anna is the person that we can always trust and to ask a help when we are in the difficult time… Anna is also the one who has affected me most since I came into the US. I will let you know why later…

As far as the two schoolfellows, they are as young as my son, but, they have worked in the university in their free time. Just for helping me and accompanying me when I felt helpless, they gave up their own opportunity to choose their own car on the same weekend and called Anna for me…

A funny thing, that made me smile was there Thursday afternoon, when we finally got the result of the safety inspection of the car, time was 4:45 am and the register place, Department of Revenue, would close in 15 minutes. Thinking of that my paper must be handed on Friday. Mr. Gong would not have time on Monday. I asked the dealer to help me. So, as soon as I saw the car had come back, I paid my check to his partner while we rushed out of the gate before his partner to check the money already. Wow! He drove so fast and we rushed into the gate of the DOR before it will be closed after 7 minutes. Then he fixed my license plate and drove me back home ( I did not dare to drive before I am well known with the car and the traffic situation on the road). I am now still remembering how fast we drove so that Mr. Gong had lost his road to follow our car.

The other person whom I wanted to remember is the first insurance agent girl I have met in the US ? Andrea. When I was worrying about whether I could get my car on Thursday. She called me Wednesday afternoon and she went to the shop of the dealer to help me as soon as I reached there. With her good help, my car and I itself have had formal insurance already.

Then I met the friendly clerk in the Tax Department in some court building, the clerk in the DOR. I do not think that I will see them in the future time, but, I had gotten a very good impression because of their excellent service and bright smiles.

Wow! You see, for having a car, I have gotten so much help from so many kind local people. I do feel that I am a so lucky Chinese here in the US.

How about you? Have you had anything fun and be worth to remember in the other country?

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

I appreciate your understanding, directions and supports. I do hope to get your friendly help...

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Sun, Nov 2, 2008 From USA