How are you? I do hope that you are well and will have a good new day/evening...

Now it is 4:12 pm Beijing time Tuesday and the local time Monday 3:12 am. I am writing to you in my new apartment with the title:

Shirley's US Traveling Diary --002

After flying for over 13 hours and going through the customs of Chicago, we flied for another 1 hour and reached the destination hours ago.

The Associate Dean of the College of the Business Administration of the Missouri State University and his assistants picked us up at the airport. Except sending us to our dormitories one by one, they have also driven us to buy something necessary. Meanwhile, they taught us a lot and arranged our work tomorrow with a very patient and friendly style.

I am touched that the college and Shenzhen sponsor have done their best to help me and I have gotten an apartment with a hall, a bedroom, a kitchen and a washroom. I do appreciate and be touched for what the college and their have done for us. They have really made us feel warm as we had felt in our own motherland.

Maybe for I have been used of a business traveling so that I have not been used to live in an apartment without some furniture now and feel a little bit scaring to deal with every thing in a strange country. However, I am very glad that I will have a good opportunity to experience a new life in a new environment with a new language independently. That will certainly become my fortune in the near future.

A comforted thing was that the first telephone call I have gotten in the US was from my son from Sydney. Now, both of us have become students abroad in Australia and the US at the same time. It is fun and interesting, Right?

During the traveling for 36 hours, I have seen, felt and thought many things. I do want to write a lot. However, now my computer cannot connect the electricity yet and time is too later and I have to prepare to become a formal student tomorrow.

How about you? Is there anything special in your life ?

Shirley's US Traveling Diary --001

September 28, 2008, is a new landmark in my life ? I stared my first traveling to the US for an E-MBA program in the College of Business Administration and Graduate School of Missouri State University after I have learned in 5 universities as a full time or part time student in China.

Almost every one celebrates me for the good news; I have not had many feelings because I have been busy so that I have had no time to think of its meaning yet. Anyway, the intuition told me that my long term dream has been true already. As an experience of life, the adventure will certainly bring me some big changing and maybe it will bring me some new leap someday. I have not made sure about it yet, but, I am sure it would be some positive affection.

So, after sleeping for about 3 hours, I started for the customs of Shenzhen and Hong Kong at about 7:30am.

Now, when I am writing something on the airplane quietly, what I am feeling is just one word ? “Lucky”. Do you know why?

Except the warm feeling as I told you in my last letter, at about 6:30 am, my cleaning lady came into my home and woke up me in time so that I had a rich time to have a shower and to check my email. Then, at about 7:30 am, 3 of my colleagues came to my home and we had a smooth driving and reached the customs in 20 minutes. Instead of waiting in a line as a single traveler, I rented a car with USD 120 for our 4 people. After 20 minutes, we went through the customs of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Comparing with walking through the two customs in a long line, we did the highest work efficiency so that everyone said that we were really a lucky group.

Then the lucky thing was that except taking out of 3 biggest art books; my 3 pieces of luggage that was heavy 32 Kg had just been fined USD 230. And I was not been fined the other USD 250 by the airway of the United for my flight changing as the traveling agency had told me.

Then I met 3 of my classmates in the airport and since then, I needed not carry anything heavy by myself because the two young man classmates have done that for me.

I am smiling for my lucky staring of the traveling to the US. I have really had a good impression to the patient and tolerant of the United at my first traveling time. Anyway, I also felt that American hostesses are more serious than the others. They worked hard, but, they seldom smiles.

OK, it is 6:00 pm Beijing time right now and I have flied for more than 5 hours and I will be in Chicago in about 8 hours. One of my batteries can only support for another 1 hour. So, I have to make it to have a short rest.

What is your comment about my starting of the traveling? Am I a lucky person? Do you have any experience similar to me?
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
Mon, September 29, 2008