How are you? Have you started a good new week? Is every thing doing well on your side?

Since I wrote you last time, I have done a lot of things and had a strong feeling that knowledge is infinite and learning is an endless process.

First of all, on my English learning, the more I study, the more I feel that I know too little no matter the language itself or the American culture. Therefore, now, I have not only studied what Mrs. Fran Giglio teaches us, but also I have read a lot of things on the Internet, especially to read something wonderful on those web sites which I would not be able to land as soon as I go back to China. I would really like to enlarge my scope of knowledge not only on American History, but also Westerners’ Daily custom.

So, every morning, I listen to at least 8 articles of VOA news on my way between the school and my house, and every evening, I practice oral English by following a software to correct my pronunciation. Many times, I read a sentence 30 or 50 times until the system shows that I have gotten a score over 90.

Aim at the situation I will not have an English environment as soon as I go back to China, I have found some online English courses by native English speakers for continuing to study English in China.

Now, I have set a new goal for my English level which I want to reach -- 7.5 to 8 scores in IELTS within the upcoming 2 to 3 years.

I know it is a quite high and very difficult goal for me, but I am sure, as long as I work hard enough, I can certainly meet it. After all, years ago, I did not dare think that I would be a Candidate for MFA, but now I am, and after all, since I want to start a formal course in a college the US, I must be a good English speaker. Even though I can’t reach the goal 100%, a higher target will give me much more motivation to work on it.

Secondly, on my painting study, the more I study, the more I feel that I am superficial. So, even though I had earned credits enough and what I need to do in the upcoming 2.5 years is just to write a dissertation with 30,000 Chinese characters, instead of having to attend any new course according to the rule of Chinese National Academy of Arts, still I am going to attend an integrated Dry Ink Chinese Mountain & Flower Painting course by my supervisor Professor Jiashan Mu in Beijing, to enlarge the scope of my knowledge structure from flower and bird to the landscape.

Thirdly, on my music study, since last Sept, Professor Meiye Meng directed me to record the music and songs for my second book of the past series of publication in a professional music studio, except the 2 months I lost my Chinese cell phone in the US, I have been keeping doing vocal exercises as soon as I get up and when I am washing, cooking or preparing for going to the school. I would really like to find the best voice and to keep a good voice according to my music professor’s requirement .

All of these I am doing just for one goal: to improve myself everyday for creating a top cross-cultural and comprehensive art by creating, teaching, and researching as a scholar type’s comprehensive artist.

So, although I am quite busy on many things and often work until 2:00am or 3:00am with some ache inside, I have not missed any English lesson (even though in the most difficult time I hurt my ankle, I attend all of the lessons with the sharp ache), and keep singing and painting. Meanwhile, I have been keeping giving some American friends a weekly Chinese arts course for free and for exploring, finding and creating some best methods to help non-Chinese speakers to learn Chinese culture and language via an easily, natural and more artistic ways, and then to help non-English speakers to learn Western culture and language, while maximizing the value of my life.

With these ideas, I have kept going to the school for 90 minutes by walk each day since Jan 6, from the cold winter to the warm spring. Every morning, when I walked in the beautiful views in the sunshine, snow, rain, or wind, my feeling that I was just 25, with hope, dreams and appreciations.

And my health is getting better and better along with the walk and time. While I have gotten 96 and 99 in the last English quizzes, which I had not dare to think and met before. 

So, now, for me, Knowledge Is Infinite and Dreams Are Continuing.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share?

Notes of the photos:

No.2: Mrs. Glad Eyerman who organized 22 classes and lessons 66 times in 3 American schools for me to teach Chinese Poetry and Painting in 2015 came to see me, and I sent her some of my new paintings as a memory on March 26, 2017.

No.3: Mrs. Walker and Mr. Walker had helped a lot on my house since 2015. We had a good meeting on March 25, 2017.

No.4:Dr Olson Stevan K who helped me correced my English translation of Chinese poems in my publication and I in his office, March 24, 2017.

No.5: Dr. Wenrong Yan who checked my foreward of the first volume of my latest series of publication which was published in May 2013 and she organized a lesson for me to teach in her classroom Sept 23, 2013. We had a good talking on March 28, 2017.

No.6:Dr. Chang, Chih-Cheng Ed who had taught me 2008 to 2009 and assisted me on my second art exhibition in Missouri State University and I in his office on March 30, 2017.

No.7:Dr.Yuhua Qiao and her family had given me much help in my travel 2013 to 2014 and her family has been treating me quite friendly since 2009, we had a good meeting on March 31, 2017.


No.8: Dr. Yuhua Qiao accompanied me to visit a famous Gun Musuem in Springfield, MO on March 31, 2017.

No.9: Mrs. Wanda Vana accompanied me to visit Springfield Art Museum on April 1, 2017.

No.11: Mrs. Crissa who helped a lot in my travels since 2015 and now and Zach Cotter who was my student in Seymour R-II school came to my house to learn Chinese arts. They have recited some Chinese poems and completed their first Chinese Calligraphy on March 27, 2017.


I am just a student on Arts of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do somethings with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Cross - Culture and Comprehensive Arts, Language & Friendship. To help the others and this world while improving myself and realizing my own value of life.

I would really like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Sincerely,

Shirley Yiping Zhang
April 5, 2017 (American Time)