East and West

East is the place where I was.

It’s a place which has a long history.

The long history has accumulated tradition and culture.

The tradition and culture was inherited by generations.

But new things were bounded by it.

I complain about it.

I left from a house for a new life.

West is the place where I am.

It’s a place which was founded just three century ago.

The young place is organized by all kinds of people.

Freedom is the only thing they own, but it’s enough.

New things were created.

I am excited about it.

I came into an apartment to figure out what new life is.

I found my former life is happy because I was used to owning much.

I found my life here is happy because I’ve never felt I am a foreigner, and I am completely free, nothing bounds me.

I love China even though it’s not so perfect.

I love New York even though I have nothing here.

Finally, I discover I have never been so proud of being a Chinese.

Reflection

How time flies!

This semester is going to end. But I still remember the exam I took before registration which is the first meet for me to see Robyn; I still remember the orientation class in Kimmel Center which is the place I met Tara and Koyako, and the first day to class I spent time to find the Woolworth building. All of those scenes appear in my mind clearly,    they seems happening just a few days before.

Here, in New York, I’ve learn much. I appreciate that I know my classmates who are nice, creative, brave, intelligent people. I am lucky that I get kind and professional teachers who are Robyn, Tara and Raul. I am glad to see the progress I made and how adaptable my life here.

The most progress I make is writing. Before I take classes in ALI, I hate writing. I don’t know what to write and how to write. Of course, I don’t write except I have to write for the exams. But now, the most obvious contrast is I don’t feel writing is a big matter. I can write easily in not a long time. I know what I should write at each part of my essay and I know how to organize it. The only thing I feel hard is that I can’t use fit words to express what I exactly want to say. I wrote an English poem which is the first English poem in my life. It will be significant. When I am old I will read it again and remember this period of my life, my classmates and my teachers.

I think I have more disadvantages than the progress I’ve made. I can’t speak English to native speakers fluently. I can’t easily understand native speakers. I have to organize the sentences before I talk. My vocabulary is poor, I always want to use advanced words in my essay, but there is none in my mind. For example, I am tired of expressing something good to only use the simple words such as “good”, “nice”. This is what I need to make up.

Overall, I harvest a lot, not only the progress in English study, but also the experience in New York, and all of you.

Uninvent Cell Phone

If I have a chance to uninvent one thing, it will be a small electronic product everyone has it and uses it everyday – cell phone. Originally, cell phone is for making phone call and spread information. Nowadays, as the technology developed, cell phone has become functional. We can use cell phones to send messages to friends, play games, surf online, check emails, read books, and listen to music…… A small cell phone seems like a powerful entertainment center.

I observed that most of people hold cell phones when they are alone. Maybe cell phone is just a product to entertain. But as the time past, cell phone plays an important role in people’s lives, even replacing social activities. More and more people isolate instead of getting together with friends. For this, I have to admit that cell phone does work.

On another hand, years ago before cell phone is invented, the main way for people to connect each other is writing letter. Can you imagine how difficult for people at that time to hear from others. But people lived in that decade do live like that. They use pens to write what they want to say on papers word by word. Then, they fold the letter papers carefully, put them into envelopes. Finally, they stick special stamps on the corner of the envelopes, using the beautiful writing to put the addresses on the envelopes. The most important thing is throwing them into mailboxes as a big matter. Everything has done. Next, the writer will waiting for replay. It perhaps takes a long period of time. But it may be the foundation of the happiness and exciting when you get the reply. After waiting, you get the reply, you are unable to hold your back to open the letter. But if I were you, I wouldn’t open it in a hurry. Oppositely, I would enjoy all the procedures of reading the reply. It must be very enjoyable and exciting. What you open is not only a letter, it’s something you have waited for a long time, something may bring you hope or happiness, also maybe sadness and depressing. But isn’t it a wonderful journey of spirit?

Nowadays, people hardly experience that kind of feeling, because of the invention of cell phone. Our lifestyles have changed, the rhythm of life has become more and more hurry. We hardly think about why we are alive, what we are busy for. Instead of, eating, drinking, and talking on cell phone on the road while walking hurrily……

Music

I couldn’t imagine that if there was no music in my life. I like listening to music at any occasion that I can. I listen to music on my way to school, I listen to when I drive, I listen to music when I cook, I listen to music ……

It’s difficult for me to tell a song which I like most. Because of I am not a fan for any star. I have music software in my computer and music apps in my iPhone. I play music random. It depends on my mood. In the morning I prefer dynamic music. At night, I like peaceful music which is totally music without lyrics. When I am happy I like sweet music. When I am sad I like songs which have meaningful words.

Here, I recommend several pieces of music that I like listening to recently. Ono Lisa is a popular Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova singer. Her music is relaxing and can bring you a good mood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd6Y3qIha6o
This is Lisa’s song --- “Country Roads Take Me Home”
This song likes sunshine shining on my body. Beautiful scenery, tender breeze, ……, everything is perfect!
Eason Chan Yik-shun is an outstanding male singer in Hong Kong. He has been praised by Time magazine as a front runner in the next generation of Cantopop. I like his songs because the meaningful lyrics. His voice can always move me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZy9IvmP5vQ&feature=fvst  This is Eason’s song – “Long Time No See” 
Did it move you?  This song moves me every time I listen to it.

Best Friend

I am glad that my best friend is in New York with me. Actually, several years ago, I planned to come to US to study, and I persuaded her to come with me. Finally, both of us decided to come, but she got the visa and I didn’t. She is my best friend ----- Ling.

Being Different from other best friends who met each other in the same schools or in the parties, we met each other online occasionally. It’s usual for people in different sexes to meet online, but seldom for same sex. Every time I was asked by others how I and ling met each, I felt difficult to answer. Because of in their eyes, knowing each other online seemed like unstable friendship. But we are best friends.

Since Ling came to US several years ago, we had kept touch all the time by chatting online, telephone calls, sending greeting cards. I felt distance had never separated us. When I decided to come to New York, she was same exciting as me. After I got the visa, I called her firstly. She is much happier even than me. After that, she began to prepare my apartment in New York, and send me letters about traveling to New York notices. I hardly checked anything online for travel. She is so sweet. When I arrived in New York KFC airport at the first time, she came to airport to drive me to my new apartment which had already well prepared by her. When I saw her at the first glance, I gave her a big hug. I couldn’t help myself because I left my home, my family, my motherland, and experienced a long and tired trip, I was so depressed. But when I saw her, I felt happy. She stood there with a bundle flower. That image will always in my mind in my whole life.

Spring Break

If I get something beyond I expected, I will be extra happy. Such as spring break. I am so happy that I have a long break in March. Adding two weekends, there are ten days available for me. I decided to go back China. Of course, someone pushed me also. In most people's opinions, Ten days are not long enough to go broad, especially china which in another side of the earth. Everyone was surprised and didn't understand why I made this choice in such a short period of time. But I did and I feel it's worthy. Not only I met people who I missed in China, but also I found I am not a stranger in New York any more. Here, I have to mention about JFK airport twice. The first time was on March 8th, the day I left to Beijing. Ling who is my best friend in New York drove me to JFK airport. Actually, that was the day I've desired for a long time since the airticket was bought. But when I was on the way to JFK airport I even felt reluctant to leave. I wondered how I could have that emotion. But I have to tell the truth to myself, the feeling of reluctant really existed. The second time was on March 19th, the day I came back. This was the second time I arrived in JFK airport. It had big contrast with the first time. The first time was my first time I left my country come to a totally new place. Long trip made me sick and tired, homesick and strange feeling made me sad affectively. But this arrival made me feel a kind of coming back home. I called taxi myself. I saw flowers were blossoming. I even didn't feel that kind of sickness and tiredness. I had already been familiar with this city. I came back to my own room, suddenly, I was shocked. I had stood there for one minute. My mind needed time to shift from Chinese life to American life. I quickly adapted my life here and feel comfortable with it. I don't miss home like last two months. I find I'd like to live here. This is what spring break brought to me.

Travel

Travel is a big topic. I have much to say about it. But at this moment, I am alone and am talking with myself, so this post about travel will be more intrapersonal. I like travel. I've learned much from travel. Actually I am not a girl who likes reading books and talks much with others except close friends. I am more interested in what I can really see and experience and learn unconsciously from that. So travel could be a suitable way for me to learn much about the world, the society and people. There is a Chinese saying "walking thousands of miles, reading thousands of books." it means as much you've traveled, more knowledge and information you will get. Such as reading a lot of books. I've traveled some places in the world and have experienced other cultures. I know how big the world is and how other people's lives are. This helps with my own life. I will figure out more clearly about what I am alive for, what I want, what happy life is and even how I can achieve it. This seems nothing with travel. But for me, it does. Even though I am dynamic and energetic in crowds but I am intrapersonal. I always like thinking. Especially when some visual images in travel touchs my sensitive mind. Travel can bring me new experience and unlimited surprise. Even at this moment, while I am lying on bed in my apartment in New York, I am typing my post on iPad,I treat this a kind of travel, long term travel. Isn't it? I will benefit from this long term travel in my whole life. and I am.