Most beautiful sight

In my opinion, the most beautiful sights are in nature. I have travelled and seen many different sights, and I was often in praise of them, “Wow, this is the most incredible sight I've ever seen!” However, these might be just ordinary scenes in my life.In my mind, the most beautiful sight is the smile of my grandmother, a photo in my wallet that I always carry with me. Then, my grandmother passed away when I was 5 years old, and I miss her so much. The photo is a big source of relief and motivation for me. When I am studying and living alone in a foreign country, no other sight but my grandma’s heartfelt smile comforts me. We always overlook things around us. However, it's important for us..... There is a beautiful poem saying: “You are the most beautiful sight I have ever seen, I like your long shadow. It just seems that you are unhappy to say goodbye to me. I am standing in front of the window and predicting the next thing will happen to me. When I was walking beside you, I just hoped that the moment would be eternal.”As far as I can see, if we hold this attitude towards beautiful sights, we'll find the deep heart-quake.

My impression of New Haven

This is in the sixth week, a week of parting, and also, a difficult goodbye time. I can clearly remember the day of June 29^th, after three hours’ drive, departing from J.F.K. airport of New York to New Haven, I almost threw up because of the jolt. But the clear air eased the dizziness just as I stepped out of the shuttle. Then, the classical European style architecture all around attracted my eyes. They are totally different from those in New York. It was 6 p.m., so quiet, tranquil and peaceful, and I fell in love with this peaceful picture.

On July 4^th, American Independence Day, we went to Loria Building to watch a documentary of American independence history. On the street, most of the shops were closed and the owners had a rest at home. I admired the Americans’ easy life style. As a contrast, the National Day in China is bustling because there is a diversity of activities, and every corner is filled with people who are celebrating the festival. That day reminded me of last National Day in my country, when I was enjoying shopping, a sales girl told me that she envied me because I was so relaxed on holiday while she kept on working all the day. I felt so sorry that so many Chinese merchants are crazy about money. And so many poor have to make a living and that they can not have a rest on holidays. Maybe it's time to take life easier.

Now, as I am going to leave, I explore New Haven again. The peaceful atmosphere, the scenery of the neoclassicism, and the choir singing from the churches. I think all the Yale students are enjoying them. When I go back to Beijing, I will cherish everything there, too. The collectivism, the courtyard houses, and the ancient poems…

Fight for what I want(2)——peace

 At the beginning of the fourth week, one of the observers told me, “I think you didn’t try hard enough.” She asked her instructor to help me and introduced an experienced teacher to me. I became happy because I began to enjoy Americans' thinking and dreams in the new class, which was something that I couldn’t get before. Although I was not so homesick, I still wondered if the culture fitted me well. If God would have given me another chance, I wouldn't leave my country and my boyfriend.

   Then one day, my new teacher concluded that I had fought and fought again.Yes I had fought for what I want. I didn't realize that I was fighting until my teacher told me. At the age of 20, I knew what I wanted very well. That is, living a peaceful life, not pursuing power and money at the cost of my inner peace. In the past, I regarded my father’s wish as my wish. It is my wish that I should have fought for. The experience makes me profoundly aware that if I follow others’ instruction and force myself towards some reluctant goals, I will not be happy. However, if I insist on fighting for myself, things will turn around.

Fight for what I want(1)——Change class

Four months ago, my father found a message on the website of my school, which told us about Yale's ELI program. My father always wants me to go abroad, and he thought that it was good for my job seeking. So I signed up. I came here with my father’s dream, and I wished the hardship of studing abroad would be worth it. It seems that what you want will not always come true. The teachers of ELI were excellent. But the class I was allocated made me feel that I was misplaced, that I couldn’t learn anything. So I asked the other teachers if they could accept me. But the answer was “No, we have already discussed about the result.” or “It is too late”.

 I was distressed about it for half of the session. I resorted to my father while he said that I should manage it by myself. Maybe I came to American just because I wanted to experience life abroad, and everything else was irrelevant. All I wanted was to go back home and be with my family.

   

My dream profession

I have always been cherishing the dream of being a teacher. It must be extremely meaningful to devote my limited life to an infinite career of education,for education is not an end.

At first, the reason I choose  to be a teacher and my career, was that I worshiped those altruistic teachers who have enlightened me since my childhood. However, it was too hard to step onto the platform because I was shy and dare not to talk in front of people. Fortunately, everything changed after reading the novel Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, which took me to a gallant world. In the novel, although Jane Eyredidn’t have confidence, she escaped from the red house which brought her suffering, and then she became a family teacher. And it was this career that helped her to find her own pure soul and return to family and love. I learned that being a teacher needed hardship, and in return, this profession helped to improve a person.

I keep asking myself what I live for. Three passions come to my mind, simple but overwhelmingly strength have been governing my life: the respect for my teachers and my model, the continuing pursuit of knowledge, and the love for my future students.

I pursue lifelong learning. There are, of course, some people who would adopt the motto of “Eat, drink, and be merry.” But most people, just like Jane Eyre and me, would like to endeavor to attain as much knowledge as possible, no matter what a short life we live.

As I am aging,I long to embrace my next generation with a sense of responsibility and a positive attitude towards life.I wanted to plant in their hearts a wireless station so as to receive messages of hope,courage,confidence and optimism. The future depends on the next generation and education is so important. For these, I need constant efforts and the strong will, to be a good teacher! 

The sharpest memory from my childhood

When talking about my childhood, I can’t help remember the stories of my younger female cousin, who is of the same age as me. We knew each other very well since we were born, but there is a saying, "Fierce wars always exist between two women". Yes, we usually quarreled with each other over some tiny matters. 

There was a day in my grandma’s house, when we were 4 years old. My cousin and I played together and we had an argument. My grandma arrived at the quarrel, and stated that I was the elder sister, and there had to be a bit of give-and- take on my part. After listening to her, I felt aggrieved: I was just directing my sister to act in our role play, then got angry as she rejected it. Then she  blamed that I was a bad girl! So we started quarreling. I didn’t think it was my fault. 

  So, I ran away from home. But I was too little to find a place to go, because I didn’t know the way to any sites. Then an idea came to me that I could go back to my house nearby and play with my neighbor. No sooner said than done!  I spent the whole day with my neighbor, even had dinner at her house. In the end, I forgot the time.

In the meantime, all family members were so worried. They thought I went to the kindergarten but it was empty as they arrived there. Then they called every relative and friend who I had mentioned before, but the answers were “I haven't seen her”. They even looked in the sewers, wondering if I had carelessly fallen into the dirty water. Some of them whispered: “Was she abducted and trafficked?” My mother almost burst into tears on hearing it , while my grandma was regretting and blaming herself for not taking care of me. At the moment, my uncle-in-law, half joking, comforted that the traffickers would release me as soon as they identified that I was a girl——because China has had a strong cultural imperative for males for thousands of years, that people in poor areas of China only wanted to buy boys illegally and there would be no market for trafficking girls at that time.

 Finally, it was my uncle who suggested to look around the neighborhood. He insisted that it was not as bad as they imagined. As my family came, I was just going to sleep with my little neighbor! My mother’s grip on me tightened and tightened. Since then, I will not dare to run away without telling my family. And how about my relationship with my younger sister? It changes as we age. Now we are very close and she had a baby just 9 months ago. The days of quarrels, have gone.

My awareness of New York

   “If you love him, take him to New York, for it is heaven; if you hate him, take him to New York, for it is hell.” Twenty years ago, there was a TV play A Native of Beijing in New York of all the rage in China, saying that classical line. It told a story of Beijingers who wanted to settle down and make enterprise in New York but suffered great setbacks in life. They deeply realized that commercial competitions and fast-paced work had a big impact on their own spirit, which made New York both like a heaven and a hell. When I came to New York last weekend, I didn’t know whether I loved or hated it, maybe I felt homesick and wondered about my future.

   The flourish in Manhattan shocked me——Time Square was so crowded that it was just similar to the Wangfujing Street in Beijing. The masterpieces in Metropolitan Museum of Art were extremely wonderful that they almost brought me from 21^th century back to 18^th century. Then I  visited Lincoln Center, the center of the classic arts, which reminded me of the hero in A Native of Beijing in New York who also gave a concert to his lover here. I thought it was the culture of New York that attracted Chinese to come here.

   I spent a lot of time in Central Park .My friend who is studying in New York told me, “You can’t recognize the rich or the poor, because there are always some rich men jogging in the park but wearing tattered clothes.” After the strip tour was over, I experienced the “work” of the poor.

Outside the Broadway theater, after we finished the show, some black singers performed several songs on the street. And then, they expressed a willingness to give one of us a CD, and signed on it. We were very happy, but then they charged us $20! Since it was too expensive, we wanted to return the good. However, it was like a rapid reversal of face. One of the singers said, “There is already my signature on the CD, no return.” We had to pay for it considering our safety. There is also a similar phenomenon in China. For example, somebody  breaks a piece of china in front of a passerby deliberately, lies that it was the passerby’s fault, and blackmails them for money. I think they are  poor and their ordinary work can't satisfy their basic needs. Maybe there is a gap between the rich and the poor and they compare  themselves,they want more and the illegal request.

Finding every aspect of New York——positive and negative, I could see the common law of the composition of a society when I compared it to Beijing. I have known this city better, and certainly the tour makes the place look more lively. 

My 4th of July weekend

On the first weekend, I felt a little sick, so intended to stay at the dormitory. Then I missed the barbecue in the Morse College courtyard, and my friends went to Boston. I experienced a sudden feeling of loneliness. On Sunday morning, when one of my classmate asked if I wanted to go shopping with her, I found some inspiration. Just up and go! So we went to the Outlets in Clinton! It is said that in the Outlets, everything would be at least 50% off!

On the way to the railway station, we two girls were a little nervous. We had known about the poor public security situation in New Haven, and sure enough, we met three men who were sitting on the long bench in the park. They said “hello” in Chinese, and grinned mischievously. We walked away quickly in a cold sweat. Fortunately, we got on the train in time. It took us half an hour to get to Clinton, and we walked to the Outlets using the Google map in 40 minutes.

 Maybe every woman would never be tired with shopping. As we saw so many exclusive shops in the outlets, we nearly cried out in surprise. All the brands were on 30% discount or above. What a pity, but the size was too large for me to try on. Finally, I found a formal dress of CK brand, which fitted me well. That girl came with me, her eyes lighted up. She enthusiastically praised and put on the same dress. Then we bought the same dresses together.

 In a knapsack shop, we fortunately met a Chinese sales girl. She suggested to get a Coupon from the supermarket office, and told us about her experience in New Haven——something about the gap between rich and poor and something about the gun shooting. What wouldwe do if we encountered these scenarios? We immediately made the decision to go back early. We tried on and on, chatting, and enjoying. Time flew…The moment we got to the train station, the last train had gone. We were upset and thought we would walk in the dark all alone. Luckily, we met the other girls of the Eli program who has scheduled their travel plan and explained the unpredictable train time to us. But all of us are girls, so we had to accelerate and headed to the Morse College in the dark.

Finally we arrived at school before the sun-set, and when made it to dinner in the dining hall. Oh we were totally worn out, and what a breathtaking shopping experience!

Morning in Yale

In the quiet of this morning ，I walked on the stretches of grass in the school yard. I raised my head to the building in front of me. It’s the Bass Library, which was completed in 1971 in a minimalist-functionalist style. It is said that this library holds approximately 150,000 books. It was a novel experience, which gave me absolute respect and affection. When I bent my head, I saw the trees and their reflections on the grass. A girl student was sitting on a bench, reading a book with her dog sleeping next to her. I thought of the couples sitting on the bench in my school, thought how happy they were to obtain love at school. On the grass, there is a baby crawling around, playing with some branches. Along the path, some students just left class, or listened to a song in their iPod or held the books. The scene brought back our never-ending rush in the past life to my mind. It’s so comforting to enjoy the ”leisure" art at Yale!

My house

My house is located in a small garden, and it has three stories. The decoration of my house was designed by my father. The first floor consists of the living room and the dining room. In front of the door, there is a wool carpet, so that our guests can leave their outdoor shoes on it. Entering the door, on the right hand, we chose a drawing of Chinese style hung on the wall, and it is named” Fountains in Autumn”. On the left hand, there is a television wall, from the back of which, a circle of soft yellow light falls on the flat-screen television. A jade vase and a carved antique bowl are arranged on the counter in front of the wall. In the middle of the living room, comfortable leather chairs are in a staggered arrangement. It is the chair that my mother usually sits on, and at this moment I miss her so much. A corrugated plate wall is opposite the door, which is interspersed with colorful dry flowers. Behind the wall is our dining room and kitchen, though tiny, they bring back my mother’s cooking.

My parents’ bedroom and the study are on the second floor. The elders love the traditional style, so my parents choose coral as the main color of their bedroom——the double-bed, the dressing table and the wood floor are all coral. On the opposite of the bedroom door is their French window, and the curtain is embroidered with peacock feathers. The doors of the wardrobe are geometrically patterned, on the middle of the which, there are two lines running horizontally through the door, making in the golden ratio. All of these decorate provide a quiet environment for my parents.

In the study, my father has a large desk and a row of bookcase. Every night, the warm lights from the lamp and the comfortable leather chair eases the physical tension and tiredness of the body. This is the place I miss the most in our house.

My bedroom is on the third floor. The wardrobe is just beside the door, and my double-bed is in the middle of the room. The bed will be the first place for me to sit down when I return home. The dressing table is near the window, and the piano is in the corner. This is my own world.

My house is neither luxurious nor tremendous, but is warm and attractive.