Shopping Day

            In China, most shopping malls are set in downtown. A shopping mall will sell all possible things in life like clothes, shoes, skin care, cinema, and different types of food. They put different things on different floors. A shopping mall can meet different peoples’ needs. My family consists of six people: my father, my mother, me, my 16-year-old brother Zhe, my 5-year-old brother Bo, my 2-month-old brother Kai, and me, the oldest child in my family. We all like shopping, and we enjoy the time when we are shopping together.

            In the morning, my father was the first person to get up, and he would prepare breakfast for us; then my mother would get up to put on makeup, and she helped Bo and Kai to clean up and dress. After finishing taking care of the two little babies, she went to wake Zhe up, and Bo came to wake me up. When father had cooked breakfast, we would stop what we were doing and eat. Otherwise he would say that we should get up earlier. At breakfast, we talked about what we needed to buy: Zhe want a pair of glasses, Bo need bigger shoes, Mom want a new dress to match her favorite top. After finishing breakfast, my mother went to prepare food and extra clothes for Bo and Kai, Zhe and I needed to clean all things, it was a lot of work, because my father is the man that only focused on whether food tasted good no matter how messy he had made the kitchen area, maybe because he didn’t need to worry about cleaning up. When we cleaned up everything, Zhe and I changed clothes and we were ready to go shopping.

                 When we arrived at the shopping mall, we went to the fifth floor to select clothes for two little babies Bo and Kai, It only took around thirty minutes, because they didn’t need try things on. We only needed see if clothes looked cute and if material was soft enough for babies. Then we went to search for my father’s clothes. During Father’s time, it was a really hard and long time for Zhe and me around an hour, because Mother needed to select things for my Father, so Zhe and I need to take care of the two babies. Kai was much easier to take care of, since he always slept in his car, but Bo always ran to other places. I needed to keep my eyes on him all the time. When Father stopped shopping we were all too weary to continue. We went to eat lunch on the seventh floor to take a rest and add get some energy. After lunch, Father took the two babies to the play area for kids. Mother, Zhe and I went shopping for us without the two rascals. The clothes for Zhe and I are on the same floor in the Mall of KaiYun, most stores on this floor are separated by gender, some stores combine boys and girls together. So we can select things at the same time. I felt this was the most expected moment what I waited. When Zhe and I have bought everything that we need, we went to together with Father to select things for Mother. Father and Zhe sat on the sofa and played with the phone. Bo and Kai were too tried, and they sleep in their cars, I went with my Mother to select clothes for her. Sometimes she tried clothes on again and again because she couldn’t decide which one to buy: one was a bodycon dress in color deep red and had clean line, this one is really easy to match to different coats; the other one was a petite textured A-line dress with a high neck in color black, this one looks grace. I would say she could buy both of them, but she felt it was a little bit expensive to buy both, and then she would take almost twenty minutes to decide. Then Father became impatient and bought both of clothes for Mother, and took her away from the lady’s floor.

            Around six p.m. we would finish shopping, and then we went to a really good restaurant to have a dinner and share the things than we get from that day. Like Bo doing some funny things, the clothes that Father bought was really suitable for him, or Mother had bought two beautiful dresses. It was the happiest time when we all talked and laughed. Around eight p.m. we went back home and took new things out of the bags and put them in the cabinet. Then I watched TV with my parents until bedtime.   

May 12th WEN CHUAN Earthquake

May 12^th WEN CHUAN Earthquake

       It was in 2008 May 12^th, and I was in junior middle school. It was a really hot day, and students started return to school after lunch break time. The weather was too hot to calm down, and I was a little restless because we would have a math test when bell rang. At 2:28 p.m., suddenly the chair began to frantically shake, tables began to tremble, and my head went blank. My desk mate said, “ It must be earthquake”. Our teacher of life had just taught us how should we do (what we should do) when we meet some emergency situations the day before that day, and I didn’t believe such coincidence. But more and more people said that it was an earthquake, and all of us began to panic. We recalled what we learned in life class (life class: a class to teach students some life skills like teach how to planting, cooking, photograph and what should we do when we meet special situation). And some students said, “Go under the desk quickly.” Others said, “We need to run out of here to find a empty place.” At beginning, I felt a little bit interested because I had never met such thing before, but as time went by, I felt more and more nervous. Then we heard many rapid footsteps out of door, and the politics teacher came to classroom and let us ran as quickly as we could to outdoor playground. All students in my school were in the playground, wanting to know what actually happened. I tried to call my mother, however, since the bad signal I couldn’t connect to her. My Geography professor came to tell us that the earthquake occurred in Sichuan, but he didn’t have any more details about the earthquake. Then school made sure that we would be safe, and we could return to home. I walked back to home with my friends quickly because I really worried about my families; hope everything is good for them. When I was almost arrived at home, I saw my mother was diving to come get me, and when I saw my mother, I felt safety immediately. We all felt lucky that we were all safe, then we ate dinner outside and walked until most of people went back to home then we went back to home together. The next day I went school, and my friend told me that there was an earthquake again in that night, but I slept too deeply to feel that earthquake and I realized this earthquake wasn’t like before, maybe it was a greater disaster

       After a night I received more and more information about the earthquake from kinds of news. Shocking earthquake happened in Sichuan province China. It was really a serious disaster, which not only destroyed a little place, but also influenced half of China , and the worst place was in Sichuan province .The earthquake destroyed nearly everything in Wen Chuan country Sichuan province. It was really terrible. We saw detailed information from television; troops arrived there to save people who were buried or injured, then more and more other places’ troops, doctors, and volunteers went to affected areas to help, hoping they could save more people in three golden days. In those three days, once I went back to home, I would open television to see how many people were saved and how many people died. Thousands of people were injured even died. Some people’s lives had totally changed: a girl loved dancing very much, but she lost her right leg in the earthquake, a Mom died for protecting her two months baby, she recorded voice by phone and said, “ mom love you”, a middle school teacher died but protected his six students to be alive. Lots of painful stories happened during those hard days. It was the longest three days. After 3 days, government organized an activity bemoaned for people who died during this earthquake, at 2:28pm everybody stood up and prayed for died people. During parrying I felt powerless and mournful. I cried even I had no connect with those victims. Next days, Welfare institutions helped children who lost families from this earthquake to find new families to take care of them. Different places’ people donated money and articles for daily use to help affected people rebuild home.

       That was the first time that I felt Life is so fragile. Everything seemed to happen in dream; I couldn’t believe this brutal disaster really happened. Thousands of great lives left this colorful world, sleeping forever with people’s tears. There would be no more disasters for people who died; but for the alive, it would be a challenge; Losing parents, kids, lovers and friends, they were deeply hurt by the disaster. Disaster not only destroyed body, but also destroyed soul. Wounds could be healed, but soul of grief could not recover that quickly. 

       May 12^th, I will not forget the day when the strong earthquake took place in Si Chuan, China. Lots of people lost their lives instantly, and many happy families went broken.

Humans are really small when facing a disaster. So I’ll treasure everyday, every person in my life, and treasure every single breath.

Bother BO

Brother Bo

     I have a brother named BO in Chinese it means hope he can have a broad mind and profound cultural background; I am 15 years older than him. He has black short straight hair, dark, intense eyes and pouting mouth; he is 5 years old now, and stands 48 inches. He looks taller and stronger than his peers.

     When he was born I was studying in middle school. It is hard to describes how it the feels to get a new family member in my life when I already being 15 years old, I was together with him look he became bigger and bigger in my mother’s body, I talked with him, touched my mother’s belly felt him moving; listened as the doctor told us during the B-scan ultrasonography: this is his hand this is his eye or look he was smiling…During last two months we had to go to the hospital every week, listened doctor said what changed about him became longer, weight went higher. A little tension; some curiosity; much more excited and expect. I remember the day when he was born, it was on Monday, I need went to school (in china one day class separate to two part one part is 8:00am-12:00 the other part is 2:00pm-5:00pm we have 2 hours to eat food and sleep at noon), I heard nothing during that day, after 12:00am part I looks fly to hospital to see my mom, when I arrived dad told me mom just been to promote the delivery room, until 1:30pm I didn’t see my new brother yet, I decided do not go to school in the half day, but dad ask me must go! In class I texted to dad have to told me newest situation at first time, after the last class I as fast as I can to see baby, on the way to the hospital I imaged what the new baby look like is he has a bigger eyes? Is he looks beautiful? When I saw him, he had been washed wrapped in a small bed, he looks really small his skin isn’t looks like online baby’ photos is wrinkled   then I know every baby born is wrinkled, he looks really cute, I kissed his moth carefully told to myself I will give all of my love to him, I will protect him forever. After 7 days we went back to home together, I tried to learn how to hold him, washed for him, changed diapers for him, at the first time I changed diapers together with my dad, we both had no idea how it worked but mom was washing so we can only by ourselves, too tight too lose make back to front, when I recall it feel how foolish I am at that time. Everyday before I went to school I have to kiss him to say goodbye, hope he can grow up quickly so can share really nice food to him.  

     When he was 3 month I need went to high school to another city which need drive for 8 hours, kids always catch peoples heart, I can not stop missing him if have break for morn than 3 days I would go back to see him, I teach him how to say sister how to say my name, saw he was running in the walker very flexible, when he can walk I took him to slippery slid, swing, ride when I saw he really happy or laughing out loud I felt satisfy. When he was 3 years old in May I graduated from high school so I have many time to together with him, my fiend and I took him to movie theater to see a lovely movie, it is too dark, he feel afraid so I hold him to outside to wait other friends, we played hide and seek when I hide back of pillar I heard a couple said whose kids it is too dangerous I went out and saw he try to take the elevator by himself I toke him away immediately even now I still feel thrilled after that I never leave him alone.

     Now he is 5 years old, no longer a baby that know nothing rely on me unconditionally, he have his own mind sometimes looks like a adult and try to take care other people. When I had a cold I ate ice cream, he will say stop it what doctor say? This summer my family has one more new baby named Kai, Bo always asked me when he was little do he look like such small also? Suddenly he become real older brother form a baby, I saw myself form his demeanor.

           Bo is meaning for me, he teach me too many things, he let me have a special teenager’s time, I seems can’t stop talking every topic about him.            

Different Friends in Life

Different Friends in Life

            Friends can be classified in two ways: different genders and different depth of friendship. Firstly, when it comes to genders, there are friends of the same gender and of the opposite gender. Generally the friend of the same gender is the most common type of friends, he/she has common topics with each other, and it is possible for the exchange of experience. The opposite-gender friends are easier to set up a relationship, and sometimes opposites attract will occur among opposite-gender friends. It is easy to communicate and exchange ideas, but sometimes it will restrict: men will be more gentle than usual, and women will be more ladylike than usual. Secondly, when friends are classified by depth of relationship, there are best friends, friends of the same interests, friends like a mentor, and opposite friends.

The first type: Best friends

            This kind of friends are willing to be with you in your tough days, or when you feel depressed and frustrated. When everything goes smoothly, instead of being jealous, they can be really happy about your success and happiness. Being together with this kind of friends, you can usually feel unconditional trust. In life, there may be only one or two best friends, and it will become less and less when you grow older.

            I have a friend named Bao. She was my high school roommate. We ate together; we shared selves secrets to each other; and we seemed like twins. One day we had a test of music. Every student needed to sing a song in front of other students. I felt really nervous about that test as I was not good at singing at all; however, nervous though I was, when I saw her eyes and she nodded to me, I knew that she supported me. Maybe I still did not sing very will, but when she nodded at me, I felt more powerful and relaxed to finish next part of song instantly. It was the safety and courage she gave me that inspired me to continue. I trusted her totally at that moment.

The second type: friends of the same interests.

            This kind of friends always talk about happy things with each other. They have interests in common. One can go out together with such friends and participate in a variety of activities; it will add a lot of fun to life; but associating with such friends rarely involves personal privacy.

            In middle school, I really liked to watch Japanese anime, but sometimes I needed a friend to share the feelings I had. Then I knew a person online, and we watched the same anime, and we shared views about that anime; sometimes we would talk about our life but only about those superficial topics, such as what city we lived in, what kinds of food would be attractive. It was a really happy period of time when we talked with each other.

The third type: friends like a mentor

            In life, we need a friend that can inspire us to be better. Having such a person around will challenge us to be better ourselves every day.

            Xingxing is a sophomore and major in Public accounting. Although she is one year younger than me, I feel that there are many things that I need to learn from her. We have two same classes together this semester. She is really hard-working, every class she will learn by herself before the professor teaches, she will always finish her homework before due day, and she is a mentor of her accounting professor, she also works in success center. It seems that she has a lot of work to do every day, but whenever I see her, she always looks happy. Together with her, I always feel that I need do more in a day and that I can do more things than before. I start working longer on studying rather than computer.

The fourth type: opposite friends

            Human beings are like to get together in groups and attract outsiders. We will only make friends with those who have the same belief, customs, and value with us, and probably will phase out the rest of people. But people who are totally different from you will show you a really different view of word. We should make friends with people who have opposing views; they can help us to expand the new version of the world.

              Before I came to Unite States, I went to an English center to improve English skills. A girl who taught me reading impressed me. She was 27 years old then; she majored in Biological about panda and she did very well, but she gave up the way she chose before that to became a professor then to become a Doctor and finally to be an academician. She said she didn’t want a future that was set already, so she gave it up, wanting to go out to feel different things. At that moment I didn’t understand why she gave up a really good work, but now I comprehend. A person shouldn’t be limited by age, he/she has right to follow his/her heart. It influenced me about my views of future.