On February 9^th, the Chinese Student Organization held a Chinese New Year Celebration. This is my second time to join this activity after I came here. How time flies! I can not believe that I have been here for nearly two years.

Last year I was the host/MC for the Chinese New Year Celebration. However, this year I just chose to be a performer that playing the piano solo and chord for another student’s poem.

This year in the celebration we got many

Event:  

Last Friday, September 28^th is the success celebration for the university’s fun raising during last five years. I singed with the vocal company and played the piano solo. 

I told several people about this event before my performance. However, I feel shy to inform everybody I know. That must be one part of the culture difference. 

Everybody who listened to my piano solo told me that I played well. I am so happy to hear that. Actually after I came to the U.S, I stopped playing the piano nearly one year. Thanks to Mindy, Sandy and other faculties who helped me to find a chance to play the piano again. Now they have a piano just in the SUL student lounge. The students can play whenever they want. 

I am so happy I did not give up after I came here. The 15 years systematic learning not only give me a good piano skill, but also make me form a good habit that I can continually doing one thing even when I feel boring. I remember one day I saw a girl playing the piano. She has played for many years. However, 8 out of 10 of her finger nails are long enough to scratch others. As long as I know, if you keep your finger long, it will definitely be stuck in the gap between keys. That is why none of the pianists has long finger nails. Some other students even put other fingers outside the keyboard when they play with one finger… Maybe the university can start a piano lesson for the students who want to learn, haha~ 

Sacrifice and Gain The most important feeling I get from this event is that one should never give up what he or she likes. However, most of the situations we face are that we must sacrifice to gain. The most important feeling I get from this event is that one should never give up what he or she likes. However, most of the situations we face are that we must sacrifice to gain. When I went to middle school, I stopped further learning piano because I lived at school. I sacrificed my hobby to study. After considering what I get, I should say it is a right decision because in the severe competition to get into Middle School and High School, I won. It was a sacrifice that nearly all the students would make. The most important feeling I get from this event is that one should never give up what he or she likes. However, most of the situations we face are that we must sacrifice to gain. When I went to middle school, I stopped further learning piano because I lived at school. I sacrificed my hobby to study. After considering what I get, I should say it is a right decision because in the severe competition to get into Middle School and High School, I won. It was a sacrifice that nearly all the students would make. When I came to PUC, I also sacrifice the chance to go to one of the best universities in China, the time to stay with my parents, and the opportunity to future learning my own language. However, after I came here, I experienced many different things. There are both happiness and sorrow. But whenever I met difficulties, there are so many people trying to help me. As a human being, we all have the feeling of the gratefulness. I will always remember all the help I got. (Just like what I wrote in the last blog, there is something we should never forget). 

At last, I just want to say that it is hard when we have to sacrifice one thing to gain another. I still don’t know whether what I sacrificed is better than what I get now. However, I will never regret. Looking into the future is more important! 

Today is September 11th, which became the “Patriot Day” of the U.S. since 2001. 

I am sure that anybody who is able to read this blog has come through that day. Even I was in China during that time, I was shocked. The World Trade Center has become the symbol of New York, even the U.S. Nobody would have believed that it could disappear one day. This event affected not only the economics, but also many other fields. It was a disaster and alarm to the whole world. 

I remember in the film 9/11 they said that the world will never forget this day. However, how many people remembered the 9/11 attack is today when we go to class or work? At least none of my professors mentioned that event in class. Last year 1 out of 5 professors of the classes I took mentioned it. There are only 6 years passed. We have forgot the Destroy of World Trade Center. We have been used to live without it. We have been involved in too many things like the wrong Iraq War… 

How many people know that today is “Patriot Day”? This question itself already makes us sad. What a shame that many American Citizens even ignored this day. 

People can not live without forgetting; however, there is something that we should never forget.

I was too tired this week. Every semester the week before classes begin is the busiest week for us due to the arrival of new students.

Marsha said that the orientation today is the most successful one for international students till now. I believe so. This should be the first time that we have international students’ orientation in Alumni Hall. I met many familiar faces in this orientation meeting. The orientation leaders thought of many interesting activities for the students and everyone had a good time. What impressed me most is the “Dancing competition” held by Gloria. However, I was to shy to go in front. Sometimes I think I am still not that social. It is hard to change somebody’s nature, isn’t it?

The only problem might be that many students tell me the lunch is not very delicious. =.=

In the afternoon I experienced my first audio warning in the university. Everybody went to the hall way to avoid dangerous. It is also a shame that the university village, Lawshe Hall, SULV, and Potter Hall all lost power. What should I do when I go back to the dorm today? I have no idea. It reminds me of last year. All the students were driven to CLO building at 12:00 at night, till 5:00 in the morning. It was a horrible experience in the dark heavy rain. I hope it won’t happen again. God bless us…

I never experienced any tornado before. I still hope I won’t experience any in the future.

Last Sunday we went to Indiana Dunes State Park.

It is a great day that we had much BBQ food and played water.

However, we are so excited that some of us did not use the sunscreen including me. Some guys refuse to put the sunscreen on and said “We are men. We don’t need this thing”. All of us played happily in the water and on the beach under the strong sunshine without any protection…

The first night I did not feel that bad; nevertheless, from the second day my back felt painful that I could not even carry my schoolbag!

Two days later I went to the university health center and then went to the pharmacy to buy aloe gel.

Luckily the aloe gel really worked well. This experience remind me of the similar experience when I was 6 years old. I had been in the sea for a whole afternoon, and in the evening, the skin started to peel. I have forgot most of the feeling but still remember that I could lie to sleep at night…

Experience is the best teacher. I will always remember this hurt.  

I can’t imagine I can have a second chance to watch Wicked. Half a year has passed since my last time seeing it, I still remember everything happened that day.

Just as what I wrote in the e-mail sent to student in Chinese undergraduate program, everybody has read the fairy tale “Wizard of Oz.” However the world is two sides, where there is beautiful, there is ugly. Not everything is white and black as we thought.

In the advertisement it says wicked is the “untold story of ‘wizard of Oz’.” However, I think this musical is more like the real life. Are all the wicked roles stupid as in the fairy tale? Absolutely not.

In wizard of Oz, Dorothy killed the Wizard of East at the beginning of the story. She is so lucky and is a hero from the very beginning. However, the “Wicked” Wizard of East only gives us an impression of fierce and cruel even her face didn’t appear. But who can imagine that she is only a poor girl that could not walk and want to keep the man she loved?
The Scarecrow and woodman were both once human. The “Wicked” witch of West turn them into this ugly appearance only want to save their face.
The brave and strong woodman is only a man who loved a wrong girl and be covered by begrudge.
The lion is cowardly because he is saved by the wicked witch when he was young. How ironical it is! Saving a life become one evidence of the “Wicked.”
What surprise the audience most is that the “Wicked wizard of West” is actually the most kindhearted of the world!
In this musical, everybody is wrong. Nobody is wicked. Everybody fight for their only right. We can’t say that the father of Alphaba is bad, he also consider his life and others. However, just these “consideration” push Alphaba to further and further.
This is the first musical that I saw live. I nearly cried several times. When Alphaba fly to the sky with the song “Defying Gravity”, everybody is shaked. No matter how many times I saw this musical, I wanted to see more. Every time gives me different feelings.
PS: I saw Diane again this time, thank her for bringing me there the last time.

Last Saturday the Chinese Undergraduate Program arranged a trip to Purdue University West Lafayette.

The main campus is so huge! Every department has at least one building. The engineer department even has a whole mall with several buildings.

I choose Psy 120, Soc 100, MA 225, MGMT 200 and Eco 251 this semester. If I was in Purdue main campus, I am sure I need to run directly after each class to the next building. I finally know why they have 10 minutes break between classes. I even think that 10 minutes is not enough!

I met Siqi in the campus. I have contacted her more than one year but never saw her before. I am so excited. Her friends and she even invite me and my roommate to they barbecue party. I have a great afternoon.

Then this week I started the tough final exams: at least four exams from Monday through Thursday. I can’t believe that this semester is ending. How time flies!

After the Virginia Tech shooting, we learned a lot.

First, before the result come out, some people guess it’s a Chinese student who did this thing. I feel so sorrow about this thing. Why they always think Chinese as an enemy?

Second, three days after this, I received a headline from CNN “In *** a suicide bomb killed 132 people”. However, what we discussed in class is still this shooting. There may be thousands of people died of terrorism every day, but nobody care. People always care about something near us.

Third, also what impressed me most is the Prof. Liviu Librescu. He use his own body to protect his students. Not only have the American people, everybody in the world honored him!

The following are some comments I translated from Chinese website:

-Why a teacher can win people’s respect from their heart? Prof. Liviu Librescu answered this question with his life! Show our sorrow to him. Wish his soul go to heaven early!

-A person who can be called “great” is not only because his knowledge, but also because of his personality. I feel so sad because we lost one great person. I feel proud because there was a great person around us. He is a professor of everybody!  Show my greatest honor to him!!!!!

I don’t like to put two events together. However, after finishing all my crazy exams this week, I found that two big events that should be remembered has passed.
 

Last Sunday is my first Easter here, and I really enjoyed it. On Friday night, Daine invited me to the Church and we have a great dinner after that. I did a very stupid thing again that day ( I don’t want to mention it, because whenever I remembered that, my face turn red.) Then on Sunday I went to First Baptist Church again in the morning. The most excited part is the trip to Gloria’s mother’s home! I hide the eggs for students to have Easter egg hunt.
 

Last Saturday the Los Latinos also held a Easter egg hunt. I think there should be 100 kids. I was so tired that day. And Jeff’s pizza from Little seizers is so delicious!
 

This Thursday I joind the Student Employee and Student Employee Supervisor of the Year Awards Ceremony. I became a Finalist! I am so happy. I also saw Ruby there, I hope she can be “Student Employee of the year” next time!
At last I want to say it again: I love the life here!

I make this blog a summary of last week. 

It’s really busy these days. I just finish three exams. I did pretty well this time and hope I can get an A in all courses this semester.

Last Thursday InterVarsity Christian Fellowship held an interesting activity. We must take several pictures with specific criteria. Each picture worth different points. For example, the picture taken on top of Sears Tower is equal to 100 points. The picture taken in Calumet Fall is only 10 points. Each picture must have all but one members in our group. Although al last our group did not win, I enjoyed this night very much. This is the first time that I had seen an American student can drive so crazy!

On Sunday I planned to make Wanton (a little like Chinese dumplings) at first. However, I finally didn’t get time to do it.

The weather change so suddenly these days. I hope I won’t catch a cold again……