We are Blessed, Just that we Forget

今天﹐突然覺得自己很幸福。

我有很好的家庭﹐雖然我不是很懂得感謝他們。在家我霸道的很﹐可是他們從無怨言。沒有他們﹐便沒有今天的我。
我有很好的朋友。雖然他們很多都離開了﹐但我真是很很很愛他們。無論大家以後如何﹐你們都是我最最最好的朋友。我愛你。
我平時不算很努力﹐但成勣還不錯。這是天父的恩典。
我平是不算非常熱心幫助別人﹐也不算很有正義感。可是﹐每次我有事的時侯﹐總會有很多人幫助我。這也是上天的恩典。
我沒有什麼天賦﹐沒有什麼特別的才能﹐但是身邊的人總是給很多機會給我﹐從不介意我的笨﹐我的冒失。謝謝大家。
我沒有做過什麼好事﹐但一生都很順利。沒什麼痛苦﹐ 沒什麼失敗。有些很好的人﹐偏偏一生波折重重。上天真是太偏愛我了。


原來身邊的一切都是恩典。
我真是很幸福。

We are really lucky
Quoted-
10th-14th April 2007 Day 1:
Arrived school at 5:45am and off we went to Shenzhen and another two-hour car ride to Guangzhou's Baiyun Airport. When we arrived Guizhou, the first unfortunate event was that poor Cherry left her camera on the plane, most probably was stolen. And then 4 luggages were left in Guangzhou........ After lunch went to the Artificial Lake......

Generally the first day was a rest day. Day 2:
We had a very awful breakfast at the hotel and started our journey to a remote area where the Miao tribe lives. The junior school children welcomed us as if we were some very important guests. the children lined up along the road, shouting "Huan ying huan ying", some of them were even wearing their Miao costumes. Our group taught the primary 6 some basic English...in the afternoon we went to a secondary school nearby....
Alice and I stayed in a Miao girl, Wang Qin's home for a night....from the pics, you can just see how people live. Everything was so natural and simple and the air was 100% unpolluted.

Day 3
A touching farewell with Wang Qin, and left the tribe village.

I rode a horse!!! But the pic was not with me yet.
We then went to the "Town of Thousand Years" ("千年古鎮?. I knew it should be called 清岩古鎮, but I still preferred the former one, because I was kept being mistakely informed that it was called so, well, thanks to my 'excellent' command of aural Putonghua. And dont you think it sounds more mystical than the latter one?? Visited the Buyi Tribe

Day 4
La grande cascade HuangGuoShu~ which personally I think was of nothing special~ were overcrowded with disgusting smokers. What drew me to attention was not its grand scenery, but rather the lack of social morality in people, as seen in the below pic: The Stony Village, which the tour guide claimed to be insignificant and plain to look at, in fact attracted me more. The village, which houses were all built in stones, showed a different savour of another kind of country lifestyle.

If you pay attention to the chinese couplet at the upper right corner, it reveals that people hope for an easy life through revolution. The Hanlu Tribe (漢老族) was the best preserved and real (in terms of its authentic lifestyle and culture) village of all the villages we visited.

Day 5
We, who had experienced the 'uneatible' breakfast at the hotel for 3 days, decided to 'eat out'. We made a perfect decicion because the breafast we bought were so tasty and cost so little!! The fried rice I bought was only ''5 塊錢", I would never forget the meaty taste and the savoury smell of the rice!! I love eggs.

Does it look like a family?
from left: little sister, mommy, daddy, big sister.... haha There're too many things to talk about, and I dont really know where I should start ..Although the 5 day trip was really a short one, I have learnt a lot and experienced a lot, we've seen things which you will never be able to find in Hong Kong. I would never forget the girl who took care of me that night, she's 3 years younger than I am, but she thinks like an adult already. Her diligence and generousity touched me so much, I felt so shameful of myself and some people around us, who do not work hard, and take everything they got for granted, as if they deserve to live so wealthily. The girl cant even afford to buy a dictionary, while we may have unneccesarily spent such amount on a lunch at a certain Italien restaurant in 3 hours already. I felt so rotten when Mr Yan, during the Day 3 evaluation meeting, noticed our quick switch of emotion when we left the Miao village and the girls on that very morning. yes I was one of those who quickly fell asleep on the car and then enjoyed myself on the grassland half an hour later. Are we really living in 2 different worlds as he said that cause us do so? Am I also a member of the take-everything-for-granted society? I dont wish to be one in any way, but in fact am I one? I don't know. They have never seen an airplane or a train, and probably wont have the chance to travel to Europe, America and Asia, the smaller ones are so curious about our digital cameras, for just a few seconds their faces would appear on the screen. These tiny little modern machines could excite them so easily, while I, on the other hand, complain about this and that all the time....... We need to change. ------- All in all, Guizhou is a great place, despite its unbearable hygiene condition (the odour is vomitous and could make you shed tears, no kidding) - hmm.. recommented. So here is a tip before you go to China- don't drink too much water. hmm.. you may choose not to do so, as toiletting is inevitable by virtue of human nature, afterall it's also a kind of experience too!!

MCS: is our sanctuary

Quoted from MCS schoolmate-
Hey there! I have decided to write xanga again, after three whole months of abandoning it. For the past months I was too busy (or too lazy?) to do so. Wakakak. Anyways, writing xanga is actually quite fun, so here it starts again.

First of all, a big thank you to every single one of you who have helped me with my university applications. I love you and thank you sooo much. Nothing could have been accomplished without the support and advice of every one of you. Now, everything is settled. I am satisfied with the results and I am going to accept University of Michigan's offer! I AM GOING TO UNIVERSITY THIS SEPTEMBER! This is like so unbelievable. Starting secondary school in Maryknoll was just like yesterday and now I am moving on to university. Gosh, I feel so old, so mature, so sophisticated writing that!! In less than half a year, I'll be away from Hong Kong, away from my beloved friends and family, studying by myself in Ann Arbor. ( I heard the weather there is really cold there, so I'll be FREEZING there, but that's beside the pt.) Anyway, the point is I feel so old and so excited! Though I can foresee I am going to miss my family and my friends loads. I've never been away from home before! Deep inside I am still a little girl. Gosh, I feel homesick when I go to bad camps...I wonder how I am going to survive in Ann Arbor all my myself, without my parents, without my friends.....Moving on is a scary thought, huh? Change is a fun, exciting---and challenging. Well, I'll just have to accept what I have to face head on. I've always believed that "the bridge straightens when the boat gets there". This thought has got me through so so much. Positive thinking is important. =)

Had a really meaningful talk with Jianjia today. Quite some time since we've talked like this. Life is harsh, and sometimes we just have to go on, coz there is no turning back. All we can do is pray that this is as bad as things will get, and goodness is just round the corner. But I understand talking is easier then doing. You don't feel the pain until the needle pricks you. That's life. Nothing can prevent bad things from happening. They're just part of life, part of nature, part of the universe. Positive thinking gets us through, I guess. (I hope)

Haha. I just realized that re-opening my xanga is just going to give me an excuse to procrastinate even more. (As if I don't do enough of that already) I have a math stat. test (help) in two days and I haven't touched the pile AT ALL. I just HATE math. The numbers make my eyes blur, make my ears pound, make my head explode. Numbers and I are just born enemies. I have no idea why the heck I chose Math. What I know is that if I don't start to study now, I am gonna flunk my test.

Oh, before I end my entry, I have to say that last night's party was awesome! Happy Birthday once again to my dear friends Joyce and Maggie! It's been so long since I've played like this. Though I ended up sleeping like a pig at kelly's last night....Oh, and I am so proud that I survived one whole night in those heels. Everyone said I was taller than yanis. That's all matters. =)

Corruption of the world (and person!)

Personal statement by “FD”: money = success? MAYBE!!

Once read that anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. I firmly believe that progress of all sorts, depends upon our ability to take risks. It is when we lose our ability to change that we stop growing, in all facets of life. I have grown up appreciating that every great change in my life has opened the door to new, and better opportunities. No matter how daunting the task, I have found that taking a leap of faith almost always takes me to a better place than the one in which I started. It is for these reasons and more, that I am now prepared to enter the challenging world of a university education.

For as long as I can remember, I have been an expert at adapting to new situations. I was born in Macau, but raised in Princeton where my parents ran a construction and investment company. The family business involved a lot of travel, and much of their
business was actually situated in Macau, so we moved around a great deal during my childhood. With my parents so involved in their work, and me an only child, I grew up quite independent and capable of taking care of myself as a teenager. This made it
easier for me when I made the big decision to leave China and study here in the United States.

During high school, I was an excellent student, and always found time to be involved in extra curricular activities. I earned a number of awards for my academic and athletic accomplishments, and began to get involved in various leadership positions. I
found that I was a natural leader, charismatic and effective in organizing others. This was helpful on the soccer field, where I served as team captain of both the school soccer team and a club team, for which I paid professionally and received a salary. I earned a reputation for my communication skills, able to give eloquent public speeches, but also regarded for my great ability to listen to others.

College has posed a greater challenge, largely because I am learning in a new language and living in a new culture. I have not had the time to stay in sports, but have found a way to utilize my new circumstances in a positive way by becoming a
member of several clubs and societies. Elected Secretary of the Business Club and International Orientation Leader, my most important accomplishment was being elected President of the International Student Association (ISA). I have been working
with fellow students to transform the ISA so that it is run more smoothly and is accessible to a larger portion of the student body.

This project has allowed me to engage in two things which I am very good at—leading others, and tackling new challenges. These qualities are some that I learned early on, working in my parents' business. At a young age, I learned how to work well on a team, and how to be prepared for the positive and negative
aspects of working in a competitive environment. I was able to improve my leadership skills during my many years as a team captain in soccer, where I truly had to learn to lead by example, and by inspiring my teammates. There is a fine line between laying down the law, and convincing people that your goal is their goal too.

I hope to use a university education to continue to expand my world view. As an international student who has already accomplished a great deal in life, I believe I offer unique perspectives to the student body. As a new member of this
culture, and the academic environment, I believe university life will also offer me a multitude of important lessons. I intend to use my academic and personal experiences in the pursuit of a career in business—a globalize field which demands a very broad
understanding of the world economy.

Most of all, I am ready to try something new. Through my education at Princeton College, I have become familiar with the American academic experience, and am eager to receive stellar university training. With my cross-cultural background and well-developed ability in the area of business and leadership, I am confident that I can make a very positive contribution, as a student and beyond.

CONTRADICTORY TO TRUE SELF: HOW TO GET A BALANCE AND THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS (SELF and MASK)?

Personal Statement
My name is Princetongirl and I was born and raised in Princeton. I graduated from high school in May 2006 and have recently moved to the United States to further my education at college level. I am the only child in my family; though I am quite independent. Even though I am not a very active outdoor type of person, I love singing and free drawing as leisure. I have enjoyed the challenges I have encountered in my life, and often reflect on them. I am very determined and goal oriented, and will chase after my goals no matter how hard and far reaching they are. I am very responsible and disciplined in my task assignment, which leads me to have good time management. I am prudent, observant, and considerate. As a result, I have the ability to understand what others’ need and help them in the most effective way. I am optimistic, and have strong willpower and adaptive skills. This keeps me brave when facing obstacles, and gives me spirit and strong desire to conquer them.

Early in high school, I emphasized my study in business, focus in economics and accounting. The subject matters and the surrounding that I was exposed to helped me realize my strong potential in business management and leadership. I enjoyed the analytical part as well as the ethical debate in business practice, which appear to be a natural part of my skillset. I set a goal to become a successful business leader, managing in a very competitive industry. While completing several college level courses in a business major, it has become even more apparent that business is the right field of study for me. I believe this field could develop my potential talents and show my inner character. I wish to be, not only a successful leader, but also an influential businesswoman.

Over the years, I have developed various and important skill set through outside activities. In joining different clubs in school and the famous Princeton Choir, I have had many chances to interface and communicate with different kinds of people. The oversea performances have given me multiple opportunities to travel around the world and learn about different cultures and traditions. I have developed very solid social skills and have the ability to converse with people of different background, helping me to widen my networking relationship with people. In business, networking with people is the key to success. Good communication skills are required in order to express your ideas, lead and manage a team or negotiate business proposals.

I enjoy being very organized both personally and in assigned tasks. I gain satisfaction and sense of achievement by turning chaos into orderly manner. I have strong leadership skills and always found interest in organizing and leading activity events for fellow students or friends. I possess important elements to be a strong leader as I am persuasive, innovative, have charm and leadership charisma. My past experience working in the Red Cross service as a project leader helped me to foster organizational and leadership skills. I am naturally a leader and highly motivated, which I believe are characteristics and key ingredients to run a business effectively.

I have the ability to control my emotion very well, expressing or hiding it when deemed appropriate. I also am very strong and quick in learning new things and adapting to a new environment. I am receptive to different ideas, and tolerate stress well. I am also very interested in psychology and philosophy because I love to think a lot about the meaning of life and why people act one way or react to another. Contributing to society is important because it adds meaning to your life. I feel strongly that the challenge and interaction in the business field could satisfy my curiosity, allowing me to exercise my belief in philosophy and psychological principles.

The business field is often described as competitive. I don’t think it is true and I have every intention to change it. Learning about business ethics in college has inspired and interested me. I think business is not entirely about competing, nor will this lead to long-term success. Holding your business ethic and basic principle is far more important while also trying to cooperate and work in harmony. I believe that there are many problems in business fields. People tend to overindulge in power and money, while gradually losing their true self. I wish to someday be an agent in changing this vicious trend. My future career objective is to become a successful businesswoman, have a significant influence in the business world, and in time positively impact the world’s economy.

+A little theory of "Friends"+

"With courage you will dare to take risks,
have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble.
Courage is the foundation of integrity."

- Keshavan Nair

Recently, I just can't stop thinking of what a true friend actually is. What makes up a true friend? Do I, in my life, ever have a true friend? Well, at this point, I can't really tell..I do agree that I have a lot of friends here, who are super sweet and treats me well. One of my friends has a very interesting perspective in viewing things in the world. He believes that everything in the world follows the concept of equilibrium. And upon this interesting concept of his, I develop a theory for true friend myself. Typical criteria like honesty, faithfulness, a good listener, common interests etc. won't be emphasize on my list of course.

*MY THEORY OF TRUE FRAN*: YOU THINK THEY ARE ENEMY?
1. Someone who tells you something you hate to hear.
Well, this already eliminates a number of friends on my list. So, why is it so? A true friend will tell you truths and truths are usually something people hate. We are more into dreams and wishes..which are impractical lies. Furthermore, in our life, we encounter many praising and compliments. People are pretentious and put on masks through life, as they need to consider factors like being polite etc. With people usually telling you sth sweet, you will start to believe it even if you know that it is not true. At this time, you need something to balance it back..criticism!! This is how equilibrium works.

2. Frans who will not help you and let you be independent.
People nowadays are very independent comparing to the past. Especially teenagers, they are spoiled by their parent. Think about it..we are living an easy life comparing to the past right? Today, we have many electrical appliances like air conditioner, fridge, television, lights, cooker, stove, radio, computer, play station etc. which we can't live without, which we depend on. Teenagers are always under the protection of parents..they are not supposed to be tired, hungry, hot, cold, sick. As a result, they can't take good care of themselves, they are over dependent. The world today created such an atmosphere that we lost our skills of survival, we require so many things to survive. True fran at this time gives you an opportunity to take care of yourself and learn to be independent. Imagine the feeling when you desperately need some help, but your frans all turn their backs to you. Frustrated? Betrayed? In despair? To achieve equilibrium, these are the feelings needed exactly.

3. Frans that will not listen to what happens to you, and want you to do all the listening
Traditional beliefs to true frans: frans are good listeners who know to comfort. This is not true anymore for today. Coz even if we have good listeners as frans, it would be a total waste. Today, we have many different kinds of online media to express our feelings. Blogs, xangas, online diaries, u tube etc. Thousands and thousands of people, including total strangers, can get assess to our inner thoughts deep inside our heart. Isn't that enough? The world is listening to you!! The problem teenagers have today is that they are arrogant and egocentric. They seem to think that the world spins around them, everything is only about them. Everything is me, me and me. "You should listen to me! You should care more about what I feel! I am always right!". As a result they lack the skills to care and love others. They don't know how to love, how to listen. A true fran will give them this chance.

I am not trying to be extreme or anything here..just that this theory happens to show there can be many different points of view for the same thing. Theories aren't necessary to be true always. They are just theories, different thoughts from different person. You can agree or disagree with them, but the truth is, THIS IS NOT THE MAIN POINT. The main purpose of theories is to show you there are different perspectives in viewing things!! Be creative and don't be fixed by traditional ideas. Don't be afraid to be unique, special. There will never be a wrong idea, but an old one. Stop being affected by fixation, just step out of your own little frame of belief. Listen to others and their beliefs. No matter how ridiculous they are, they will help you grow and develop as you can have an extremely new and refreshing point of view which you never ever thought of. These are the lessons you need to learn, as in the other part of your life the opposite occurs.

Sometimes I think it is wrong to be so rational and count so exact for everything. Life is not math, it is unpredictable...I give myself many excuses but the truth is i don't have the courage to step out.