The Amity Foundation

Charles Dudley Warner once observed “It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping herself.” The charity is one of the main pillars of a steady and harmonious society. I am lucky to catch this opportunity to join this activity of the Amity Foundation.

On March 20th, Ms. Bartell took Zorro and me to go to the Amity Foundation which is a charity organization. We represented all the members of our class to subsidize a poor child, Zhang Chunhui to come back to primary school. We used our earned money which came from fund-raising to help this kid. Though our abilities were limited, we expected to help more people in need.

Zhang comes from Yunnan province, she lives with parents and a young sickish sister. The average household annual income is 200RMB that is quite low. Zhang is ten years old and like music. There are still plenty of pitiful children from poor area waiting to go to school and seeking education. We were satisfied because Zhang could come back to school and finish her education of primary school in two years. Meanwhile, we felt worried what would happen after she graduated from primary school.

This experience let me to remember I once taught grade 3rd students English at primary school. I understand the importance of education for a kid. Knowledge affects eternity. I really hope that each child could have equal conditions to enjoy and got their own education. Acceptance, respect and equality may make our closer.

After join this experience, I have experienced on the different side of the society. I become more responsible and patient. I also pay more attention on society and charity organization. I am proud of contributing to my community and improving my social skills.

2009 GCA Fashion Show

The 2009 GCA Fashion Show held at NFLS courtyard on April 27th and this will be the third year that GCA has held an annual fashion show. This event will showcase student-designed masterpieces and it has three parts: prom clothes, casual party clothes and ideal school uniforms.

I felt satisfied and proud because I had this opportunity to preside over GCA Fashion Show as a MC. I got this performance information from Students’ Council because they organized and arranged this show. At the beginning, I have been quite interested about performance of Fashion Show. The meeting of Students’ Council was arranged at GCA library, there are a variety of jobs need volunteers to do. I chose MC because I never tried to be a host on the stage. It is not only as a chance to accomplish, but also as a challenge for me.

Before April 27th, models and MCs sacrificed most of our lunchtime for a few days arranging each model, discussing each minutia and going over all lines. At the weekend, MCs had a meeting to discuss our lines and models’ order. This was more difficult than my thought because there were plenty of models from different in Grade 10. I have spent 2 hours contacting each model and designer because I must know their designs before show but I just knew a few of them. I felt butterflies in my stomach when the fashion show would happen soon. I felt proud and satisfied when models could perfectly show designs and audience enjoy this show.

The third success of GCA Fashion Show offered me a stage to display my personality and let me catch an opportunity to practice myself. I hope this show gave an indelible and impressive performance.

My video and photos

Forever 10-B

Acadmic showcase

Math 10

Art 10

Mandarin 10

Planning 10

Social Studies

Science 10

Honor Roll ( Cum Laude)

English 10

Taming of the Shrew

the back of ticket
ticket

actress (Cherry 10-C)

Is there any way to turn a shrew into a suave lady? I got a positive answer after I went to see the play “Taming of the Shrew” performed by the Underground Drama Society. Taming of the Shrew is one of the most famous comedies from Shakespeare. On the evening of December 19th, Diane and I went to NFLS Auditorium to enjoy this play. We selected this play because our classmate Richard also had an opportunity to perform as a role. The show began at 7 pm.

This was an amazing and funny play and it let me remember “Romeo and Juliet” which was performed last year. Taming of the Shrew is totally different from Romeo and Juliet. Both of them let me feel the two styles of dramas from Shakespeare. However, the Taming of the Shrew may not familiar to most Chinese students. This was my first time to know this story and this play brought me lots of happiness and thoughts.

Ms. Chan, Ms. Mitschrich and Mr. Burt have led this crew to practice for three months. Cherry from 12-C played a role as Katharina who was intelligent but grumpy shrew. Peggy from 12-D played a role as Katharina’s pretty sister Bianca who attracted a variety of suitors. Fan from 11-E played a role as Petruchio who tamed Katharina finally. This ridiculous story happened between actress Katharina and actor Petruchio. The most impressive and unforgettable scene was the intimate scenes of the leading actress and actor.

All audience focused on romances and relationships, their performance let me involve in the play and understand Shakespeare’s drama. I enjoy it and I look forward to another play next time.

Bebbis Restaurant

On March 7th, Maggie, Lucy, Rex, Jack and me went to Bebbis restaurant which has wonderful Swiss food. This restaurant is at Xinjiekou. We selected a Swiss restaurant because Bebbis restaurant is a unique combination of “Happiness, Fun and Food”. It offers relaxed atmosphere and delightful food in a typical Swiss surrounding.

We attended Bebbis Restaurant at 1pm. We felt warm and comfortable atmosphere because of the typical European style of decoration and wooden furniture. The environment was quiet because there were a few guests at there on Saturday. It didn’t look like a restaurant, it looked like a western steading. There is a curt milch cow in front of the Bebbis restaurant.

We had no idea to decide which one when we saw a variety of Swiss and other Swiss food. The service also was good, waiter and waitresses were polite and patient to guests. They introduced each taste of different Swiss food and told us the history and character about Swiss food. That was amazing.

I like Farmer Roesti and Hawaii Roesti. The Farmer Roesti is a roesti with fried bacon and pork sausage, baked with cheese and topped with a fried egg. I enjoy fondue specialties as well as a rich offer of genuine typical European food. The Hawaii Roesti is a roesti with ham and pineapple backed with melted cheese, it is sweeter than Farmer Roesti.

Our aim was not only enjoying Swiss food, but also learning about Swiss culture from this lunch. We study the differences between Chinese and Swiss culture, both them are unique. French cookery has a combination of European food, I can find out Swiss own cookery’s style.

I really enjoy it with my friends!

My volunteer work

Chinese philosopher Mencius once observed “Expend the respect of the aged in one’s family to that of other families; expend the love of the young ones in one’s family to that of other families.” It is a traditional virtue for Chinese nation to respect the aged and care for the young. I have caught several opportunities to be work at Nanjing Sanatorium for retired cadres as a volunteer and I also got some employability skills.

From February 9tth to May 1st of this year, I volunteered at Nanjing Sanatorium for retired cadres. This sanatorium is at Suo JIng Cun and Maggie’s mother worked at here. They told me what my jobs are and taught me how to do on the first day. My jobs are caring the older when they to have IV in the medical office which belongs to sanatorium for retired cadres. It is like a free clinic. However, nobody would come to there in the afternoon. So, I had another job is counting and dividing the different medicine. It always took me plenty of time to carefully report.

In the beginning, I thought caring the older or reporting medicines would be a piece of cake, but I changed my thought after the first day I worked. Once I forwardly helped a old man, I wanted to help him to take medicine from nurses but he looks unhappy and quiet. After he left, I asked nurses why he looked a little bit angry. Nurses told me the older also would like to be independent. They didn’t like to play a sole as a weak person who need helps in front of us. I felt embarrassed as I misunderstand his thoughts. Through this incident, I realized too enthusiastic or too inhospitality both is not good. When I have a communion with strangers, I should carefully watch what he is doing and saying.

Another day, a druggist and I had duties to repot medicines what were counted and divided by me. He told me a successful druggist must be very careful and calm. Sometimes they were as important as a doctor, but they worked at the backstage. He was taciturn and he always focused on work. He looked nice easygoing but I once saw he blaming a young nurse. He was angry because she took a mistake. Maggie’s mother told me there is no mistake in hospital, even a medical office in the sanatorium. He was strict to a nurse because he wanted her to know to be serious when she was working. I learned from her experience to spend more time carefully checking my work.

I have experienced as a volunteer and a trainee. I have become more responsible, patient and careful. I also learned how to have a communion with a stranger and found the right attitude is the premise of success. This is an indelible and valuable experience at this sanatorium for retired cadres. I am very proud of contributing my community and improve my social skills.

I look forward coming here next time.