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.

An Exhibition in Nanjing Museum

Brochures from this exhibition

Constructions


My favorite art is "Double-Fish-Shaped Vase in Three Colors"

On March 14th, I went to Nanjing Museum with Candice to see an exhibition about China’s treasure and art. It doesn’t only shows the thousands years of China’s art and valuable unearthed collections, but also shows contribution by ancient China’s science and technology to human society.

This museum is close to my house, I spent 10 museums walking to there, and this is not my first time to visit there. The museum which in front of the Purple Mountain was constructed in the traditional style and it looks magnificent and mysterious. The courtyard which is around the museum is also a good place for visitors to relax and enjoy scenery. When I stood under the entrance of the newly built Art Gallery, I focused on a plaque which was hanged highly in gold, the plaque reads “Wuhua Tianbao”, and it means earth’s splendors and heaven’s treasures. It has 12 different topic exhibitions in 2 floors.

There are some exhibitions about folk art, bronze ware, porcelain, and etc on the first floor. The second floor has some exhibitions about modern art, embroidery, jade ware, calligraphy, painting, and art gallery. I was attracted by the ‘Double-Fish-Shaped Vase in Three Colors’ at Ancient Chinese Earth Ware Hall. It was created in Tang Dynasty. It is unique and vivid because you can see two carps in each side. The vase pained in yellow, green and brown and likes delicate bright. In addition, a couple of fish means lucky in China’s traditional culture. I also visit projector room to learn more about the history about these treasures and technology about how to create them deeply.

This Art Center is provided with modern facilities as multi-media guide. It also has restaurant, antique store, bookstore, and handicraft store for entertainment. I have bought some characteristic artistic commodities.

I like this Art museum and I had a good time in here. I thought the museum was boring to see some unearthed collections before I came to Nanjing Museum. However, I really wanted to spend the whole day visiting these valuable treasurers. I am obsession on them. That’s really cool!

Jenny's School Club

We work for charity fundraising!

Acts of kindness~

The left one is me.

I chose the Sunlight Volunteer Club from our school for my Education and Career Planning, this club was organized by the Grade 12 students and it had 3 years history. The volunteer Club helps people in need; it also has some events or activities with social charity organizations which have reached the standard. I have volunteered at the Sunlight Volunteer Club between the dates of September 1st, 2008 and January 1st, 2009 for 11 hours.

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I totally spent 10 hours volunteering at the Nanjing Blind School, and it is a good memory for me. My job was accompanying and playing games with the blind children, but I had to pay attention to look after their safe and emotion as they were lonely and quiet. However, they were kinder and purer than common people. Sometimes I had an insight into their emotion heart to heart, and the communion with them was not difficult. I thought they were expecting to chat with people and they also had the positive attitude to face this world. They are same as us, but the only difference is they use heart to see this world.

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In addition, I had joined the activity of the Red Cross once. This is charity event and I wore the red jacket as a volunteer, and my friends and I raised the wind from passersby. “Contribute a little love, please! Thank you!” was our slogan. When passersby passed us, we would say our slogan, sometimes some people ignored us but we never gave up. We kept our fervor and bona fides, and we hoped that it could let passersby to care it. During this charity fundraising, I had insight into strangers’ emotions from their words and deeds. I learned some skills which have communions with people and keep a good attitude. When I was tired or worried, I tried to keep a balance and calm down.

I had got an unforgettable experience since I went to the Nanjing Blind School. I met a boy whom was my first friend soon at here. Once he and I played at the garden in the end of the summer, I saw a butterfly flying close to us.

I told him “Don’t move, the butterfly is close to you.”

He said “Butterfly? What is look like? Is it beautiful?”

I said “Yeah, it is nice and it can bring hopes to the sky!”

He raised his hands forward to sky and said “I want to catch butterfly! Help me, please!”

I sighed and said “It has flown into the sky, we can’t catch. Butterfly is disappearing…”

Jenny's Physical Activity

Recently, I have an increasing number of times to do extracurricular activities for improving my personal health and developing my habit. It is a good chance for me to enjoy sports and it also is a good time to rest without a doubt. I have done a plenty of physical activities since October 10th, 2008. I spent 11 hours taking place for it. Riding, swimming and hiking are my favorite sports and they can decrease my pressure from school and rest my weary body.

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I usually ride my bike to school with my friends when the weather is nice. Sometimes I have to give it up because of the rainy day or traffic jam. My home is far from the school so I need to spend at least half an hour cycling commonly. In my opinion, riding is a very healthy and easy sport which doesn’t need you to have high skills and good physical qualities. I have ridden since I was 5 year old and nobody has taught me to ride in my memory. Riding is also a relaxed sport for me because tramping pedals can exercise my leg muscles and pedaling cans my whole body’s ligaments and tendons. When I was pedaling, I would like to chew gum. Chewing can relax my body and mind; I didn’t feel tired at all. Keep my passions on my bike!In addition, riding teaches me a lot. Controlling halter is just like controlling life, crossroads in my life is still waiting my decision.

Swimming is also my favorite sport. I always go to the swimming pool with my father. During holiday, I persisted in swimming because I felt satisfied and proud of myself when I can do better after my efforts. However, I am not a swimming gift, I also had some problems at the beginning: I was afraid of water. I felt helpless and precarious when I learned it. Sometimes, you want to success, you must overcome difficulties. I am proud because I have overcome metal pressure and myself after my endeavors and unremitting training. If I can’t achieve my goal successfully, don’t lose heart at any failure, but try again. I should have enough patience to analyze the cause of my defeat and how to practice following. I love this game and I enjoy this studying and exercising. I think swimming can improve the vital capacity and help blood circulation and it is very helpful to my physical well-being. I also can get energy and relax in this way without a doubt.

We know if I want to be successful, I must commit many efforts and sweat in practicing and having patience to try. I also need to ask elders or coaches moderately as soon as I meet any problems. Do sports is not only good for me to practice my body, but also good for me to temper my willpower. If you need to work out, don’t wait and procrastinate you schedule about exercising. Sometimes, walking up and down the stairs would beat any exercise machine.