The sadness between a poor couple

I didn’t do well on the early tests on EnSci111. I am not good at science nor multiple choices, the normal test format for science subjects. I have never gotten a hundred percent correct on any multiple choice exam. I got the average 85% on my exams I have taken so far in this class. I have to study even harder in order to achieve an A on the final grade.

I am arguing with my husband this evening because of the issue of eat out. I suggested eating out tomorrow for a good reason. Next Friday is my friend Candy’s birthday. Since she works on Friday, I am planning to meet her and celebrate her birthday on this Sunday. Also, Candy has offered many helps to my husband since he has been here. She introduced a free English class to him, bringing him to the certain place by concerning that he was totally unfamiliar of this city. She lent a cell phone to him for his temporary use this month.

My husband didn’t deny the fact that we should show gratitude to Candy or even buy a dinner for her. However, he completely disagrees with me when I say we may eat out merely for relax or fun.

I believe that I truly understood my husband’s recent suffering as a new immigrant. As the most people from the lower class, he has poor foreign language skill and no professional, which becomes the main reasons contributing to his difficulty on job hunting. Although he has had a short period of business success in China, his saving affect a little on his present struggle, at least on soul. As a result, being frugality becomes the obvious alternative for him. I have to say his attitude towards money is not awful, though in my eyes that is far from prefect. Since we have our own kitchen, and I am enjoying cook very much, we can always have very delicacies food at home. He never refuses to buy any thing that I asked for house cook. In his opinion, that is wonderful enough.

However, the problem is I think eat out with friends is necessary for a good life. I don’t think there is a strongly financial stress on our household. We have saving and the full confidence that both of us can find good jobs in the future. I don’t mind to spend some saving for today use.

My husband said, in a family, a responsibility husband always has more pressure and concerns about money than his wife. The reason is the husband must concerns and supports the whole family, but if the wife can pay her own expense, she earn respect from others. I think he is right and is touched by his words. I conclude that he is a prefect husband in concept, regardless I disagree with him on his some opinions and actions in the real live.

This is the sadness between a poor couple. I wonder how we will recall this episode when we live in the richest country in the world many years later, an argument about a wife asking eat out.

A sad but excellent Tang poem by Wangwei

This semester, environment 111 is taught by a team. There are total five sections that are taught by fiver professor respectively. I think it is a good idea because every professor will teach our on his or her most good at fields. Also, there are five exams and five quizzes in the whole semester. Each professor will give one quiz during his or her section and one exam after the section. Yesterday, we had the first exam. Although I spent much time to prepare, I still missed a few questions. I felt bad about that because I do not take too many courses this semester and I want good grades. I value quality far more than quantity. However, this is only the first exam; I am sure that I will learn experiences from it and do well on the next.

Today while I am working the Media Center, I arrange the class notes of history 103. I feel warm when my co-wokers who correct my misspellings. I am not familiar with American history, but our young professor is well-organized. In the beginning of each class, he writes down the outlines of this class on blackboard; then, he explains and expends ideas based on them. Although I am still unable understand the lecture completely due to the language problem, based on the outlines, I can study after class and get the main ideas of each class.

Yesterday night I cried when I explained a Tang poem by Wangwei to my husband. We studied the poem in Sukhu’s class a few days ago. I knew that poem long time ago, but I have been touched whenever I reread it.

The poem is based on two stories. In the ancient time, perhaps, in the Warring States period, a weak state was conquered by Chu, a strong state. This lost king was killed and the queen became a concubine of the king of Chu. The queen lived with the king of Chu many years and even born two children. However, she never spoke anymore. This store is retold by people thousands years. During the Tang dynasty, Wangwei, the author of the poem I loved, is a high ranking official and a famous poet. One day, he was in a prince house and witnessed another real story. There was a cake seller living next to the prince. When the prince found the wife of the cake seller was extremely beautiful, he forced the cake seller giving up his wife to him. The prince kept the beautiful women in his house a few years. One day, he suddenly wanted to know what would happen if the couple see each other again. Thus, in the prince’s great hall, the woman saw her ex-husband, she said nothing but only her tears dropped. The prince asked the elites here to write poems about that. Wangwei wrote one like this: Can I forget the old kindness because of today’s special favor? Facing the flowers, there are tears on her face. She doesn’t speak to the king of Chu. After read the poem, the prince let the woman back to his husband.

Suhku said this is called indirect criticism. He thought the prince was not such bad since he realized his wrong deed and made a correction. I am sorry that my English translation can never compare with the excellent of Wangwei’s original one. There are only twenty words in the poem, but it tells a complex story and expresses such a deep emotion. I feel so sad about this story but in the same time I am fond about it very much.

A nice weekend

This semester, I go on working in the Media Center on Saturday and Monday, a total time of 11 hours. Today is the first day I am working. The Center is newly decorated and the place appears clear and beautiful. Also, because this is the beginning of a semester, the place is quiet and slow. Today I have met my old coworkers and also someone new. I bring my textbook with me and is planning to study during my work hours. Also, it is a good time to write an article for my blog.

I dropped my Archaeology course this Thursday. For that course, although I spent too much time to prepare, including a general reading during the weekend which cost 5-6 hours and the second time prepare immediately before each class, another two hours, I still feel very difficult to follow my professor and the class discuss. After I dropped it, I suddenly felt much ease.

Instead of it, I registered Prof Sukhu’s Chinese 360, Tang Poetry, again. Although I have already took Chinese 360 twice, because the course this semester is about another topic, I am allowed to take it again for another three credits. It is a real enjoyment to go to Sukhu’s class. I gave him a folding pan with a landscape painting based on idea of a Wangwei’s poem. I am sure that he will like it because Wang’s poem is just the topic of our course this semester.

Environment science 111 is not so difficult in comparison with other science courses. The teacher teaching in lab is a handsome Chinese young man. I enjoy watching him and feeling the three hour lab time turns to less boring. We will have a quiz and an exam for this course next week. I have to study now.

My American history professor is a young teacher too. I feel his class is not too difficult so far. The only concern of me is having enough time to read textbook and arrange class notes. After I had some science course, I realize history is not a difficult subject in college at all.

The last course I am taking is Anthropology 260, biology anthropology. It is hard. But the professor is well organized, speaking slowly and patiently. All of these factors give me confidence to study well on this class.

I will go to Coney Island beach tomorrow with my husband and my friend Yujun. It is a pity that I have been New York almost seven years but never swimming in the sea. The temperature of tomorrow daytime is expected to be 80 F. I believe I can at least stay half hour in the water. Yujun also suggested us to bring some foods to the beach. I think that is really good idea. How wonderful that when we have good food and drink, we are hearing the sea wind and watching the waves, sand, sea birds, and happy people. Yujun even said that she would bring a bottle of hot tea because she is worrying that I may be cold after swimming. How thoughtful and nice she is.