Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A lot of parties

I am writing papers day after day. So far, my first twenty-page paper is about to an end. This is an extremely difficult task but also full of happiness. I really like writing, regardless in Chinese or in English. The essence of writing has never been changed. Also through writing this paper, I learned a lot about how to write a historical research paper. I believe the experience will be very valuable for my future study. By the way, my professor Swenson is a very nice old man. He corrected my draft every week, including grammatical errors. Have you heard that college professor would not correct your grammar anymore. Maybe it is right. I met few professors in undergraduate school who did that. But, it is funny that my first professor in graduate school who does care about and help me in grammar.

Because my supervisor Gisela is taking two months off for giving birth, I return back to the Student Union building to work from the library office. Working in the office is so boring. In contrast, in Student Union, there are full of fun. Everyday there are new things happen, meeting new people, helping college employees to set up events. Generally, people are very nice to me. They talk with me in a friendly manner; I appreciate their understanding and really like them too.

Today, I attended to a Thanksgiving party holding by Student Activities work-study students. They invited me even though for me it was too later to bring in some food. They did not invite all the people who work in this center, which made me especially happy. Woo, I knew I am not such a cool person. I am ordinary and simply. Tomorrow we’ll have a bigger party from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. It is called multi-culture festival. It is supported to have many foods from different groups of people. It should be fun.

QCC is a community college. Most students here are common young people rather than extremely ambitious persons. They study, but studying is not the dominant goal of them. They play games, join clubs, make friends, have fun, and enjoy lives. I admire this type of life. It is a true way of life.

Friday, November 06, 2009

2009 116

In my blog, there are already three year records of my birthday, 06, 07, and 08. It is a really joy to read them. Also, I have diaries for many many years storing at home that I can look back what I did in my every birthday. They are my treasure. My friend Jin sent a message to me for happy birthday. I am always a person who prefers quality over quantity. I enjoy this simply feeling, expanding it to a boundless contentment.

It is nice to have a birthday on Friday. Today I work at QCC Student Activities office from 10 to 3. I’ll have the first Chinese lesson for the little girl Hayli in Manhattan from 4:30 to 6 in the afternoon. After that, I’ll meet my husband at his workplace, and then we’ll celebrate my birthday in the evening. I have not decided yet whether we’ll eat at home or go out. either of them are fine.

While I working in the office, I reread the autobiography of Gandhi to prepare my final papers. I have felt serious stress on my study lately. I even thought about to quit. However, when I got contacts with other people, I realized that few people have an easy life in the world. Some of them have a much serious condition than me. Being aware about that, I am pretty released.

This Tuesday, before the class, one of my classmates said when he was at the history department office, he witnessed two girls who were complaining the excessive assignments and papers to the chairman with tears in their eyes. Thanks God I have not cried yet. When Professor Sen walked in, he told us a bad new. One of our classmates died by heart attack. His wife emailed Professor Sen this news. A friend said to Professor Sen, “You gave him too much stress.” But this joke was not funny at all. Everybody felt sad. In comparison with those things, I felt I could not claim I have difficulties at all.

For my papers, my constant concern is that my writing could never reach to my professor’s expected level. I have been tortured by this fact. However, I finally realized I have to admit the fact and found the solution. I’ll do whatever I am able to do, trying my best, and ignoring any requirement beyond my ability. Only in this way, I could survive.