The American Family ( Jounal #14 )

West world and east world are two different culture groups. Not only are the population, culture, and education different but also the attitude toward others has also their own distinction. There are some resources that we can observe about the American family. When I watched movies, I was usually touched by the relationship between parents and children. For instance: In the American family, parents would give opportunities of choices to their children. They wouldn’t force children to do anything that they didn’t want to. If parents felt that their children made a wrong decision, they would analyze the problems to help children to understand and furthermore to make a right decision. If children insisted their perspectives, even though parents felt inappropriate, parents would still respect children’s decisions; however, parents would tell their children to shoulder the results that they made. Besides, if the American family faced to arguments, parents would try to talk to their children and by expressing parents’ feeling to children, children could know the concern from parents and understand their parents. Another obvious difference in the American family is that children wouldn’t hide their love and feeling to their parents. American children were accustomed to expressing their love and feeling to others and this expression could increase the intimate beween each other.

In the contrast, in Asian family, parents and children rarely expressed their own feeling to each other. Most of time, parents would ask their children to obey parents’ directions so children have no opportunities to develop their own idea and creativity.

In my point of view, I think that American children have a lot of creativity that can make them individually. And American children can easily express their opinion in the public are. When people see the American children, people will be astonished by American children’s confidence and accomplishments. A psychologist ever said” children’s developing of personality will have been accomplished before 7 years old.” I think that that is why so many outstanding people such as: Bill Gates, Dale Carnegie, and so on, are all American or they ever accepted American education.

yellowstone national park ( Journal #13 )

Yellowstone national park is the first national park in the America established in 1872. The superficial measure of Yellowstone national park contains three states, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. When I reached the Yellowstone, I was shocked by such spectacular scenery. In my viewing range, I can only see a great amount of shrubbery with emerald color just like a green jade. After I entered the inner area, a gentle breeze with a little bit grass smell blown on my face; I felt that I seemed to revive from the dim world. What I can see is only the beauty of nature. When we were driving along the shrubbery forest, we were listening to the melody which was created by the rivers, birds and wildlife. Along the rivers, we saw that some wildlife such as: deers, elks were taking rest on the river side. These wildlife seemed to greet to us. At that time , we felt like that we were in a tiny, magic wildlife world.

long distance relationship ( Journal #12 )

I don’t know which topic I want to write for this free journal. However, recently, I am very curious about a relationship, that is, long distance relationship. Long distance relationship can happen to everyone such as friends, family, and couples. But today I want to discuss about the long distance relationship between the lover and friends. Some people believe the long distance relationship, but some of them don’t. Each person has their own perspective. As for me, I don’t really believe that the long distance relationship exists. I mean that yes, the long distance relationship exists yet most of time, the relationship can’t be a real. For example, one of my friends named Helen. Last month she went back to my home country, Taiwan, for visiting her family and friends who had ever studied in the USA. When she met up her friends, she found that there were no common topics of conversations between her and her friends and she also felt a little bit awkward between both of them. When she came back to USA, she started blaming her friends to me. I told her that she shouldn’t blame her friends because as time went on, people’s thinking and feeling would also change. That is a normal procedure about the long distance relationship.

On the other hand, the long distance relationship between couples will also happen. Therefore, their spouse would do anything that they could do to keep the long distance relationship. They would call their spouse or boy/girl friend two or three times a day for controlling the couples’ or spouse’s activities. Besides, when during the vacation, they would try to be with their spouse together even they didn’t have many vacations they could use.

I think that to keep such kind of relationship is too difficult because you have to pay more and more attention to others. I believe that no matter what kind of the relationship is and how painful the memory you have, it would disappear eventually. So how about let us just treasure the people who are around us and value every relationship we have had already. I think that it is more practical than pursue the faraway long distance relationship.

favorit season (Journal # 11)

It is hard to say that which season is my favorite. Because of global warming, we have difficulty to discriminate the seasons’ change. In the nowadays, the weather just looks like only have two seasons--- summer and autumn. However, such kind of situation hasn’t influenced me at all because my favorite season is summer. Yes, it is summer. Although some people will think that summer day is too hot and the sunshine is too harsh, I still love summer day. In the summer, because of the weather, people will dress up some good looking clothes such as bikini. These colorful cloths make me feel cheerful. While people who dress up the clothes are walking on the street, they just look like a lot of different flavor of lollipops jumping on the streets.

Actually, I am not an optimistic person and especially, when I can’t see the sunshine, I will feel that the fear in my heart is getting bigger and bigger. But when I stand on the streets and feel the warmth from the sunshine, at the moment, I will think that come on, it is ok; everything will be fine and every miserable thing will also pass away. I always think that the magical sunshine seems to be able to absorb my whole pessimistic emotions just like a huge sponge. Sometime, when the sunshine is covered, I just look like a flat balloon--- no energy and vitality. I think that summer is a very vivid season so, when I am under the sunshine, I can refill my energy so easily. That is why I love summer so much.

An important person (Journal #10)

As we live in this world, everyday we will meet numerous different types of people. Some of them, we will easily forget, but others, sometimes we just can’t leave them behind because those people have already implanted in our heart deeply. Such kinds of people are existent; however, as time goes on, we will usually forget unintentionally.
Hoever, there is a person who influences me very much. Before this journal, I almost forget the importance of the person. He is my father. I am not saying that I forget my father. I just mean that I feel too familiar with him to remember his importance.

I came from a usual family. My mother was a teacher and my father was a general in army. As people knew that my father was a general, they always thought that my family discipline must be very strict. Such as I have to weak up very early for doing morning exercise or my grade must be very outstanding otherwise I would accept very serious punishment. However, those were not truth. In the contrast, my father treated me and my sister as we were princesses. Since childhood my father always told us that we should be honest and should be careful for doing everything. If you asked me to provide an example, I would say that the person would be my father. Just like I mentioned, my father served in the army. As a general, he taught the soldiers must devote themselves to the army and do their best in their position. When my father was in the army, he always was the first people to get in the departments and was the last person to leave the departments. A lot of time he couldn’t go home for he had to stay in the army in order to supervise some maneuvers. As the maneuvers were over, he would give the soldiers some rewards for encouraging them. My father was accustomed to doing everything by himself yet he loved to help others heartily. He often told me that he had nothing that was worth flaunting but incorruption.

Because of my father, I always reminded myself that I had to be honest and to be industrious. Actually, because I followed my father’s directions, I indeed gained a lot of praise from my friends, colleagues, and my supervisors. I think that my father’s life is a best example to let me know which kinds of person that I want to be. For me, learning his life and conduct is just like studying a great and useful book. That is how my father influences me to be a better person.

Wake Up ~ Educationalists ( Journal # 9 )

I have been to USA for 2 months ago. Everything is fine, the weather, people, and food all surprise me. I have also found a special situation that was worth discussing. That was American education. For most of students, the most important purpose to them is accepting America education, but the most difficult adaptation is America education as well. Particularly for Asian students such as: Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, the vastest challenges will be how they can be involved into the different education systems. Why I especially mention about Asian students, that is, most of Asian students, we are accustomed to being a good listener but not being a good talker. I remembered that when I was in the school, I rarely had opportunities to express my own ideals. Most of time, we just sat down the chairs, took notes, and listened to the lectures the teacher talked to.

In the contrast, when I touched the American education, I noticed that American teacher were used to utilizing distinct group work to improve students’ academic skills. American teachers preferred group discussing to solely listening lectures. They believed that by academic discussion, students not only could train their independent thinking but also could learn how to communicate with those people who had different backgrounds. By this approaches, students were able to challenge each other and to gain numerous knowledge and ideals that they didn’t touch before.

I feel very pathetic. Comparing American students, Asian students were always lack of critical thinking and confidence. For example, as I practiced my writing skills, I always had no clues about my essays topic, so I spent a great amount of time thinking the related ideals. However, since accepting American education, I have been starting thinking many varied issues that I touched already. Because of the brain storming, gradually, I started having some novel ideals. However, I felt pity because Asian students were lack of such suitable education systems. I hoped that our educationalists could wake up and do something. If they do so, I believed that we will discover another Bill Gates in the Asia country.

9/11 A Tragedy (Journal # 8)

"You do always not understand me!! “ I said angrily. On the September, 11th, 2001 hot and humid night, that day, I and my parents had a big fighting. I shunted down my door and lain down my bed. 2 hours later, I felt a little bit hungry so I went out my room and wanted to find something I can eat. When I entered living room and tried to find some food, unwarily, I noticed that the TV was playing a movie about wars. “What kind of movies you are watching.” “What’s the big deal?” I was thinking. "What are you watching? What’s the name of the movies?” I asked. "……………” nobody answered me. “Hey I am talking to you mom, dad!” I said it again. "The United Stated was attacked.” My father answered me pensively. I couldn’t figure out those words he said was series or not. I just couldn’t encode his words. "Are you series?” I still felt wondering. “I have to call your sister and aunt immediately!! "Ok, I knew that he was not kidding me. When I kept a close watch on the TV, I found that I felt that my chest was so tight that I was aware I hold my breath unknowingly.

During that time, I worked in the hospital already. Day by day, I just only went to work and went home invariably, and I had no feeling about everything. But at that time, when I saw the news, I felt as if the pores of my body were all opening up, and felt like some extremely cold water just poured my body from head to toy, suddenly, I felt scared. After the tragedy happened, I watched TV every day and I was crying with those people who suffered from the terrific attacks.

However, one person made me changed my miserable emotion, that is, the former mayor of New York City, Rudolph W. Giuliani. I am not talking about his merit or demerit. I just want to give him a credit for a special opinion. "We should go shopping, go outside, and enjoy our life.” “We won’t be frightened by such terrific attacks!” the former mayor of New York City indignantly talked to the residents of New York City. “How optimistic he is!” I thought.I think that as a mayor of New York City, he tried to recall the courage and hope that people have already abandoned and he also knew that if people lost their merely courage and hope, they won’t go through the grieved occurrence.

In my heart, I am deeply touched by this opinion. And I also believe that when the only feeble lights are blown, only hope can light up our heart and lead us thought out the dark . Nowmatter how miserable we feel, it will pass away eventually. Don't give up, my friends !

The marrying age ? ( Journal # 6 )

I remembered that when I was in high school, my mother always worried that I will get a boyfriend and because of the boyfriend, my school work could be affected. So, she prohibited me to get boyfriend during the high school time. As time goes on, as I came off the student stage and entered my professional field, my mother instead worried that I have no time to meet a good guy because I am too busy to know other people. I always think how contradictory my mom is.

In the last generation, the women’s stereotype is that women don’t need to accept high education because their destiny is to get married with a nice guy and to manage their family carefully; that is enough. I think that is why the women who are in the last generation are all got married in their brilliant age because they aren’t independent enough. However, in the nowadays, gradually, not only do women’s self-conscious arise but also they find their self- value. Therefore, people’s opinion about women has also changed its tune. The more and more women get married after 35 years old and some of them don’t even want marriage because they don't need to rely on men to feed them and those women can support themselves entirely. Some friends of mine, their age is over 30 years old, but they don't get married yet. Some of them want to get married but they can’t find the Mr. Right and others don’t want marriage because they are afraid that the marriage will change their recent life and they don’t want their life to be changed.

However, the common ground between those women is that they are not hurry to get married because they have a steady work and an excellent salary. Even they don’t have marriage, they can still have a colorful life.

As to me, I don’t really think that the age is a big issue to marriage. I think if women can support themselves, they won’t really care what age they should get married. Thus, I believe that the most appropriate age of marriage is 0. I mean that’s your life and you are the only master in your life. So, just follow your heart and don’t care about the god damn age.

Independence & Economy ( Journal #5 )

Since 2 years ago, I started to prepare a lot of exams including my uncertainly heart. However, at that time, I more focused on the exam then I appeased my irritated heart. Actually, I can imagine that there are definitely numerous differences in the foreign country and I know that my life will experience a lot of huge changes as well. But, at that time, I didn’t think that too much.


Now, I am in the foreign country, United States. I got in here on July. In the beginning, I felt everything is fine; the weather, people, and environment are all attracting me. Gradually, I awared what the America culture is and those “cultures” changed my previous opinions. Let me make a example to you. A month ago, I went to the DMV of POMONA to apply for my drive license. When the staff of DMV keys my immigration documents number in to the computer, she found the name from the computer doesn’t match my name from the documents so she refused my application and suggested me contacting immigration office, USCIS, to correct the error information. Thus, I call the customer service of UACIS and ask for further information. After then, I collected my whole correlative documents and sent to the office. By the way, the customer service told me that it will take about "4-5 months" to verify and correct my documents. Of course, I can’t do anything but wait. Just yesterday, I received the documents that I sent before, and they told me that the documents don’t belong to USCIS and I have to send to another institution. Fortunately, they gave me the institution’s name. So, today I called the institution, CBP, for my immigration documents, however, when I called the CBP , they said they can’t deal with my problems, so they transferred me to another institution it also belongs to CBP. Anyway, I totally called 5 different phone numbers to contact the office. Eventually, I found the right place where I can correct my documents.
Thank God !! The interesting thing is that the staff of CBP asked me a question that who told you sent the documents to USCIS. I answered "USCIS!” Suddenly, I realized that I was already in the abroad, and such these things will happen again and of course, I must be used to. America is a developed and conciderate country but there still are some inconvenient things.

As far as I am concerned, because of those situations, my life becoms more exciting and colorful and I also become more independent than before although I am independent already. Besides, the other change is economy. Yes, when I was in my home country, I earn my own money and I can spend my own money freely, but in the America, I can’t do the same things like before. Therefore, economy becomes a principle in my recent life. I learn how to cook and try to control my desire, I mean shopping. I think that independence and economy are the two important changes in my recent life.

My dear Dr. Hung (Journal # 4)

As usual, hospital is full of smell of disinfectant. As usual, I went to the ward in order to assess patients, but this time, I can’t hear the footstep from Dr. Hung any more.

2 years ago, when I worked in the hospital the same conversation from Dr. Hung and I were repeating everyday. “Dr. Hung, does room 32 Mr. Chang’s diet need to change to low sodium diet? Because he has hypertension and diabetes” and “Can we remove the room 42-1 Mrs. Wang’s wound stitch?” I asked. “Oh my lovely Kuo- Hui (my Chinese name), thank you for your reminding. You are so attentive, after I check the patients’ condition and I will tell you my decisions.” Dr. Hung answered.
Dr. Hung has worked in the hospital almost for 30 years. He always checked patients’ condition twice or third times a day no matter how busy he was or how bad the weather was. He came to hospital every morning and evening constantly. This behavior is just like a ritual and it can’t be changed by any reasons.

One year ago, I already quitted my job. One day, my colleague told me that Dr. Hung got sick. “He keeps coughing, but we can’t find the reasons that make him cough. We suspect that maybe he is infected by T.B (a kind of lung disease).” My colleague said. "Did he check the lung X-RAY?” I asked. Colleague answered “Yes, but the result is normal.” At that time, both of us were worried about Dr. Hung.
After 2 weeks later, that is, on November, 2006, the answer emerged. “He got the cardiac (heart) cancer and he is in the terminal stage.” My colleague called me. "What? Are you kidding me? It’s not funny.” I suspected the answer. “It’s true! The cancer cell has already metastasized to whole body.” My colleague yelled me.
However, I can’t answer her any words because my brain suddenly blanked out.

One day, I went to hospital to visit him silently. When I was walking to the ward, suddenly I felt very scared. I was afraid that he couldn’t recognize me any more because during the time his brain was already affected by cancer cell. I thought that I can’t stand the truth that he will forget me. Finally, I knocked the door and entered the room. I can’t believe that the man who sat on the sofa is Dr. Hung. He looked very pallid and his hair was almost gone because of the chemotherapy.

"Do you remember me?” I tried to ask the question that I am afraid of.
"Kuo-Hui !!” he said. Until heard the answer, I can just put down the stone from my heart. 1month later, he passed away. Although I knew his condition very well, I still can’t help bawling loudly. Dr. Hung died on March, 2006. From knowing the disease to him passing away, it totally took 4 months. Only 4months.

It takes women 10 months to bear a baby; however, it just takes 4 months to destroy a person. "Is it fair ??” That was my first time to question GOD. Dr. Hung was a great doctor that I have never met. He treated me as his daughter. For me, he was not only a teacher but also a father. Unknowingly, my tears running down my face and now I can't write any more.

I just want to say "I will always be missing you, my dear Dr. Hung."

That is Dr. Hung’s true story.

long weekend (Journal #3)

Actually, I have no feeling about long vacation because I have already experienced a long long time vacation in my recent time.
I was used to working everyday whatever night shift or day shift. However, since 2 years ago, I quitted my job for I had to prepare my NCLEX-RN exam and TOELF IBT. That is why I said that I have no ideal about the long vacation.

To be honest, I am not a person who loves travel because I think that travel is really trouble to me and I have to prepare every thing before I start off my trip. In the usual day, my job made me felt exhausted, so if I have any choice, I will stay home to enjoy my leisure time.
But under one special situation, I will love to travel. I will love to travel with my family. I have ever watched a movie called “My Big Fat Creek Wedding” That is how my family looks like. When we congregate together, we are talking, laughing, and eating.

Food is a very indispensable thing especially to my family and we are always searching some fantastic restaurants for we can try it together. As I feel tired or helpless, my family can always soothe my restless mind. By traveling with them, I was able to forget those annoying problems.

As to this long vacation, I think that I won’t go anywhere. However, I expect next coming vacation, that is, Christmas vacation. I hope that my family can visit me and my sister during the vacation, and I can show them the world where I am living. Why I so expect the next coming long time holiday?? The most important reason is that Christmas is a family day. Everybody should be with their family.
For me, no matter how wonderful the vacation is, without family, the vacation will mean nothing.