2010年5月31日 星期一

journal May24~30

( reflection on The Little Prince, part 2)

In the following chapters, the narrator and the little prince become closer and closer through their different conversations. The little prince cares about his rose so much and he is worried about whether the sheep will eat the rose or not. To be honest, I could not understand why the little prince cares his rose so much when I first read the book. It is just a flower! And he even worries about those “childish” problems. However, as I read it again and though it deeply; I had different points of view. I think the rose can be a symbol of our most cherished thing in childhood. Maybe it was just an old doll or a broken robot. To adults, they usually do not care about those things which their children treasure the most.
During the little prince’s journey to different asteroid, he meets a king, a vain man, a drunkard, a business man, a lamplighter and a geographer. Among these people who he encounters, the lamplighter impressed me the most. The lamplighter lives in a very small planet and his task is to extinguish his lamp during the day and light it up at night. But, the problem is that his planet turns too fast. He must keep working every minute and his sense of duty does not allow him to take a rest. Among the people the little prince meets, I think he is the only one who works for other. And his work brings the beauty to the universe. Maybe his behavior looks foolish, but he indeed is a tragic figures.
In the end of the story, the little prince goes back to his planet in a sorrowful way. Although he claims that he needs to go back to see his rose, the way he uses still make me sad. It seems that he dies. To me, leaving is always painful. But the narrator is very optimistic about his friend’s leaving and always misses him while looking at sky.
Look up at the sky. Ask yourself, “Has the sheep eaten the flower or not?” And you’ll see how everything changes. And no grown-up will ever understand how such a thing could be so important!”

2010年5月25日 星期二

journal May17~23

Few days ago, I finish my reading of “the little prince”. I cannot remember how many times I had read it. Without a doubt, it is one of my most favorite books. I first read the book when I was an elementary school student. I was attractive by it because of its colorful and cute illustrations. To my, the story was only about a little boy’s adventure in different planet. I could not grasp the true meaning that hidden behind the words and sentences. It was beyond my comprehension. As I grew older, I gradually realized that how amazing the book was. Every time I read it, I have different feelings and thoughts.

But he would always answer, “That’s a hat.” Then I wouldn’t talk about boa constrictors or jungles or stars. I would put myself on his level and talk about bridge and golf and politics and neckties. And my grown-up was glad to know such a reasonable person.”
At the first chapter, the novel narrator says that when he was six years old, he drew a picture which was a boa was digesting an elephant. But adults said the picture is a hat. They did not like his picture and told him to work hard on his study. This plot reminded me that I used to do the same thing in my childhood. My parents liked to cultivate me into certain hobbies. I did not like to play piano, but my mom said that learning piano was very elegant. So, I have to learn. I was not a quiet girl and preferred to do some outdoor activities. I liked robots more than dolls. But I still have to stay in home for reading, drawing, playing piano and changing clothes for those stupid Barbies. I really think that grown-up should pay more attention and explore what their children really like.
When the narrator one day crash in dessert, he meet the little prince. The little prince asks him to draw s sheep for him, but he draw the picture of a boa swallowing an elephant. It is the same as his first drawing in six. Surprisingly, the little price can understand the picture. This point also shows that how children are different from adults. Children are creative and imaginative. Their perspectives are so interesting than those practical adults. Although the narrator is an adult, he still keeps his pure heart. So, he can enjoy listen to his little new friend’s adventureful stories.

2010年5月17日 星期一

May10~16

Few days ago, I learned that our French teacher might not teach us in the next semester. I was very shock. I knew that she was serious sick so she had to call off some class in the following weeks. Recently, she needs to have operations. When she tells us her health situation, most of us could not believe in what she just said. Because she always looks energetic and passion in class. She never appears tired look. At first, I though she may take some classes off until the end of this semester. Then, she will appear healthy in next semester. But, I was wrong! I am very sad about the bad news, because she is a very good teacher. I learned not only French but also her positive attitude towards life from her. I truly hope she can recover soon and keep teaching us.
Sometimes, I really feel the uncertainty of life is terrible. We do not know what will happen in next day or next minute. I still remember the serious landslide accident in highway which happened in last month. Some drivers unfortunately were buried in earth, but some does not only because they drove behind those cars for ten meters. No one wants this happened, but it did happened. We cannot do anything to stop those natural accidents. This is the uncertainty of life. I think we should treasure what we have now, and care more about our family and friends. Sometimes, I easily take what I have for granted and seldom think I need to cherish them. I must change my attitude or I will definitely regret after lose something which cannot be replace.

2010年5月10日 星期一

journal May3~May.9

I had subscribed to Reader’s Digest for almost one year. I remembered my English teacher told me that Reader’s Digest is a very useful material when learning English. As a result, I chose it as my English reading material. At first, I was a little bit worry about whether the contents are too difficult for me or not. But after I received the magazines, I was impressed by its variety of articles including cover story, health, sports, jokes, heroes, word power, quotes, and so on. By reading them, I can attain different range of knowledge and broaden my horizons. Most of them were very interesting. Besides, I would not be frustrated or bored when I saw some new words, because I was really into the topic.
Yesterday when I was reading my last Reader’s Digest, I found a newborn word—slanket. It is a blanket with sleeves (hence the name) which was invented by a 19 years old student in US. The invention was said to be a good news to coach potatoes because they do not need to tolerate the blankets slipped off their body when they lying on the sofa. And this product was also introduced by Taiwan’s TV programs. I thought I might buy one in winter because it looked very warm!


In addition to this word, I also noticed a word which I had some misunderstanding before—ATM. ATM means automated teller machine. However, sometimes I would say ATM machine. That became automated teller machine machine! The redundant problems might need to be paid more attention.
Keep the habit of reading Reader’s Digest will definitely help me to improve my reading ability and learn new knowledge. I hope I can get used to it and enjoy it!

2010年5月3日 星期一

journal Apr.26~May.2

After our exhausted mid-term exams, I decided to relief all my stress and enjoy my weekend! This Saturday, I went to Janfusun fancy world with Angel. I woke up at seven thirty at morning and found that weather is good. It was really a wonderful day to have fun! As we sat on our only vehicle—motorcycle, our little trip just started!
Because we were not familiar with route, we just followed the directions from Dalin interchange to Meishan interchange. Fortunately, the directions were very clear and we spent about one hour to get there. The first facility we played was G5. Although I was very brave and belonged to those who will play all the facility in amusement park, I still felt nervous when I stand in line. It was my very first time! When I get into the seat and the cars started to rise, I almost could hear my heart beating. Suddenly, as wind flapped on my face and scream floating in the air, I felt I was falling. It was totally terrible but exciting! For the following hours, we almost we every facility until we were dazzling. There were not so many people, so we seldom need to wait in line. How lucky we are! When we were exhausted, we went to see the circus. The group was from Russia, so there are so many handsome guys! They combined skating and acrobatics which were very impressing. Their skills were really amazing. I enjoyed it a lot. After the show, we decided to walk to the entrance and rode to Yunlin University of Science and Technology for eating our dinner. Because we knew that there was a famous beef noodles called “老謝”. The good smell filled the store that made me mouth-watering. After I tasted the beef noodles, the only thing I could say is that the reputation is well supported by fact! So delicious!
I could not remember how many hours had we spent on riding. But it was definitely a wonderful day!

2010年4月10日 星期六

journal Apr.5~11

Apr.5~11

I like reading.

Since I was a child, my mom had bought variety of books for me. Every day, I read one of them. This habit has kept for a long time. To me, reading is not only a way to fulfilling myself but also a way to relax. My speed of reading is not slow, or some people say is fast. For one reason is that I do not read every single word but the meaning of whole sentence. I will easy space out if reading every word. Another season is that once I start reading, I indulge myself in the plots every much. Sometimes I even forget to have meal, or I do not want to have it! If I cannot finish a book, I will just keep thinking “what happened next?” “Will he die?” “Will they be happy ever after?” These question keep hunting me that makes me really curious. So, generally speaking, I finish a book within a short period of time.
Recently, I am reading a book called Needful Things written by Stephen King. This book is very thick (about 700 pages). Well, it’s always his style! The story is about a grand opening store in a small town. You can buy anything you want in the store. Your deepest desire will be realize. But, in order to get your necessary, you have to pay for it. The darkness of mankind reveal in the story. I think Stephen King’s writing style is very obvious. He is good at dealing with details. I also read his other book like Pet Sematary and Skeleton Crew; both of them are very “Stephen”. Now, I am planning to read Dan Brown’s new book—The Lost Symbol. I believe it must be a very fascinating book. I am looking forward to it!

2010年4月5日 星期一

journal Mar. 29~ Apr.4

3/29~4/4
This Tuesday, I went back to my alma mater, Nan Gang high school, with my friends. I have not seen my classmates for a long time. Because most of them stay in Taipei for study. As a result, this spring break is a good time for us to have a small class reunion.
When I saw some of my friends, I was very surprised by their change, both good and bad. Some girls became more beautiful and graceful. They work hard on their academic but had few activities after school. From their behavior, I noticed their mature temperament. As to the rest, they still kept the same personalities. They were good at social and join every kind of activities. They have colorful “nightlife”. However, they lost their passion on studies and did bad jobs on tests.
I was wondering that in these two categories, which one I should belong to? To be honest, I am not good at social. I am always nervous when talking to strangers. I keep silence in the occasions which are not familiar to me. I am not comfortable to show myself. These reasons make me seldom attend activities no matters are held by our apartment or other school’s clubs. People say that College life is just like an epitome of society. We can meet almost every kind of people in College. Maybe I really need to learn how to get along with those acquaintances. I have to get rid of embarrassment and nervous which I put on myself. I must do some CHANGE.

2010年3月28日 星期日

journal Mar. 22~28

Mar 22~28

Sometimes, I am just wondering why I am here. What am I pursuing for?

Since I became a freshman, I had deeply considered something about my future. Many people tell me that languages are only an assistant tool in my future career. Maybe that is true. However, I am still very interested in learning languages. And, the most important is that, actually, I don’t know what my second skill is! My mom hopes me to double major in order to grow much more competitive. At first, she did not stop me from attending foreign language and literature department. Until recently my sister can not find her ideal job (she also graduated from English department), so my mom starts to worry about my future career. I do not know whether I should listen to her words to double major. The advantages part of double major is that I can fulfill myself and cultivate my second skill. I can have more choice in my future career. In contrast, the disadvantages part is that I am worry about if I have the ability to double major. I really want to learn more about my language major. I chose French as my second language because I think French is an attractive and elegant language. And I hope one day, I can go to Paris and communicate with French. Besides my enthusiasm for language, double major may need to study for another one year in my college life. I was live in Taipei; it is really far away from CCU. Although I like my campus, sometimes I still miss my family and want to go home.
I am very confused about double major. It is a dilemma for me. Maybe I need more time to figure out what I want.

2010年3月21日 星期日

journal Mar. 15~21

Mar 15~21
This week, I found my new house. After we become a sophomore, we need to draw lots to decide who can live in dorm. Each department have different quota. I am not sure how many of us can get the opportunity to live in dorm, but I know you have to be very lucky. The chance is little. Well, I am not a lucky person at all. I know that long time ago. As a result, I started to find my new home few weeks ago. This is a very new experience for me. I never imagine that one day, I need to rent a house and live far away from my family and home. Maybe this is an inevitable step in my life, I just wonder that why it comes so soon.
I used to think that studying far away from my hometown will be very free. I can do whatever I want and go home as late as I can. However, at the first night I came to CCU, I suddenly had a strong feeling— I am here, alone. No family, no friends, and even acquaintance. Just like I was abandoned by the whole world. This is far from my imagination before. But I know I must be independent. I need to learn how to live by myself. At first, it was very difficult. I sometimes miss my mom especially when she gives me a phone call and asks me if everything ok.”Don’t worry. Everything is fine.” I say to her as usual. I seldom express my mind and emotion to her because I am afraid of worrying her. But, sometimes, it is really hard.
Since I came here, I had learned something that I never knew before. I still keep learning and growing. I want to achieve my goals not only in academic but relationship. My college life still long and I will realize my dream step by step.

2010年3月13日 星期六

journal Mar. 8~14

Mar. 8~14
This Saturday, Angel, June and I went to Cyiayi Performing Art Center to see the CCU’s musical. When we went to the bus stop, we meet May and Heidi. And my sight was caught by a group of foreigners who also wait bus there. They looked like students too and were chatting delightful. It was hard for me to distinguish which country were they from because I heard many kinds of different languages. English mix with Chinese and…Spanish? I was not sure at all. And then, one of them even took out of his guitar and started to play. They sang together. I felt really surprise not because of their voice but was their confidence and comfortable. They did not try to catch others attention (although they DO catch many walker’s attention), and just sang from the bottom of their hearts. They enjoyed themselves. All of a sudden, I thought they are so shining.
A boy went upon us, saying hello and trying to chat with us. I found his Chinese is pretty good. His name is Alex and they are the members of rotary club. They were from many different countries and came to Taiwan as exchange students. To my surprise, he only came to Taiwan for six month! His distinctly Chinese pronouncing makes me under the illusion that he has lived in Taiwan for years. He is very conversational and humorous. When he knew that we are nineteen years old, he looked very surprise (well actually, when I knew he is eighteen, I was shock too!). The conversation was very interesting, a Brazil girl and a Mexico boy came to join us. When they knew May is learning Spanish, they used some simple sentences to say “hola”. The Mexico boy even took out a bottle to show us flair bartender.
During the conversation, I did not play a role on speaking. I just listened most of time. To be honest, I really admired Heidi. She spoke fluently. I just cannot pluck up my courage to speak. Maybe this is one of the reasons why I think they are so shining. To them, they was also talking to foreigners. Their confidence impressed me a lot.

2010年1月3日 星期日

the LAST week

Q1:How do you like the weekly writing prompts? Are they interesting or boring? Inspirational or weird? Are they related to your life? Can you suggest anything better and give some examples?

To be honest, I did not expect this kind of weekly assignment can be interesting. Because I consider them as “assignments”. But after few weeks, I found that the topics are usually funny and also promote me to think more. They do relate to my life. For example, the “strawberry generation” is one of the most impressed topics to me. From the discussion with my keypal, some deeper thoughts came to my mind.


Q2:Do you like the two-way online discussion with your keypal? Or do you think we should have more people (like 3~4 students) form a group blog to exchange ideas? Why or why not?

I really like this two-way online discussion. Some special ideals were inspired during the process. About a group discussion, I think it is not a bad ideal. Through this project, we can learn the importance of team spirit and cooperation. Because if we work as a group, all the members need to do his or her part correctly and on time so our blog project can work smoothly.


Q3: Have you encountered any difficulties during the semester when using blogs to discuss with your keypal, e.g., computer problems or anything?

No, I have not encountered difficulties when using my blog. Everything is fine!


Q4: How do you like the project website? Are they friendly enough? Have we left out any important content? How do you like the layout/design?

I think the project website is quite good. The layouts of each week assignments are creative and fancy. About the design, it is very convenient for me to use. I can see the assignment that week just by clicking the button on the top of the website. The function saves me a lot of time.


Q5: What have you gained from this blog activity?

1. I got a good partner! Because of this blog activity, my partner and I can discuss together and share different opinion.
2. I also cultivated a habit of writing blog every week.
3. I know the importance of being punctual.
4. I try to improve my writing skills, such as grammar and the choice of words.


Q6: If you had an opportunity to start over, would you have done anything differently? If so, how?

If I can start over this project, I think I will interact with my partner more. I know some of my classmates have NO interactions with their keypal because they can not contact them! I should be very glad to have a good keypal.
Maybe, in addition to weekly assignments, we can share something interesting in life or some problems in learning English. Just like a friend.