Life Is Wonderful
I always think my spoken English is so poor that I can’t communicate with native English speaker well. So after going to the college, I take as many English lessons as I can. As long as I am free, I go to English corners and take doctorate English lessons and lecture. To my surprise, I could understand most of lectures of the professors who comes from Canada and USA. However, I haven’t had more
chance to talk to them in English.
Although I read English articles out aloud everyday, I am not sure if I can make
myself understood by native English speaker. How I hope I can talk to native English speakers for a while.
I went to the English corner as usual last night.(This English corner is at a restaurant opposite our college, I learnt that there was a American girl here, but
never met her before). Surprisingly, there were three foreigners(two men and a
young girl) sitting there. There, however, were several Chinese students around
them too. I must not miss this chance, I said to myself.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” I and my classmate smiled to one of men.
“Nice to meet you too” he stretched out his hand. We shook hands, what a warm
hand!
Then I introduced myself to him. When I told him that I had learnt English by myself for three years, he said that is unbelievable and my English was so good. His words gave me a lot of encouragement and swept off my fear and shyness. At that time he hadn’t had dinner. He asked us if it was rude or impolite to talk to
us while he eating meal. We both said we didn’t care that, only if he was willing to talk to us. He smiled and began to eat his supper.
He has been in Beijing for three days. He told us which places he visited today,
of course, they Tian anmen Square and Forbidden Palace. And tomorrow he would go to the Great Wall and Hong Qiao Market---which are foreigners must-visit places.
He came from Chicago, America. He gained his Master degree at Chicago University
, and religion was his specialty. He has a three years old son and lives in Chicago now. He has traveled many countries, more than twenty. I couldn’t imagine he had visited so many countries at such young age.
My classmate made a big mistake, I thought. She asked his income. He didn’t answer the question, but asked it is common in our country to ask other’s income.
I told him we talked about income to familiar people, not strangers. He said no
one talked about income in his country. Then we talked about the difference between different cultures and different countries.
Time passed quickly, he looked tired. The hotel he stayed in was far from our school. He needed to go to the hotel and had a good rest, I thought. We changed Email address with him. He said he would mail his family picture to us. How wonderful!
we shook hands at parting.
I don't know if I can come across the guy the other day, it, however, will be a
good memory for me in my life for ever.
Warmly, Dragonfly
